Stop 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. Unpleasant smell, discomfort during flights or at work, where they are punished for smoking breaks, condemning the opinion of passers-by and family members, damage to health, which are paid for with personal money (moreover, considerable) - this is not a listthat encourages the separation of the coveted pack. With all the disadvantages, people often think why it is impossible to stop smoking abruptly or if it will only be an advantage.

Inside the smoker

Among ordinary people and doctors, there are two fields that are fundamentally different in their approach to getting rid of nicotine addiction. Some believe that "the tail is not cut in pieces", others consider that if you stop smoking suddenly, the health consequences may be unexpected.

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

1. Tissues suffer from 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 increasing. The body is regularly poisoned with nicotine, other harmful components of tobacco, it gets used to defending itself.
3. The oral cavity is washed by saliva, which carries with it resins that are attached to the teeth, mucous membranes and stomach, causing gastritis, other digestive disorders and nausea.
4. The work of the central nervous system is interrupted, 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 go through himself to have a sense of pleasure.
7. The blood becomes thick, the walls of the arteries become brittle. The number of strokes and heart attacks among those who like to create is much higher than among non-smokers.

A special danger is the simultaneous consumption of alcohol and tobacco. The heart and blood vessels are under double pressure because of these destructive components. The brain, which consumes most of the oxygen and nutrients provided by the blood, is affected first by the effects of alcohol and carbon monoxide.

In addition to nicotine, a cigarette contains many harmful ingredients, the most dangerous of which are known:

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

These elements cause cancer of the lung, esophagus, oral cavity, larynx, pancreas.

In men, there is an early loss of sexual strength, at a young age, slow erection due to circulatory disorders. The quality of the seminal fluid is impaired, the sperm are less active, which leads to total or partial infertility.

Cigarettes often prevent women from getting pregnant quickly, the follicle maturation mechanism is interrupted, the level of the main female sex hormone - estrogen drops, menopause in smokers comes faster, libido suffers. Often, the woman continues to smoke while carrying a child, which causes 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 poisoning.

How the body responds to sudden cigarette cessation

It is important to understand what will happen if a person decides to quit smoking abruptly and what the consequences will be. A severe refusal is difficult to endure, but recovery is faster. It should be understood that the longer the smoking experience, the more difficult the period of withdrawal that is generally tolerated will be:

• Day 1. Joy, inspiration, belief in success, the body still doesn't understand anything.
• Day 2. The first signs of "withdrawal" begin, awareness of a change in lifestyle arises. Irritability appears, I want to smoke.
• Day 3. All thoughts revolve around cigarettes, it is difficult to fall asleep, the feeling of emptiness inside. Rashes, peeling of the skin may appear.
• Day 4. The oxygen in the blood increases, it is easier to breathe, sleep can be light, intermittent. Some people notice noise in the head, ears, slight swelling of the limbs.
• Day 5. Peak period, the urge to smoke becomes unbearable and the probability of collapse is high. A cough appears, the mucus comes out with difficulty, has a dark color and an unpleasant odor. Aromas and flavors take on new hues, become brighter, richer.
• Day 6. Sleep is disturbed again, hands are shaking, mood varies from aggressive to depressed.
• Day 7. The body got rid of nicotine addiction. From that moment on, any desire to get up is associated only with a habit, with a psychological attachment. It is worth removing everything that provokes the desire to smoke, simulating family situations differently. Replace breakfast with a puff of tea, gather Rubik's cube for a phone conversation, etc.

Over time, the body purifies itself from decomposition products, removes all accumulated resins and toxins. The volume of the lungs will be restored, the brain will begin to function more productively, clarity of thought will appear and the ability to learn will increase. Sleep will become deep, full, fatigue and mood swings will disappear.

Immunity falls at first, a person catches a cold easily. In this context, bronchitis, tracheitis, laryngitis and stomatitis often occur. The voice can change its tone, become hoarse, hoarse. You must understand the reason for these phenomena and that they are associated with restructuring the body to a nicotine-free regime. It is advisable to keep taking vitamins, immunostimulants (ginseng, eleutherococcus).

Whether or not to give up the habit

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

1. Play sports. Physical activity accelerates metabolic processes, blood circulation, improves cardiac 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 healthy, high-quality products, exclude fast food and other food waste.
3. In the first stage, drink a medication that dilutes the sputum, facilitating its excretion.
4. Don't drink alcohol. Alcoholic beverages alone are not useful; under your influence, you want to smoke more.
5. Instead of pills for sputum, 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 stop smoking.

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

Subtle moments

There are situations where people hesitate to stop smoking abruptly, fearing negative consequences:

1. Blood pressure disorder. Hypertensive patients and those suffering from low blood pressure are confident that rejection can worsen their condition. The doctor will help you choose medications that stop the body's reactions to refusal and, over time, the situation will stabilize.
2. Excess weight. Many girls and men are afraid of gaining weight, smoking a few gets in the way of feeling hungry, 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 looks more attractive. If you approach its use consciously, you may even lose weight.
3. Pregnancy. A woman usually discovers an interesting situation in 6-8 weeks, she must immediately exclude a harmful factor, while there will be no harm to her or the fetus.
4. Tuberculosis. It can be psychologically difficult for people to stop smoking, which puts them in stress and slows their recovery. In each case, the doctor will tell you whether you should do this during an illness or wait for a cure and forget about smoking forever.

The use of marijuana, hashish, is believed to be useful to stop smoking. The bronchi and lungs are cleared more quickly, the nervous system calms down and the process is easier. There is no objective evidence for this, smoking hashish, marijuana and other marijuana products is no less harmful to humans than nicotine cigarettes.

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

• Irritating to bronchi and lungs.
• Contains heavy metals and toxic substances.
• Causes allergies.
• Steam causes bronchopulmonary diseases.

Hookah smoke exceeds cigarette smoke in carbon monoxide content. All dressings have a pleasant aroma, which encourages the person to inhale more deeply, a large amount of the substances contained in them enter the blood. The WHO said at a 2008 conference that electronic cigarettes have not been shown to be effective as replacement therapy for quitting smoking.

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 always saying goodbye to part of life, although negative, this action is often 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. Increase in temperature.
3. Pain, sore throat.
4. Beginning of cough.
5. Headaches, migraines.
6. Pressure drops.
7. Fast heartbeat.
8. Frequent respiratory diseases.

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

In short

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

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

There are dozens of benefits to quitting addiction. Of the disadvantages of an acute 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.