Ways to quit smoking. Pharmacological means for getting rid of nicotine addiction

Today no one argues with the fact that smoking is very harmful. Each person decides for himself the issue of refusal addiction, but not everyone clearly understands what consequences of this decision they will face. Meanwhile, the process of withdrawing from the usual dose of nicotine causes significant discomfort for many people. For several weeks they suffer from mood swings, sleep disturbances, fatigue, decreased physical and intellectual activity; they experience a number of other symptoms that reduce their quality of life. Withdrawal can be quite strong: it is not without reason that a significant proportion of attempts to quit smoking end in failure, and people return to using cigarettes.

Fortunately, there are ways to minimize discomfort. In this article we will talk about ways in which you can make the transition to a smoking-free life easier.

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Fighting overeating

The body of a person who quits smoking experiences severe stress. That is why during the period under review you should refrain from eating fatty, fried, spicy and smoked foods, so as not to increase the “overload” that has arisen. To quickly get rid of accumulated toxins, you should include it in your diet. a large number of liquids: herbal teas, fruit compotes and fruit drinks, juices, mineral waters.

The habit of smoking is both physiological and psychological. Nicotine withdrawal is often accompanied by increased consumption of “comfort” products. To get rid of stress, people begin to eat foods containing a lot of fast carbohydrates and fats (sweets, cakes, fast food, replete with flavoring additives). As an alternative to a cigarette, which the smoker holds in his mouth most of the time, seeds, nuts, chips, and sweet chewing gum are used. It turns out that a person “eats” his discomfort and, in fact, changes one bad habit to another.

It is this factor that is associated with the idea that quitting smoking provokes speed dial body weight. In fact, the reason here is not the “canceled” cigarettes, but the increased consumption of high-calorie foods.

However, the problem can be solved quite simply. If yesterday's smoker experiences an irresistible urge to nibble or chew something, he should give preference to fruits, vegetables and herbs. An apple, cucumber, carrot or even a stalk of celery will not harm the body and will reduce the severity of withdrawal symptoms.

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Temporary abstinence from alcohol, strong coffee and tea

Nicotine is a strong stimulant. Its withdrawal syndrome is accompanied by a lack of influence of this kind and the desire to obtain similar active ingredients from other sources. Typically, former smokers begin to abuse strong tea or coffee, and in the worst case, alcohol.

Obviously, this only makes the problem worse. Caffeine contained in coffee and strong tea increases agitation, anxiety and emotional instability, and causes sleep disturbances. Alcohol reduces self-control, which often contributes to a return to the smoking habit.

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Saturation of the body with vitamins

Many vitamins are antioxidants that optimize metabolic processes and help remove waste products from the body. Doctors recommend taking multivitamin complexes within 1-1.5 months after quitting smoking.

In addition, do not forget about vegetables, fruits and berries - healthy and delicious sources vitamins and microelements. It makes sense to start weaning off cigarettes in summer period, when the available range of valuable fruits is especially large.

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Use of distractions

Using mints or chewing gum can really help reduce discomfort while quitting smoking. These products must be chosen in such a way that they do not cause harm to health. Gum and candies must not contain sugar or flavoring additives, and it is better to purchase them in pharmacies.

There are also homeopathic tablets, intended for yesterday's smokers. You should drink such drugs with caution: they can provoke allergic reactions. Pick up homeopathic medicines should the doctor.

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Use of nicotine replacement therapy

Pharmacy chains offer today wide choose dosage forms, alleviating the symptoms of smoking cessation. These products (patches, chewing gum) contain nicotine in minimal doses. Their use helps smooth out withdrawal symptoms and make them less acute.

It is important to understand that the body’s reaction to such drugs is individual, so they should not be considered a panacea.

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Using deep breathing techniques

A strong desire to smoke, accompanied by bouts of irritability, can be relieved using the well-known relaxation practice of “belly breathing.” It does not harm health and is actively used in yoga complexes, oriental meditative techniques and in training athletes involved in martial arts.

Technique deep breathing widespread. It is not difficult to learn, especially since descriptions of the exercises can be found on many Internet sites.

