Smoking cessation methods. Pharmacological agents for getting rid of nicotine addiction

With the fact that smoking is very harmful, today no one argues. Each person decides for himself the question of renunciation addiction, but not everyone clearly imagines what consequences of this decision they will face. Meanwhile, the process of canceling the usual dose of nicotine in many people causes significant discomfort. Within a few weeks, they suffer from mood swings, sleep disturbances, fatigue, decreased physical and intellectual activity; they have a number of other symptoms that reduce the quality of life. Withdrawal can be quite strong: it is not for nothing that a significant proportion of attempts to quit smoking fail, and people return to using cigarettes.

Fortunately, there is an opportunity to minimize discomfort. In this article, we'll talk about ways you can make the transition to a smoke-free life easier.

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The fight against overeating

The body of a person who has given up smoking experiences severe stress. That is why during the period under review it is worth refraining from eating fatty, fried, spicy and smoked foods, so as not to increase the “overload” that has arisen. To get rid of accumulated toxins as soon as possible, include in the 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. Cancellation of the dose of nicotine is often accompanied by increased consumption of "comforter" products. To get rid of stress, people begin to absorb food containing a lot of fast carbohydrates and fats (sweets, cakes, fast food, replete with flavorings). Seeds, nuts, chips, sweet chewing gum are used as an alternative to a cigarette, which a smoker keeps in his mouth for a significant part of the time. It turns out that a person "jams" his discomfort and, in fact, changes one bad habit for another.

It is with this factor that the notion that smoking cessation provokes speed dial body weight. In fact, the reason here is not in the "cancelled" cigarettes, but in the increase in the consumption of high-calorie foods.

However, the problem is solved quite simply. If yesterday's smoker feels an irresistible desire to gnaw or chew something, he needs to give preference to fruits, vegetables and greens. An apple, cucumber, carrot, or even a stalk of celery will not harm the body and reduce the severity of withdrawal symptoms.

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Temporary refusal of alcohol, strong coffee and tea

Nicotine is a strong stimulant. The syndrome of its withdrawal is accompanied by a deficit of this kind of influence and the desire to receive similarly active substances from other sources. Usually, ex-smokers begin to abuse strong tea or coffee, and in the worst case, alcohol.

Obviously, this only exacerbates the problem. The caffeine found in coffee and strong tea increases arousal, anxiety and emotional instability, and causes sleep disturbances. Alcohol reduces self-control, which often contributes to a return to the habit of smoking.

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Saturation of the body with vitamins

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

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

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The use of distractions

The use of mints or chewing gum really helps to reduce discomfort during the period of quitting smoking. These funds must be chosen in such a way that they do not harm health. Gum and hard candies must not contain sugar and flavor additives, and it is better to buy them in pharmacies.

There are also homeopathic pills designed for yesterday's smokers. Drinking such drugs should be done with caution: they can provoke allergic reactions. pick up homeopathic preparations the doctor should.

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Use of nicotine replacement therapy

Pharmacy chains offer today wide choose dosage forms that alleviate smoking cessation symptoms. These products (patches, chewing gum) contain nicotine in minimum doses. Their use helps to smooth out withdrawal symptoms, make them less acute.

It is important to understand that the reaction of the body to such drugs is individual, so you should not consider them a panacea.

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Using the Deep Breathing Technique

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

Technique deep breathing widespread. It is not difficult to learn it, especially since the 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 should 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 sedatives 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 recommend the safest drug.

the day before international day smoking cessation, we decided to find out from neurologist and reflexologist Valentin Okhrimenko.

Why is it so hard to do THIS?

Smoking is not just a harmful and dangerous habit, but a disease. And it is no easier to treat it than alcoholism or drug addiction. And sometimes even more difficult. The fact is that in the central nervous system, in ganglions, 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 hormones of joy - endorphins. A cigarette calms, mobilizes thoughts, helps to concentrate, smokers say. And this is partly true.

