Zyban as a Way to Stop Smoking
Smoking addiction is probably one of the habits that are the hardest to kick. The addiction to nicotine is a physiological problem as much as it is a lifestyle problem. Having said that, there are definitely medications to battle nicotine addiction. One of which is Zyban.
Zyban, or Bupropion , is proven to be an effective smoking cessation aid. People who have found it hard to quit smoking by sheer will found it useful to have something to help them curb the craving. Originally marketed as an anti-depressant Wellbutrin, patients observed that regular intake of the drug reduced their cravings for nicotine.
Further research and testing found out that Zyban really does reduce smoking habit and ultimately lead to quitting smoking over-all. Repackaged as “Zyban,” it is being promoted as a “cure” for nicotine addiction. It is, however a prescription medication. It is in a pill form. In contrast to nicotine gums and patches, Zyban doesn’t put nicotine in the body to cover up for your craving. This is definitely a healthier way since it eliminates nicotine intake altogether, and thus the bad effects. Treatment can be about two to four months but quitting in about two weeks is not unknown.
A patient can take the Zyban while on the habit. Regular intake can lead to a quit-date, but medication needs to be continued for some time after. The medication reduces the withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, restlessness and depression. This helps the patients take their mind off smoking, which people usually do when the withdrawal symptoms kick in. It also decreases weight gain after quitting smoking. In tests, Zyban performed better than placebo. It reduced cravings and urge to smoke significantly better.
Being a drug, Zyban also comes with side effects like dryness of the mouth. Difficulty in sleeping is also common among people who take the medication. It also can lower the threshold for seizures in patients. Thus, it is not prescribed to patients with epilepsy and it also is not advised for quitting alcoholics and bulimic patients. Overdose of Zyban can lead to symptoms such as lethargy, hallucinations, hypertension, etc. Proper consultation with a medical professional must be done to ensure safety in the consumption of Zyban.
Smoking is shown, over and over again, to cause a lot of health problems. While many people do indeed like to quit smoking, it’s not as easy to drop it like that. Even those who had shown the force of will to stop it for good have been brought back to the habit. It is not, then, rare to ask help in quitting, from a person or a medication. Zyban has been for a time a proven, effective and reliable way to get over nicotine addiction and thus a help to stop smoking.
People who are already having problems with their habit should not hesitate to consult their doctor if Zyban is safe for them. When prescribed and consumed correctly, this medication proves to be one of the safest way to quit smoking.
