Be
Smart: Stop Smoking!
Becky Copper
The only motivation to quit smoking
most of us have known or heard of, consists of the physical
consequences it brings. Smoking is damaging and dangerous to your
health; if you smoke, you're more likely to acquire lung cancer,
heart disease, etc. Although these dire warnings are somewhat
effective in urging people to quit smoking habits, a new study
uncovers the mental advantages of people who stop smoking. Instead of
listing the grave repercussions of smoking, why not list the benefits
of abandoning the hazardous habit?
Smokers claim that they feel more
relaxed and less stressed when smoking, but in reality, according to
this study, researchers realized that those who quit smoking
experienced decreasing feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress.
Their quality of life improved, and with it, their mood. Physical
conditions most likely strengthened as well. Researchers also noticed
that the same results occurred with people with mental health
disorders. This just reinforces the significance of quitting smoking,
not just for the betterment of physical but also for mental health.
NOS Themes:
- Science is based on evidence; other studies performed and looked over to support this one
- Science is subject to debate and tentative; contradictory beliefs of good/bad feelings when smoking
- Person's view and experience can influence data; some smokers may find the habit good for their mental health while others may experience worse mental health when smoking
- Role of skepticism; difficult to determine mental health and feelings, like when it's improving or not
- Importance of repeatability; researchers reviewed information from 26 previous studies to base this study off of
- Role of chance; the people they “tested” may all have differing or similar physical/mental capacities that could have interfered with the results of this study, leading to mixed or specific conclusions
- Role of motivation and curiosity; learning about smoking habits and reasons to quit them are intriguing and helpful to those who cope with the habit
To read more on the mental aspect of
smoking:
(why women find smoking harder to quit
than men)
(scientifically proven tips on how to
quit smoking)
Wonderful information! Everyone knows that smoking is bad, people just need a push to start breaking their habit. The first thing that a smoker can do is to understand why they smoke, this can help them over come and fight their addiction. Most of the physical symptoms of withdrawal go away after a few day, if the addicted can make it through this time period they will most likely be successful in quitting. If they break their habit, triggers will occur. The most important thing for the ex-smoker to do is to take a deep breath and remember why they stopped smoking and who they would hurt if they started to smoke again.
ReplyDeleteresearch from: http://smokefree.gov/why-quitting-is-hard
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ReplyDeleteThis topic is extremely interesting to me so your post caught my eye immediately! Every smoker is different with his/her reactions, but like your blog mentioned, quitting allows the smoker to be healthier, reduce the risk of lung cancer, and much more. Although quitting smoking comes with many positive effects, pointing out the few negative effects of quitting is important. When a smoker quits, he/she goes through feelings of withdrawal symptoms. Some of these include irritability, insomnia, and depression. Also, if a smoker quits cold turkey, over-the-counter meds may make the matter worse. Over all, quitting smoking has many pros and cons, but in the long run, quitting is worth it.
ReplyDeleteResearch from : http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20213802,00.html
I think that this topic is very interesting and that you did a great job of writing about it! In this article that I found, a study was conducted that showed that quitting smoking improved your mental health as well as your physical health. Many people only think of the physical effects of smoking, like cancer and lung disease, and don't really realize what an impact smoking has on our metal and emotional health. The scientists in this experiment found that people with bad mental health may smoke as a coping mechanism and also that smoking may make these issues even worse. Either way, the problem needs to be dealt with. Lastly, they found that patients who know that their mental health will be improved if they don't give up their fight against their addiction, they will most likely continue fighting and exceed even sooner.
ReplyDeletearticle: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/272578.php
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ReplyDeleteIn an article I found about how addicting cigarettes can be and how fast one can be addicted to them. 26% of youth said that after just 3-4 cigarettes, they loss control and are addicted. 44% of youth said that after 5-9 cigarettes that they were addicted. They have also found that nicotine can also physically alter your brain as well. Nicotine saturates and desensitizes the dopamine pathway receptors. One cigarette per day, then two, then three, the longer the nicotine is smoked, the more nicotine is needed to satisfy, because the receptors become saturated and desensitized
ReplyDeleteI find your research about the effects smoking has on a person's mental health very fascinating and I had no idea there was a correlation. Researchers at a university in New Zealand did a study, they used figures from over 1,000 men and women smokers and determined that people who smoke have more than twice the rate of depression. Smokers often view smoking as an antidepressant and smoking becomes crutch. Smokers often say they feel more relaxed when they are having a cigarette, but that is just the addiction to nicotine talking because it is giving the body what it wants. Like Sydney said above, the first step to dealing with depression due to smoking is realizing the effect smoking has on your mental health.
ReplyDeleteArticle: http://psychcentral.com/lib/can-smoking-cause-depression/0007153
The title of your article is really hooking. Recently in health class, I learned that tobacco or cigarettes are more dangerous than we think. Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disability in U.S. Smoking has been linked to lung disease, cancers, and heart diseases. About 90% of adult smokers began the habit as teenagers. It is rather easier to avoid tobacco than quit later. Tobacco is an addictive and toxic drug. It contains tar and carbon monoxide. It also contains the same compounds found in paint, rat poison, and toilet cleaner. Nearly 90% of lung cancers deaths are caused by smoking. Tobacco related illnesses cost the U.S. about $165 billion each year. The best way to avoid consequences of tobacco use is never to start using them. You can avoid using tobacco by carefully choosing your friends, avoiding places where tobacco is present, and having a refusal plan. Here are some ways to quit smoking: Prepare for the quit day, Get support and encouragement, Access professional heath service, and Replace tobacco use with healthy behaviors. Smoking affects your health, your family, your society, your country, and overall the whole world gets affected. Thus, I agree that smoking is not a wise choice.
ReplyDelete