Quitting smoking cold turkey means giving up cigarettes without any preparation whatsoever. On explanation of the phrase "cold turkey" claims it comes from the way drug addicts look when they go through drug withdrawal. Their skin looks pale white and has goose bumps on it due to the blood being directed to the internal organs, making them look like a turkey. Another explanation is that it refers to cold turkey being a food that requires very little preparation.

Giving up smoking cold turkey is possible and can be effective but it requires a lot of willpower and determination. Smoking is an addiction that is both psychological and physical. Still lots of people manage to do it and lots of them never touch cigarettes again.

When stopping cold turkey the first few days will be the hardest. A good way to get past this tough period is to keep yourself busy and distracted. Go out for a walk, visit a friend, go to the movies. Anything to take your mind of cigarettes. You should also break your routine and avoid the places where you always used to smoke.When you feel the need for a cigarette try to eat something or chew some gum. Try to avoid high calorie foods though as these increase the weight gain that a lot of smokers experience when they quit.

If you find going cold turkey too challenging there are lots of other options available. Nicotine replacement therapy has been proven to be effective, as have stop smoking injections. Other popular methods include hypnosis, group therapy and laser treatments.

For more information on giving up smoking cold trukey and other topics related to quitting smoking visit YourStopSmokingGuide.com.

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