Consequences for the human body that has stopped smoking

If a person stops smoking, the consequences for the body can be dire. The WHO classifies smoking as one of the most serious threats to human life and health. About 7 million people die each year from smoking-related causes. Researchers say that one smoker in the world dies every 5-7 seconds. If the rate of tobacco consumption does not decrease, by 2030, according to researchers, 9 million people will die from cigarettes a year.

The effect of cigarettes on the body

Carcinogens that enter the body with smoke affect almost every human organ and increase the risk of developing:

• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease);
• cancer (lung, larynx, colon, pancreas);
• cardiovascular diseases (heart attack, stroke);
• impotence and infertility;
• nervous system lesions (multiple sclerosis).

The paradox of the current situation is that smoking is a preventable cause of death! It only remains to forget the bad habit.

But if it’s that simple, why do WHO numbers look so scary?

It's not just a habit

The fact is that smoking is not only a bad habit, but a psychological and physiological dependence of the body.

For the first time, as a rule, the desire to try a cigarette occurs in a smoking society. Everyone around smokes, there is no desire to stand out from a potential smoker. The hand reaches for a cigarette and now you no longer sit in the merry company of a black sheep: you are like everyone else.

This is a psychological addiction. It is formed first. In the future, smoking is postponed and becomes a certain ritual: smoking with a cup of coffee or in the morning. Smoking in a stressful situation, calming down, smoking at work, solving problems - all these are psychological addictions, which are the most difficult to get rid of. Or completely impossible. The person stops smoking, does not hold a cigarette for several years, but does not feel relaxed in the company that smokes. An ex-smoker must constantly control his desires and keep himself under control.

Over time, psychological dependence adds to physiological dependence.

A person who is not addicted to tobacco will feel bad after smoking two cigarettes in a row. The smoker will not feel anything. The body, accustomed to tobacco, functions differently, is dependent on nicotine and already knows how to react to its intake. Nicotine is delivered and the brain releases the hormone dopamine to neutralize it, providing a sense of satisfaction.

Ways to handle a cigarette

Only about 5% of tobacco addicts can quit smoking on their own. 80% want to quit, but can’t cope without the help of a doctor. Modern medicine uses a variety of ways to help tobacco addicts:

1. Psychotherapeutic methods. The doctor helps to cope with the withdrawal syndrome and find the pleasures in life that replace cigarettes.
2. Chewing gum or patches containing nicotine. They help to overcome the unpleasant symptoms associated with smoking cessation, gradually releasing nicotine into the body. Proper use of this therapy is very important, otherwise you will not be able to achieve the desired result.
3. Reflexology (acupuncture, electropuncture, moxibustion, acupressure). Methods that evidence-based medicine does not recognize, but, according to former smokers, are meaningful and useful.
4. Medications. Prescribed only by a doctor.

There is still a chance that you will manage on your own. At least with it begins the difficult path of quitting smoking. Those who have managed to quit smoking share different recommendations. They advise you to take a partner, because together it is always more fun; tell everyone of your intention — then it is a pity to withdraw; if you want, pull drinking water, chewing gum, carrots.

If you decide to solve the problem yourself, use the following tips:

1. Decide on a specific day to quit smoking.
2. Find something to do for the first time - the sport is real.
3. Remove everything that resembles tobacco: matches, ashtrays, lighters. Do not store cigarettes in the house.
4. Get enough sleep. Limit TV viewing. This will help relieve fatigue and irritability.
5. Water helps alleviate withdrawal symptoms. Start and end the day with a warm shower.

Breakdown or interruption syndrome

Smoking cessation leads to nicotine withdrawal or withdrawal symptoms. Over the years, nicotine has been incorporated into all vital processes and has an effect on most human organs. It is clear that the process of restructuring the body in a new way causes a number of different negative sensations.

Let’s look at the main problems faced by literally every tobacco user.

1. Weakness, dizziness, decreased performance. They occur in the first weeks after nicotine withdrawal. Surveys of ex-smokers show that these symptoms subside in the first two weeks.
2. Gaining weight. Nicotine slows down the metabolism. If you stop smoking, you risk gaining extra pounds. Smoking cessation? Start following your diet and increase physical activity. Sport also helps to get rid of obsessive thoughts.
3. Shortness of breath, increased sputum production, cough. Tobacco smoke irritates the airways and increases mucus production. As a result of nicotine withdrawal, the stimulation of the respiratory tract stops, so it is difficult for a person to cough. This condition can be regulated by physical activity that is able to naturally stimulate the bronchi and remove mucus. If this condition lasts longer, it makes sense to see a doctor.
4. Prison. Nicotine stimulates the digestive tract. Without nicotine, your intestines need time and proper nutrition to function.

Practice shows: an integrated approach to solving addiction can achieve positive results.

Consequences for the body

There is no easy way on this issue. Strength, patience and complete confidence in your correctness guarantee the successful completion of what has been started. Improvements in the body will not wait long:

1. On the first day, the level of carbon monoxide in the blood decreases, it is saturated with oxygen.
2. By the end of the first week, nicotine is completely eliminated from the body. Physical addiction is defeated.
3. By the end of the first year, the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases is reduced by 2 times.
4. Within 10 years, there is a complete recovery of the organism.

It's worth it. Be healthy!