First of all I would like you to start this reading by inhaling and exhaling deeply and slowly at your own pace. Feel your breath and be mindful of it , this mechanism of ventilation as your diaphragm flattens and is pulled into the belly and your chest expands upwards ,air is pulled into your lungs and generally in healthy individuals exhaled without force. This mechanism of breathing has accompanied all through your life, through good or bad ,keeping you alive by gaseous exchange.Bring in oxygen to be used for respiration (i.e the cells engine) and carbon dioxide(the exhaust) is removed with each exhale.
Some where along your journey you may have forgotten the importance of breathing and started smoking . Its okay , we all make mistakes; its what you do once you realize or know that smoking is effecting or hopefully yet going to effect you badly, that matters. Smoking is known to damage all of the airway and also poses a greater threat for other diseases and conditions. The most common is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease(COPD) which is a chronic respiratory disease that limits airflow due to airway or lung abnormalities .It has been reported that 6 million people die annually worldwide due to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and the mortality for this irreversible disease is expected to become the third leading cause of death worldwide. COPD is also known as the Smoker’s disease as in the United Kingdom 90% of COPD patients presented with a smoking history of more than twenty pack years ( 1 packet of cigarettes a day for 20 years)So may I remind you that SMOKING KILLS.
How many times before have you thought about quitting smoking? Maybe that burning sensation of a cigarette smoke would annoy you one day. Or maybe you've thought about quitting smoking as you start becoming more out of breath ,especially on exertion. Or that chest tightness and 'smokers cough' is starting to annoy you on a particular day. Could be that you have also thought about stopping smoking for financial reasons ; stopping smoking can save you a substantial amount of money. Or maybe you want to preserve and take care of your health and respiratory health ; by now all those advertisements that smoking kills on your cigarette pack may have gotten to you. Yet this wish to stop smoking is no easy feat as your mind deeply misses the dopamine rush given from the addictive chemical found in cigarettes ; nicotine. One becomes addicted to that dopamine rush, as dopamine is associated with the reward system in the brain. Behavioral economics has shown that even knowledge of the long-term consequences of smoking can’t compete with the immediate positive reinforcement — our brains prefer immediate gratification over future rewards. Though is becoming dependent on a substance to enjoy life really worth it ? This is confirmed by studies, a particular study showed that on the first set of scans, smokers had a 15 percent to 20 percent lower capacity for dopamine production than the nonsmokers, researchers report in the journal Biological Psychiatry. This decrease in ability to produce dopamine could entail mean that smokers get less pleasure out of life than non-smokers. On the other hand the same study though suggested that these dopamine production capabilities returned to normal around after smoking cessation. So is that quick dopamine rush given from smoking really worth it? It's not easy to quit but you have to be mindful of 'why' you want to quit , and how much your quality of life will improve after quitting!
Exercise: Try to think of atleast 3 negative side effects of smoking, and repeat them out loud or write them down.
You have to remember that you are giving up that burning, stinking , costly and worse of all unhealthy cigarette smoke, for something better in your life, something that has kept you alive and gave you the ability to enjoy life since day 1 ; your ability to breath fresh air. The ability and energy to breathe and move freely without becoming out of breathe or suffering from chest tightness. Respect your lungs and take care of your respiratory health, most of us won't get another.
To help one to stop smoking one can practice being more 'MINDFUL' approach . This entails being more conscious of your behaviour and it's effects on your body. Being mindful of smoking a cigarette means , that you feel each burning and stinking puff of cigarette smoke , being aware of the damning negative effects on your health and especially your respiratory health, and the negative financial impact of buying cigarettes. I want you to be conscious about each negative impact that these cigarettes have in your life , maybe after all that short-lasting dopamine effect of nicotine smoke won't remain as attractive as before. Only through this Mindful approach can one rewire the reward system and stop smoking. Having a goal to become healthier so as to enjoy life better , to have better relationships with your loved ones ,or maybe to care more for your finances or even to take care of the world as 4.5 trilllion cigarette butts are littering the living world...