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Finding peace of mind

A person who has given up cigarettes must understand that the emotional instability that he experiences is a temporary phenomenon that has objective reasons. Anxiety and mood swings can be minimized by taking anti-anxiety medications plant origin(tinctures of valerian or motherwort, herbal teas etc.). The choice of such a remedy should be entrusted to a doctor who will take into account the factor individual intolerance and will recommend the safest drug.

The day before International Day smoking cessation, we decided to find out neurologist and reflexologist Valentin Okhrimenko.

Why is THIS so hard to do?

Smoking is not just a bad and dangerous habit, but a disease. And it is no easier to treat than alcoholism or drug addiction. And sometimes it’s even more difficult. The fact is that in the central nervous system, in nerve nodes, in the neuromuscular junctions there are special receptors that are sensitive to nicotine. Nicotine stimulates them, causing the release of adrenaline into the blood, as well as joy hormones - endorphins. A cigarette calms, mobilizes thoughts, helps to concentrate, smokers say. And this is partly true.

But after 20–30 minutes, the nicotine concentration drops sharply, the brain demands a new portion of pleasure, and this develops into addiction. When quitting cigarettes, it occurs withdrawal syndrome– withdrawal: performance decreases, interruptions occur of cardio-vascular system, headaches, depression, etc. This is a manifestation physical dependence from nicotine.

But the problem is that there is also mental dependence - an internal stereotype of behavior, a person has become so fused with it that when quitting tobacco he begins to experience strong psychological discomfort. But the worst thing is when physical and mental dependence merge together, and this is exactly what happens to most heavy smokers.

Gradually and gently

The most fashionable option for gradually quitting smoking (it is considered the mildest) is the electronic cigarette. This is a kind of inhaler with replaceable cartridges filled with liquid and containing different doses of nicotine. You take a puff and the microbattery supplies liquid with nicotine, simulating smoke and taste sensations, close to real ones.

Gradually you use cartridges with lower and lower low content nicotine and, finally, without it at all. This saves someone from real smoking - you habitually “suck” a smoking “pacifier” and hold a cigarette in your hands, conditioned reflex does not suffer and you feel very comfortable. But it’s quite difficult to do without nicotine – you don’t feel like you’ve smoked.

Doubles and Enemies

Many people have tried to quit smoking using a patch or chewing gum. This is the so-called replacement therapy: "Double" contains nicotine in pure form, partly this relieves the state of withdrawal, helps to smoke much less, but few people give up cigarettes forever. In addition, such drugs also have side effects, for example chewing gum should not be used by those who suffer from chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract.

There are other types of drugs - nicotine antagonists, which displace the alkaloid contained in tobacco from the body. But, unfortunately, their effectiveness is low.

Did you inject yourself and forget?

From medicinal methods treatment today, the highest percentage of cures is provided by the so-called Swiss method, which is used in clinics specializing in the treatment of tobacco addiction. Before starting treatment, the patient undergoes a mini medical examination: a consultation with a therapist, a neurologist and an ophthalmologist, and he is also given an ECG.

After the examination, the doctor will select the composition and dosage of the drugs. Then a test injection is performed to rule out individual intolerance, and if everything is normal, the main injection is performed. Then the patient sleeps for 10–12 hours - during this time the “adjustment” of receptors sensitive to nicotine occurs.

Everything seemed fine. But the method has contraindications - glaucoma, epilepsy, adenoma prostate gland And chronic diseases in the acute stage. Second minus - high price treatment: about 40,000 rubles, and this is not affordable for everyone.

Suggestion and more suggestion

You can also try to overcome tobacco addiction with the help of psychologists.

– The advantage of such methods is that psychotherapy allows you to determine the reasons for the craving for smoking, and they are different for each person. And then “remove” the formed behavioral skill using special psychocorrectional techniques,” says psychologist Maria Polivanova. - This soft way treatment, but it takes time - you need to work with the patient for a month and a half.

