There are various reasons why people smoke. Some find it fashionable, some want to stay active, and some because their friends do. You might not realize its harm until it affects you. Not only one, but it damages your body in several ways.
Smoking damages your respiratory tract, leading to its hardening. That eventually makes breathing difficult leading to emphysema. Moreover, it hardens your arteries which increases the risk of thrombosis, hence heart attacks. In men, it affects their sperm counts and can even lead to erectile dysfunction. The most common complication of smoking is cough. If you smoke cigarettes and have a complaint of cough or difficulty breathing, you must consult a healthcare provider. To get an expert opinion, you can visit the Best Pulmonologist in Lahore.
Smoking is considered to be a crucial risk factor for several diseases. Smoking is not just a physical addiction, it becomes a psychological habit with time.
Tobacco cravings can overpower your will when you are trying to quit smoking. You can use these 7 useful tips to decrease and resist cravings.
Try Nicotine Replacement Therapy
You can try nicotine replacement therapy to quit smoking. You can use the following:
- Prescription nicotine in a nasal spray or inhaler.
- Nicotine patches, gum, and lozenges.
- Prescription non-nicotine stop-smoking drugs.
- Nicotine replacement therapies.
- Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes)
Delay
Whenever you feel like you need to smoke, try telling yourself that you can smoke after 10-20 minutes. Then do something to distract yourself with activities you like to do (besides smoking, of course).
Chew On It
Whenever you like smoking, give your mouth something to chew on to resist a tobacco craving. Chew on hard candy or sugarless gum. Chew on something crunchy and tasty.
Stop Thinking That You Can Have Just One
You might be drawn into smoking, and you might think to yourself, it is alright to have just one cigarette. Smoking only one cigarette is not going to have that much of an effect on you. But do not fool yourself this way, thinking you can stop after having one. Know that having one leads to one more, and then one more, and so on. And you may end up addicted to tobacco again.
You might have the misconception that you might stop after one. But that does not happen, and instead of stopping you are back to square one.
Increase Physical Activity
Physical activity can undoubtedly do wonders for your body. Not only does it keep you physically and mentally fit, but it also is a great way to distract you from tobacco cravings. Even a brisk walk for 10-15 minutes can make a tobacco craving diappear.
Try Relaxation Techniques
Many people get addicted to smoking because, for them, it is a way to seek an escape from all the worries and stresses. But if you are trying to fight back against a tobacco craving, it can be stressful as well. Try relaxing by deep breathing, muscle relaxation, yoga, visualization, massage, or even listening to calming music.
Remind Yourself Of The Benefits Of Quitting Smoking
A tobacco craving can sometimes be so powerful that it may make you forget all the benefits of quitting smoking. So it is better to note why you want to stop smoking and resist tobacco cravings. You can have several reasons like :
- Remind yourself that you will feel better eventually and get healthier.
- Tell yourself that by quitting smoking, you are not only protecting yourself from the harmful effects of smoking. And you are also sparing your loved ones from secondhand smoke.
- By quitting smoking, you can save money.
- By quitting smoking you can prevent various health conditions beforehand.
All in all, you need to constantly remind yourself that trying to beat the desire to use tobacco is always better than doing nothing. And each time you withstand a tobacco craving, you are one step closer to quitting it forever.
Quitting smoking is not an easy job. It might require a long time and lots of effort. But you can always try tomorrow. You might fail a hundred times, but be ready to try again, quitting it. If you have a complaint of cough because of smoking, consult a healthcare provider. To get an expert opinion, you can consult the Best Pulmonologist in Rawalpindi.