12 Tips to Help Quit Smoking

Chest Diseases Specialist Dr. Uygar Cenik, Expert Psychologist Sena Sivri and Nutrition and Diet Expert Melike Şeyma Deniz gave very important information within the scope of May 31, World No Tobacco Day ...

From rat poison to cyanide

In this difficult period when the Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on all of humanity, lung health continues to be one of the most important issues on the agenda. When it comes to lung health, the first thing that comes to mind is to quit smoking to breathe a healthy air! Acıbadem Fulya Hospital Chest Diseases Specialist Dr. Uygar Cenik said, “Both active and passive smoking harms every organ and system in our body, especially the lungs, and causes serious diseases. "More than 8 million people die annually due to tobacco and tobacco products." There are more than 7 thousand chemicals in cigarette smoke; Stating that 250 of them are harmful and at least 69 of them cause cancer, Dr. Uygar Cenik says: “The most dangerous substances in cigarette smoke are tar and carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is the exhaust gas, reducing the blood's ability to carry oxygen. Tar is carcinogenic. "Nicotine in cigarette smoke is a powerful addictive substance," he says. According to researches, nicotine; Stating that it is as addictive as alcohol, marijuana, heroin and morphine, Dr. Civilized Cenik; Some other harmful substances found in tobacco smoke; Paint remover lists such deadly poisons as acetone, cadmium used in battery production, methanol in rocket fuel, lighter gas butane, cleaning agent ammonia, rat poison arsenic and cyanide, naphthalene.

Lung cancer and the biggest cause of COPD

Both smoking and inhalation of these harmful substances with cigarette smoke cause more than twenty types of cancer, primarily lung cancer. Tongue, lip, palate, larynx, esophagus, bladder and kidney cancer are some of them. Stating that people using tobacco products have a risk of death from cancer 15-25 times higher than those who do not smoke, Dr. Uygar Cenik said, “In the researches, it has been found that each cigarette smoked shortens human life by an average of 12 minutes. Smoking is the most important proven risk factor in the development of lung cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Even a cigarette disrupts the activity of the cells lining the respiratory tract for 3-4 days, which cleans the factors such as dust, bacteria and viruses in the air we breathe from the outside, which can cause disease in the lungs. It causes many serious problems from heart attacks to cerebrovascular diseases, peripheral vascular diseases, sexual dysfunctions, miscarriage and premature birth to the retardation of the baby in the womb. The use of tobacco products damages all tissues by creating oxidative stress, leading to premature aging. "The risk increases as the number of cigarettes smoked per day and the number of years smoked increases," he says.

12 effective tips to help you quit smoking

Chest Diseases Specialist Dr. Uygar Cenik and Expert Psychologist Sena Sivri list their suggestions that make it easier to quit smoking as follows;

Determine the right time yourself

Quitting smoking is a process of change. It means changing the daily life, environment, friends and sense of entertainment of the person. In order to quit smoking, the person must first ask for it. Taking the smoking cessation program when the person feels ready increases the success of quitting. It is desirable to set a day for smoking cessation in the head; It could be a birthday or any date, and to cope with which emotion is smoking, emotion identification and healthy coping strategies need to be developed.

Seek the support of your loved ones

It is important to share the decision of quitting smoking with friends, family and social environment and asking their support in this regard. If there is another smoker at home, quitting together will make it easier for both of them to experience this process.

Meet your friends who don't smoke

During the smoking cessation process, it is important that the person meets his non-smoking friends rather than his / her friends who smoke, postpone meeting with his / her smoking friends or ask for support by asking them not to smoke, and places that evoke smoking should be avoided in this process.

You can try nicotine gum

Nicotine gums benefit during this period. When there is an intense drinking desire, chewing for a short time and keeping it in the cheek removes physical dependence and provides relief. The quitting method can be chosen by measuring the number of cigarettes smoked per day, the degree of addiction and the carbon monoxide level in the breath. Medical history and current state of health also determine the method. Nicotine chewing gums or plasters and nicotine replacement support or drug therapy can be combined with some practical suggestions to overcome this period easily.