Hypnosis can also help someone get rid of cigarettes. But this is also a rather long journey – usually you need at least 10–12 sessions. Moreover, not everyone is susceptible to suggestion. Coding is not suitable for everyone, but only for those who are not older than forty years.

Triple Strike

My husband quit smoking 15 years ago after two acupuncture sessions. Before that he smoked like a locomotive; two packs a day was barely enough for him.

–Acupuncture is one of the most reliable methods of treatment. But it is ineffective for those who have been smoking for less than five years. It's more suitable option“if the “friendship” with a cigarette lasts 20 years or more,” says Valentin Okhrimenko.

He perfected traditional method– during the session, the patient simultaneously undergoes acupuncture in ears and electrical stimulation of points associated with the formation of tobacco addiction. The body itself “chooses” the most suitable option in order to withstand the long-term attack of nicotine. This method allows you to selectively influence nerve centers brain: on the one hand, it suppresses the pleasure that a smoker experiences from a cigarette, and on the other hand, it blocks the body’s reaction to a lack of nicotine intake. Therefore, a person does not have a persistent desire to inhale tobacco smoke.

What then?

And yet, there is not a single method that would 100% guarantee getting rid of smoking once and for all. Can provoke a breakdown different reasons. Many patients experience withdrawal symptoms that only subside within a month. It is especially difficult to do without cigarettes in the first days: a person begins to feel depressed, overwhelmed, his performance decreases, and chronic diseases may even worsen.

The second factor of failure is psychological. An unbearable desire to take a drag on a cigarette appears after a cup of coffee, a glass of wine, or when those around you smoke “deliciously.” Doctors recommend: after quitting smoking, give up coffee for a week, alcohol for a month, and at first communicate less with smokers.

By the way

A common consequence of quitting cigarettes is weight gain: in a smoker, the nicotine present in the blood “triggers” reactions that require energy expenditure. Therefore, experts advise going on a diet during the transition period. Hunger can be temporarily tamed by drinking a glass of mineral water. By the way, you generally need to drink more during this period - the body will cleanse itself of toxins faster.

In European Western countries smoking is the cause of death in 24% of cases. Despite public service announcements about the dangers of smoking, people still continue to smoke, ignoring the danger. This is due to the fact that nicotine contains specific chemical bonds that make this light substance drug. As part of tobacco, a nicotinic acid makes a person smoke more and more more cigarettes during the day. But why is smoking dangerous and what harm does this habit cause to health?

Harm from smoking

In addition to nicotine, tobacco also contains tars and toxic chemicals, which is why not only the lungs, but also other target organs of our body suffer.

Respiratory system

When a smoker inhales tobacco smoke, the first harm that occurs is respiratory tract. The toxic compounds that make up the smoke cause irreparable harm to the mucous membrane of the trachea and larynx, which is represented by keratinized epithelium. Long-term exposure to smoking makes the body susceptible to acute respiratory infection, and also contributes to the development of obstructive bronchial disease. There is also a connection with the development tumor processes lungs.

Skin covering

After entering the blood, nicotine and other toxic substances are distributed throughout the human body, but after a while they must be removed. The skin has in its structure sweat glands, responsible for the disposal of breakdown products during metabolic processes. Nicotine begins to be actively excreted through the skin pores, but at the same time the intradermal vessels narrow, and the cells’ need for oxygen increases, which leads to loss of elasticity skin. For this reason, smokers begin to age earlier, although this is due to chronic oxygen starvation skin epithelium and cell death.

Digestive system

In smokers, the production of perchloric acid in the stomach is disrupted, which leads to gastritis, and then peptic ulcer. Since nicotine can influence nerve transmission (in particular, slow down nerve transmission), people who abuse cigarettes may develop cancer of the esophagus and stomach, which is associated with weakened motility. Symptoms of impaired intestinal motility will appear as:

constant constipation;
flatulence;
abdominal pain;
diarrhea.

