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Like Quit Smoking.

Dr. Karl Jones

Introduction.

Quitting smoking is always worthwhile at any time of life, even if the

person already has some disease caused by smoking, such as cancer or
emphysema.

Abandoning a cigarette is not an easy task. Knowing that smoking is an

epidemic disease that causes physical dependence - and that it is related to the
aggravation of several other diseases, many of them incapacitating and fatal,
such as cancer - the first step to stop smoking is to have determination and
choose a date to be the first day without smoking.

The stopping method can be abrupt or gradual. The abrupt stop is the
most effective and adopted strategy by former smokers. The gradual stop, by
reduction or postponement, should not take more than two weeks for the
smoker to stop smoking permanently.

Chapter 1: Know 3 methods to stop smoking.

Abrupt stop

It is when you stop smoking from one hour to the next, completely
stopping the use of cigarettes. In other words, if you consume one pack a day,
the abrupt stop is smoking the usual pack today and no cigarettes tomorrow.

Gradual stop by reduction

 This is when you gradually reduce the number of cigarettes per day until
it stops for good. For example, an individual who usually smokes 20 cigarettes a
day, programs himself to quit smoking in 4 days, decreasing 5 cigarettes a day.
On the first day of the program you will reduce to 15, then 10, 5 and zero.

Gradual stop by postponement

That's when you put off the first cigarette of the day until it stops. For
example, a person who is used to lighting the first cigarette of the day at 8 a.m.
programs to quit smoking in eight days, postponing the first cigarette of the day
by 2 hours. On the first day of the program, the first cigarette will be lit at 8am.
At 10am on the second day, at 12pm on the third, and so on. On the eighth day,
you have to wake up and not light any more cigarettes, because it is the day of
the parade.

Chapter 2: Fifteen reasons to stop smoking.

1 - Smoking harms those who have nothing to do with it.

You know that cigarette smoke that stays in the room? It is also very
harmful, it contains on average 3x more nicotine, 3x more carbon monoxide and
up to 50x more carcinogenic substances than the smoke the smoker inhales.

Otherwise, passive smokers can still suffer allergic reactions such as

rhinitis, coughing, conjunctivitis and asthma attacks, as well as lung diseases if
exposure is for long periods.

2 - If you want to get pregnant, listen to this advice!

Pregnancy is a long awaited moment for some women, but it can be

even longer for those who smoke. This is because smoking reduces the fertility
rate from 75% to 57%.
 This reduction is a consequence of the effect of nicotine concentration on
the ovarian follicular fluid. It is also worth remembering that smokers have a
higher risk of early menopause and 30% more chances of being infertile.

3 - From conception to birth, the cigarette is an enemy.

Smoking is also highly harmful for those who are already pregnant. The
woman who smokes is exposed to complications in pregnancy, such as
previous placenta, detached placenta and bleeding in the uterus. Not to mention
the risk of miscarriage.

The baby also suffers from this, as it has a double chance of being born
with low weight, having a reduction in its lung function and more chances of
contracting respiratory infections.

4 - This has never happened before, but it can happen now.

And men don't stay out either! In their case, tobacco addiction increases
the risk of sexual impotence. In addition, smoking is associated with the onset
of penile cancer.

5 - Cigarettes can mess with your self-esteem

If you smoke, the skin on your face is also at stake. It happens that
tobacco is responsible for the appearance of wrinkles, yellow spots and dryness
of the skin, in addition to ensuring a hair with less vigor, less shine and higher
rate of fall.
 6 - No fear of smiling...!

Another part of the body that also suffers from smoking is your smile. As
with the skin, the tar present from the cigarette leaves your teeth yellowish.

In addition, smoking behaviour causes bad breath and favours the

accumulation of plaque, which is conducive to the emergence of diseases.
Cigarette smoke dries out the mouth, hinders the production of saliva and
increases the risk of cancer.

7 - Smell and taste are also impaired

Cigarettes are so damaging to smell and taste that only two days of
abstinence are necessary to improve the perception of smells and tastes.

