Smoking is the inhalation of smoke from burning tobacco or other plant components.The most common is smoking cigarettes; many people replace them with electronic cigarettes, hookahs, which work on the same principle. Teenagers usually smoke so-called "electronic devices", considering them fashionable. Nicotine and other substances with psychoactive effects enter the body. Through the fine tissue of the alveoli, toxins are absorbed into the blood and travel through the bloodstream to the brain, causing relaxation.A slight state of euphoria appears, what smokers are looking for.
Why Addiction Occurs
When smoking, nicotine, a pyridine alkaloid, enters the human body. It binds to receptors in the nervous system and blocks the breakdown of dopamine, which accumulates in the brain, and the person feels euphoria and pleasure.There is an increase in the frequency and strength of heart contractions, increased intestinal motility and salivation.When you stop smoking, dopamine levels will return to their previous levels, but dopamine receptors will perceive its distorted amount.
One cigarette contains 0. 1-1 mg of nicotine, and the lethal dose for a person is 0. 5 g. A few days of regular tobacco consumption are enough to cause addiction. Many teenagers start smoking, imitating adults and trying to appear older., without realizing that they are already developing an addiction and, perhaps, for life.
Signs of addiction:
- headache during a long break from smoking;
- the desire to quickly have a cigarette in the morning;
- drop in performance without bad habit.
The harms of smoking
In addition to nicotine, cigarettes also contain dangerous chemicals and compounds.: arsenic, methane, toluene, carbon monoxide, cadmium, methanol and others. People consciously inhale the most potent carcinogens.
A woman who smokesovaries produce many defective eggs, it is therefore more difficult for her to get pregnant, especially after the age of 30. During pregnancy, the risk of stillbirth increases by 23%, low fetal birth weight (less than 2. 5 kg) is 2 times more likely, and children with congenital malformations are born more often. To the girl who learned of her pregnancy,you must stop smoking immediately: Every cigarette will negatively affect the health of the unborn child. A woman who smokes increases the risk of her child developing bronchial asthma, mental retardation and dental problems.
But it is best for men and non-pregnant women with a bad habit to "stop" it. Resins are deposited on the alveoli and the bronchial tree, which is a factor in the development of chronic bronchitis, COPD and lung cancer.Nicotine consumption leads to osteoporosis due to increased elimination of calcium from the body.The spread of carcinogens through the blood throughout the body increases the risk of oncology of all organs and systems. Hot smoke and calcium elimination cause periodontitis and cavities. Smokers have bad breath and a constant feeling of dry mouth. It has a negative effect on the cardiovascular system due to the deposition of cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels.All of this constitutes a risk factor for coronary heart disease.His options: angina, heart attack.
Often at fun parties we combine tobacco and alcohol, but the body is not having fun at all at this time. Nicotine constricts blood vessels and ethanol dilates them: the risk of rupture increases, which is particularly dangerous in the brain. Bleeding in the brain impairs its functioning. A stroke often results in death or disability.Therefore, after drinking alcohol, even after a glass of wine, you should not smoke.
Passive smoking is also harmful: there is often only one smoker in the family, but others also suffer from harmful substances. Young children and pregnant women, who should not breathe tar at all, are particularly vulnerable to tobacco smoke.
How to quit smoking
From all of the above, it is easy to conclude: you need to quit smoking.Many people have probably tried this, but for some reason it did not work for them and they concluded that it is impossible to quit smoking at home and the problem needs to be solved differently. There is no time or money to see a doctor and undergo procedures, so they decide to continue "for now. "But this is completely wrong: you can and should quit smoking yourself and at home.
Those who have smoked a little and for a short time will be able to do it quickly and without suffering, but those who have lived with addiction for many years need more time and moral strength.When a smoker suddenly gives up their addiction, withdrawal syndrome occurs: it is accompanied by irritation, headaches and a reduction in performance.
How to exit:
- The simplest and most common way is to simply give up cigarettes. , show your will. It works and many people use it to quit smoking for good. This requires moral and physical effort, which is not always possible for people with weak willpower.
- Nicotine patches are good advice for those who want to get rid of their addiction at homewithout going to the doctor. The patch saves you when your hand reaches for the package, it helps you get through this period easily and without suffering and cope with addiction faster. But there is a downside: the patches also contain nicotine, so it will take time to get rid of them.
- Sprays containing nicotine.They work on the same principle as patches. They help you quit smoking quickly, but it also takes time to quit.
- Nicotine gum.It has a very unpleasant taste, so some try to get rid of it faster and many return to addiction.
All of these methods, with the exception of stopping smoking completely, have their side effects.All nicotine-containing cigarette analogues contain nicotine in small doses.This is also harmful, although much less harmful than cigarettes.
The easiest way
But what to do if there is no will and smoking is no longer harmful, but simply dangerous? Type the query "how to quit smoking easily" into an Internet search and select the appropriate audio recording from the long list. In a few hours, it will motivate you so much that it will last at least a week. The most important thing that will be learned after the lectures is the feeling of joy of not smoking for an hour, two, a week. . . Each new tobacco-free day will increase self-esteem and feelings of pride in oneself. . The motivation is so strong that it allows you to cope with the physical ailments that accompany withdrawal.The longer you smoke, the more unpleasant the feeling, but the joy of finally being ashamed of yourself and not smoking sometimes even acts like anesthesia, drowning out bodily suffering.
Usually, when people quit smoking, they look at smokers with envy: "They feel good, but me. . » After class, you will look at them with pity: "too bad, he’s still smoking".
The main thing about smoking is not physical dependence, but psychological dependence, this is what leads to seditious thoughts: "take a puff", "start Monday", "everyone smokes and nothing". Every smoker can continue the list of excuses himself.
Once the impact of the audio lectures has worn off, listen again. The hardest part is getting through the first week, when you not only feel a lot of pain, but your health also deteriorates. So every day it will be easier, and knowing that it has finally happened will give you strength and energy.
When the urge to smoke arises, respond to your body with physical activity. On the advice of a doctor who treats without medication: "I wanted to smoke, I fell down and did push-ups. »
Tips for motivating yourself:
- the best time to start is todaywithout trying to persuade you to do it tomorrow or in a week;
- tell your friends, family. This way you will be ashamed in front of them if you decide to get angry. Perhaps someone close to you will accept the refusal with you, but together it is always easier;
- remove all packs, ashtrays and lighters from viewand everything that makes you think of cigarettes;
- start counting:multiply the price of a pack by their number per week and find out how much money is spent on systematic self-poisoning. You can start saving them and promise to buy yourself something that you have wanted for a long time, but could not afford;
- play sports- good exercise leads to a physiological lack of oxygen and you want to smoke less; Plus, you will have a new hobby.
The most difficult thing is to overcome those 5 to 10 minutes when an irresistible desire to smoke arises. To do this, you can:
- get distracted, do something interesting;
- meditate;
- do a short set of exercises;
- to chew gum;
- brush your teeth;
- Take a shower.
The idea of gnawing the desire to smoke is not very correct: you can quit this way, but you will develop the habit of overeating.It is therefore preferable not to replace the desire to smoke with another habit., unless it's useful.
Replacing strong cigarettes with lighter ones also does not work: unconsciously, due to a lack of nicotine in the body, a person begins to take deeper puffs or begins to visit smoking areas more often.The dependence remains, and sometimes intensifies.
In any case, the health problems linked to smoking are much more serious than those linked to dependence on this habit.You have to endure a certain amount of time, give the dopamine receptors the opportunity to react normally to the amount of dopamine available, and everything will return to normal. But of course, it's better not to start and set a bad example for your children.