The cardiovascular system

Smoking causes an increase in cholesterol in the blood, and also interferes with the digestibility of lipids, promoting the formation atherosclerotic plaques in the lumen arterial vessel. If plaques form on the arteries of the heart, this leads to the development of myocardial infarction, in case of damage to the internal carotid artery – ischemic stroke. In addition, nicotine has a stimulating effect on the adrenal glands, which increases the amount of adrenaline in the bloodstream, leading to atrial fibrillation.

Smokers are also susceptible to thrombosis due to blood thickening. This is fraught with the development of blockage of a vessel in any vital organ.

Smoking also harms other body systems, but this is due to metabolic disorders and nerve transmission, therefore other organs and systems begin to work more slowly, and the speed of reaction to stimuli increases.

What will help you quit smoking forever?

Quitting smoking must be planned in advance; you need to have not only an action plan, but also the help of people around you. First, you need to understand what will happen to your body after certain periods of time if you stop “feeding” it with nicotine:

after twenty minutes, all blood circulation indicators will begin to increase;
after 7 hours, the concentration of oxygen in the blood will increase several times, drowsiness and dizziness will pass;
in a day, all red blood cells will be fully saturated with oxygen;
on the second day, nicotine will be completely eliminated from the body by the kidneys;
after three weeks, heart rate will begin to normalize;
after six years the risk sudden stop heart rate and the development of ischemic stroke will be reduced by half.

As you understand, it’s worth giving up smoking, if only to prolong your life. But what can help with this?

Motivation

Find yourself at least ten good reasons why you decided to quit smoking. Then stick it on the refrigerator and re-read it every morning or every time you want to smoke.

Healthy eating

Stick to it rational nutrition to normalize internal metabolism. Eat more fruits. Vitamin C has been proven to promote faster nicotine elimination and normalize immune defenses.

Reduce your caffeine intake

Caffeine increases cravings for nicotine. Almost every smoker drinks coffee large quantities, unaware of coffee addiction and the close relationship between coffee addiction and smoking.

Play some sports

Sport allows you to spend time with health benefits. Start running or doing press exercises, this will improve blood circulation in the heart and help evacuate accumulated tar residues deep in the lungs. This will reduce the risk of heart attack in the first two years of quitting smoking.

Smoking is a cigarette addiction that is difficult to treat. To quit smoking, you need to have willpower and iron endurance.

Currently, there are many methods that help overcome tobacco addiction. The difference lies in the variety of approaches to this problem.

A quick way to quit smoking

On the Internet, the express method appears to be a special smoking cessation program that was developed for pilots American specialists. This method is ideal strong-willed people, because it is based on a number of sharp restrictions.

The first 5 days are especially important, during which it is necessary to follow simple rules that help reduce the body’s need for:

you need to get up 30 minutes earlier than usual, drink 2 or 3 glasses of water, then take a shower;
breakfast should be limited fruit juices or fruits;
After breakfast, it is important to do breathing exercises for 3-5 minutes ( deep breath nose, then hold your breath, then exhale slowly through your mouth);
every time you want to smoke again, you need to drink a couple of glasses of juice or water and repeat the breathing exercises;
The lunch menu should include a vegetable salad, soup, vegetable stew, juice and a pie filled with jam or jam;
After lunch, a walk is recommended;
dinner should consist exclusively of vegetables, fruits and juice;
it is very important to lead active image life, do not drink alcohol, and also avoid communicating with smokers.

When resorting to this method, it is especially important to follow all the above tips for 4 days. On the 5th day, a feeling of self-confidence and a desire to further consolidate the achieved result usually appears.

Gradual cessation of smoking

To quit this negative habit, you can follow the tips of methods that allow you to:

no need to buy more packs of cigarettes;
The type of cigarettes needs to be changed periodically;
It is best to keep cigarettes out of sight;
refuse offers to smoke;
when you take out a cigarette, immediately remove the pack from view;
leave the cigarette on the edge of the ashtray after each new puff;
try to inhale smoke every once in a while;
gradually start smoking without puffs;
After each smoke break, remove the ashtray;
do not smoke on an empty stomach;
the next time you want to smoke, delay the moment of lighting for a few minutes;
calculate the savings from smoking less.