8 - Cigarette is one of the enemies of immunity

It's good to rethink that daily cigarette if you want to improve your
immune system. Smoking appears as one of the enemies of the body's
defenses and gives smokers a much better chance of getting sick than non-
smokers.

9 - No matter your age, quitting smoking is always worth it!

Regardless of the age at which you quit smoking, quitting increases the
expectation and quality of life.

The benefits can be seen in any age group, but the sooner the smoker
stops, the healthier he will be.
 10 - Have a breath!

Who smokes knows the potential of a ladder, right? This is because, on

average, smokers have less physical stamina, less breath and reduced
performance in physical activities when compared to non-smokers.

11 - How to damage your sight with a few swallowings

Maybe you haven't heard about it yet. Smoking is also a risk factor for
the development of cataract, a progressive disease that causes alteration of the
lens, and other eye diseases such as glaucoma.

12 - Harms your mental health

Because it is a psychoactive substance, nicotine produces changes in

the Central Nervous System, which modifies the emotional and behavioral state
of those who smoke.

Nicotine causes the brain to release substances responsible for the

feeling of pleasure. With time, it adapts and begins to ask for ever higher doses
to maintain the same level of pleasure and satisfaction. This is where the
process of addiction begins...

13 - The cigarette compromises your routine

 Over time, the smoker creates, at home or elsewhere, routines around
the cigarette. It can be on that balcony under the pretext of contemplating the
view or at the time of that little coffee at the end of the afternoon.

Automatically, your day to day becomes filled with triggers that rescue
and imprison you in the desire to smoke. In that case, the most important thing
is to get rid of the memories!

14 - Your pocket thanks!

Have you ever stopped to think how much money could be saved by
quitting smoking? Of course, this amount varies according to the consumption
of each one, but just make a quick count between how many packs are
consumed and how much is spent at the end of the month.

Thinking of the long term, this economy could yield good investments
and maybe even that dream trip. In other words, smoking is literally burning
your money...

15 - Last but not least: smoking is bad and very bad for your health.

It may seem repetitive, but it is important to ALWAYS remember that any

type of cigarette is extremely harmful to health, and in many ways. Smokers are
exposed to several serious and fatal diseases, especially cancer.

To get an idea of the seriousness of the problem, those who smoke have
a 10x greater risk of developing lung cancer, 5x greater risk of having
bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema and infarction, and 2x greater chances of
suffering a stroke.
 The list doesn't stop there! Other diseases like hypertension, vascular
thrombosis, ulcers and respiratory infections also get on the smokers' radar.
The good news is that stopping already significantly reduces the risks and
restores physical and emotional well-being. More precisely, in 20 minutes! That
is the time it takes for blood pressure and heart rate to return to normal.

Chapter 3: Lies and truths about the electronic cigarette.

Disguised by a multitude of flavors and aromas, electronic cigarettes

give, at first sight, the idea of being a good alternative. Mainly because they
seem, above all, harmless to health. The vaporizers, as they are also called,
have gained a very fast space mainly among the youngest, rekindling the
debate about smoking.

Being more practical, having a more technological and attractive

appearance and not causing that nuisance of the traditional cigarette -
especially due to the difference in odor - the electronics have become socially
acceptable in various environments, especially at parties and events.

All this is reason enough to make users not even consider themselves
smokers, further intensifying the use. But there is one side to this story that you
probably haven't been told and that's behind all this mint or gum-flavored steam.
Understand the lies and truths about the electronic cigarette.

Are electronic cigarettes bad for your health?

TRUTH

Electronic Smoking Devices are unsafe and contain toxic substances

other than nicotine. Thus, the electronic cigarette can cause respiratory
diseases such as pulmonary emphysema, cardiovascular diseases, dermatitis
and cancer.

Is there a risk of explosion?

TRUTH

In addition to intoxication, there is also the risk of explosion. According to

the study Electronic Cigarettes: What do we know? A study on the composition
of steam and damage to health, the role in reducing damage and treating
nicotine addiction, electronic cigarettes have already been responsible for cases
of explosions with physical and material damage to victims. The reports
described in the related the incident to problems with the cigarette battery.

