Everyone knows Smoking is injurious to health. This phrase(or similar phrases) are printed in every cigarette packet out there and every advert that promotes cigarettes. And, yet there are millions of people who smoke around the globe. According to the recent study from the WHO, World Health Organization, the death toll as a result of smoking has climbed to 5 million each year. But, that is less likely to encourage people to quit smoking than saying “Smoking is injurious to health” on every cigarette packet. Oh wait, that’s been going on for decades.
There are numerous diseases that might occur as a result of chronic smoking, and as an intensive negative impact on health. Statistics show that roughly 80% of smokers wish to quit smoking but are simply unable to do so. Nicotine, being one of the most addictive items consumed by humans, smokers struggle for years trying to quit smoking yet unable to do so. Smokers often tend to envy their friends who have never touched a cigarette. Smoking affects lungs, stamina, heart and the list of harm done is almost endless. Quitting it certainly leads to a quality life. The best possible way to quit smoking is to understand why you have been unable to quit.
Physical Addiction (Nicotine Addiction)
Smokers develop a dependency towards the nicotine. Nicotine addiction is the major cause for anyone to not be able to quit smoking. When a person smokes a cigarette, the person might feel relieved from stress, heart beat slightly elevated and feel relaxed up to some extent. But, as soon as the effect of a cigarette wears off, physical withdrawal symptoms start to appear which then increases the craving for another cigarette to go back to that “relaxed stage”. Thus, a vicious cycle begins and the dependency towards the cigarette leads to addiction.
When a regular smoker tries to quit smoking, he might feel a variety of physical withdrawal symptoms which include nausea, sore throat, chest pain, headaches, dizziness, fatigue, lack of concentration, irritation (short temper) and sleep problems. This increases the urge to grab one last smoke and another last and the cycle continues leaving the smoker struggling for years.
Psychological Addiction
Apart from the nicotine addiction, another temptation for smokers to oblige to one last cigarette is because of the habit or cue it forms. Smokers often consider smoking as the ultimate stress relief. And, when smoking starts to form a cue, along with the daily activities like after meal, while on the toilet, while consuming alcohol and so on. Smoking becomes even harder to quit. As part of the daily activities, smokers constantly find excuses to grab a cigarette, whether it is while waiting for few minutes, while relaxing to relax even more, taking a break from work, social circles. Basically, every possible excuse is a good excuse to light another one. As the chain-smoking path continues, it soon changes from “I want a smoke” to “I need a smoke” and from that point on, it is even harder to quit.
Why You Should Quit Smoking?
It might seem like the “stress-relief” for the time being, but in the long run it only does more harm. The idea that making a bud while smoking a “bud” make greatest of buds/pals, only further pushes your health down the gutter. Everything from stamina to lungs and health of your heart is affected due to smoking. Also, the money you can save by quitting smoking will be a hefty sum when you calculate the number of cigarettes you smoke in a year.
Quitting smoking is not easy and your body and mind will fight you for weeks. Research shows that it takes at least 10-12 weeks before anyone can lay off a cigarette for good without having to think about it. It will feel a lot easier after the withdrawal symptoms stop. As challenging as it is, it’s not impossible and your body will thank you for long healthy years to come, should you be able to stop for good.