Greetings, dear readers! Oh, how many packs of cigarettes were smoked by smokers that had boxes that said, “The Department of Health warns - smoking is dangerous to your health! ” And then what? How many smokers watched this sign? Maybe someone did it. But did you quit smoking? Barely! But how to quit smoking once and for all, many people ask because other methods don’t help them. And can you stop at all? That is what we will be talking about today.
How smoking affects health
70% of smokers dream of quitting this bad habit, 80% of them have tried several times but have not been able to quit. According to statistics, more than 200, 000 people die each year from diseases caused by smoking.
Smoking statistics show that 96-100% of smokers suffer from lung cancer because tobacco smoke contains substances that cause mutations in the p53 gene; 75% of them have chronic bronchitis and almost 25% have heart disease. Unfortunately, mortality from addiction is increasing year by year. For example, 26% of regular smokers die each year from smoking. Many of them could have extended their lives by 20 years if they quit smoking 5 years ago.
Which systems and organs are affected by smoking?
- Respiratory system: lung, tongue and upper respiratory tract cancer, bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive bronchitis;
- Cardiovascular system: ischemic heart disease, angina pectoris and myocardial infarction, endarteritis and atherosclerosis of the vessels of the lower extremities;
- Gastrointestinal tract: gastric ulcer and 12 duodenal ulcers, gastritis;
- Central and peripheral nervous system: neuroses, headaches, memory impairment, neuritis, polyneuritis, radiculitis, the smoker with many years of experience becomes irritable and quarrelsome;
- Vision: decreased visual acuity, changes in color perception, increases the likelihood of developing glaucoma;
- Hearing: hearing sharpness gradually decreases due to changes in the eardrum, hearing bone mobility decreases;
- Taste: The taste is reduced and distorted;
- Odor: bad smell;
- Fertility decreases in women, men are more prone to impotence.
Dear smokers, have you ever wondered what harm secondary smoke does to the people around you? It is especially dangerous for pregnant women. And a disease like COPD can be fatal.
Addiction to smoking
The pharmaceutical industry offers a wide variety of plasters, chewing gums and other products. But even that won't be enough if you don't understand this issue "at the root. "There are 2 types of nicotine addiction: physical and psychological.
Physical dependence is the body's need for the next dose of nicotine. Most often stress, irritation, bad mood, fatigue "grab" the cigarette. The fact that under the influence of nicotine the adrenal glands secrete the stress hormone - adrenaline and noradrenaline. These hormones have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system to some extent and force the heart rate to increase blood pressure and improve the smoker’s mood.
Psychological addiction is considered more complex. Even if you realize you’ve managed to cope with physical addiction and overcome yourself without smoking another cigarette, the next stress or staying in the company of the same smokers will make it much harder to overcome the irresistible urge to smoke.
How to quit cravings
Of course, you need strong motivation and strong desire to overcome longing. I will comment on my article “Are Pregnancy and Smoking Compatible? ”.
In my experience, I can say that you can quit smoking if you have this desire, taken away and quit, just like with alcohol, coding and treatment will not help you, only you will power. I tried everything, just a waste of time and money, all these codings and different methods, it’s just self-deception and yes, self-deception can also work.
And with my husband’s example, I’ll tell you what about motivation. He smoked a lot with me and it happened when he smoked almost 2 packs of cigarettes a day. In the workshop where he worked, he took away the stress of work with cigarettes, and saved himself from mosquitoes with cigarette smoke while hunting or fishing in the woods. I usually smoked before a disease like the eradication of endarteritis. What kind of disease is it, I wrote about it in detail in this article. Smokers read, don’t be lazy.
The main cause of the disease is smoking and gangrene is a huge complication. When I told my husband that if he didn’t stop smoking, he would have to move around the bumps in the woods with a crutch. Will you be comfortable walking in the woods like this? And you just can’t live without a forest. This was a strong motivation for him. He quit smoking, has not smoked for a year and a half.
How to quit smoking cravings quickly and easily? What can be done?
