Heavy smokers who are trying to break the harmful nicotine addiction for the first time are faced with an irresistible force: a strong desire for the usual occupation. A person can hold out for days and months, then he collapses, feels guilty and for a long time loses interest in trying again. Consider how to quit smoking on your own at home, without contacting a narcologist and psychotherapist, and without resorting to dubious methods.
Causes of tobacco addiction
To break a habit, you need to know its nature. Addiction develops in two directions: psychological and physiological.
The psychological aspect is much stronger: no one is born with a cigarette in their mouth, they come to this occupation later under the pressure of social and emotional situations. In 90% of cases, success in the fight against nicotine addiction appears after determining the factor that provoked the first puff.
Psychologists and sociologists identify the following causes of the problem:
- An example of people around you, especially parents. Children unconsciously strive to grow up and imitate older ones.
- Strive to adapt to the environment. An adult can smoke if he joins a smoking team. Many are addicted to nicotine in the army, school, or prisons.
- Systematic stress. The cigarette provides the illusion of calm and temporarily stimulates the thought process.
There are studies that show the relationship between social aspects and the acquisition of bad habits. The risk of nicotine addiction increases with strained relationships between parents, divorce, dysfunctional and single parent families. A woman gets used to nicotine faster and it is harder for her to quit.
Simultaneously with psychological addiction, physiological addiction develops, which does not make quitting easy. 7 seconds after inhaling tobacco smoke, nicotine enters the brain via the blood, where it acts on the nicotine-sensitive cholinergic receptor. In response, the body increases the amount of adrenaline and dopamine, the pleasure hormone. The smoker gets some relaxation and a brief euphoria. In addition, mood worsens, depression develops, and a new dose of nicotine is required. Addiction develops, acquiring a ritual character: the desire to smoke is "linked" to the end of the work process, the completion of sexual intercourse, eating, a friendly meeting and other circumstances. Therefore, it is more difficult for a heavy smoker to quit than for a beginner.
Why you need to get rid of a bad habit as soon as possible
Only a deaf person has not heard that smoking is harmful. However, not everyone is fully aware of the consequences of this habit and some are not even aware of it. This leads to insufficient motivation and you can prepare yourself for years without taking the decisive step towards fighting addiction.
Here are some facts that explain the need to fight nicotine addiction:
- Inhalation of tobacco smoke has been found to increase the risk of lung cancer 23 times in men and 13 times in women. It also increases the likelihood of developing laryngeal cancer.
- Smoking also accounts for 90% of the causes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
- Smokers have a 40% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
- Every year 600, 000 people die from passive smoking. Among them may be relatives of the smoker.
- Tobacco smoking also increases the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). If at least one parent is susceptible to this addiction, her child could unexpectedly die while sleeping. At risk are children between the ages of 1 and 12 months.
There are other factors that can make you think. For example, a waste of time. It takes an average of 4 minutes to smoke a cigarette. If a smoker needs one pack a day, more than an hour is wasted. 40 hours are performed in a month and 480 hours or 20 days in a year. This is time stolen from a favorite family or business.
Not everyone can fight tobacco at home. This is due to the family environment and situations that cause a strong and uncontrollable desire. In this case, a temporary move or a trip will help you, you can in the company of non-smokers. With this approach, you can launch sharply without sending the matter back to oblivion. The view that this should not be done has not been confirmed by the research.
How to quit smoking alone at home
You can drink medicines, put on patches and drink infusions, but if you don't understand the causes of nicotine addiction, all will be in vain.
This is the first thing to do when starting to fight the habit at home. So you can experiment with techniques to break addictions forever.
Cheating the body
Self hypnosis often helps in the fight against various addictions. In the case of smoking, you can try to fool the body by shortening all the cigarettes in the pack in half and folding them back. This method is effective with more than 10 years of experience and use from one pack per day. Its essence lies in deceiving the body: the smoker smokes a "whole" cigarette, but nicotine and tar are supplied in half.
Gradual launch is effective if there is a firm commitment to ending the problem. After a month, you can reduce the amount of tobacco consumed per day. The important thing is to resist the temptation to light one cigarette after another. It's easier than quitting smoking right away.
Aversive therapy
The method often helps a girl or woman and is based on the formation of a disgust reflex. Medicine recognizes aversion therapy in narcology, but the evaluation of its effectiveness is ambiguous. The disadvantages include unpleasant symptoms, including nausea and vomiting.
To cause discomfort when smoking, rinse your mouth with one of the following solutions:
- infusion of thermopsis;
- glycerin
- water with tannin;
You can also soak cigarettes in milk or cream, then dry and smoke them for at least a week instead of the usual ones. You will not be able to enjoy the taste, the combination of tobacco and milk will cause nausea and even vomiting. Such methods help many, but there are also negative reviews.
Distraction
A relatively simple method is suitable for smokers regardless of gender and has a calming effect: many cannot get rid of addiction quickly just because they periodically forget and light a cigarette before realizing what is happening. In this case, a tight elastic band worn on the wrist will help. As soon as the desire arises, you need to take it out and release it. The sensations are quite sensitive, but the effect is evident.
This technique also helps with a weak will, the main thing is to show diligence and perseverance. Over time, the sensitivity of the wrist may diminish, so you can wear a tighter elastic. Likewise, you can really get distracted by thinking about a cigarette.
Breathing exercise
The intake of oxygen helps to effectively fight the withdrawal syndrome, facilitates abstinence. There are many effective exercises, here is the simplest one that is best done outdoors or on the balcony:
- Stand straight, legs together, lower your arms.
- Inhale slowly and deeply through the nose, hold the breath for 5 seconds.
