Mental Health Bedside Book III

Author: Mu Zhi (Compiler)
Publisher:
Publish Date: November 27, 2006
Features: Tobacco smoke contains at least three dangerous chemicals: tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide. Tar is a mixture of several substances that condenses into a sticky substance in the lungs. Nicotine is a drug that causes addiction and is absorbed through the lungs, primarily affecting the nervous system. Carbon monoxide reduces the ability of red blood cells to transport oxygen throughout the body. A person who smokes 15 to 20 cigarettes per day has a 14 times higher risk of dying from lung cancer, oral cancer, or throat cancer compared to a non-smoker; a 4 times higher risk of dying from esophageal cancer; a 2 times higher risk of dying from bladder cancer; and a 2 times higher risk of dying from heart disease. Smoking is the main cause of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and chronic lung diseases themselves increase the risk of pneumonia and heart disease, as well as the risk of high blood pressure. Recognizing the dangers of smoking, make the determination to quit! No matter how long you have smoked, when you stop, almost all health risks associated with smoking will decrease. For example, your risk of heart disease will drop rapidly. After 5 years of not smoking, the risk of early death due to smoking-related diseases will be almost halved. After 15 years of not smoking, this risk will completely disappear. In fact, most people who truly want to quit smoking can do so on their own. The gradual quitting process below has been proven effective, and thousands of people who have followed this method have successfully stopped smoking.
Step 1: Analyze your smoking habits. Record every cigarette you smoke in a 24-hour period and the times when you almost automatically light a cigarette (e.g., lighting a cigarette after every cup of coffee, having one after meals, or lighting one before starting work) on a table. Spend two or three weeks studying when and why you need to smoke, so you can pay attention to every puff you take. This will make you increasingly aware of your smoking actions, which helps prepare you for quitting.
Step 2: Make a firm decision never to go back. Write down all the reasons why you want to quit smoking, including the benefits you will enjoy afterward. For example, after quitting, you will better taste your food, no longer cough in the morning, etc. Before taking action, convince yourself that quitting is worth trying.
Step 3: Circle a date on the calendar and completely stop smoking on that day. This is a successful method and the least painful way to break the habit of smoking. If family or friends can join you in quitting at the same time, supporting each other during the difficult days of quitting and resisting cravings will be very helpful. You can also choose to quit during a time when your daily routine changes (e.g., when you go on vacation). Some smokers find that announcing their intention to quit to everyone in a big way is helpful. This can become something to be proud of when your willpower weakens.
Step 4: During the initial difficult period of quitting, you can use any substitute for cigarettes as much as you like.