Postpone smoking

Studies have found that delaying the desire to smoke for 3 minutes significantly reduces the desire. Although this process differs from person to person, delaying it is an important tactic for every habit that is wanted to be left. When the desire to smoke emerges, it will be useful for the person to occupy himself with something different, resort to delay and distract, and try to define the emotion by making sense of the request at that time. For example; Going to the kitchen and preparing a drink or eating a carrot or cucumber, chewing gum, making him distract himself in terms of lip addiction, talking to a close friend again, going out to the balcony and getting some air, going to the shower or going out and taking a short walk. helps him overcome. Especially applying to delay in the intense demand that comes after the sustainers will reduce or even pass the desire.

Remove any objects that remind you of smoking

Removing objects such as cigarette packs, lighters, ashtrays that remind them of cigarettes at home and removing the smell of cigarette from the house by dry cleaning their clothes makes a significant contribution.

Add different occupations to hand habits

In smoking addiction, where hand habits are also at the forefront, it may be useful to deal with something that requires hand occupation. It can be many things such as organizing this office table, typing, texting a friend.

Reduce your caffeine consumption

The thoughts, emotions that trigger the desire to smoke, increase awareness about the situations, discovering the companions, the sustainers (such as coffee, cigarettes) and the disruption of these matches are important steps leading to the behavior change in smoking cessation. For example; If coffee is the companion of smoking, the coffee can be reduced or tried to smoke without smoking, thereby reducing the feeling of psychological deprivation. Because, quitting smoking is a behavioral change and the withdrawal symptoms (such as nervousness, insomnia, changes in appetite) caused by not smoking are persuasive to not quit, no matter how much the person wants to quit. Thoughts such as two panes of a scale contradict each other.

Make time for your hobbies

During the smoking cessation process, focusing on hobbies or taking up a new hobby, spending more time outdoors and doing physical activity keeps the person strong by increasing the happiness hormone. While getting rid of a harmful but enjoyable habit, one should give more place to the things that will make him happy, love himself, determine the things that will make him feel good and try to do it frequently.

Meditate, practice yoga

It is also of great benefit to spend time on activities such as yoga, meditation and sports in order to cope with the negative emotions caused by withdrawal.

Don't say "somehow I quit, let me light a cigarette, nothing will happen"

Regardless, it is very important not to light a single cigarette. It is necessary to be vigilant and careful about this after quitting. When you are bored with something or at a pleasant moment, do not say "let me light a cigarette, nothing will happen, I quit anyway". Imagine and remember the beautiful and healthy future that awaits you; Think of your loved ones and don't light that cigarette. Taking smoking out of one's life will both increase the quality of life and be the most important step for spending long, healthy and happy years with their loved ones. Everything starts with small steps for human beings. Even Everest can be climbed step by step. Small steps take us where we want in life, as long as we are determined, we want to, not lose our motivation.

Get expert support if needed

In combination with medical treatments for smoking cessation, psychotherapy is the most effective method to achieve this behavioral change. Getting support is important in this process.

It is possible not to gain weight when you quit smoking

Nutrition and Diet Specialist Melike Şeyma Deniz stated that gaining weight after quitting smoking is a serious concern for some people, “However, studies show that weight gain may not be gained after quitting smoking, and if it is taken, it can be at a compensatory level. The first 3 months after quitting smoking is the most risky period for weight gain, but when this period is managed correctly, it is possible not to gain weight. For this, add movement to your life, exercise regularly, use smaller plates, increase vegetable consumption, chew foods a lot, consume dried fruits in moderation, choose raw nuts because their salt content is less, caffeinated drinks can make you want to smoke, so you can use herbs instead of tea and coffee. "Try the teas, drink a bottle of mineral water a day."

Günceleme: 29/05/2021 15:24