Most scientists are inclined to believe that positive result Most often it is a decisive refusal, rather than a gradual one. Research confirms that motivation plays a huge role in achieving success in this matter.

Strong motivation gives the greatest results, because... resentment towards one's dangerous habit become the result of some tension, with the increase of which a clear desire to quit smoking appears.

Weak motivation usually leads to delays in decisively quitting smoking.

First of all, you should firmly believe that you can live without tobacco. Take advantage of your life experience, where the result was solving complex problems. In this situation, success will depend solely on you!
On a piece of paper, write down all the reasons why you decided to quit a bad habit. Write also possible benefits life without cigarettes (increased life expectancy, improved well-being, financial savings, etc.). Also note the dangers of using nicotine, as well as “acquiring” it when quitting smoking. The notes taken should be read every day.
Ask your friends and family to be lenient and support you. Warn those around you that you may be irritable for a while.
Make a firm decision and choose a day (mark the exact date), from which you will give up cigarettes forever.
In order to relieve body stress, start the day with exercise, and, if possible, actively engage in sports. Physical exercise will perfectly help the body recover.
Get into the habit of walking several times a day.
Perform the breathing exercises described earlier.
You should reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke gradually (daily) so that by the agreed day you will finally give up tobacco.
Find someone who has also decided to quit a bad habit. Overcoming nicotine addiction is a little easier together.
You can give your cigarettes to someone, but if you decide to smoke, you have to ask for them.
Drink as much as possible more water, because it relieves cravings for nicotine and also removes it from the body.
Alternatively, you can use cigarette substitutes.
You can dedicate your decision to a loved one.
Celebrate small “anniversaries” of your nicotine-free life. You can treat yourself to some purchase or a trip, for example, to the theater or cinema after a short period of time. In a year, celebrate with your friends the birth of a person who has a chance to live a life without nicotine.
Don't forget that millions of people quit nicotine forever every year. And you will find yourself in their ranks!

Sharing experiences of former smokers

Peter Vyazmin from Kostroma shares his experience of quitting smoking; he had to create an aversion to cigarettes using bad smell, and deceive your habits. To do this, you will need a bottle of liquid validol, in which a little of this medication remains.

After taking a puff on the cigarette, you need to release the smoke into the bottle and close the lid tightly. The mixture of these 2 ingredients forms a coating on the walls of the bottle yellowish color. The procedure should be repeated after 2 days. After that, carry the bottle with you, and the next time you want to smoke, open the bottle and smell the contents, the desire to smoke will immediately disappear.

Former smoker Olga Kapilova advises turning the process of quitting smoking into a game. You shouldn't convince yourself that you can just quit smoking once and for all. Subconsciously, not every person is ready for such a turn, and a stressful situation will provoke him to take up a cigarette again.

The game element makes it possible to look at the situation much more simply, which makes it easier to cope with nicotine addiction. First of all, you don’t need to force yourself to give up cigarettes completely. You can try to play the role of a non-smoker during a certain period of time, for example, before noon. If by this time the desire to smoke does not disappear, you can smoke.

This kind of game can continue for a long time, gradually developing into the habit of doing without cigarettes at all. If it is difficult to completely quit smoking while playing such a game, do not stop “playing”, because it will bring many benefits to your health. It is important for smokers to take even short breaks, because... this contributes. Important role In this situation, the habit of thinking positively also plays a role.

And, in some cases, you will begin to like the state of smoking breaks more and more.

Inna Postol, the wife of a former smoker, gives some advice. In her opinion, someone who quits smoking will find it much easier to cope with their addiction with the support of the people around them. Also, when quitting smoking, Inna advises, you should avoid dehydration of the body; you should drink two to three liters of liquid (juices and water) a day, because After this, the smoker is “gone sick” from the taste.

Dairy lovers can drink at least a liter of milk per day instead of juice.

Special ones provide excellent relief to the smoker's condition. However, their use in combating the habit can last for even a month, and unwanted side effects may occur, such as muscle pain, hiccups, and nausea.