Just like the electronic cigarette, the shisha has also fallen into
people's taste for the essences. But in this case, is it as bad as the normal
cigarette?

TRUTH

Unlike the electronic cigarette, the shisha is based on tobacco and also
comes from a source of combustion. This means that in addition to nicotine, it
has carbon monoxide and tar, just like the traditional cigarette.

Depending on the session time, the shisha can be equivalent to smoking

more than 100 cigarettes. The socializing factor in this story is the massive
presence of the device in bars and parties. Thus, it is difficult to imagine a
session that lasts less than 1 hour.

Chapter 4: The difficulty to breathe alert: it's time to stop!

Pollution, exposure to chemicals or dust, genetic factors, recurrent
respiratory infections. There are several conditions that can trigger an airway
disease. But when it comes to smoking, the risk of acquiring this type of disease
increases exponentially.
 Much is said about the appearance of cancer, but cigarettes are also a
major cause of respiratory diseases such as asthma, pulmonary emphysema,
chronic bronchitis and obstructive pulmonary disease, currently considered the
second cause of mortality in the world according to a recent study published in
the Lancet. Smoking is responsible for about 80% of cases of respiratory
diseases.

In addition to harming those who smoke, the components of the cigarette

also harm passive smokers. According to SBPT data, exposure of pregnant
women and children to smoke reduces the development of the lungs and
worsens lung function over time, for example. Otherwise, those who live with
smokers also have a chance to develop respiratory diseases.

After all, in addition to being responsible for the appearance of diseases,

cigarettes are also capable of aggravating symptoms when they already exist. If
you are a smoker and you are out there suffering from coughing, shortness of
breath, wheezing, mucus and tiredness, these can be warning signs for some
important respiratory diseases.

Asthma

Which it is:

Asthma, a multifactorial condition determined by the interaction of genetic

and environmental factors, is one of the most common respiratory diseases.
The disease consists of inflammation of the lower airways, which causes
bronchioles to narrow. These tiny branches that are inside the lung carry the air
to the pulmonary alveoli, which in turn resemble grape bunches, and it is in
them that gas exchange occurs.

Symptoms:

Difficulty breathing, dry cough, wheezing in the chest, rapid and short
breathing.

Pulmonary emphysema
 Which it is:

Emphysema is characterized by the destruction of the alveoli. With the

disease, these structures become inflamed, begin to rupture and form small
bubbles. This process hinders the passage of air and the oxygenation of blood.

Symptoms:

Squeaky, coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath.

Chronic Bronchitis

Which it is:

In chronic bronchitis, bronchial inflammation occurs, the lung structures

responsible for taking and bringing air to each breath. The disease leads to a
narrowing and thickening of the walls of the bronchi, and also causes secretion
inside them. It is a disease that causes coughing and expectoration on most
days, for at least three months a year, for two consecutive years, and its most
common cause is smoking. The difference between bronchitis and chronic
bronchitis is the duration of symptoms and the existence of a cough with mucus.

Symptoms:

Cough with sputum (mucus secretion), wheezing, shortness of breath

and tiredness.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Which it is:

It's a mixture of chronic bronchitis and pulmonary emphysema. It is a

progressive condition that obstructs the airways, making breathing difficult. It is
a disease with systemic repercussions, treatable, and the limitation it causes in
pulmonary airflow is partially reversible. This limitation is caused by an
association between small bronchial disease (chronic obstructive bronchitis)
and parenchyma destruction (emphysema).

Symptoms:

Shortness of breath, even in the face of minimal effort, tiredness,

hawking and coughing.

The most efficient measure to preserve or improve lung health is to

reduce or completely stop the use of cigarettes. This applies to any type of
cigarette: pipe, shisha, normal, tobacco or electronic cigarette. No matter your
level of dependency or your time as a smoker, it is always worth stopping. To
have an idea, just 8 hours without a cigarette is enough for the oxygen levels to
increase in the bloodstream. After three weeks, your breathing will return to
normal.

Chapter 5: What Could Your Cigarette Addiction Be Covering Up?

