Here's something I find very interesting: when we come down with a cold or develop an illness, such as chicken pox, pneumonia, or strep throat, we don't hesitate to go to the doctor. If we have a disease, such as diabetes or cancer, we seek all the medical help we can get. And yet when it comes to a cigarette addiction, most people don't even think about consulting a doctor or utilizing helpful medications.

The fact is, medical help can be a huge benefit to anyone who is going through a bad withdrawal or a difficult quitting process. You certainly should not feel guilty or nervous about seeking medical help if you feel that you need it. Nicotine is a strong drug, and addiction is a disease just like any other.

Counselling is one way in, which you can strengthen your effort to quit. It is not really required that you consult a professional counsellor. If you have a doctor who you trust, that person is more than enough. In the initial stages, ask the person to detail you on all the harmful effects of smoking. Then the person can monitor your efforts and your progress and can give you helpful hints as well.

Remember--cigarette use actually alters the chemical makeup of your body. It's not something that's just "in your head" or something that you can be expected to conquer quickly or easily. My belief is, the more support you can get throughout the quitting process, the more effective it is going to be.

For example, many people who are giving up smoking find that they fall into a depression during the first few weeks or months of quitting. (This doesn't happen to everyone, but it is certainly a common side effect of quitting.) There is no shame in asking your physician for anti-depressants to help ease you through this difficult time in your life. You don't want depression to drive you back to your cigarettes! Your Doctor may have other suggestions for you as well, such as nicotine replacement therapy to help you deal with the difficulties of quitting smoking.

Another very helpful option is group counselling. Even if your counsellor doesn't prescribe any sort of mood booster, the very fact of being in with a group of people undergoing the same thing as you can be extremely beneficial. Sharing your hopes and fears with others--and hearing their own concerns--can go a long way toward encouraging yourself to succeed.

Try reassuring others, it has a wonderful effect on you. When you talk convincingly to others without knowing it you are really convincing yourself as well. This will go a long way towards building up your own confidence that you will succeed.

Telephone counselling is also a possibility that many people tend to ignore. The best thing about telephone counselling is that it can be done at any time without too much of a strain. Just consider the possibility, it is not always easy to dash off to your counsellor when you feel the urge to smoke, know you are not supposed to and end up feeling depressed about it. On the other hand if, at such a moment you can just pick up your telephone and dial your counsellor's number, you can get what you want and with the minimum loss of time and effort.

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