Every time a person smokes a cigarette, he contaminates his blood, tissues, and cells with many hazardous chemicals. Cigarette smoke consists of various dangerous chemicals that are harmful to the human body and most of them are known to be carcinogenic.
A cigarette is made up of finely powdered tobacco rolled in a paper and a filter attached to one end, remember this filter does not block toxic gases while smoking it just prevents cigarette ashes from entering into the mouth.
When we breathe in, we intake natural air from our surroundings and the air passes via trachea into the lungs through airways or bronchial tubes, the air then moves thousands of alveoli.
Smoking regularly/frequently damages these two main parts of your lungs; airways and alveoli. Airways are also called bronchial tubes which allow oxygen and carbon dioxide to pass into and from the lungs respectively. Alveoli are small air sacs through which the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide gas takes place during respiration. Any damage to these parts causes respiratory problems.
Cigarette smoke which consists of thousands of harmful chemicals damages the linings of the bronchial tubes causing most of them to swell and make mucus. It also affects the function of Celia leading to the trapping of smoke and deposition of mucus within the lungs.
According to WHO, there are 1.3 billion active tobacco cigarette smokers in the world, and previous data has shown that tobacco and its products kill half of the users.
When you smoke in a public you contaminate the place with harmful smoke indirectly contaminating your fellow person’s lungs and blood. This is called passive smoking and it kills 1.2 million people yearly on average.
Why do people smoke cigarettes?
Chain smokers state different reasons for cigarette smoking like stress relief, pleasure, peer pressure, social abuse, ignorance from the loved partner, trying new excitements in life. It has also been found that most people get addicted to cigarette smoking in their teenage or in adolescence along with getting inspired by seeing other people/friends smoking around. Smoking cigarettes in a unique style also has psychological effects on others who see them.
Some businessmen and powerful people also smoke a cigarette to convey the signal of superiority.
Why cigarette is addictive?
The presence of a chemical called nicotine in all forms of tobacco makes cigarettes addictive. Nicotine is also found in electronic cigarettes. Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical that activates the receptors in the brain as soon as it reaches there either by smoking or chewing or through consumption of other forms of tobacco. The fact is; the faster the delivery of nicotine in a person’s body, the greater is the effect on the brain. Thus cigarettes are known for the quick delivery of high levels of nicotine to the brain through the blood.
When a person smokes a cigarette, nicotine reaches the brain’s receptors within 6 to 10 seconds giving an instant feel and the person gets addicted to it very easily and it’s difficult to stop due to its immediate effect. Once the cigarette smoke is inhaled, the smoke is absorbed by the lungs and goes into the heart through the bloodstream, and then reaches the brain. In response to nicotine, the brain releases a chemical called dopamine which makes a person feel high but this effect remains active only for a shorter period. During this effect, the person feels stimulated, relaxed, and focused.
After few minutes of smoking the cigarette, smokers start to feel a negative mood change. Their brain craves nicotine and many feel anxious, irritable, and restless when they stop smoking.
Health effects of cigarette smoking?
Cigarette smoking has major critical health effects on the body. It critically damages respiratory organs, contaminates the blood, induces the development of cancer cells on various organs, risks heart diseases, makes the person tired and less energetic. Other health effects include a weakened immune system, fertility problems, risk of pregnancy problems in women, unhealthy skin.
How to quit smoking?
At first, when a person is stressed, his friend introduces him to smoke cigarettes, a person feels relaxed. Next time the same person feels a little tense/worried and he remembers cigarette smoking. Later he virtually induces tension/stress in his mind to find a reason to smoke and he gets addicted and the chain continues and he is trapped with a habit of cigarettes smoking. This is the common story behind most smokers.
Although cigarette smoking is not easy you can achieve it if you become more health-conscious and serious about life. Quitting smoking as early as possible is a good decision in your life, by this, you add more value to your life. If you successfully quit smoking it is the greatest achievement of your life. So what to do?
- Take counseling from the doctor about quitting cigarette smoking and follow these steps
- Stay away from people who smoke
- Set a serious long-term goal
- Avoid going to parties
- Take sufficient rest
- Keep ways from negativity and always stay motivated
- Do Yoga/meditation regularly
- Visit the rehabilitation center if required
The best medicine to kill nicotine cravings is pain. Here pain means through physical exercise, your body must go through tough exercises (like sprinting, stretching, boxing ) or other workouts(practice more cardiovascular exercise) with 100 percent effort in order to bring physical pain. In response to physical pain, the pituitary gland releases a hormone called beta-endorphins, which is a natural painkiller. It induces sleep and relaxes your body. If you practice sports continuously for many days you begin to forget smoking and feel better. You soon begin to develop more willpower and stay focused and disciplined in life.