It's easier to overcome physical addiction. This can be overcome with the help of drugs: tincture of valerian, motherwort or other sedatives. Aromatherapy with bergamot, geranium, orange, basil oil deters smoking.
Psychological cravings are much harder to overcome, but you can be misled by replacing regular cigarettes with others.
- Electronic cigarette - creates the illusion of smoking a regular cigarette, but such a cigarette does not contain hazardous compounds: benzopyrrole, ammonia, various resins and arsenic compounds. The work of electronic cigarettes is similar to a standard inhaler in which the cartridges become heavy in terms of nicotine content. In this case, you can gradually reduce your dose of nicotine, thereby reducing your craving for nicotine.
Acupuncture, hypnosis, coding can help you quit smoking. But you have to admit that if you have a strong motivation to do so, it is entirely possible for you to quit smoking on your own and at home. Try these methods first.
What else helps you quit smoking?
How do you quit smoking on your own if you don't have the willpower? Of course, the example of others is important. Maybe there are people in your environment who also want to get rid of this bad habit. Then why not unite in this noble cause? Here are some tips to help:
- Tell your loved ones your intentions, they will surely support you in this matter.
- Give up your cigarette companions - coffee and alcohol.
- On the day of quitting, the food should be light, it can only contain plant foods.
- You can quit a cigarette right away, but it’s harder but more effective and accurate. To make this section easier to experience, you can reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke per day.
- Drink a glass of water in the morning on an empty stomach. Try to drink as much water as possible during the day, this will not only distract you from the thoughts of smoking, but will also allow you to better remove harmful substances from your body.
- Sunflower seeds or lollipops can distract.
- Keep the ashtray, the lighter out of sight.
- More outdoors, exercise, hobbies.
- Respond to the smoking call with a categorical rejection.
- Join a non-smoking company. Avoid situations where you have always smoked: do not go to a smoker with your colleagues, do not visit places where there is a lot of smokers, move away from people with cigarettes at a bus stop, remove the ashtray and cigarettes from your computer.
How to Quit Smoking on Your Own - Folk Ways
Folk methods tested by many people help get rid of nicotine addiction. The opinions of former smokers are about their effectiveness.
St. John's wort tea. Put 3-4 stalks of St. John's wort in a boiling kettle, let it cook during the day instead of tea.Plant leaves. Stir in for approx. 1 tablespoon. chopped fresh horseradish and plantain leaves. Chew this mixture 2-3 times a day for 5 minutes, swallow the juice and spit out the remaining leaves.
Filling cigarettes. This is the old method of cutting nails, crustaceans, etc. into the tobacco. The fillers must be dried, ground in a coffee grinder and added to the tobacco in cigarettes. Smoking such a mixture completely separated smoking for a lifetime as it caused severe headaches, nausea and vomiting.
Rinse before smoking. If you have an intolerable urge to smoke, rinse your mouth with a solution of baking soda or sea salt: 1 tablespoon should be diluted in a glass of water. soda or sea salt.
Lemon juice. Lemon juice can be averse to tobacco, whose sour taste helps divert your attention from smoking. To do this, squeeze a lemon juice and dilute it in a glass of water.
Herbal decoction for internal use. Take 100 grams of dried dandelion and plantain leaves, pour 1 liter of milk and simmer for half an hour on low heat, then cool and filter. You need 1 tablespoon. after meal. Such a decoction promotes the excretion of secretions.
Pipe smoking. But instead of the tobacco filling, fill the pipe with an herbal filling made from equal parts of European Clefthoof, Clavate Leopard and blueberry leaves. Smoke this pipe twice a day. Then drink 2 glasses of mineral water.
Conclusion
It’s important to stay without a cigarette for a week, it will be easier for you. And it matters. how much money do you spend to buy cigarettes. I think the figure will impress. This money can be spent on vacation or something appropriate.
Some of you, dear readers, may have had the same problem and have experience of how to quit smoking on your own, help smokers and share it with your readers, maybe your advice will help them.