Many people start smoking tobacco products in their teenage years. It becomes difficult to quit smoking tobacco because of the presence of addictive substances like nicotine. Tobacco products can become as addictive as cocaine or heroin. It is necessary to stop addiction to tobacco products to avoid the harmful effects.
Many people are addicted to tobacco products and are in denial. Some of them are social tobacco users. It means that they smoke in social gatherings or when they are out with friends.
A reason behind the rise in the number of tobacco addicts is its glamorous representation. The tobacco industry creates advertisements that make tobacco seem like something appealing. Teenagers often start smoking in their pursuit to look cool. Gradually, it grows into an addiction.
Some typical symptoms of tobacco products addiction are as follows.
Trying to quit tobacco products becomes difficult, in this process, people start experiencing withdrawal symptoms. The withdrawal symptoms include the following.
People addicted to tobacco products experience psychological triggers which increase their cravings. Some common triggers include stress, post meal cravings, drinking and driving.
People who are regular users of tobacco products are at risk of many health issues. Some of the common health risks of tobacco products addiction are as follows
A few short-term effects of using tobacco products are listed below.
Death rates from tobacco-related products are high every year. Many people try to quit these products knowing the harmful effects.
Cancer is one of the most significant health risks of using tobacco products. Tobacco products contain carcinogenic chemicals which can cause cancer and alter DNA. Carcinogenic chemicals in tobacco lead to abnormal cell growth leading to malignant tumours.
Female smokers face several problems related to childbirth, such as giving birth to stillborns. Smoking during pregnancy often increases the risk of having low birth weight babies. In many cases, Menopause comes three years earlier to smokers than non-smokers.
At Abhasa, we combine a few unconventional methods of therapy with cognitive behavioural therapy to help patients recover from tobacco products addiction. Some of the unconventional methods of treatment are as follows.
Patients learn to transform walking into meditation and manage stress effectively. Meditative walking increases mindfulness and awareness about one’s surroundings. Patients learn to reframe triggers of cravings as tolerable thoughts.
Many users of tobacco say that they smoke to manage stress. Pottery is a better alternative for managing stress. Patients are given pottery classes where they learn to develop self expression, which provides respite from intrusive thoughts. It is considered a healthy way to vent out one’s pent up emotions.
Patients at Abhasa are encouraged to participate in outdoor games. The games promote bonding and a sense team work among the patients. The patients need to realise that they are not alone in the journey to get rid of tobacco products addiction.
A common side-effect of using tobacco products is yellowing of teeth and other dental issues. You can have receding gums or plaque, which will indicate you smoke.
People often smoke because it helps in calming their nerves. However, smoking increases tension and can often lead to anxiety attacks.
Addiction to tobacco products is hard to quit, but it’s not impossible. If you are tired of nicotine patches and other methods, give us a call to become successful at quitting tobacco product addiction.