Quitting smoking: pros and cons

It is difficult to find an adult smoker who would not regret his first cigarette, dreaming of giving up his addiction. An unpleasant smell, discomfort during flights or at work, where they are punished for smoke breaks, condemning the views of passers-by and household members, harm to health, which is paid for with personal money (moreover, considerable) - this is not a complete list that encourages parting with the coveted pack. With all the disadvantages, people often think about why it is impossible to quit smoking abruptly, or whether this will only be a plus.

Inside the Smoker

Among ordinary people and doctors, there are two camps that are fundamentally different in their approach to getting rid of nicotine addiction. Some believe that "the tail is not chopped off in parts", others are of the view that if you suddenly quit smoking, the health consequences can be unexpected.

Under the constant influence of nicotine on the body, some natural processes are modified:

1. Tissues experience constant hypoxia. Red blood cells combine with carbon monoxide and can no longer carry oxygen. It is very dangerous for pregnant women, especially in the first and last trimester.
2. Immunity is in increased tone. The body is regularly poisoned with nicotine, other harmful components of tobacco, it gets used to defend itself.
3. The oral cavity is washed by saliva, which carries with it resins that have settled on the teeth, mucous tissues, into the stomach, provoking gastritis, other digestive disorders, and nausea.
4. The work of the central nervous system is disrupted, the brain constantly lacks oxygen, the transmission of nerve impulses along the fibers slows down.
5. A smoked cigarette stimulates an increase in the level of adrenaline, which causes an increase in pressure, dilates blood vessels, and makes the heart beat faster.
6. The brain produces dopamine in response to a puff. The hormone creates the illusion of pleasure, forms a habit. The longer and more a person smokes, the more tobacco smoke he needs to pass through himself to get a sense of pleasure.
7. The blood thickens, the walls of the arteries become brittle. The number of strokes and heart attacks among those who like to raise is much higher than among nonsmokers.

A special danger is the simultaneous consumption of alcohol and smoking. The heart and blood vessels experience double stress from these destructive components. The brain, which consumes most of the oxygen and nutrients supplied by the blood, is affected first by the effects of alcohol and carbon monoxide.

In addition to nicotine, a cigarette contains a lot of harmful ingredients, the most dangerous are recognized:

1. Benzene.
2. Chrome.
3. Cadmium.
4. Nickel.
5. Uranus.

These elements provoke cancer of the lungs, esophagus, oral cavity, larynx, pancreas.

In men, early loss of sexual power occurs, at a young age, sluggish erection due to circulatory disorders. The quality of seminal fluid suffers, sperm cells are less active, which leads to complete or partial infertility.

Cigarettes often prevent women from getting pregnant quickly, the mechanism of follicle maturation is disrupted, the level of the main female sex hormone - estrogen falls, menopause in smokers comes faster, libido suffers. Often a woman continues to smoke while carrying a child, this provokes hypoxia in the fetus, the development of pathologies that can be found at birth or later. There is a high risk of premature birth, stillbirth, and severe toxicosis.

How the body responds to abrupt cessation of cigarettes

It is important to understand what will happen if a person decides to quit smoking abruptly, what the consequences will be. A sharp refusal is hard to bear, but recovery is faster. It should be understood that the longer the smoking experience, the more difficult the period of abstinence is usually tolerated:

• Day 1. Joy, inspiration, belief in success, the body has not understood anything yet.
• Day 2. The first signs of "withdrawal" begin, the awareness of a change in lifestyle comes. Irritability appears, I want to smoke.
• Day 3. All thoughts revolve around cigarettes, it's hard to fall asleep, the feeling of emptiness inside. Rashes, peeling of the skin may appear.
• Day 4. The oxygen in the blood becomes more, it is easier to breathe, sleep can be light, intermittent. Some people note noise in the head, ears, slight swelling of the limbs.
• Day 5. Peak period, the urge to smoke becomes unbearable, the likelihood of a breakdown is high. A cough appears, the mucus comes out with difficulty, has a dark color and an unpleasant odor. Aromas and tastes acquire new shades, become brighter, richer.
• Day 6. Sleep is disturbed again, hands tremble, mood fluctuates from aggressive to depressed.
• Day 7. The body got rid of nicotine addiction. From this moment on, any desire to raise is associated only with a habit, a psychological attachment. It is worth removing everything that provokes the craving for cigarettes, simulating familiar situations differently. Replace morning coffee with a puff of tea, collect Rubik's cube for a telephone conversation, etc.

Over time, the body will cleanse itself of decay products, remove all accumulated resins and toxins. The volume of the lungs will be restored, the brain will begin to work more productively, clarity of thinking will appear, and the ability to learn will increase. Sleep will become deep, full, fatigue, mood swings will disappear.

