Smoking is the inhalation of smoke that comes from smoldering 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. So-called "electronic devices" are usually smoked by teenagers because they consider them fashionable. Nicotine and other substances with psychoactive effects enter the body. Toxins are absorbed into the blood through the thin tissue of the alveoli and reach the brain via the bloodstream, which leads to relaxation.A slight euphoric state sets in, what smokers strive for.
Why addiction arises
When smoking, nicotine, a pyridine alkaloid, enters the human body. It binds to the receptors of 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 cardiac contractions, increased intestinal motility and increased salivation.When you stop smoking, dopamine levels return to the previous level, but the dopamine receptors perceive the amount in a distorted manner.
One cigarette contains 0. 1-1 mg of nicotine, the lethal dose for humans is 0. 5 g. A few days of regular tobacco use is enough to trigger an addiction. Many teenagers start smoking, imitating adults and trying to look older., without realizing that they are already developing an addiction, possibly for life.
Signs of addiction:
- headache during a long break from smoking;
- the desire to quickly get a cigarette in the morning;
- Loss of performance without a bad habit.
Harm of smoking
In addition to nicotine, cigarettes also contain dangerous chemicals and compounds.: Arsenic, methane, toluene, carbon monoxide, cadmium, methanol and others. People consciously breathe in the strongest carcinogens.
A woman smokingThe ovaries produce many defective eggsTherefore, it is more difficult for her to get pregnant, especially after 30 years. During pregnancy, the risk of stillbirth increases by 23%, low birth weight of the fetus (less than 2. 5 kg) is twice as likely, and children with congenital malformations are born more often. To the girl who found out about her pregnancy,You must stop smoking immediately: Every cigarette has a negative impact on the health of the unborn child. A woman who smokes increases the risk that her child will develop bronchial asthma, mental retardation and dental problems.
But for both men and non-pregnant women with a bad habit, it is better to "give up". Resins settle on the alveoli and bronchial tree and are a factor in the development of chronic bronchitis, COPD and lung cancer.Nicotine consumption leads to osteoporosis because the body is increasingly deprived of calcium.The spread of carcinogens through the blood throughout the body increases the risk of oncology of all organs and systems. Hot smoke and limescale deprivation are the cause of periodontitis and tooth decay. Smokers suffer from bad breath and a constant feeling of dry mouth. It has a negative effect on the cardiovascular system, as cholesterol is deposited on the walls of blood vessels.All of this is a risk factor for coronary heart disease.His options: angina, heart attack.
At fun parties, we often combine smoking and alcohol, but the body has no fun at all at this time. Nicotine constricts blood vessels, ethanol widens them: the risk of rupture increases, and this is particularly dangerous in the brain. Bleeding in the brain impairs its function. A stroke often results in death or disability.Therefore, you should not smoke after drinking alcohol, even after a glass of wine.
Passive smoking is also harmful: there is often only one smoker in the family, but others also suffer from harmful substances.Small children and pregnant women are particularly at risk from tobacco smoke and should never inhale tar.
How to quit smoking
From all this it is easy to conclude: you need to stop smoking.Many people have probably tried this, but for some reason it didn't work for them and they came to the conclusion that it was impossible to quit smoking at home and that the problem had to be solved differently. There is neither time nor 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 on your own and at home.
Those who have only smoked for a short time and a little will be able to do so quickly and without suffering, but those who have been living with an addiction for many years will need more time and moral strength.When a smoker abruptly gives up his addiction, withdrawal syndrome occurs: It is accompanied by irritation, headaches and reduced performance.
How to cancel:
- The easiest and most common way is to simply give up cigarettes., show your willpower. It works and many people use it to quit smoking for good. It requires moral and physical effort, which is not always possible for weak-willed people.
- Nicotine patches are good advice for anyone who wants to free themselves from addiction at homewithout going to the doctor. The patch saves you from having to reach for your backpack; it helps you get through this time easily and without suffering and overcome the addiction more quickly. However, there is a downside: the patches also contain nicotine, so quitting will take some time.
- Sprays containing nicotine.They work on the same principle as patches. They help you quit smoking quickly, but quitting also takes time.
- Nicotine gum.It has a very unpleasant taste, so some people try to get rid of it faster, and many return to addiction again.
All of these methods, except for completely quitting smoking, 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 you lack willpower and smoking is no longer harmful but simply dangerous? In an Internet search, enter the search query "How to quit smoking easily" and select the corresponding audio recording from the long list. In a few hours it will motivate you so much that it will last for at least a week. ThisThe most important thing you will learn after the lectures is the feeling of joy of not smoking for an hour, two, a week. . . Every new day without tobacco increases self-esteem and pride in yourself. The motivation is so strong that it helps deal with the physical discomfort that comes with withdrawal.The longer you smoke, the more unpleasant the feeling becomes, but the joy of finally being ashamed and not smoking sometimes even acts like an anesthesia and drowns out physical suffering.
When people quit smoking, they usually look at smokers with envy: "You feel good, but I …" After the lectures, you will look at them with pity: "Tough luck, he still smokes. "
The main thing about smoking is not physical dependence, but psychological dependence, that's what drives one to seditious thoughts: "Take a hit", "Start on Monday", "Everyone smokes and nothing. "Every smoker can continue the list of excuses themselves.
As soon as the effect of the audio lectures wears off, listen again. The most difficult thing is to get through the first week, when not only do you feel a lot of pain, but your health also deteriorates.Then it gets easier every day, 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, fell down and did push-ups. "
Tips for motivation:
- The best time to start is todaywithout trying to convince yourself to do it tomorrow or in a week;
- Tell friends and family about it. This way, if you lose your temper, you will be embarrassed in front of them. Perhaps one of your relatives agrees with the rejection with you, but it is always easier together;
- Remove all backpacks, ashtrays and lighters from sightand anything 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 and promise to buy something that you have wanted for a long time but couldn't afford;
- to do sports- Good exercise leads to physiological oxygen deprivation and you want to smoke less; In addition, you will get a new hobby.
The most difficult thing is to overcome those 5-10 minutes when an irresistible desire to smoke arises. To do this you can:
- get distracted, do something interesting;
- meditate;
- Do a small series of exercises.
- To chew bubble gum;
- brush your teeth;
- Have a shower.
The idea of eating away the desire to smoke is not entirely true: you can quit smoking this way, but you will develop the habit of eating too much.Therefore, it is better not to replace the desire to smoke with another habit., unless it is useful.
Replacing strong cigarettes with lighter ones does not work either: subconsciously, due to a lack of nicotine in the body, a person begins to take deeper puffs or visit smoking areas more often.The dependency persists and sometimes increases.
In any case, the suffering from health problems associated with smoking is far greater than from addiction to the habit.It is necessary to hold out for a certain time, give the dopamine receptors the opportunity to respond normally to the available amount of dopamine, and everything will return to normal. But of course it's better not to start and set a bad example for your children.