Overcoming obstacles
Overcoming obstacles
Being aware of the potential obstacles to quitting smoking can help you in your conversations. Although smokers may be aware of the
health risks of smoking, there are many obstacles to overcome to give up. Dependence is a combination of pharmacological
dependence and behavioural factors.
Withdrawal symptoms:
The below timeline image will show the withdrawal symptoms, approximately how long
they will last and the proportion of people trying to quit who are affected.4
As you can see these symptoms don't last forever4, which will allow you to reassure your customers when advising them on quitting and developing a personalised action plan.
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) gives the body the nicotine it craves without the carcinogenic chemicals that are present in cigarettes. It helps prevent withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings. There are also prescription medicines available. Varenicline helps to reduce cravings and block the reward effects of smoking5, while buproprion is thought to have an effect on the brain and addictive behaviour.5