Even heavy smokers know that smoking is a bad habit that harms your health. Many people dream of quitting smoking, but are afraid of "withdrawal syndrome". We will discuss how to quit smoking quickly and effectively in our article.
In general, when we talk about smoking, it is more accurate to talk about "tobacco" rather than "nicotine" dependence. According to the WHO International Classification of Diseases, tobacco dependence is a physiological behavioral disorder based on the use of psychoactive substances. True nicotine addiction is just one type of tobacco addiction.
What is nicotine dependence
Nicotine is involved in many biochemical processes in our body. This is why smoking is the cause of the development of more than 40 different diseases. Tobacco smoke contains more than 7, 000 harmful chemicals, as well as carbon monoxide and free radicals that damage tissue.
More than half of smokers dream of giving up this harmful habit, but before combating smoking, it is necessary to find out the reason why a person smokes. Doctors classify all reasons for smoking into several types of smoking behavior:
"Stimulation»
This type of smoking behavior manifests itself in those people who believe that cigarettes stimulate, invigorate and relieve fatigue. Addiction in these people is psychological in nature, and quitting smoking causes symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia and asthenia.
"Cigarette game»
People with this type of behavior smoke little, often "for company" and no more than 2 to 3 cigarettes a day. They are more interested in accessories: ashtrays, cigarette cases, lighters, expensive cigarettes. Smoking is more of a game than an addiction.
"Relaxation»
It is very difficult for these people to stop smoking. For them, cigarettes are a means of additional pleasure during relaxation, and the situation when smoking should be comfortable and relaxing.
"Support"
This type of smoking is necessary for a person to reduce emotional stress. These people smoke in moments of shyness, anger, uncertainty and in unpleasant situations.
"Thirst»
This type is associated with physical dependence on nicotine. A decrease in the level of nicotine in the blood forces a person to smoke, despite all prohibitions. It is this type of smoking behavior that can be considered true nicotine addiction.
"Reflection»
These smokers smoke reflexively, without thinking about the fact that they smoke. They smoke more frequently during work, in large quantities and "automatically". Most of the time, they cannot explain the reason for smoking.
All of the above types of smoking behavior can occur alone or combined in various combinations.
Tobacco dependence progresses with increasing smoking experience and goes through 3 stages of development:
- Step 1 - initial. A smoker smokes occasionally due to psychological dependence. Physical dependence is not observed at this stage.
- Stage 2 is characterized by the initial manifestations of physical dependence on nicotine.
- Stage 3 combines pronounced factors of psychological and physical dependence on nicotine.
To find out if you are addicted to nicotine, answer a few questions:
- Do you smoke more than a pack of cigarettes a day?
- Do you feel like smoking half an hour after waking up?
- When quitting smoking, did you feel a strong desire to smoke again and were bothered by "withdrawal symptoms"?
If you answered yes to all three questions, you are severely dependent on nicotine.
The cause of addiction is nicotine itself, which reaches the brain 7 seconds after the first inhalation of tobacco products. There, nicotine interacts with nicotinic receptors and promotes the production of neurotransmitters, including dopamine. These substances form nicotine addiction. As soon as a smoker takes a long break from smoking, the level of these substances in the blood decreases and a "withdrawal syndrome" occurs: desire to smoke, anxiety, decreased attention, restlessness and irritability, weakness, discomfort and malaise. A person develops a cough, insomnia and other somatic symptoms. The duration of this period can vary from several days to several months. That is why doctors recommend that those who quit smoking take special pharmacological medications.
Interesting facts about smoking
| Fact about smoking | Description |
|---|---|
| Number of smokers in the world (WHO) | 1 billion people |
| Percentage of smokers by gender | 40% of all men, 9% of all women |
| In which countries is smoking most common? | Kiribati, Montenegro, Greece, Timor |
| In which countries is smoking least common? | Ghana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Eritrea, Panama |
| Diseases caused by smoking | baldness, cataracts, premature wrinkles, hearing loss, skin cancer, tooth decay, emphysema, osteoporosis, heart disease, stomach ulcers, miscarriages, spermatogenesis disorders, psoriasis, thromboarteritis obliterans, cancer in more than 15 organs |
| Annual mortality from smoking (WHO) | more than 7 million people (of which 1. 5 million are women) - one person every 6. 5 seconds |
| Annual mortality from exposure to second-hand smoke (second-hand smoke) (WHO) | 1. 2 million people (of which 64% are women and about 65, 000 children) |
| Popular myths about smoking |
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5 best ways to quit smoking
Most smokers have tried to quit smoking at least once in their lives. Some were successful, but others were unable to withstand the painful withdrawal symptoms and the attempt was unsuccessful. In addition to willpower, you may need special medications or specialized help.
