Finally, Ferrell enrolled in a clinical trial of an experimental drug that blocks nicotine receptors in the brain, and he stopped smoking over a year ago. Mecamylamine, the drug under investigation, is meant to block the rewarding effects of nicotine while the person is still smoking. So is what Leslie Schuh, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, calls a sense of mourning in smokers who quit. Often people need help finding something to fill the void. Many take up hobbies such as knitting or gardening.
Counseling can also help quitters through the rough patches.
Willpower often breaks down at parties where people are drinking alcohol or after stressful encounters, says Saul Shiffman, professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. Step out of the room for a 10-minute break if necessary, he suggests. Some doctors recommend avoiding alcohol for the first few weeks because it can weaken resolve and because many smokers reflexively light up whenever they drink. And if you relapse, don't give up, says Fiore. Even with all the new tools, it may turn out that not everyone can break the addiction.