Smoking and Tobacco
While tobacco smoking continues to reduce, it remains one of the leading causes of premature and preventable deaths worldwide. In the United States, tobacco smoking accounts for more than 480,000 deaths each year. This means that for every five deaths, one is caused by tobacco-related complications.
Addiction
The main component in tobacco is nicotine, a highly addictive substance. When you smoke, nicotine stimulates your brain to produce a chemical substance called dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical substance that makes you feel happy, increases your concentration, and makes you feel more energetic and active. These effects are, however, short-lived, and your body continues to crave for more dopamine to maintain the “good effect.” The longer you keep smoking, the more your body needs dopamine to feel good. This often results in nicotine dependence and, eventually, addiction. Attempts to quit results in withdrawal symptoms, which may include irritability, increased appetite, feeling nervous and anxious, sleeping problems, problems concentrating, and intense and uncontrollable urge to smoke.
Health effects of smoking Tobacco
Tobacco smoking causes a wide range of health problems. In the United States, more than 16 million people are living with health complications and illnesses caused by smoking tobacco. Smoking has been associated with serious diseases such as various types of cancer, diabetes, stroke, and heart diseases. People who smoke tobacco have a weaker immune system and are therefore at higher risk of contracting illnesses such as tuberculosis, eye diseases, pneumonia, and other respiratory complications.
Pregnant women who smoke tobacco stand the risk of miscarriage, stillborn, premature births, and complications during delivery. Children who are exposed to tobacco before birth are also likely to develop learning and behavioural problems as they grow.
Passive Smokers
The harmful effects of tobacco are not only limited to the smoker but also to the second hand smokers. Tobacco contains more than 600 toxic substances that have negative effects on health. Some of these substances are found on the smoke exhaled by the smoker or from the smoldering tobacco. Second hand smokers are non smokers who are routinely exposed to the smoke and stand at the risk of developing similar health complications, including lung cancer and heart illnesses.
Addiction and Quitting
Signs that you are addicted include several failed attempts to quit, experiencing withdrawal symptoms on the attempt to stop smoking, smoking despite health problems, and if you avoid social gatherings that hinder you from smoking.
Nicotine in tobacco is very addictive and makes quitting quite a challenge. Many smokers make several attempts before being able to abstain completely. If you are looking forward to quitting, try working closely with your doctor to develop a treatment plan that works best for you. The best treatment plan is that which addresses both the physical and behavioural aspects of nicotine addiction.
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