The journey to quitting smoking begins with determination and belief.
Smoking can be a habit, something you do when you're sad, happy, or offered a cigarette, or it can be an addiction, as cigarette smoke contains nicotine, an addictive substance. To successfully quit smoking, the first and most crucial factor is determination and the belief that you can quit.
Why should you quit smoking??
When you smoke, you experience feelings of exhilaration, a cheerful mood, increased attention span, enhanced cognitive function, and improved short-term memory… This state is created by the nicotine in cigarette smoke affecting the nervous system, and its effects only last for a short time. Therefore, to consistently experience this feeling, you would have to smoke regularly.
But you need to know that cigarette smoke contains about 7000 other chemicals that are the direct cause of dangerous diseases such as: lung diseases, cardiovascular diseases, impaired fertility, and especially cancer, mainly lung cancer, throat cancer, esophageal cancer, etc.
According to many studies, over 90% of lung cancer cases occur in smokers. In particular, those around you who don't smoke directly but inhale secondhand smoke are also at risk of developing all of these dangerous diseases, just like you.
More seriously, if a pregnant woman smokes or inhales secondhand smoke, she risks miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects, etc. These harmful effects do not occur immediately but only after decades, usually starting after the age of 40.
Besides burning your body, smoking also burns a significant amount of your money. Even if money isn't an issue for you, it would be much more beneficial to use that money to help those in need around you. Not to mention the risk of fire, environmental pollution, and most importantly, you will become a bad example to your loved ones regarding your lifestyle and the risk of falling into other vices…
If you are a responsible person who cares about yourself, your family, and your community, then make the resolution to quit smoking today.
How to successfully quit smoking?
If smoking is just a habit for you, quitting isn't too difficult; with strong determination, you can succeed. However, if you're addicted, you need serious and thorough preparation to make the decision to quit. When you start quitting, you'll experience some symptoms such as insomnia, decreased libido, reduced concentration, restlessness, irritability, anxiety, increased appetite, etc.
However, don't worry too much because these are just withdrawal symptoms, and this will only appear in the first week or two after quitting smoking. To overcome this, you should prepare some things to replace cigarettes such as sunflower seeds, chewing gum, etc. You should drink plenty of water; breathe deeply; don't sit at the table for too long, but do other things like brushing your teeth, going for a walk, talking to loved ones, or humming your favorite poem or song...
If the situation becomes unbearable, seek advice from addiction treatment centers or doctors regarding medication to help you overcome this phase. Do not self-medicate. Inform your family and friends of your determination to quit smoking to receive timely encouragement and support.
After quitting smoking, you may gain weight. If that's a problem, advice from nutritionists, along with exercise, can help you achieve your desired physique. Quit smoking now, today, because the damage caused by cigarettes is reversible if your body is free from smoke. Recovery is especially possible if you quit before age 40.
You should avoid being pressured into smoking by those around you, actively communicate with like-minded people, find ways to reduce work stress, and get rid of all smoking-related items such as matches, lighters, and ashtrays at home and at work.
You should also know that not everyone succeeds on their first attempt to quit smoking. If you are one of them, don't be discouraged; your determination will increase your chances of successfully quitting smoking permanently the next time.