My addiction, my refuge.

Little is said about psychological dependence, but it has an important role

in the life of those who smoke and act in a very complex way. It is related to the
function that the addiction plays in a person's life.

This feeling gives the cigarette the ability to offer the smoker a moment of
relaxation. In this way, it becomes the most immediate alternative to escape
unpleasant emotions. "It's easier to have negative emotions 'numbed' while
smoking than to have to deal with their reality and their causes, as this can
generate some kind of psychic suffering," explains the psychologist.
 In this context, smoking functions as "self-medication" and contributes to
the formation of a vicious cycle, since the problem that causes negative emotion
is not being solved, only disguised.

It is possible to notice that the cigarette appears in different situations,

good and bad, and the smoker creates a bond with it, starting to see it as
something familiar and comfortable. These attributions can vary according to
the context, experience and life history of each person.

At the end of the day, the pleasure of smoking is related to everyday

situations and the smoker becomes an associate. It is very common to light a
cigarette at a bar table or when drinking a coffee, for example. The habit of
smoking is an association between physical dependence and the behaviour of
the smoker, and it is even possible to observe situations that become triggers.

Among the psychological motivations, although not a general rule, are

the perception of social isolation, constant feelings of sadness, discouragement
and frequent stressing experiences, as well as anxiety and impulsiveness. The
cigarette becomes the escape valve for experiencing unpleasant situations,
making them more tolerable.

Studies show that smokers have considerable rates of anxiety and

depression, and use smoking as a strategy to escape these emotions.
According to research, there is a relationship between the existence of some
previous mental disorder and smoking, especially those of anxiety and humor,
for example.

Chapter 6: Cigarette Abstinence: Learn how to overcome

symptoms.
You have finally convinced yourself that smoking is a problem in your
life and have set a day and time to stop smoking. The important thing, then, is
to be well prepared to face the symptoms of withdrawal crises, responsible for
the relapses, because all it takes is one swallow to get rid of the unease and
anxiety they cause . Stay firm. Don't fall for it. The first two days are the worst.
From then on, the frequency and intensity of the crises decrease and so does
the lack of cigarettes.

Below is a list of simple measures that can help you overcome this
difficult phase of abstinence crises.

 Have plenty of water, several glasses a day. That will help you feel
better. Every time you think about lighting a cigarette, take some water;

 Always have small portions of low-calorie foods on hand: carrots,

cucumbers, chestnuts and dried fruit, for example. Having several
smaller meals during the day helps combat anxiety, especially when that
crazy urge to smoke hits;

 Practice physical activity. Exercise helps control weight and release

serotonin and endorphin, neurotransmitters that promote a sense of well-
being;

 Get a cardiopulmonary check-up before you start exercising. Then

choose a mode you like. Biking, hiking, yoga, stretching, tai chi, dancing,
anything goes. If you like it, meditation and crafts can also be useful;

 Avoid remaining in the same environment with other smokers. If

someone else in your home or at work smokes, it would be good to try to
include you in the battle against smoking;

 Try to visualize the benefits that quitting smoking has brought you: your
skin is more beautiful, your palate is sharper and your sense of smell is
more sensitive. And best of all: you are more protected against serious
illnesses and, you can be sure, you have gained in time and quality of
life;

 Think of the people who stopped being harmed by your cigarette smoke
when you stopped smoking. Your children, relatives and pets were no
longer forced to inhale the toxic substances you had spread around for a
long time;
  Know that it is possible to avoid weight gain (this is especially the great
fear of women), when the person stops smoking. Exercising, drinking lots
of water and keeping your diet fractionated with small healthy snacks
during the day is a good start to weight control.

In addition, current medications are quite effective in getting around this

problem. Believe the above measures can greatly help those who are
determined to stop smoking. However, if the anxiety attacks are very intense,
anxiolytic medication can be associated especially in the first three months of
abstinence.

Chapter 7: The Nicotine Abstinence Crisis.