A psychotherapist shares his experience that former smokers he knows gave up cigarettes without any outside help. Health problems, which were aggravated by tobacco consumption, contributed to the decision to quit smoking. This reason was good incentive, which led to success, unlike previous attempts.

As a consequence of this example, the doctor advises smokers to imagine themselves in 20 years (pictures depicting the lungs of experienced smokers are suitable as a visual aid), and then - themselves in vigor and health.

Ask your “bright future” how it’s easier to get there, then make a plan to quit smoking. Individual sessions anti-tobacco methods do not help worse job work on yourself using professional methods with a psychotherapist.

Works great various kinds, which largely relieve nicotine withdrawal, which is the main problem of quitters initial stages quitting smoking.

Following any of the advice given, under no circumstances allow you to again wonder whether you should quit smoking. Remember: you have already accepted correct solution! Don’t give in to your smoking self, which will try to deceive you more than once with “just one cigarette.” If you pay less attention to this kind of provocation, they will disappear in the near future.

Proper nutrition when quitting smoking

A properly composed diet is important. Some, while others are best excluded from your menu.

Quitting smoking excellent option is the inclusion of dairy products in the diet. A glass of milk drunk before a smoke break spoils the “taste” of the tobacco product. They say that this easy method helps a lot: dry them. Then give them to a smoker.

The bitterness of such a cigarette causes disgust, and it becomes impossible to finish smoking it. When you subsequently want to smoke, the disgust caused by the “milk” cigarette will come to mind. Unpleasant taste cigarettes also appear after eating celery salad. Currants, lemons and oranges help restore vitamin C in the smoker’s body. Broccoli will “protect” the lungs from all kinds of chronic diseases.

If you want to quit smoking, drinks such as Coca-Cola, coffee and tea have a negative effect on the body, because... those containing caffeine, according to smoking people, drinks improve the smoke flavor. The combination of nicotine and alcoholic beverages will give you special pleasure. This is motivated by the fact that a person’s willpower weakens when drinking alcohol, and the “indulgence” in the form of a couple of cigarettes again develops into a habit.

False cigarette substitute

Research shows what prevents you from quitting bad habit psychological dependence, fixed over the years. Based on this, often the means of combating it in the form of tablets, patches, and lozenges are significantly inferior to cigarettes without nicotine.

Such cigarettes create a deceptive effect of the smoking process, calm to some extent and nervous system. Recently, this kind of tobacco products, which include medicinal plants, are produced in Russia.

Equally famous are e-Sigs, which according to appearance resembles an ordinary one. However, according to some doctors, they contribute to the enjoyment of the smoking process with minimal health risks.

In a situation where an attempt to quit smoking does not bring the desired results, do not despair. Even if in some situation you smoked several cigarettes or even returned to the original amount of smoking, do not be upset.

Don’t blame yourself, try to calmly analyze the situation that led you to another breakdown. Having made the right conclusions for yourself, next time you will definitely reach your goal. To finally quit cigarettes, many smokers need to make several attempts. A short break to resolve this issue will not hurt, be patient and energetic and try again.

ABOUT harmful consequences addiction to tobacco has been said so much that it is unlikely that you will scare any smokers with scary medical facts. A person accustomed to daily “nicotine inhalations” eventually learns to disengage from such threats. The reason for such carelessness is not stupidity at all. Smoking can be compared to unhealthy relationships with the opposite sex: when we are in love with the wrong person, we tend to ignore the advice and warnings of others because we feel comfortable here and now. In addition, a break will invariably entail a painful withdrawal syndrome, and guarantees that an attempt to start new life will be successful, no one gives.

It is not surprising that only 3–6% of smokers who decide to quit bad habit without outside help, they successfully part with cigarettes - although about 70% of them either openly or covertly dream about this. Let's try to figure it out together in effective ways quit smoking forever.

