An individual who has developed an addiction to smoking poses certain dangers to himself and to others as well. If you know someone whom you think has this dependency, there are a few significant steps that you can take to help him.
First of all, how do you know if a person has an addiction to smoking. Definitely, the primary sign of smoking addiction is the number of cigarettes used by a person everyday. Any amount greater than three sticks is a dangerous dose. Other than the amount of daily smokes, this dependency can manifest itself through certain characteristics. For instance, an individual may most likely be addicted to smoking if he feels the need to take a cigarette a few minutes after waking in the morning. Another factor is the place where he does his habit. If he finds it difficult to refrain from smoking even if he is in a place wherein it is not allowed, he may also be addicted to the substance. Aside from this, you can determine if an individual is addicted to cigarettes through his reaction to any form of cessation or abstinence. The greater his refusal to accept help, the higher his level of dependency is to smoking.
Moving on, although it may seem difficult for an individual to overcome an addiction to smoking, there are things you can do to help simplify the process of quitting. One example is to communicate with the smoker. Know why he has developed the habit and listen to his concerns. Smoking addicts normally continue their habit partly due to lack of communication from the people around them. While talking to the person, find out if he has the desire to quit. There are many effective techniques and medications for smoking cessation, however, these solutions can do little or no help at all if the very user does not have the sufficient aspiration to give up his habit. Finally, once he has shown the desire to quit, you can then accompany him in finding a specific method.