Quit Smoking: The Profound Dangers of Smoking and How to Quit

Smoking causes over 8 million deaths every year. But it is not only people who smoke that die – millions of others die from second-hand smoke. But how does smoking act as such a threat?

Tobacco smoke contains over 7000 chemicals and all or most of them are toxic to the human body. Some are lethal, like carbon monoxide, tar, and oxidizers. These lead to severe health complications such as lung disease, and heart disease, the primary cause of diseases like COPD and heart disease.

Smoking is not only bad for the lungs but for almost every other body organ and tissue. It impacts various areas of the body. In this case, we explore various and more serious diseases associated with tobacco smoke. That could manifest immediately, while in others it takes time, minutes, hours or even days.

Some of the inconveniences are very difficult but the gains are way much easier than the costs. The people with such chronic issues like COPD or those who require oxygen therapy feel way better and live longer when they quit. Some good ways to stop smoking are shared below.

The first thing to do is choose to quit. Decide the day to stop and start getting ready in your head. Quitting smoking is not a physical process, it is altering the way in which a person’s mind works and how he reacts. Smokers believe they need to continue smoking as they believe it helps them reduce stress by speaking to others or being busy. Do these ideas work on you in the sense that they influence the ways you approach habits?

NRT as it acronyms for is the most widely used method of quitting smoking. NRT reduces withdrawal symptoms and helps provide control over the desires or need to use a substance. NRT options are nicotine gum patches, lozenges and inhalers. These products give a certain amount of nicotine to help move away from smoking without the dangerous stuff in cigarettes. This lowers withdrawal feelings while stopping the habit of smoking.

People on oxygen therapy for COPD or other breathing problems find NRT helpful. It lowers the pressure on the lungs already hurt and helps the body get better by reducing cigarette damage. Studies show people using NRT usually quit smoking more easily compared to those who try to stop suddenly.

Drugs like varenicline (Chantix) and bupropion (Zyban) are also available to help reduce strong urges and lower nicotine addiction. They block certain parts of the brain that respond to nicotine. This action lowers the enjoyable feelings of smoking.

People with COPD might benefit from these drugs under a doctor's care. Lung damage from smoking cannot be undone. Even oxygen treatment cannot fix it. But stopping smoking early with the help of these drugs probably slows down illnesses like COPD. Why risk more damage by not acting now?

Along with using medicine, therapy plays a significant role in staying smoke-free for a long time. This kind of therapy helps people see why they want to smoke, find ways to handle these feelings, and keep pushing forward while quitting. A special type of therapy called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) works well to help smokers stop the thinking patterns linked to smoking.

Groups where people support each other are also significant. Quitting can make certain people feel lonely thus keeping the company of other individuals who are also quitting. Regardless whether you have found some people offline or on the Internet, being in a group with people who have a similar goal lets you know that you are not alone and helps to stay motivated.

Stopping smoking is hard at first, but long-term good health is essential. In just 12 hours after quitting, carbon monoxide in your blood drops to normal levels. After a few weeks, breathing becomes easier, and your lungs begin to get better. You probably won’t need as much help with oxygen if you have lung problems. After one year, your chance of heart disease is half as much as before. In five years, there’s much less risk of having a stroke.

Smoking harms your body a lot. But no matter when you quit, it still helps fix that damage. You get more energy, look better, and live longer. Why not focus on these reasons to keep yourself going?

Smoking hurts your health. This substance damages your lungs, heart, and skin, and also suppresses your immune system. If the damage is not visible you get more prone to severe illnesses including COPD, heart disease, and cancer. Even if you already have health issues and use oxygen therapy, quitting smoking could help you live better and slow down your illness.

There’s good news though. It’s never too late to stop. Whether you've smoked for a few years or for a long time your body starts getting better the moment you quit. It also means that after as little as a few weeks your lungs get stronger and things such as heart attacks and strokes occur at a lesser rate.

It might well be one of the most positive actions, which any person could take for himself or herself. The program lets you correct some of the circumstances that smoking might have created and regain control over your life. Isn’t now the right moment to try? With some tools and help you can probably stop for good.

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