Exercise: Try to think of at least 1 possible positive outcomes in your relationships if you stop smoking. Maybe a loved one who has been wishing you to stop smoking. Or maybe you get to see and enjoy life better. Have you know second-hand cigarette smoke can cause respiratory damage to those around you too! Also beware cigarette smoke also effects negatively any animals or materialistic things you own!
I would assure you the greatest happiness you feel would not be from a quick cigarette but from experiencing life; a special moment with a loved one, with friends ,or enjoying your hobby. Maybe travelling ,seeing and experiencing new things ,meeting people ,or being alone in nature gives your life a spark; I want you to acknowledge this. Now I want you to see cigarette smoke a treat to this. Cigarette smoking is a leading cause of premature death: Life expectancy for smokers is at least 10 years shorter than for nonsmokers. Quitting smoking before the age of 40 reduces the risk of dying from smoking-related disease by about 90%.Sure the best prevention is not starting smoking in the first place, but the second best thing to do is QUIT.
Exercise: Think about 3 experiences that brought you joy and hold dear in this life. Maybe a ,moment with loved ones , experiencing a hobby or passion, or enjoying possessions. Now I want you to see cigarettes and smoking as a threat to these beautiful moments. Life is a beautiful gift to enjoy being healthy.
TREATMENTS
In this day and age there are different paths one may go down to stop smoking. One may decide to go down the path of 'cold turkey' by cutting off all nicotine at once whilst this works for a lot of people it doesn't work for everyone and there are other ways to stop smoking. Such as using nicotine replacement therapy , some people beat craving by or quit-smoking medicines. There are two quit-smoking medicines used that are pills: bupropion and varenicline(champix). Bupropion has many effects on the brain, including helping people quit smoking. It decreases craving and other nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Whilst we at "nifsmalti" , always advice that you speak to your doctor ,physician or pharmacist ,before starting any new treatment especially if you have a pre-known medical condition or take medications already.
Hypnotherapy may also aid you in the process of quitting smoking . This practice may also be done with other therapies, which act as a reminder to affirm your decision to stop smoking and adopt a healthier life outlook. You may listen to this video below for smoking cessation hypnotherapy.
Reinforce and celebrate ;not smoking
Hopefully by now you have read this post you have decided to throw that packet out and stop smoking , you have decided that life is more precious to enjoy with good health. I assure you this decision to stop would be the best health-conscious decision a smoker can make. For this I want you to celebrate this victory each day or even each hour of not smoking if need be at first. Treat yourself to something nice or pleasurable , or just turn something ordinary into a "gift" . A gift that you as a healthy person could create for yourself, this could be something simple such as a warm beverage such as coffee or tea. The idea behind this is to re-wire your brain that not smoking is rewarding too. Today applications also exist on your mobile phone to help you keep track of your smoking cessation victory , whilst also creating daily reminders to stop smoking. Some of these applications also present you with a badge for each day or couple of days that you do without smoking , this helps to create a goal and a reward system too. To find this application simply search for 'stop smoking' or 'smoking cessation applications' , on the play-store or on the app-store on your android or apple smartphone respectively. Here at nifsmalti, we really believe in and promote exercise as an activity that aids one to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Quitting smoking will see you improve your breathing and stamina for sure! Your lung function will improve after quitting smoking, you will in turn last longer doing daily activities such as walking ,dancing or doing daily chores..
Exercise : Think about at least 3 positive outcomes of not smoking, write them down or just repeat them out aloud. Stay focused on your goal and keep aiming to be a healthier individual.
Other Smoking Cessation Support services
Individual support can help you make your quit attempt successful. In Malta this service is offered free of charge and is available Wednesday at Floriana, Mosta and Paola Health Centres from 5pm to 7pm.The service is also provided at Gozo General Hospital. Smoking cessation advisors are specially trained to support you through the quitting process. You can attend smoking cessation clinics for one-to-one sessions that are tailored to meet your individual needs.
If you are a smoker: You can QUIT and we can help.
Fill in the attached form today on ; https://deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/health-promotion/Pages/Services/Quit-Smoking.aspx – you are twice as likely to quit with our help.
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