Immunity falls at first, a person easily catches a cold. Against this background, bronchitis, tracheitis, laryngitis, stomatitis often occur. The voice can change timbre, become hoarse, hoarse. You should understand the reason for these phenomena and that it is associated with the restructuring of the body to a nicotine-free regime. It is advisable to support yourself by taking vitamins, immunostimulants (ginseng, eleutherococcus).

Whether or not to quit the habit

Quitting smoking is definitely worth it, the overall benefit far exceeds the temporary inconvenience. To reduce the negative consequences, you can:

1. Go in for sports. Physical activity speeds up metabolic processes, blood circulation, improves heart function, improves mood, promotes sound sleep, and stabilizes blood pressure. Elderly and unprepared people need to increase the load gradually, starting with long active walks and gymnastics.
2. Review nutrition. Fill the diet with high-quality, healthy products, exclude fast food and other food waste.
3. At the first stage, drink a drug that dilutes sputum, facilitating its excretion.
4. Don't drink alcohol. Alcoholic drinks by themselves are not useful, under their influence you want to smoke more.
5. Instead of tablets for expectoration, a good result is obtained by taking a decoction of the herb coltsfoot, calamus, nettle, elecampane.

Each organism is individual, an elderly person with a bouquet of chronic diseases should consult a doctor when and how best to plan to quit smoking.

In some cases, doctors really recommend reducing the number of cigarettes, but not eliminating it completely.

Subtle Moments

There are situations when people hesitate to quit smoking abruptly, fearing negative consequences:

1. Blood pressure disorder. Hypertensive patients and those who suffer from low blood pressure are confident that rejection can worsen their condition. The doctor will help you choose drugs that stop the body's reactions to refusal, and over time the situation will stabilize.
2. Overweight. Many girls and men are afraid to gain weight, smoking some really hamper the feeling of hunger, but cigarettes themselves do not contribute to weight loss. At first, food can compensate for the feeling of emptiness if you want to smoke. The taste is brighter and the food appears more attractive. If you approach its use consciously, you will even be able to lose weight.
3. Pregnancy. A woman usually finds out about an interesting situation at 6-8 weeks, she should immediately exclude a harmful factor, while there will be no harm to her or to the fetus.
4. Tuberculosis. It can be psychologically difficult for people to quit smoking, which puts them into stress and slows down their recovery. In each case, the doctor will tell you whether to do this during an illness or wait for a cure and forget about cigarettes forever.

It is believed that the use of weed, hashish is useful in quitting smoking. The bronchi and lungs are cleared faster, the nervous system calms down and the process is easier. There is no objective evidence for this, smoking hashish, marijuana and other hemp products is no less harmful to humans than nicotine cigarettes.

In order to relieve psychological discomfort, attempts are made to replace cigarettes with electronic counterparts, hookah, vape. Inhalation of vapor saturated with substances of unknown origin (often there is no clear composition for mixtures and filling stations for them), it is very harmful, it:

• Irritating to bronchi and lungs.
• Contains heavy metals, toxic substances.
• Provokes allergies.
• Steam provokes broncho-pulmonary diseases.

Hookah smoke exceeds cigarette smoke in carbon monoxide content. All dressings have a pleasant aroma, which encourages a person to inhale deeper, a large amount of substances contained in them gets into the blood. WHO said at a 2008 conference that e-cigarettes have not proven effective as a replacement therapy for smoking cessation.

Consequences of abrupt refusal

The most difficult thing is to go through the cancellation period, it is psychologically difficult for many people to admit that they are forever saying goodbye to a part of their life, albeit negative, often this action is accompanied by:

1. Irritability.
2. Feeling empty.
3. Decreased body tone.
4. Mood swings.
5. Deterioration of concentration, confusion.
6. Decreased performance.

Physiological reactions may include:

1. Sleep and appetite disorders.
2. Temperature rise.
3. Pain, sore throat.
4. Onset of cough.
5. Headaches, migraines.
6. Pressure drops.
7. Rapid heartbeat.
8. Frequent respiratory illnesses.

Depending on the length of service, the number of daily smoked cigarettes, the age and state of health of a person, symptoms disappear from a month to a year, gradually losing their severity.

Summing up

Quitting smoking is a step towards a new, free life. Without cigarettes:

• health improves;
• self-esteem increases;
• conflicts with non-smoking relatives are smoothed out;
• saves finances.

There are dozens of benefits of quitting addiction. Of the minuses of a sharp rejection of nicotine, only temporary psychological inconveniences, a period of withdrawal and a short-term deterioration in well-being caused by the restructuring of the body can be noted.