A new year, a new beginning, make up your mind to quit smoking gracefully

Mr. Zhang, who had quit smoking for half a year, came to the clinic with a worried look on his face after the Spring Festival. He said that he could not resist the "temptation" of his relatives and friends and joined the ranks of smokers again.

In fact, many smokers like Mr. Zhang know the harm of smoking and have the intention to quit, but they cannot quit successfully. Of course, there are many more smokers who have no intention of quitting smoking at all, even if their family members repeatedly dissuade them. This article will talk with you about the harm of smoking and effective ways to quit smoking.

Scary! One cigarette contains 69 carcinogens

Don’t underestimate a small cigarette. It contains more than 7,000 complex chemical components, including nicotine, phenols, alcohols, acids, aldehydes and other harmful substances. When it burns, it can release more harmful chemical components, including 69 carcinogens.

The main harmful substances in cigarette smoke are: nicotine, benzopyrene, hydrogen cyanide, tar, carbon monoxide (CO) and nitric oxide and other harmful substances such as metal cadmium, benzidine, vinyl chloride, etc.

Beware! “Thirdhand smoke” is also harmful

The process in which a smoker actively inhales cigarette smoke into his lungs is called active smoking, or "first-hand smoke"; when a smoker actively smokes, some of the smoke that is not inhaled into his body will spread into the surrounding air and be inhaled into the body by people around him. This process is called passive smoking, or "second-hand smoke"; and "third-hand smoke" refers to the harmful gases released by smokers after smoking, which will be adsorbed on surfaces such as clothes, walls, furniture and even skin and hair, and may exist for days, weeks or even months.

Everyone should be familiar with "first-hand smoke" and "second-hand smoke" and pay attention to their harm, but the harm of "third-hand smoke" should not be underestimated. "Third-hand smoke" is more hidden. The daily environment such as sofas, desks, walls, etc. will be polluted by "third-hand smoke" brought by smokers, and then enter the body through the skin or breathing.

Especially if there are infants and young children in the smoker's home, they should pay more attention to the prevention and control of "third-hand smoke". On the one hand, their bodies are more fragile and sensitive, and they are more likely to inhale too many harmful substances; on the other hand, they are active, have a strong desire to explore, and are unaware of the dangers. They like to put things in their mouths as soon as they grab them, and are more likely to come into contact with harmful substances on clothes or toys.

Remember! Smoking shortens life expectancy

The harm of smoking is multifaceted. It not only damages our physical health, but also affects our quality of life and shortens our life expectancy.

In 2000, a study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), a top international medical journal, showed that for every cigarette smoked, smokers' life span is shortened by an average of 20 minutes, including 17 minutes for men and 22 minutes for women. The life expectancy of smokers is shortened by an average of about 10 years (male) to 11 years (female). Similar to this study, Sarah E. Jackson's team at the University of London also pointed out that for every cigarette smoked, the average life span of smokers will be shortened by 20 minutes.

Smoking is also related to many diseases. Many chronic disease patients have not been able to control their diseases, which is related to smoking. And the more you smoke and the longer you smoke, the higher the risk of disease.

Question! Why is it so hard to quit smoking?

Nicotine is a highly addictive alkaloid that exists in large quantities in tobacco. Once it enters the human body, it quickly binds to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the brain, triggering the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, thereby producing a reward effect and dependence. Therefore, smoking addiction is actually a chronic disease, medically known as "tobacco dependence," which can manifest as physical dependence and psychological dependence.

Physical dependence refers to a series of unbearable symptoms and signs that smokers experience after quitting or reducing smoking, such as cravings for smoking, anxiety, depression, headaches, increased salivary gland secretions, inattention, sleep disorders, increased blood pressure and heart rate, etc. Some smokers may also experience weight gain.

Psychological dependence is manifested as a strong subjective desire to smoke. If a tobacco addict smokes again after experiencing withdrawal symptoms, he will feel satisfied and euphoric, and his body and mind will tend to relax and calm, which will make it more difficult to quit smoking. This is the biggest reason for failure in quitting smoking.

Help! How to quit smoking effectively

First of all, you need to establish the motivation and willingness to quit smoking. You must have strong determination and clear motivation, and write them down to remind yourself at all times.

Secondly, you can form a smoking cessation mutual aid group with more people who have quit smoking to support and encourage each other, and it is recommended to keep in touch with people who have successfully quit smoking and learn from their successful experiences.

Again, it is recommended to announce your plan and goal to quit smoking in situations where smoking is present, avoid being influenced by smokers, and seek support and help from family, friends, and colleagues around you.

In addition, you can adopt a method of gradually reducing the number of times you smoke, and do not pursue overnight success. It is recommended to develop a detailed smoking cessation plan and keep records. When you have a craving for smoking, you can divert your attention by chewing gum, eating melon seeds or other foods, or doing activities of interest such as exercise, reading, and music.

Finally, you can go to a medical institution to seek help from professional doctors. They will assist you in developing a better smoking cessation plan, prescribe professional smoking cessation aids, and provide you with psychological counseling and support to help you quit smoking successfully.