If you are a smoker, chances are good that you have already tried to quit smoking. And so you know from experience that it’s not easy. Many ex-smokers say quitting cigarettes was the hardest thing they have ever done in their lives. But many finally succeed, and the health benefits of it make smoking cessation worth the effort. There is no doubt that smoking is harmful. Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable deaths. If you smoke, you are 6 times more at risk of heart attack compared to non-smokers, and the risk increases with the increase in the number of cigarettes smoked. Tobacco is one of the strongest substances that cause cancer - up to 90% of lung cancer deaths are attributed to smoking.The good news is that as soon as you stop smoking, your lungs, heart, and blood vessels begin to recover. Quitting cigarettes greatly reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke and premature death. One year after smoking cessation, the risk of developing heart disease is reduced by half.A person has more energy and breathes easier, and in addition, it protects the health of the people around them. Quitting smoking can also help you save money. If you smoke a pack of cigarettes a day, you can save about 60 KM a month.Although you know that quitting smoking would be wise, it is probably very difficult for you. "If you have problems with quitting smoking, or have had them in the past, know that you belong to the majority," said Dr. Glen D. Morgan, a scientist at the NIH State Cancer Institute. “However, the more people try to quit, and the more they try, the better the chances are that they will succeed in the long run. These people can use their previous experiences to try to quit smoking and learn from them. ”الاقلاع عن التدخينWhy is it so hard to quit smoking? After months and years of lighting a cigarette, smoking is probably part of your daily routine. "You may have developed certain smoking patterns, such as lighting a cigarette after a cup of coffee or talking on the phone," Morgan said, adding, "or maybe you smoke when you're stressed or when you're sitting in a car or when you're putting on makeup." You might even light a cigarette without even thinking about it.You may feel uncomfortable if you do not light a cigarette at the place or time where you are and when you are normally used to doing it. Such places or time periods are called "triggers" because they trigger the desire for a cigarette. For many smokers, quitting these habits is the hardest part of quitting smoking.Biology also plays a role. You have probably become addicted to nicotine, a chemical found in all tobacco products. Nicotine makes you feel calm and content, or discerning and focused.However, the more you smoke the more nicotine you will need to feel good. And when you try to quit smoking, you will feel dull, tense, and weird as your body gets used to living without nicotine. This nicotine withdrawal usually lasts a few weeks but encourages many people to return to cigarettes to feel "normal" again.Several studies have also found that genes can cause the extent to which a particular person finds it easier or harder to quit smoking. However, this research is still in its infancy and additional work is needed to make a genetic test to help people who intend to quit smoking by offering personalized therapy tailored to their personal needs.Some people are helped to quit smoking by a combination of medication and the support of friends and doctors, but many have succeeded without the use of medication. “We know there are many effective ways to quit smoking. There is not just one "right" way, "said Dr. Morgan. "It is crucial that you are motivated and prepared. You need to work out a plan and implement it. ”The first step, as many experts advise, is to set a date to quit smoking . Consider choosing a special day - maybe your birthday or wedding anniversary or World No Tobacco Day on May 31st.Next, let others know about your plan . It is easier to quit smoking if you have the support of friends, family and colleagues at work. One study, funded by the NIH the previous year, found that changes in the smoking pattern could spread across a social group. In many cases, spouses, friends, siblings and colleagues decided to quit smoking at about the same time. Ask your spouse or friends to stop smoking when you do, or at least not to smoke when you are around.You also need to be prepared to face difficult moments . Many people return to smoking within the first three months. Plan how to deal with the urge to smoke even before it occurs. Throw all cigarettes and matches in the trash, and get rid of all the things that remind you of smoking at home, in the car or at work.For additional help, you can use the means that are offered in pharmacies, such as nicotine patches, chewing gum or candies. When it comes to other medications, you will need a prescription from a doctor. Talk to your family doctor about what he / she would recommend.REMEMBER, it takes time to break the smoking habit. Don’t give up too soon. You may need more than one attempt, but others have succeeded, so you can too!
