The problem of smoking in modern society is one of the most common problems. Hundreds of smokers every day are looking for a way to get rid of the noose, which is a yoke around the neck, a cigarette. People spend much money, time, and, above all, health to meet their smoking needs. Some people see smoking as a way to look “cooler” and more respectable; some want to join the “fashionable” company. Many people claim that smoking helps them cope with difficult situations, calms their nerves. However, these reasons do not justify this bad habit, and people should understand the harm that smoking causes.
Smokers themselves recognize the harmfulness of this activity but still do it. The famous writer Mark Twain said, “Quitting smoking is easy, I have done it hundreds of times” (Mark Twain Quotes, n.d.). Many studies have been conducted that recognize the terrible consequences of this activity. Tobacco use is one of the most common causes of premature deaths today (Britton, 2017). Tobacco contains many toxic substances, including nicotine, which in small doses excites nerve cells and reduces the oxygen content in the blood (Seo et al., 2017). It is easy to guess that such symptoms will have a terrible effect on a smoker’s health. Cancer in smokers occurs a lot more often than in non-smokers. The longer a person smokes, the more likely they are to die from a severe illness.
Increasingly, the question arises – why do people smoke, despite knowing the perniciousness of cigarettes? What makes a person buy another ill-fated pack again and again? It should be emphasized that smoking is not a natural need of the body like eating or sleeping. Smoking tobacco is also not a sign of a strong personality and an adult. Most people start smoking, usually in their teens. At this time, people want to experiment, and there is a need for self-affirmation, the desire to identify with the surrounding group, feel more adult, or protest against the attitudes of parents or society.
The causes of smoking arouse a strong interest in psychology, as doctors conclude that the basis of addiction is a psychological factor. The first factor is the image of a smoker formed in the media space. A cigarette is associated with freedom and a unique style, which creates a strong relationship in the minds, especially of young people, that a cigarette is attractive. Positive associations are also equally formed at the expense of cinema. In many films, the main characters resort to smoking, which in the viewer’s mind adds to their charisma, self-confidence, determination.
In addition to the fact that it is difficult to get rid of nicotine addiction due to physiological needs, several psychological reasons are why a person smokes. One of the main aspects is the inability of a person to establish communication with others. Smoking is a real salvation for those who do not know how or are shy to communicate with people. This process, in some way, liberates and creates a specific environment when people contact. However, it does not solve the main problem-constraint, which must be overcome without harm to health, because there are many psychological techniques and training created for this purpose.
Many people perceive a smoke break as an opportunity to break from professional or educational activities or get rid of accumulated stress. However, even though nicotine is indeed a psychostimulant substance, its effect is short-lived, after which brain activity, on the contrary, deteriorates (Johnston et al., 2018). Therefore, if people need a break from any activity or stimuli, they can go for a regular walk and get some fresh air, which is much more helpful than nicotine. That is why this reason, like many others, is just an excuse.
Today, there are no problems with the answer to the question of what to replace smoking cigarettes with. Everyone can find something suitable for themselves; some prefer the so-called safe cigarettes: electronic or nicotine-free; others prefer lollipops or candies. Mint-flavored candies are particularly effective – they reduce the desire to smoke, freshen a person’s breath, and contain less sugar. The popularity of sweets as a substitute for cigarettes is well-founded: they are not addictive and help cope with smoking.
When quitting smoking, a person should not think about what to replace a cigarette with but rethink the motives for quitting. If an honest answer to the question “Why I want to quit smoking” shows that the reason lies in anything but my aversion to smoking, then even with cigarette substitutes, quitting can be ineffective. Nevertheless, if there is a strong motivation, a high goal, for which it is worth parting with tobacco forever, then for everyone who decided to go this way to the end, there is a worthy replacement for a dangerous hobby.
Smoking is not just a bad habit, which people can quit instantly. Over time, a person who does not stop in time develops an addiction to nicotine. Therefore, people do not need to smoke, and it is even better not to start. If a person is concerned about saving health and considers life the highest good, they should throw out the pack immediately and not expose themselves to the harmful habit.
References
Johnston, R., Crowe, M., & Doma, K. (2018). Effect of nicotine on repeated bouts of anaerobic exercise in nicotine naïve individuals. European journal of applied physiology, 118(4), 681-689. Web.
Britton, J. (2017). Death, disease, and tobacco. The Lancet, 389(10082), 1861-1862.
Seo, S. B., Choe, E. S., Kim, K. S., & Shim, S. M. (2017). The effect of tobacco smoke exposure on the generation of reactive oxygen species and cellular membrane damage using co-culture model of blood brain barrier with astrocytes. Toxicology and industrial health, 33(6), 530-536.
Mark Twain Quotes. (n.d.). Web.