When it comes to cigarettes, even having one a day is no good.
Every cigarette increases your risk of a wide range of serious health issues, including:
- Lung disease
- Emphysema
- Lung cancer
- COPD
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- …and more
The factors that influence why and how often we smoke are numerous; some are physiological and some are psychological. In helping my patients with smoking cessation, I find it very valuable to always ask what the upside of smoking is for them.
The reasons vary, but are often related to stress and relaxation. Taking that important step to identify reasons and triggers for smoking helps us get to the root of the issue. Then, rather than focusing on negative consequences and using those as reinforcement, we can recognize that smoking satisfies an important need for that patient and can decide on a course of action to help them address the emotional side of their habit, along with its chemical dependency aspect.
Nicotine is Powerful.
Some people are one-a-day smokers, and although smoking that much is still not ideal, these are likely not the people affected by addiction. When people develop pack or multiple pack-a-day cigarette habits, however, that is primarily attributable to nicotine dependency.
Nicotine is a powerful and naturally occurring substance in tobacco. When someone smokes regularly, changes to brain chemistry begin to happen. Eventually, your brain begins to require the nicotine in order to function normally.
As anyone who has ever tried to quit smoking can tell you, your body is really not happy with you when you stop.
The phenomenon is similar to what we see in people who need that first cup of morning coffee to get going. When you don’t have the nicotine after becoming accustomed to it, your body just responds differently.
Every Craving is a Choice.
There are many effective resources available to those who want to quit smoking, from drug therapy to professional counseling and alternative techniques. But, the process of quitting smoking will only ever be as effective as your intentions and actions.
Smoking is a bad habit that you should kick as soon as possible. Every cigarette has an exponentially negative effect on your body and the positive effects of quitting are immediate. There’s no time like today to start quitting. I am proud to say that I have had quite a bit of success with helping people reach that goal, and my office at Garnet Health Doctors is here for anyone ready to make the decision to quit.
Authored by Dr. Joseph Chavez Carey, Garnet Health Doctors Primary Care Medical Director
Joseph Chavez Carey, MD
Dr. Chavez Carey is an Garnet Health Doctors Primary Care Physician. He is Board-certified in Family Medicine, Fluent in Spanish.
He received his medical degree from New York University School of Medicine, New York and completed his internship and residency at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, California.
To make an appointment with Dr. Chavez Carey, please call 845-333-7830.
All content presented are provided for informational and educational purposes only, and are not intended to approximate or replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard or delay seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read within the website content. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.