Quit Smoking with Zyban

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Quit Smoking with Zyban

Quit Smoking with Zyban

One of the therapies for quitting smoking is the use of a drug called Zyban. The generic name of Zyban is buproprion hydrochloride and also goes under the names Wellbutrin or Wellbutrin SR. Originally used as an antidepressant, it was observed that people taking Zyban lost interest in cigarettes and gave up the habit quite easily. It has been available as a quit smoking treatment since 1998.

The reason Zyban is effective is not clearly understood. It seems to affect brain chemistry which makes patients feel energized and gives them a sense of well-being. It is equally useful for helping depressed and non-depressed patients quit smoking.

Patients start taking Zyban while they are still smoking. The quit date is set for 7 days later, and the drug is continued for another 7 to 10 weeks after that. Patients report that symptoms of nicotine withdrawal are minimized. Double blind studies have had success rates for quitting smoking with Zyban of about twice that of placebos.

Although the manufacturer reports that Zyban can be used safely for long periods of time, if the smoker hasn't made significant changes in his smoking habits by the end of 10 weeks it is unlikely that continued use of Zyban will be helpful. Naturally, Zyban treatment is not a miracle cure. Rather, it is like any other method used for quitting smoking - in order to be effective the desire to quit smoking must be present. Smokers who really don't want to stop smoking will find ways to sabotage any quit smoking plan, even if they do so subconsciously.

Commonly reported side effects of Zyban quit smoking treatment are insomnia and a dry mouth. Smokers with a history of seizures, eating disorders, and cirrhosis of the liver should not use Zyban to quit smoking.

There are other methods available to minimise the desire to smoke, besides Zyban. One of the most popular quit smoking methods is, of course, the nicotine patch - a square patch that sticks to the skin and releases small doses of nicotine throughout the day. Nicotine patches allow the body to absorb the nicotine it craves without suffering the ill effects of smoking.

Zyban works slightly differently to nicotine substitutes because it is not providing nicotine to the body. Rather, the feeling of well-being it provides, allows the smoker to give up the habit with relatively little difficulty. Perhaps for this reason, Zyban is equally effective for behavioural modification as it is for physical dependency on nicotine.

Smokers who use patches, on the other hand, may still feel the desire to smoke in certain situations because of ingrained associations with smoking. For example, most smokers strongly associate smoking with having a drink at the pub. This is simply a behavioral habit which can, with some work, be overcome.

Nictoine patches can help eliminate the cravings associated with smoking, but they must be used with some care. Nicotine patches can be worn throughout the day, but should be removed at night. Otherwise, they may cause insomnia or unpleasant dreams.

The skin underneat a nictone patch may also become red and itchy. These symptoms usually disappear within an hour after the nicotine patch is removed but can certainly cause discomfort during the day.

Nictone patches (as well as other nicotine substitutes like nicotine gum) are available in various strengths and so can be used to gradually wean the body from its nicotine dependence. Smokers with a strong desire to quit smoking may find that nicotine substitutes allow them to concentrate on the behavioural changes needed to rid themselves of dependency on tobacco.

Zyban is also effective for overcoming nicotine dependence. Once treatment stops, however, the desire to smoke in certain situations may still be present. Behavioral changes then need to be made on an ongoing basis in order to retain the benefit of the Zyban's good result in weaning the smoker off the nicotine.

Both Zyban and nicotine substitutes are more effective when used in conjunction with some kind of counselling or therapy. A smoker should also enlist the help of family and friends to overcome his habit, or failing that, a trained counsellor.

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