Once again about the dangers of smoking: from common truths to little-known facts

You've probably heard that smoking shortens your life. But how much? According to statistics, we are talking about 13 years - just imagine how much you can accomplish in this time! However, an equally important argument in favor of quitting cigarettes is the quality of life. No matter how cynical it may sound, death is not the worst thing that awaits a smoker. After all, even oncological diseases, which are known to often occur under the influence of carcinogens tobacco smoke, do not immediately kill the patient. And with such pathologies as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure (due to suffered a heart attack myocardium) or paralysis that developed after a stroke, you can live long years. At the same time, the burden of responsibility for caring for the patient falls on his relatives - spouses, children, retired parents.

Some health problems caused by smoking: caries, gastritis, premature aging skins are literally expensive. Tobacco lovers are forced to seek medical care, visit cosmetologists, buy medicines in pharmacies. Together with expenses on cigarettes, this budget item can annually “eat up” an amount that could easily be spent on a good vacation or buying those things that you always regret spending money on.

Don't forget about this sad consequence tobacco use as a problem in the intimate sphere: due to damage to the pelvic vessels in male smokers in at a young age may develop erectile disfunction. The effect of smoking on female body no less significant: representatives of the fairer sex suffering from this addiction are more likely to experience hormonal disorders that lead to disruption menstrual cycle, early menopause, decreased libido. It is dangerous for smokers to use oral contraceptives- this increases the risk of blood clots in the vessels.

Among the reasons that encourage women to quit smoking, the desire to have children comes first. Many celebrities admitted that they gave up cigarettes only after a ban from a gynecologist or after long-awaited pregnancy has arrived. So, having become a mother, actress Catherine Zeta-Jones managed to change her lifestyle, and her colleagues Julia Roberts and Kate Hudson preferred to do this in advance, following the advice of doctors.

Quit smoking once and for all: myth or reality?

Despite the challenges that come with trying to quit smoking, it is easier now than it has ever been in the past. At the service of people who have decided to take such a step are numerous tips, books, techniques, medicines, as well as special electronic devices and even mobile applications. It is important that society has become more critical of smokers: today smoking a cigarette is prohibited in public catering establishments, on stairwells, in nightclubs, airports and train stations. But just a few decades ago smoking was allowed even in airplane cabins: imagine how hard it was for those who quit during long flights.

All methods of saying goodbye to tobacco addiction can be divided into two large groups:

Independent ways to quit smoking- those that do not require a visit to a specialist. This may include abrupt abolition of cigarettes (when a person, without any aids limits himself in his usual actions), the use of nicotine-containing drugs that are in free sale, switching to electronic cigarettes, reducing the number of cigarettes smoked using one of the popular methods (for example, according to Alan Carr’s book “ The easy way quit smoking"), etc.
Techniques implemented under the supervision of a doctor: This group includes approaches that require intervention from the outside. So, a narcologist will prescribe you one of prescription drugs easing the craving for smoking. A hypnosis specialist (for example, one who has coding skills using the Dovzhenko method) in just one session is able to instill in a patient a subconscious fear or a feeling of disgust for cigarettes, which will help overcome addiction. Psychologists specializing in motivational therapy help to understand the reasons that motivate a person to continue smoking: often, awareness of the true motives allows even those who have been attached to the treasured pack for several decades to finally quit.

It is important to understand that there are no “worthy” or “unworthy” methods of quitting smoking: every person with addiction has individual reaction to give up drugs (even something as seemingly innocent as nicotine). Willpower alone may not be enough to overcome withdrawal symptoms (“withdrawal”), which develops as the period between smoke breaks lengthens. Therefore, doctors advise quitting smoking under medical supervision: this way the chances of success are higher, and the probability of occurrence negative reactions on physiological level- minimal.

Is quitting a bad habit so beneficial?

In Mikhail Zoshchenko’s textbook story “On How Lenin Quit Smoking” there is an episode in which, after a conversation with his mother, “Vladimir Ilyich pulled cigarettes out of his pocket and put them on the table. And I never touched them again.” Despite the fact that such an act commands respect from everyone who has ever tried to give up cigarettes, you should not take it as a model. The point is not only that the chances of success when following such a strategy are low (although experts are sure that every unsuccessful attempt to quit smoking has a negative impact on a person’s self-esteem, and next time he decides to quit smoking). similar action it will be more difficult). A sharp exclusion from the metabolism of nicotine coming from outside leads to unpleasant consequences which may manifest as exacerbation pulmonary diseases, digestive disorders and horse races blood pressure. Moreover, at the stage of quitting cigarettes, experienced smokers experience “nicotine withdrawal”: their mood deteriorates, their head hurts, and their concentration decreases. In severe cases, withdrawal syndrome can result in insomnia and even depression.

