We all know that smoking is injurious to health

Despite widespread awareness of the health risks associated with smoking, an estimated 120 million people in India continue to light up every day. Irrespective of what they consume, cigarettes, bidis, hookahs, or sheeshas all are equally at risk. The purpose of this blog is to spread awareness about the harms of smoking and to encourage people to quit smoking.

Effect of smoking on health

Tobacco comprises of over 5000 toxic compounds which enter your body when you smoke, and about 50 of them are known to trigger cancer. Within ten seconds of inhalation, these toxic chemicals have already traveled throughout the body and are wreaking havoc on your brain and heart.

Also Checkout: Say No To Tobacco

Smoking can cause- Cancer
Lung Cancer
Mesothelioma
Breast cancer
Bladder Cancer
Liver Cancer
Stomach Cancer, Uterus Cancer, and Kidney Cancer
Skin Premature wrinkles and ageing

Poor wound healing

Teeth Gum disease

Respiratory System
Increased risk of bacterial infection

Increased chance of viral infection

Increased risk of Tuberculosis

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Possibility of developing asthma

Cardiovascular System Increased risk of Stroke

Increased risk of Heart Failure

Peripheral Vascular Disease

not requiring insulin Reproduction, Diabetes Mellitus, and Infertility

Risk of Sexually Transmitted Diseases(STDs)

Why do you get addicted to smoking?

Smoking tobacco is highly addictive because of its Nicotine content. It releases a ‘feel-good’ chemical in your brain called dopamine. Dopamine is a hormone that uplifts your mood and helps you concentrate better, and provides energy. But the effect is not long-lasting. As soon as there is a drop in nicotine in your body, you tend to crave that same effect. Keep reading to find out how you can quit the addiction.

How to quit smoking?

While de-addiction may seem daunting, it is actually quite doable with the correct support and genuine will to stop smoking.

Find your reason

You need to establish your particular incentive for stopping smoking. One such motivation is the desire to shield those around you from secondhand smoke or to lessen the likelihood of developing lung cancer, bronchitis, cardiovascular disease, and other lung-related ailments. You need to find a real rationale that you can commit to.

Set a quit date

Set a realistic quit date and gradually taper your smoking habit. You can fix specified days or hours in which you won’t smoke. If smoking is something you do on the job, try not to smoke on weekends and eventually give it up altogether.

Share the news with those closest to you.

Support from family and friends will play a major role in this process so tell your family and friends about your decision so that they can motivate you throughout the journey of quitting smoking.

Identify your triggers

Identifying your triggers can take a few days, and for that, you can keep a craving journal in which you can note the time when you smoked and, what made you smoke, what were you feeling at that time.

Stay away from typical causes, like-

Alcohol- If you prefer smoking while drinking, then try opting for non-alcoholic drinks or try munching nuts to get rid of your temptation.

Post-meal- There are people who smoke after having their meal. If you are one of them, then you can take fruit, chocolate, or a sweet dish after your meal to get rid of your cravings.

Other smokers- If you smoke with other people, you can ask your friends if you have taken the decision to quit smoking. Probably they will also help you and cooperate with you by not smoking when they hang out with you.

Manage triggers

Chew on something- Chew carrot, gums, sunflower seeds, hard candy, celery, nuts, or something crunchy that will satisfy you.
While you’re free, kill time by reading, listening to music, playing video games, or squeezing balls.
Increase physical activities- Walking, running, squats, and jumping jacks are good exercises, to begin with. At the office, you may get up from your desk and move around and use stairs instead of escalators.
Hydrate yourself; doing so will lessen the severity of withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
Take rest- Find out alternative ways to relax your mind and body, such as meditation, exercises, reading a book, and taking a hot shower.
store lighter at bay- Don’t store lighter or matchboxes in your pocket.

Join support groups

There are various online support groups, such as Facebook groups, in which people from all parts of the world write about their journey of quitting smoking. If you need encouragement as you go, you can join such groups.

Take professional help

Seeking expert assistance can simplify your journey. There are various de-addiction programs that include-

Medications

Nicotine replacement therapies- Consult your doctor about anti-smoking medications. You can get little doses of nicotine all day long with nicotine replacement therapies including gum, lozenges, nasal spray, or an inhaler. It decreases your urge to smoke.

There are medications that can help you quit smoking that do not contain nicotine.

Behavioral treatment

Motivated smokers can benefit greatly from cognitive-behavioral therapy in their quest to kick the habit. It deals with the management of trigger factors such as anxiety, addiction, and depression to enable the patient to get rid of triggers.

Motivational enhancement therapies- Patients who are unwilling to quit smoking may obtain assistance with motivational enhancement therapies, which involve .
Relevance– You are encouraged to figure out how quitting smoking is relevant for you personally.
Risks- You are made aware of the consequences of smoking.
Rewards- You are asked about the possible benefits of smoking you believe in.
Roadblocks- Next step is to identify the barriers that will hinder your way of quitting smoking.
Repetition- Motivation treatment is repeated every time there is an engagement with the physician so that the reasons for quitting smoking get imbibed and you get motivated to quit smoking.

Nicotine Withdrawal

Quitting smoking makes you feel a bit different than usual, but it won’t do you any harm. The withdrawal symptoms will diminish gradually and won’t affect you provided you don’t smoke again.

Some of the withdrawal symptoms are-

Urge of smoking

Irritation

Restlessness

Difficulty focusing

Difficulty with falling or staying asleep

Hunger/ Weight gain

Anxiousness

You may handle these withdrawal symptoms by following the guidelines stated above, and you may even choose for expert help to make it easy,

Although it may seem impossible at times, quitting smoking is definitely doable. Moreover, the rewards are phenomenal so if you or your loved ones want to quit smoking, consult our specialist now and take your first step towards a smoke-free life.

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