What are the health consequences of abruptly giving up smoking?

Chances are, every smoker has thought about the need to quit this bad habit at least once, and one in two or three tries. But attempts to "bind" are not always successful. Not everyone dares to stop smoking suddenly, and the consequences of stopping suddenly can be unpredictable. Is it really like that? Maybe it's a lot easier to give up cigarettes once and for all? Asking why it is impossible to stop smoking abruptly, we are going to find out in this article.

Smoking cessation and consequences for the body

Destructive nicotine

Everyone knows that smoking is unsafe, and the Ministry of Health never tires of warning against it. But not everyone knows what damage nicotine and its decay products can do to the human body. What happens to the body if you don't stop during this time? What are the consequences of a disruption to normal life?

Smoking tobacco products can become a trigger mechanism in the development of systemic diseases, many of which are fatal. A nicotine addict has a shorter life expectancy of nearly 10 years than their non-smoking peers. The harm of smoking is obvious:

  1. Development of oncopathologies. Smoking is practically the leading cause of lung cancer. In addition, swallowing saliva containing nicotine breakdown products significantly increases the risk of tumors in the oral cavity, esophagus, stomach, and duodenum.
  2. Chronic lung disease. The well-known "smoker's bronchitis" can be complicated by such serious diseases as emphysema, bronchiectasis, atelectasis.
  3. Violation of the cardiovascular system. An increase in the load on the heart under the influence of nicotine leads to tachycardia, hypertension, myocardial infarction. There is a change in the structure of the vessel walls, the number of atherosclerotic plaques increases, the risk of blood clots and vascular occlusions increases. An obliterating endarteritis develops, which leads to the amputation of the lower extremities.
  4. As a result of the narrowing of the vessels in the pelvic organs, various disorders develop and premature impotence occurs in men.
  5. Due to the harmful effects of nicotine, retinal degeneration gradually develops, the optic nerve suffers, and the smoker risks permanent loss of normal vision.
  6. In the same way, there is damage to the auditory nerve and a destructive effect on the internal structures of the hearing aid. It also dulls taste and smell.
  7. The appearance of the smoker noticeably deteriorates, which is especially pronounced in women. The skin becomes yellowish, premature wrinkles appear, the lips turn blue. In the morning, you may find that the skin on your face is puffy. All of this is a characteristic "smoker's face".

In addition, nicotine darkens teeth and bad breath occurs.

How easy is it to throw?

The opinion of doctors about the sharp smoking cessation is also controversial. Yes, you can suddenly quit smoking, and it really is a lot easier, but only if you are not a heavy smoker that changes cigarette after cigarette.

People with no more than five years of smoking experience may suddenly stop smoking. This is due to the fact that in such a period the body does not yet have time to acquire a "bouquet" of chronic diseases, and the consequences of refusal are not very pronounced.

If a person who has smoked a lot for a long time decided to give up the bad habit and quit smoking cigarettes, it is still better to do it gradually, as it will put a very serious burden on the body, causing unwanted symptomscan cause or exacerbate chronic diseases.

Without the constant supply of nicotine from the outside, the body has to rebuild itself as quickly as possible in order to independently produce the required amount of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter with the help of which neuromuscular transmissions take place. A smoker received acetylcholine from cigarettes, and after a sharp refusal with a long history of smoking, a lack of acetylcholine can lead to irritability, memory impairment, lethargy, rapid fatigue, and depression. Because of this, many cannot quit smoking with a break of no more than a week.

In addition, it is psychologically very difficult to quit smoking immediately and abruptly, and morally unprepared people break down and buy cigarettes again.

The psychological aspect of giving up this addiction is of particular concern during pregnancy. The stress caused by the lack of nicotine has a strong impact on a woman's morale, but the harm from smoking is much greater. Nicotine and its tar are toxic to the child's body, can lead to fading of pregnancy and congenital defects. Therefore, if a woman is responsible for another life, then it is worth making the right choice and stopping smoking abruptly, without prolonging this process.

Experience willpower

Is It Possible To Quit Smoking Abruptly? Quitting smoking suddenly or gradually? Then what happens to the body? After a sharp smoking cessation, a person is more aware of everything that happens to their body, and the health consequences can vary widely. Unpleasant moments and symptoms appear in his life:

The morning cough gets worse. This is one of the first signs of restructuring - the body tries to cleanse the lungs, get rid of the toxic and harmful components of cigarette smoke, and get used to a smoke-free life.

General weakness and lethargy are consequences of nicotine withdrawal, which can vary in severity in different people. But they are necessarily present in the life of a person who has quit smoking. In addition to weakness, feelings of confusion, inattention and forgetfulness can also be expressed.

Due to long-term smoking, nicotine is so easily absorbed by the body that the metabolic processes are adapted to its constant supply. Therefore, in the event of severe smoking cessation, metabolic processes that return to the "unusual" habitual channel can lead to lack of air, sweating, dizziness, nausea and bradycardia.

If a highly experienced smoker abruptly quits smoking, he has a psychological problem - a feeling of losing something very personal and important. It is therefore important to have the right attitude and, if necessary, to work with a psychologist.

The only plus with a sharp throw is that after the consequences in the acute phase, a person greatly loses the desire to take another cigarette. The opinion of people who stop smoking is determined - you need to stop smoking as soon as possible, and it is better to do it under medical supervision. Even if you really want to smoke right now, you have to endure it and after that the compulsive thoughts of reaching for a cigarette will less and less arise.

Nicotine withdrawal

If you stop smoking abruptly, a stronger and younger body will more easily tolerate nicotine deficiency, there will be short-term manifestations of the above symptoms. But you cannot stop smoking suddenly in older people because their defense mechanisms are weakened and nicotine withdrawal can occur. Nicotine withdrawal symptoms:

  • increased anxiety;
  • uncontrolled outbursts of anger;
  • severe irritability, intolerance;
  • sudden mood swings with predominantly bad;
  • Difficulty concentrating;
  • Insomnia;
  • a constant feeling of hunger that cannot be satisfied.

The state of nicotine withdrawal can be dangerous to health, the burden on the body is particularly pronounced on the second or third day of refusal and requires medication, especially if the smoker is a heart. Hence, it is harmful to stop smoking suddenly.

Slowly but surely

If you stop smoking gradually, you will not experience serious nicotine withdrawal symptoms. The nicotine level decreases gently from day to day, cigarettes gradually fade into the background and then disappear from life forever. This method of refusal is good for a long smoking experience, but it has one significant drawback: if a person gradually quits smoking, a person will continue to crave nicotine for a very long time, and after months it will become weaker. In addition, all of the above issues will not be relevant to you unless you stop smoking abruptly.

You can deal with the bad smoking habit, the main thing is that you feel like it and prepare for success. If you don't have enough willpower to put the pack of cigarettes aside forever, you can use a nicotine patch. To avoid the temptation to reach for a cigarette, remove all lighters and ashtrays from the house and replace them with vases of candy.

If you smoke in your company and the urge to smoke is very difficult to deal with, try to fool your subconscious - drink every drink through a straw.

Drink green tea more often - it helps remove toxins from the body quickly, which means the "withdrawal phase" is less pronounced.

And of course, if you decide not to stop smoking abruptly, you will of course start exercising. Active exercise and sufficient muscle strain reduce the desire for nicotine, prevent weight gain, increase well-being and lift mood.