- Also exhale slowly through your mouth.
- Take 10 breaths, rest for one minute.
- Repeat the exercise.
If you do the exercise correctly, you may feel dizzy from excess oxygen entering your blood, this is normal. With regular exercise, the desire to smoke will weaken and thus completely disappear. Starting the exercise prepares you for success.
How to quickly quit smoking with folk remedies
A person trying to fight smoking may experience discomfort, dizziness and a feeling of relaxation in the arms and legs. At the same time, irritability will increase, the development of a depressed state is possible. These violations indicate a withdrawal syndrome, which folk remedies help to combat:
- Infusion of eucalyptus - a tablespoon of leaves in a glass of boiling water, leave for an hour. Drink a quarter cup 6-7 times a day for a month.
- Oat broth - pour a tablespoon of wheat with a glass of water, leave overnight. In the morning simmer for 10 minutes, then cool, drink instead of tea. According to reviews, with the help of a decoction, you can get rid of the habit without pain.
- Infusion of St. John's wort: one tablespoon in two glasses of water, brew for 20 minutes. Drink with honey 5-7 times a day, the duration of the course is at least a month. Infusion is contraindicated in pregnant women.
You can simply mix equal amounts of black currant and peppermint leaves. Pour a teaspoon of the mixture with a glass of boiling water, leave for half an hour. Drink in small sips whenever you feel the desire.
Reviews of folk remedies are not always unique. For some people, herbs don't work, others face unpleasant consequences. It is necessary to consult a competent herbalist before starting the treatment. Let yourself be guided by the opinion of doctors: cardiologists, narcologists, psychotherapists. They can take individual characteristics into account and find the best ways to cope with addiction.
How to quit smoking easily, tips from long-term smokers: 10 tips
It is good practice to adopt someone else's experience. We have gathered tips from those who have already got rid of addiction and live in freedom. They can help you too.
- Don't watch TV at night, it will save your nerves. Get 8 hours of sleep.
- If the urge to smoke has become unbearable and you are at home, take a cool or contrast shower.
- Stop drinking strong tea and coffee. Caffeine increases a smoker's need for nicotine.
- Try not to overeat or use spices. Eat three times a day to avoid gaining weight.
- Throw out everything that resembles smoke from the house: ashtrays, lighters, accessories.
- Try not to get into situations where you are used to taking a cigarette.
- Try not to be discouraged. As soon as the bad mood comes, the legs will run on their own to the tobacco stand.
- If you go to bed by 10pm, it will be easier to fight the urge to smoke in the morning.
- Try not to communicate with smokers. First, it is easier to break this way. Secondly, some "comrades" will try to lead you astray. Failures of pitchers are often associated with feelings of envy from others.
- Put menthol lollipops in a box instead of cigarettes.
The ultimate advice of a Christian for people who believe in God. It is difficult for a person to struggle with himself, but for God anything is possible. If the desire to quit smoking is sincere, ask Jesus Christ in prayer. Get on your knees and tell him, "Lord, I want to stop, help me. "Believe it is powerful to free you from any sin, including smoking.
Anti-smoking pills, an overview of the most effective drugs
There are no drugs that can completely combat the desire to inhale tobacco smoke. The action of the funds is different - they weaken the severity of the withdrawal syndrome and help the body recover faster. Smoking pills can be found in any pharmacy, considered popular and useful drugs.
Lobelin
A powerful remedy for people trying to quit smoking. It is a powerful natural alkaloid found in Indian tobacco and has a complex effect on the body. If you follow the recommended course, the following effects are observed:
- the frequency of headaches decreases;
- irritability decreases;
- removes nervousness.
Lobelin regulates the work of the respiratory system, as a result, more oxygen enters the body of the pitcher and accelerated withdrawal from nicotine occurs. Drink 1 tablet up to five times a day for one week. Then the dosage is gradually reduced.
Composition of the plant
The best herbal product that tastes good and helps reduce the craving for tobacco smoke. The product contains a complex of extracts:
- Clary Sage
- motherwort;
- chamomile;
- rose hips;
- oregano.
If you want to smoke, you need to dissolve 1-2 pills. The duration of the course can be any, the main thing is that there is no harmful desire.
Varenicline
A powerful medicine that will help get rid of addiction for those who cannot control themselves and desires and have a long history of smoking.
According to the official instructions for use, they drink one tablet twice a day with plenty of water. The dosage increases gradually, at the beginning of the course they drink half 500 mcg once a day, from the fourth day one piece a day, and from the eighth day they take 1 piece. 2 times a day.
The disadvantage of Varenicline is its numerous side effects. Men and women who quit smoking experienced nausea, bronchitis, increased body mass index, headache and, in some cases, suicidal ideation.
What happens to the body when you stop smoking
Keep in mind that the first positive changes in the body occur within 20 minutes after quitting smoking - blood pressure gradually normalizes. This information helps tune in to further struggles.
Subsequent changes at specific intervals:
- 8 hours - the level of carbon monoxide in the blood will drop to a minimum;
- 12 hours - bad breath will disappear;
- day: blood pressure is normalized;
- two days - taste sensations will become brighter;
- third day - physiological dependence disappears;
- week - the sense of smell will be completely restored: you will hear a person smoking tens of meters away;
- month - health will return to normal, night cough will disappear, erection in men will increase;
- three months: blood flow will increase, tissue oxygenation will increase by 35%;
- 9 months: the immune system will fully recover and resistance to colds will increase.
After one year, the risk of developing lung, larynx and esophagus cancer will be halved. Those who quit 5 years ago have the same risk of dying from myocardial infarction as non-smokers.