Stop smoking. Once and for all. (EN)

How many times have you proposed to quit smoking? And how many times did you give up again? Here we give you some reasons so that now, yes, your desire to banish tobacco is not just a purpose.

Your clothes and hair smell bad, your kisses don't taste good, your teeth turn more and more yellow and as if that weren't enough, the number of places where they throw you out so you can light a cigarette is increasing. However, only smokers understand how comforting a puff of smoke can be. This small object has probably been your unconditional companion to calm your nerves before an important work presentation, after a passionate sexual encounter or on drinks nights with your friends.

Living with the Enemy.

Unconditional partner? Not quite. Although many patients describe the cigarette as a company, even a friend, according to psychologists this is a distorted thought, because the reality is very different. Your health is not saved from paying the bill for smoking and very expensive. The WHO has released a statement some time ago where it ensures that more than 4000 toxic substances have been detected in cigarette smoke and there is not a single organ of the body that is not affected by them.

Surely you have heard it everywhere, but just to make a brief recount of its effects, this silent enemy attacks the lungs (and promotes the appearance of cancer and pulmonary emphysema), the heart (increases the chances) that you will suffer from tachycardia , arrhythmias, hypertension or even a heart attack), abdomen (inflaming it or causing gastritis, bladder cancer or infertility) and the mouth (damages your teeth and can cause cancer of the tongue or palate).

Are you addicted?

There are seven criteria for detecting dependence on a substance, which basically consist of: needing more and more of it to feel good, becoming irritable or compulsively eating when you can't smoke, having a persistent desire, including making efforts, to quit tobacco, and reduce or abandon those social activities that prevent you from consuming it.

Does any sound familiar to you? The bad news is that, even if you answer no and consider yourself just a social smoker, most of the aforementioned health damage affects you directly even if you light up a cigarette only once in a while.

Your last cigarette

The most important thing to quit smoking is to be really sure that you want to quit. Even if you receive the best treatment to quit, if the person is not convinced, no method will work.

Once you have decided, it is best to go to a specialist to diagnose which will be the best procedure for your case. Many hospitals or educational institutions have clinics that specialize in this problem and can help you.

In my experience, the most effective method is cognitive behavioral therapy (supplemented with the use of patches or medications) which consists of changing your thoughts and, as a result, your behaviors. It works a lot with your emotions and teaches you to handle feelings such as anxiety or depression.

Another piece of advice given by the experts is to keep a log of your cigars: write down when you sign, if you are alone or accompanied, how you feel. This will help you detect what are the hidden motivations behind your addiction.

You yourself know that the bad smell and the color of your teeth are the least of evils. Reasons to stop signing, you have it to spare, what are you waiting for?

I don't want to gain weight.

One of the most common fears about quitting smoking is the kilos that are regularly gained as a consequence. The secret is not to substitute tobacco for food. If you have anxiety, take a walk, splash cold water on your face, do breathing exercises, or find other ways to deal with this feeling.

Eat a healthy diet and consume products that help your body recover from smoking, such as those rich in omega-3 acids, vitamin B, and beta-carotene (whole grains, watercress, and carrots). Activity is essential to have control of your size, plus you will be filling your lungs with clean air.

Smoking cessation methods

If you have not been able to banish this deadly habit just by deciding, there are several treatments that can help you get rid of it. It is recommended that you always follow them under the supervision of a specialist, who can help you choose the best one for you depending on the degree of physical and psychological addiction you have:

Acupuncture: It is a natural technique that is often used to combat smoking and stress. It consists of placing small needles in points of the body connected with the part of the brain responsible for the addiction.

Nicotine substitutes: It can be found in the form of patches, gum or sprays. These supply small doses of the substance to your body until you break the dependence on tobacco.

Medications: They act directly on the brain area that controls nicotine addiction. Research points to this method as one of the most effective to eliminate smoking.

Hypnosis: Through techniques that work at the level of the unconscious, this system promises to "change the chip" helping you to see tobacco in a different way and relieving the anxiety generated by abstinence from addiction.