The cigarette is nothing more than a device to administer drugs. The
nicotine inhaled with the smoke is quickly absorbed by the pulmonary alveoli,
falls into the circulation and reaches the brain within six to ten seconds.
Inhaled, it arrives faster than if it had been injected into the vein, because it
does not waste time in the venous circulation. The speed with which the drug
reaches the central nervous system explains why the first swallow brings
immediate relief to the afflicted smoker.

In brain tissue, nicotine binds to receptors located in the membranes of

neurons located in various brain centers. The integration of these circuits is
responsible for the feeling of pleasure that dependents report feeling when
smoking - and that non-smokers are unable to understand.

The drug is fast excretion. Its half-life is short: two hours on average.
That is, half the smoked dose is eliminated from circulation in two hours. For
genetic reasons, this speed of excretion varies from one smoker to another;
those who eliminate the drug faster tend to smoke more. Most of those who
smoke two or three packs a day are fast metabolizers of nicotine.

The presence of other drugs in circulation can alter the speed of

excretion. This is the case with alcohol, a substance in which nicotine dissolves
very easily. As alcohol is diuretic, when drinking, the smoker quickly excretes
nicotine dissolved in the urine. The drop in the concentration of the drug in the
blood triggers the irresistible desire to smoke.

Addicted to nicotine, the neurons of the center that integrates the

sensations of pleasure, by feeling their receptors empty of it, stimulate other
circuits of neurons, which converge to the so-called center of search. This
center is responsible for inducing behavioral changes with the intention of
forcing us to repeat actions that previously brought us pleasure: sex, food, a
pleasant temperature for the body, etc.

Once the pleasure centers activate the search center, it can no longer be
deactivated. The search center will remain activated even if the pleasure
responsible for its activation no longer exists. So the smoker is surprised to light
a cigarette on the other's stump, the cocaine user continues to smell despite the
persecutory delirium he experiences every time he uses the drug, and the
compulsive gambler is likely to lose his family home on the green cloth.

Informed of the lack of nicotine, the neurons at the center of the search
use their most powerful weapon of behavioral persuasion: the growing anxiety.
Taken by the desire to smoke, the smoker loses his tranquility, becomes
agitated, nervous and cannot concentrate on anything else. For him, there is no
happiness possible without the cigarette.

Since nicotine is a fast excretion drug, these anxiety attacks are repeated
many times a day. To avoid them, the smoker lives with the pack within reach to
light a cigarette as soon as the first signs appear, because he knows that the
intensity of the symptoms of the crisis is increasing, unbearable. The brain then
learns that anxiety and nicotine are indissolubly linked. From then on, every
event that causes anxiety will be interpreted by him as resulting from the
absence of nicotine. That is why smokers immediately take a cigarette in their
mouth at the slightest sign of anxiety or in front of the most routine emotion.
That's why they say the cigarette calms them down.

The short circuit of pleasure that the nicotine arms between the neurons
causes a chemical dependence of strong intensity, chronic and recurrent brain
disease. To treat it, the brain must be taught again to function as it did before
coming into contact with the drug. Such an undertaking means facing the
abstinence of nicotine, which manifests itself in repetitive crises, much more
intense, unpleasant and difficult to bear than those caused by drugs such as
cocaine, crack, marijuana, or alcohol.

The first two days without smoking are the worst. Seizures follow one
after the other until they reach maximum frequency and duration in 48 hours.
During this period, manifestations include irritation, anxiety, tremors, cold
sweating on the hands, compulsive hunger, changes in bowel habits, alterations
in sleep architecture (insomnia or hypersomnia), extreme difficulty in
concentration, and alternation of episodes of apathy with others of behavioral
aggressiveness.

From the third day on, the frequency of the seizures and the intensity of
the symptoms begin to decrease gradually, day after day. As the weeks go by,
the desire to smoke continues to manifest, but it goes away more and more
quickly.

On average, six months after quitting smoking, most ex-smokers are

already able to spend one day or another without remembering the existence of
the cigarette. The neurons begin to be free of the dependence that the
successive daily impacts of nicotine have caused on their circuits. It is the
freedom of the brain, which, to be maintained, demands the price of eternal
vigilance, because the disease is treacherous, chronic and recurrent.