Smoking Addiction - Health Effects and Treatment
Any habit can be harmful if it becomes an addiction.
Smoking addiction can be termed as an inability of a person to quit smoking.
It is an irresistible dependence of a person to cigarettes; to so much so extent that leaving cigarettes results in appearance of severe withdrawal effects both physically and emotionally.
Smoking is a bad habit and it should be discouraged as much as possible.
It is not at all necessary to start smoking just because of fashion, tension, taste, or style.
A person must avoid getting indulged into such activities which have a tendency of transforming into addiction later on.
According to an estimate, only about 2.
5 smokers quit smoking per year.
Cigarettes contain nicotine in them which is the cause of addiction.
When smokers inhale the cigarette smoke, nicotine gets absorbed in the blood stream.
NICOTINE EFFECTS: Nicotine has a stimulant effect on the electrical activity of brain.
Meanwhile it also gives a soothing or calming effect which makes it popular during the times of stress.
It also affects the hormonal system of body.
If nicotine is inhaled in larger amounts, it gives a calming effect by activating the pleasure centers of brain.
Generally the smokers begin with low doses of nicotine and with time as their body becomes resistant to these low doses, they require increased quantities of nicotine.
Thus by gradually increasing the nicotine intake, by the passage of time they become smoking addicts and thus it becomes almost impossible for them to quit smoking.
HARMFUL HEALTH EFFECTS: Almost everyone knows that smoking carries a lot of injurious effects on health.
They appear because of the inhalation of smoke, which ultimately damages the lungs.
Smoking greatly reduces the life limit of an individual.
It brings death about 10 to 15 years closer than what an otherwise healthy individual is expected to have a maximum age.
An average smoker would have increased his life limit to about 10 to 15 years more if he was a non-smoker.
Smoking has several side effects, although they are slow to appear.
It greatly reduces the life expectancy of a person.
Smoking has the highest risk of developing lung cancer.
About 87 percent of deaths occurring due to lung cancer are the result of smoking, per year.
About 82 percent of deaths occurring due to emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the result of smoking.
Smoking has injurious effects on heart.
About 30 percent of deaths occurring due to cardiac disease are the result of smoking.
Smoking is responsible for a delayed healing of the peptic ulcer erosion in stomach as compared to the non-smokers.
It slowly affects the blood vessels which lead to chronic pain in legs.
This can progress in severe cases to gangrene and amputation.
Women are affected by having an earlier menopause.
Pregnant women are going to harm their babies if they do not quit smoking during pregnancy.
Infertility is also a side effect of smoking in females by delaying the conception process.
There are increased chances of developing osteoporosis in chronic cigarette smokers.
Men can face impotency due to smoking.
TREATMENT: Smoking addiction cannot be cured by a proper help and support.
A person seeking help to quit smoking must join the medical centers made for this purpose.
They help both by psychological and medical treatment.
In order to prevent the person from withdrawal effects of nicotine, cigarettes are first replaced by the medicines which contain a low dose of nicotine and ultimately reducing the amount to zero.
The withdrawal effects of nicotine include tobacco cravings, headaches, anger, depression, irritability, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia (sleeplessness) etc.
Smoking is a harmful habit which slowly progresses to addiction and the best way to stop is to nip the evil in the bud.
It is best to stop a person as soon as he starts smoking by telling him more and more about its injurious effects, rather than to watch the scenario go worse.
Smoking addiction can be termed as an inability of a person to quit smoking.
It is an irresistible dependence of a person to cigarettes; to so much so extent that leaving cigarettes results in appearance of severe withdrawal effects both physically and emotionally.
Smoking is a bad habit and it should be discouraged as much as possible.
It is not at all necessary to start smoking just because of fashion, tension, taste, or style.
A person must avoid getting indulged into such activities which have a tendency of transforming into addiction later on.
According to an estimate, only about 2.
5 smokers quit smoking per year.
Cigarettes contain nicotine in them which is the cause of addiction.
When smokers inhale the cigarette smoke, nicotine gets absorbed in the blood stream.
NICOTINE EFFECTS: Nicotine has a stimulant effect on the electrical activity of brain.
Meanwhile it also gives a soothing or calming effect which makes it popular during the times of stress.
It also affects the hormonal system of body.
If nicotine is inhaled in larger amounts, it gives a calming effect by activating the pleasure centers of brain.
Generally the smokers begin with low doses of nicotine and with time as their body becomes resistant to these low doses, they require increased quantities of nicotine.
Thus by gradually increasing the nicotine intake, by the passage of time they become smoking addicts and thus it becomes almost impossible for them to quit smoking.
HARMFUL HEALTH EFFECTS: Almost everyone knows that smoking carries a lot of injurious effects on health.
They appear because of the inhalation of smoke, which ultimately damages the lungs.
Smoking greatly reduces the life limit of an individual.
It brings death about 10 to 15 years closer than what an otherwise healthy individual is expected to have a maximum age.
An average smoker would have increased his life limit to about 10 to 15 years more if he was a non-smoker.
Smoking has several side effects, although they are slow to appear.
It greatly reduces the life expectancy of a person.
Smoking has the highest risk of developing lung cancer.
About 87 percent of deaths occurring due to lung cancer are the result of smoking, per year.
About 82 percent of deaths occurring due to emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the result of smoking.
Smoking has injurious effects on heart.
About 30 percent of deaths occurring due to cardiac disease are the result of smoking.
Smoking is responsible for a delayed healing of the peptic ulcer erosion in stomach as compared to the non-smokers.
It slowly affects the blood vessels which lead to chronic pain in legs.
This can progress in severe cases to gangrene and amputation.
Women are affected by having an earlier menopause.
Pregnant women are going to harm their babies if they do not quit smoking during pregnancy.
Infertility is also a side effect of smoking in females by delaying the conception process.
There are increased chances of developing osteoporosis in chronic cigarette smokers.
Men can face impotency due to smoking.
TREATMENT: Smoking addiction cannot be cured by a proper help and support.
A person seeking help to quit smoking must join the medical centers made for this purpose.
They help both by psychological and medical treatment.
In order to prevent the person from withdrawal effects of nicotine, cigarettes are first replaced by the medicines which contain a low dose of nicotine and ultimately reducing the amount to zero.
The withdrawal effects of nicotine include tobacco cravings, headaches, anger, depression, irritability, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia (sleeplessness) etc.
Smoking is a harmful habit which slowly progresses to addiction and the best way to stop is to nip the evil in the bud.
It is best to stop a person as soon as he starts smoking by telling him more and more about its injurious effects, rather than to watch the scenario go worse.
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