Based on this, turning to medications to make it easier to overcome addiction is not weakness at all, but a wise decision - just as asking for pain relief during dental treatment cannot be called weakness.

Drug therapy for former smokers

However, in some cases it is better to stop taking medications. For example, if people suffering from liver disease or pregnant women quit smoking. Many pharmaceuticals, shown at nicotine addiction, have side effects, and some of them themselves can be addictive - therefore, drug therapy is popular as an alternative way to say goodbye to tobacco.

All chemical addictions (alcoholism, drug addiction and nicotine addiction) have the same pathological mechanisms, therefore the methods offered by psychiatrists are universal and can help every patient. Individual work with a specialist or group classes help not only overcome cravings for cigarettes, but also facilitate social restructuring: personal examples former smokers often help to overcome temptations and tune in to sustainable result therapy.
Many people note that a fundamental lifestyle change helped them give up cigarettes: switching to healthy eating, the beginning of intense sports activities, a change of job or even place of residence. Not everyone is ready to decide on such serious changes, but it is quite appropriate to time an attempt to quit smoking to coincide with such a situation.

Pharmacological means for getting rid of nicotine addiction

Medicines that make it easier to quit nicotine are divided into the following types:

Nicotine replacement therapy - these drugs contain pure nicotine or its analogues. Taking pills or using patches according to a certain scheme helps to overcome mental dependence on tobacco, and gradual decline dosage alleviates withdrawal symptoms.
Blockers nerve impulses pleasure from nicotine . Drugs from this group change the functioning of brain receptors at the biochemical level so that stopping the supply of nicotine from the outside does not cause a severe reaction at the physiological level.
Anti-anxiety drugs, sedatives and antidepressants do not affect dependence on chemical substance, however, they help cope with the symptoms of withdrawal syndrome, making the first few weeks after quitting smoking much easier. And if taking antidepressants has a lot of contraindications and side effects(for example, addiction), and the medications themselves can only be purchased with a doctor’s prescription, then the first and second ones can be bought at the pharmacy on your own initiative (although here it is still worth consulting with a doctor). Among sedatives drugs can be distinguished based on herbal ingredients, such as “Novo-Passit”, “Gelarium Hypericum”, “Persen”, “Moonwort Forte”, and less harmless - tinctures of valerian, peony, hawthorn, motherwort. A significant disadvantage of such drugs is that they all cause drowsiness. In addition, they should be used with caution by allergy sufferers.
A separate group includes over-the-counter anxiolytics (for example, Afobazol). "Afobazol" has a restorative effect on the nervous system, reducing anxiety levels, nervous tension, irritability. The result is a reduction in stress caused by nicotine withdrawal, the emergence of strength and confidence in the success of the undertaking, and an improvement in the overall emotional background.

Opinion of an expert from the manufacturer of the drug “Afobazol”:

Treatment with the drug "Afobazol" is a kind of "repair" nerve cells, which can be shown to each of us from time to time. Everyone has stress in their lives, but not everyone has ways to cope with them due to their personality or lifestyle. So, many smokers explain their habit by saying that cigarettes help them calm down, but this is not the case. Addiction to nicotine is precisely a source of stress, while there are methods that are less harmful to the body to improve mood. It begins to work from the first week of use - it reduces irritability and anxiety, but does not cause drowsiness, addiction or withdrawal symptoms, and does not reduce concentration.

There are very few former smokers in the world who would regret the decision they once made. But there are many who lament the fact that they did not smoke their last cigarette many years earlier. Life without nicotine does not lose its colors - and at the same time it has every chance of being longer and happier. Think about this the next time you decide to smoke.