Smoking is the single most important thing you can do for your health and the most preventable cause of death in our society. It is estimated 48 million adults are smokers in the US. In 1990, 419,000 US deaths were attributed to smoking. Smoking related cancer deaths continue to rise. Lung cancer mortality rates are 23 times higher for current male smokers and 13 times higher for female smokers. In addition to being responsible for 87% of lung cancers, smoking is also associated with cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, pancreas, uterine cervix, kidney and bladder. Smoking accounts for at least 29% of all cancer deaths, is a major cause of heart disease, and is associated with conditions ranging from colds and gastric ulcers to chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and cerebrovascular disease.
Cigarette smoke produces more than 4,000 chemicals, including 43 known carcinogens and the highly addictive drug nicotine. Nicotine is addictive because it changes the way information is transmitted in the brain. Nicotine acts as a depressant by inhibiting the flow of information between nerve cells. As their nervous systems adapt to nicotine, smokers gradually increase the number of cigarettes they smoke, and hence the amount of nicotine in the blood. Eventually, a smoker reaches a target level of concentration of nicotine and then smokes to maintain his or her nicotine at this level. The processes that determine tobacco addiction are similar to those that determine addiction to drugs such as heroin and cocaine. The absence of nicotine leads to withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, fatigue, insomnia, depression, tightness in the chest, hunger, coughing, lack of concentration and dizzine
Before you quit smoking, you should understand why you smoke. You may smoke for pleasure, for the rush, to calm down or because friends and family smoke. Once you understand why you smoke and are motivated to quit, you can take steps to quit smoking.
Set a quit date: it is helpful to pick a date and make a plan for quitting. The quit date should be no more than one month away and not during a stressful period.
Planning your strategy: smokers reach for a cigarette when they experience "triggers". A trigger is a person, a situation or a thought that is connected with smoking. It is important to plan healthy behaviors to use instead of smoking when faced with a trigger, such as exercise or hobbies. Other strategies include: 1) avoid people or situations that make you want to smoke. 2) Make smoking more difficult for yourself. 3) Gradually cut back on the number of cigarettes you smoke or give yourself a reward for not smoking.
Use your resources: When you are ready to quit, tell the important people in your life—your family, your friends, and your fellow workers. The people close to you will tend to be your biggest supporters and a valuable resource in your quitting process. In addition, consult your doctor. Your doctor can give you written materials to help you quit, enroll you in stop-smoking programs which emphasize behavior modification, and provide treatment to aid your smoking cessation.
Nicotine substitutes can double the successful quit rate among smokers. These substitutes treat the very difficult withdrawal symptoms that 70-90% of smokers say is their only reason for not giving up the habit.
Nicotine Patches deliver a measured dose of nicotine through the skin. As the nicotine doses are lowered over a course of weeks, the smoker is weaned away from nicotine. Nicotine patches are available without prescription. Side effects are insomnia, vivid dreaming and gastrointestinal complaints.
Nicotine gum may be used with patients for whom skin sensitivity or other conditions preclude use of the patch. Gum also offers the advantage of allowing the smoker to control nicotine doses. Nicotine gum is available without a prescription. Side effects are stomatitis and indigestion, which are mild and often result from improper chewing technique.
Nicotine nasal spray is a new product, available by prescription only. By delivering nicotine through the nose, less nicotine is absorbed into the brain than from cigarettes. Smoking sends nicotine straight to the heart where it is pumped to the brain in five heartbeats. Side effects include a hot, peppery sensation in the nose or throat, sneezing, coughing, watery eyes or rhinorrhea..
Zyban is a prescription antidepressant that reduces symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.
This drug affects chemicals in the brain that are related to nicotine craving. Preliminary evidence suggests that combining nicotine replacement and Zyban may be more effective than either approach alone. Side effects include dry mouth, insomnia, shakiness, rashes and seizure.
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