Quitting Smoking
Teenagers smoke because of peer pressure, low
self-esteem, wanting to be cool, wanting to keep weight down or
because parents or close relatives smoke. Most people that smoke
say that they would like to quit smoking. Over 400,000 Americans
die from smoking ever year. Teenagers get hooked on smoking more
easily than adults, and it is harder for teenagers to quit. The
most important part of quitting is to want to quit. One cigarette
causes your heartbeat to speed up, increases your blood pressure,
causes the temperature to drop in your fingers and toes and upsets
the flow of blood and air in your lungs.
The best way to stop lung cancer is to stop
smoking. One year after quitting smoking, the risk of heart disease
is reduced by half. After quitting smoking for fifteen years the
risk of heart disease is almost the same as someone who has never
smoked at all. Smoking can cause lung disease. An ex-smoker usually
goes through the quitting process several times before quitting.
Nicotine is more addictive than any other drug.
To quit smoking you have to attack two factors.
The first factor is addiction, the second factor is association
condition. Association condition is smoking at certain times like
in the car, after work or when you are mad etc. There are very
few methods designed to help teenagers quit smoking, they are
mostly for adults. Some methods of quitting smoking are cold turkey,
gradual, self help and clinic based programs. Most teens prefer
the self help method.
Self help strategies are cheaper than clinic
programs and more convenient because you don't have to take the
time to drive to the clinic. Clinics can require group participation
or they can be individual. Some self help quitters use booklets,
pamphlets or tapes to help them quit smoking. With cold turkey
quitting, the smoker is monitored, and they have to have reading
lessons, participating in groups, switching brands, etc.
Gradual smoking is a better approach for
most quitters. With gradual quitting a smoker cuts down everyday.
Gradual quitting really works and is one of the best ways to quit.
It can be hard to cut down on smoking, and it could strengthen
the habit. To successfully quit smoking it is easier to have a
smoking schedule. The schedule forces smokers to disrupt their
usual smoking pattern, and their habit is weakened. Soon fewer
cigarettes will be smoked a day. After quitting, there are effects.
Symptoms of quitting abruptly are physical and psychological.
Smokers that just quit can act irritable which is caused by the
body craving nicotine. Fatigue results from the fact that nicotine
is a stimulant and quitting takes away the stimulation. Occasional
dizziness is caused by the extra oxygen that the body is getting.
Difficulty concentrating, is caused by the lack of stimulant that
nicotine has been providing for the brain. These symptoms are
usually in the first two or three days after quitting. Quitting
gradually reduces these symptoms. Gaining weight after quitting
discourages some smokers from quitting. An immediate symptom is
decline in carbon monoxide level in blood, heightened sense of
taste and smell, and better oral health.
The average weight gain after quitting smoking
is only five pounds. Some people that quit, start smoking again
because of stress, withdrawal symptoms, boredom or peer pressure.
One important lesson that a quitter should learn when quitting
is that they can't test themselves to see if they are still addicted
by having a cigarette or two after quitting. If a relapse occurs
a quitter should realize that it is a small setback, but it does
not mean that they are a smoker again, Learn from the setback-
what caused it, how did the cigarette taste, how will the situation
be handled next time. Don't look back, think about the effort
that has already been invested and continue.
Conclusion
It's harder for teenagers to quit smoking because
they become more addicted. There are fewer methods for teenagers
to quit smoking. There are bad effects to quitting smoking and
good effects. Good effects are that your taste gets stronger,
a bad effect is that for the first few days after quitting you
lose concentration.
Bibliography
1) Research says about teens quitting
smoking. Retrieved November 29 2000.
world wide web:http://www.nicotinefreekids.com/frames/pages/facts.html
2) Research is about stopping smoking.
Retrieved November 29 2000.
world wide web: http://www.nosmoking.ca/nosmoking/cigarette.html
3) Research is about Lung cancer
in canada. Retrieved November 29 2000.
world wide web:http://.hc-sc.gc.ca/hbp/lcdc/bc/updates/lung
e.html
By:Erin