Determined to Quit Smoking

Smoking is currently one of the leading causes of death, not only in developed countries but also in developing countries. In the US, it is estimated that about 400,000 people die but the main culprit is caused by smoking, in addition to approximately 40,000 cardiovascular deaths due to tobacco smoke inhaled by people around smoke and exhaust fumes out (also known as passive smoking). Smoking also causes non-lethal diseases like osteoporosis, wrinkling skin, peptic ulcer disease, impotence and pregnancy complications.

How To Stop smoking and stay away from smoke is difficult but can be done.

The benefits of quitting smoking: Quitting smoking has huge health benefits immediately and long term, for both men and women, and for all ages. Those who quit before age 50 will reduce the risk of death by 50% in the next 15 years compared with those who continued to smoke. It is also beneficial for the passive smokers avoid some serious disease to health.

Determined to Quit Smoking

Cardiovascular disease: Smoking increases the risk of coronary artery disease 2 times than usual, stopping smoking will make this risk declines rapidly. One year after quitting, the risk was reduced by half and continued to decrease over time.

Readmore: What Happens To Your Body When You Quit Smoking

Lung Disease: Smoking also increases the risk of lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. While many lung damage caused by smoking does not rebound when the drug is stopped, but stopping smoking will reduce lung function damage, reduce cough and phlegm prolonged increase (usually occur in people who smoke long time)

Cancer: Smoking is the main culprit of 90% of lung cancer cases. Stopping smoking reduces this risk within 5 years after stopping smoking, although the smokers are still at risk of developing lung cancer than those who never smoked cigarettes. Stopping smoking reduces the possibility of other types of cancer such as head and neck cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and bladder cancer. The benefits of stopping smoking are still present even when being cancer because it reduces the risk of second cancer and may improve cancer prognosis of early life.

Readmore: The Method To Quit Smoking Successfully

Peptic ulcer disease:  Stopping smoking reduces the likelihood of gastrointestinal ulcers, improve healing of ulcers.

Osteoporosis: Smoking increases bone loss and women will enjoy fractured femur when smoking. This risk will improve after 10 years after the start of discontinuation. In men also have bone loss due to tobacco but fracture risk is unclear.

Other diseases:  Smoking also makes many other diseases worse. For example, pregnant women are smoking while pregnant are malformations, small fetal, premature Or prone libido disorders (such as impotence).

The unpleasant experience when you quit smoking:

In general, the benefits achieved when quitting is always more than the risks encountered when quitting. However, people who want to quit should also be psychologically prepared to be able to meet the discomfort. The climax of the discomfort often occurs in the first 3 days and will stop for 3-4 weeks after.

These unpleasant symptoms will meet when quitting as insomnia, irritability, anger, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, feelings of restlessness, decreased heart rate. There may also be pressure on drug cravings, can be very intense, lasting several months, usually occurs when stress or drinking. Cravings can go away if ignored it. Quitters may also undergo bouts of depression, sometimes severe enough to require antidepressant drugs or they may smoke again.

The important thing to not smoke again is prevent depression by early detection. These suspected symptoms are insomnia, irritability, sadness, loss of concentration.

The quitter is easy to gain weight by eating more; average could rise 1-2.5 kg in the first 2 weeks, and then is 2-3.5 kg in 4-5 month. The average gain weight is 4-5 kg. To limit weight gain, may apply dieting and exercising.

Readmore: Quit Smoking Tips Q&A – How To Quit Smoking For Good

What should be prepared when quit smoking:

After deciding to quit smoking, should select days to quit. Ideally, choose a day for 2 weeks after the decision, but sometimes also to choose a particular day to start (as anniversary, birthday)

Gradually reducing the number of cigarettes smoked was also a successful way to quit smoking, but measures to sever completely with tobacco seem more effective. Some people move to smoke light cigarette but this often do they breathe more and more deeply so it is inefficient.

Determined to Quit Smoking

Another way to help successfully quit smoking is to talk to family, friends and colleagues about your quit plan and ask for help. Avoid smoking at home, in the car, places with more spare time. Be prepared to address the symptoms of nicotine discontinued as anxiety, depression, drug cravings. Avoid situations that can make quitting failure as stressful situations, alcohol, some people smoke in your home or workplace.

Some active ingredients are often used as drugs to stop smoking as nicotine replacement therapy and bupropion, verenicline.

Readmore: How To Quit Smoking Cigarettes Naturally by Yourself

Nicotine replacement therapy is said to be safe, even for people with cardiovascular disease. However, do not use nicotine replacement products to smokers. There are many nicotine dosage forms on the market as the form gum, patch, inhaled… These forms are equally effective.

The reason why you failed to quit:

Many people may have failed to quit many times before quitting completely. Time failure usually occurs in the first weeks of quitting because this is the time or experience will appear unpleasant symptoms of quitting smoking and the symptoms are often strongest during this period.

Please keep in mind that every time to quit is a successful time, and the time to quit smoking as long as possible. Each time quit failure is once drawn the valuable experience for the next time to quit longer and to a certain time will give up smoking completely.

Dr. Ha Thi Kim Hong (115 People’s Hospital – Ho Chi Minh, Viet Nam)