Just like illegal substances, nicotine disrupts the normal activity of a person's brain and body. What the brain and body do then is to adapt to this foreign substance until such they develop tolerance to it. The effect of this to the smoker is increase in the amount of cigarettes they consume because smaller amounts will not have any effect anymore. So, the cycle will just repeat until the body can't take it and give up. The inevitable will happen unless the smoker will make a choice to stop smoking.
Making a choice is the first step in the process of successfully quitting, but what's next? A lot of experts say that smokers have to be prepared mentally and physically, like in any battle you have to know what you are up against. List down reasons why you chose to stop smoking. This can help motivate in times when you want to give up. It can be primarily because of your health and the health of people around you, like your family.
According to a study conducted by the Surgeon General, a non-smoker living with a smoker has about 20% to 30% probability to develop lung cancer. The human lungs are not the only organs in danger when exposed to smoke. The nicotine stays on the lungs after inhaling smoke, transferred into the bloodstream and carried all throughout the body. Needless to say, it affects the smoker's and second hand smoker's whole body causing a variety of ailments like heart attack, stroke, miscarriage to pregnant women, high blood pressure, premature aging, bladder, kidney, liver, pancreatic and cervical cancer. Furthermore, a study shows that nicotine can also be found on the breast milk of a female smoker even on her amniotic fluid and umbilical cord. If that's not enough, calculate how much smoking costs a day, multiplied by 365 days, then multiply it by the number of years you have been smoking and imagine or think of where could have you allocated that money for if you didn't spend it in this kind of disruptive habit.
Also, be prepared by doing research. Know what the symptoms of withdrawal are. These symptoms like dizziness, anxiety, increase in appetite, are caused by the body flushing out the nicotine in its system. The symptom can start few hours after the last stick and can last for two to three days. That's why they say the second day and third day are the most crucial parts of quitting. Eliminate or avoid factors that make you want to smoke or if it's not possible substitute, chew a gum maybe instead of lighting a stick.
There are lots of ways and support groups available online and in your community. Don't hesitate to try other methods. Some may work for others but it won't be guaranteed that it will work the same for another, since mindset and commitment is really a big factor in helping you to successfully stop smoking.
Tags: smoking, quitting, smokers, habit