Tobacco dependence is one of the strongest addictions and develops much faster than, for example, alcohol dependence. This is why it is very difficult to treat.
1. Drugs
Doctors use two types of medications to treat nicotine dependence: nicotine replacement medications (NRTs) and medications that do not contain nicotine. These products are good for both those who want to completely stop smoking and those who want to reduce the intensity of their smoking. However, a positive result can only be achieved after eliminating psychological dependence, and WIP only provides a time delay for resolving this problem.
Medicines that do not contain nicotine
Medications that do not contain nicotine include nicotinic receptor antagonists (NRAs) and atypical antidepressants. However, atypical antidepressants are not officially used to treat nicotine dependence.
Nicotinic receptor antagonist medications prevent nicotine from interacting with receptors in the nervous system, and smoking is no longer pleasant for the smoker.
ANR is started 1 week before the scheduled smoking cessation date and continues for 12 weeks. During the period of 8 to 35 days of treatment, it is recommended to completely give up smoking.
Advantages and disadvantages:
- the treatment period of ANR is several times shorter than that of NWP; medications do not require gradual withdrawal; good therapeutic effect.
- available with a doctor's prescription; have a complex dosage regimen; many contraindications; Do not take under 18 years of age, during pregnancy or lactation.
Nicotine replacement medications
Nicotine replacement products (NRTs) are designed to deliver nicotine directly to the human body to replace regular smoking. These products are available in the form of lozenges, patches, chewing gum, sprays, and inhalers. Smoking cessation is achieved by relieving withdrawal symptoms and gradually reducing the dose of the medication.
The time it takes for nicotine to penetrate the blood and its presence in the body depend on the form of the drug. Nicotine patches are applied directly to the skin. The patch releases nicotine for 16 to 24 hours. Chewing gum, sublingual tablets and sprays work faster, but the nicotine stays in the blood for much less time. The fastest-acting remedy is nicotine spray. After application, the effect occurs within 60 seconds.
Advantages and disadvantages:
- relieve withdrawal symptoms; suitable for people who do not want to completely quit smoking; minimum number of contraindications.
- requires consultation with a doctor before use; It cannot be used by children under 18 years of age, during pregnancy and lactation.
2. Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy helps form positive attitudes and instill skills that can control nicotine addiction. Psychotherapy is most effective when combined with drug treatment. Psychotherapists often use Ericksonian hypnosis, cognitive psychotherapy, and some other techniques. After just 2 to 3 sessions with a psychotherapist, the patient's need to smoke disappears.
Advantages and disadvantages:
- pronounced therapeutic effect; enhances the effect of drug treatment; Only 2-3 sessions are required.
- requires highly qualified specialist; depends on the patient's motivation.
3. Acupuncture
This method is based on the impact of needles on biologically active points on the body, which helps to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and the physical desire to smoke. Most often, a course of 3 to 10 procedures is used, during which needles are installed in acupuncture points on the arms and legs. Another popular method is a needle button, which is installed under the ear skin for a long time. The moment the urge to smoke arises, the patient presses on and the urge decreases.
Advantages and disadvantages:
- does not require the use of medications; short course of treatment; has no contraindications or side effects;
- requires high motivation from the patient; You can only trust a highly qualified specialist.
4. Medical consultation
The first stage of nicotine dependence is psychological dependence. It is most often associated with the "smoking ritual". The reason may be the company involved, the association between smoking and drinking a coffee or driving a car. In young people, the initiation of smoking may be due to the desire to appear more mature, independent and to have a certain "status" position. In this case, the decisive factor in quitting smoking may be a conversation with a doctor - for example, a psychotherapist or a narcologist. Awareness of the harm to health and the help of a specialist will help eliminate the conditioned reflex that causes the desire to smoke.
There are free consultation centers whose operators provide advice over the phone at any time of the day and help you find the most effective way to quit smoking. The doctor may recommend various programs and courses aimed at overcoming tobacco addiction.
