Stop smoking
The many reasons to quit smoking
-It is bad for health. There are an estimated 4.9 million people who die each year in the world from smoking. Smoking causes one out of three cancers (lungs, throat, mouth, lips, pancreas, kidneys, bladder, esophagus, uterus ...), increases the risk of heart attack, cerebral ischemia, aneurysm, lower limb arteritis, bronchitis chronic ...
-It's not good for the "look". Greyish complexion, wrinkles, corpse breath, yellowish teeth and fingers, nauseating smell, hoarse voice ...: not very sexy!
-It's expensive! Counting one package per day, at 5 euros per package, we are talking about 1800 euros a year, that is a nice trip or 30 restaurants for 2 or many handbags or 150 massages ...
-It is stressful. Going around the city three times on Sunday evening to find an open tobacconist, being distressed at the idea of not being able to resist for a long plane ride, freezing on the sidewalk during breaks ... but what life is it?
- It hurts the baby. Smoking harms the development of the fetus. Aren't you pregnant? Maybe one day you will be, better stop now.
Losing the habit, a difficult time
It takes several months to stop feeling like smoking. Even after several years, smoking a cigarette risks getting you started again, because it awakens the need. There are three types of addiction, which must be taken into consideration when trying to quit smoking:
- contextual and behavioral. Smoking is associated with circumstances, people and places that arouse the desire to smoke.
-psychological. The cigarette is a way to pamper yourself, control stress, concentrate and stimulate yourself ... This effect is produced by nicotine, a substance that provides pleasure, relaxation, intellectual stimulation, has an anxiolytic, antidepressant and anti-hunger action. When you stop, you risk gaining weight, and this slows you down!
-physics. Again, it is caused by nicotine, which makes us physiologically dependent.
The stages of the rebirth
Quitting smoking, even if it is difficult, soon gives excellent results:
After 20 minutes, blood pressure and heart rate return to normal.
After 8 hours, the amount of carbon monoxide in the blood is halved.
After 24 hours, the lungs begin to clear mucus and smoke residues.
After 48 hours, the taste and smell improve.
After 72 hours, breathing becomes easier.
After a few weeks, coughing and fatigue subside, and stamina increases.
After 1 year, the risk of heart attack is halved.
After 5 years, the risk of lung cancer is practically halved.
After 10 years, life expectancy reaches that of non-smokers.
Help to quit
The first real ally is willpower! One in two smokers can quit without any kind of help. Nevertheless, there are several ways to overcome this difficult stage with less difficulty:
-The nicotine substitutes. They are medicines sold in pharmacies without a prescription and aim to decrease the feeling of physical withdrawal. They exist in different forms: patches, chewing gum, lozenges, sprays.
- Antidepressants. Prescribed by the doctor for the most "dependent".
- Behavioral and cognitive therapies. They help change behavior or a type of thinking. They are ideal for learning not to give in in front of another smoker, during the coffee break ... and to control your stress in an alternative way.
Only these three methods are scientifically proven. But there are alternative methods, such as acupuncture, homeopathy, hypnosis, mesotherapy, auriculotherapy, relaxation, phytotherapy ...
On the internet there are many other proposals to quit smoking ... Beware of charlatans!
Who to contact
To quit smoking or find out about ongoing initiatives, you can consult the website www.fumo.it, contact the LILT - Italian League for the Fight against Cancer (www.legatumori.it), your doctor, who will direct you to the Anti-smoking Center of your USL, or contact the Toll-Free Telephone against Smoking, at 800 55 4088.
