Quit Smoking Cold Turkey
To quit smoking cold turkey (i.e to stop smoking altogether, all at once, without the aid of medication or therapy) is a common method for smokers to choose when giving up smoking. Suprisingly however, success rates for this method of quitting are only in the region of 4% to 7%1.
This fact is not quoted to put you off this method but rather to give you a statistical indication of your chances of success with it.
To successfully stop smoking cold turkey can be difficult, especially for heavier smokers (smoking 40 a day or more). It may take you several attempts stop and stay stopped. However, you can improve your chances of quitting smoking cold turkey with some thoughtful preparation.
Pros
The body's healing process begins within just 20 minutes! Learn more about how your health improves in our article on the benefits of quitting smoking, which details this process further.
Cons
Sudden withdrawal from nicotine can lead to cravings and other withdrawal symptoms. Some withdrawal symptoms will come and go over a period of a few days and most are gone within three weeks but not every smoker is affected to the same degree.
References:
1. Herrick, C., Herrick, C., Mitchell, M. (2009), 100 Questions and Answers About How to Quit Smoking, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc, MA.
ISBN-10: 0763757411, ISBN-13: 978-0763757410. Available: Amazon.com
Whether you're a newly diagnosed patient, a friend or relative, this book offers help. The only volume available to provide both the doctor's and patient's views, 100 Questions & Answers About How to Quit Smoking gives you authoritative, practical answers to your questions about the effects of smoking and the best strategies for quitting the habit. Written by a prominent psychiatrist, with actual patient commentary, this book is an invaluable resource for anyone coping with the medical, psychological, and emotional turmoil of smoking.