Advantages and disadvantages:
- consultation with a doctor increases the effectiveness of any type of therapy; allows you to go medication-free if you are highly motivated.
- will help only with a weak degree of dependence; It takes a lot of motivation to quit smoking.
5. Behavioral therapy
This set of measures aims to create favorable conditions for stopping smoking or reducing the number of cigarettes smoked. According to statistics, only 3-7% of smokers manage to quit smoking without the help of specialists and drug therapy. However, by changing your behavior pattern, it becomes much easier to stop smoking or reduce its intensity.
- Decide whether you will quit smoking all at once or gradually. If not right away, make a plan to gradually reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke.
- If you decide to quit smoking immediately, set a date in advance to do so. Try timing it to coincide with an event that is meaningful to you. On the eve of this day, smoke twice as much to saturate your body with nicotine.
- If you smoke frequently at work, time your smoking cessation to coincide with your vacations or weekends. Try to find a partner to quit with.
- When quitting gradually, try not to smoke for as long as possible after sleeping and eating. Remove cigarettes, lighters and ashtrays from your sight. Try not to smoke in the presence of children, relatives and in society. Frequently visit places where smoking is prohibited.
- Don't buy cigarettes in advance, try to smoke only half a cigarette.
- If you feel like smoking, don't smoke right away. An acute urge to smoke lasts 3 to 5 minutes. Before doing this, do some exercise or go for a light walk.
- Try to stop smoking periodically for a while: half a day, a day, a few days, etc.
- Go to the gym. Active physical exercise increases the production of pleasure hormones and relieves withdrawal symptoms.
Doctors' advice for those who want to quit smoking
Nicotine dependence manifests itself on psychological, emotional and physical levels. According to doctors, when quitting smoking, the main key to success is strong motivation. This is why every smoker should know the harmful effects of smoking and the benefits of quitting smoking.
Most doctors are skeptical about the ability of an "experienced" smoker to give up this habit on their own. Experiments with nicotine replacement therapy medications are no less dangerous.
Therapy for nicotine dependence must be comprehensive and individually tailored. There are several techniques developed that can effectively combat the problem. Treating addiction is a serious and time-consuming task. Without consultation and supervision from a doctor, it will be much more difficult to achieve success. After assessing the degree of addiction and the characteristics of your body, a qualified specialist will select a treatment regimen that is suitable for you. Only in this case the result will be positive and expected.
Popular Questions and Answers
Having decided to quit smoking, many smokers begin to study this topic on the Internet. We select the most popular questions and forward them to our expert.
- Why is it so difficult to stop smoking?
Nicotine dependence affects all areas of the human body: psychological, emotional and physical. In terms of attachment strength, doctors compare it to alcohol and drug addiction. When you stop smoking, a "withdrawal syndrome" occurs. Alleviating these manifestations is the most difficult task. Treatment requires a professional, comprehensive and long-term approach.
- Is it possible to stop smoking suddenly?
With expressed motivation, this approach to the problem will be more effective. If you have a strong addiction, doctors recommend stopping immediately. Nicotine replacement therapy or nicotinic receptor blockers help alleviate withdrawal symptoms.
- What is cigarette abstinence like?
When stopping smoking for several days and sometimes months, symptoms of the so-called "withdrawal syndrome" appear: desire to smoke, anxiety, decreased attention, restlessness and irritability, weakness, discomfort and malaise. Coughing, insomnia and other somatic symptoms increase.
- When does the urge to smoke disappear?
The strongest desire to smoke appears within a week. Later, the desire to smoke decreases, but may persist for another month or several months. Doctors consider an attempt to quit smoking successful if the patient has not smoked for six months.
- Is it OK to smoke sometimes?
There is no "safe" level of smoking. According to statistics, if a person smokes just one cigarette a day, he increases the likelihood of heart disease or stroke by 30-50%. Every "occasional cigarette smoked" can lead an ex-smoker to nicotine addiction.
- Why do people gain weight when they stop smoking?
The main reason for weight gain is "stress eating. "When quitting smoking, people often snack instead of taking smoke breaks, which leads to weight gain. Sometimes, when smoking, a disruption occurs in the endocrine system, leading to weight loss. After quitting smoking, weight may return to its previous level.