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

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

Gradually and gently

The most fashionable version of the gradual cessation of smoking (it is considered the most gentle) is an electronic cigarette. This is a kind of inhaler with replaceable cartridges filled with liquid and containing different doses of nicotine. You inhale - and the microaccumulator delivers liquid with nicotine, simulating smoke and taste sensations close to real.

Gradually, you use cartridges with progressively lower and lower low content nicotine and, finally, without it at all. This saves someone from real smoking - you habitually “suck” a smoking “nipple” and hold a cigarette in your hands, conditioned reflex does not suffer and you feel very comfortable. But it’s difficult to do without nicotine at all - there is no feeling that you smoked.

Doublers and Enemies

Many have tried to quit smoking with a patch or chewing gum. This so-called replacement therapy: Doublers contain nicotine in pure form, in part, this relieves the state of withdrawal, helps to smoke much less, but few have given up cigarettes forever. In addition, these 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 the gastrointestinal tract.

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

Stuck and forgotten?

From medicinal methods treatment today, the highest percentage of cure gives 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-dispensary: a consultation with a general practitioner, a neurologist and an ophthalmologist, and an ECG is also done.

After the examination, the doctor will select the composition and dosage of the drugs. Then a trial injection is carried out to exclude individual intolerance, and if everything is fine, the main injection. Then the patient sleeps for 10-12 hours - during this time, the "adjustment" of nicotine-sensitive receptors occurs.

Everything seemed to be great. But the method has contraindications - glaucoma, epilepsy, adenoma prostate And chronic diseases in the acute stage. The second downside is high price treatment: about 40,000 rubles, and this is far from accessible to everyone.

Suggestion and more suggestion

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

- The advantage of such methods is that psychotherapy allows you to determine the causes of cravings for smoking, and they are different for each person. And then “remove” the formed behavioral skill using special psycho-corrective 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 a cigarette. But this is a rather long way - usually at least 10-12 sessions are needed. Besides, not everyone is amenable to suggestion. Not everyone is suitable for coding, but only for those who are not older than forty years.

Triple Strike

My husband quit smoking 15 years ago after two sessions of acupuncture. And before that, he smoked like a steam 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 smoke less than five years. It's over suitable option if “friendship” with a cigarette lasts 20 or more years,” says Valentin Okhrimenko.

He perfected traditional technique- during the session, the patient is simultaneously given acupuncture in auricles and electrical stimulation of points associated with the formation of tobacco dependence. The body itself “chooses” the most suitable option in order to withstand the long-term attack of nicotine. This method makes it possible 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 response to a lack of nicotine intake. Therefore, a person does not have a relentless desire to inhale tobacco smoke.

And then what?

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 a state of withdrawal that only disappears within a month. It is especially difficult to do without cigarettes in the early days: a person has a feeling of depression, weakness, his working capacity decreases, and even chronic diseases can worsen.

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

By the way

A frequent consequence of quitting cigarettes is weight gain: in a smoker, nicotine present in the blood "starts" reactions that require energy expenditure. Therefore, experts advise to go on a diet during the transition period. Hunger for a while can be tamed by drinking a glass of mineral water. By the way, in general, you need to drink more during this period - the body will quickly clear itself of toxins.

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

Harm from smoking

In addition to nicotine, tobacco also contains tar and pesticides, 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 is done 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. Prolonged 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 bloodstream, nicotine and other toxic substances are carried throughout the human body, but after a while they must be removed. The skin is present in its structure sweat glands responsible for the utilization of decay 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 a loss of elasticity. skin. For this reason, smokers begin to age earlier, however, this is due to chronic oxygen starvation skin epithelium and cell death.

Digestive system

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

permanent constipation;
flatulence;
pain in the abdomen;
diarrhea.

The cardiovascular system

Smoking causes an increase in cholesterol in the blood, and also disrupts the absorption of lipids, promotes the formation atherosclerotic plaques in the lumen arterial vessel. If plaques form on the arteries of the heart, then 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 prone to thrombosis due to blood clotting. This is fraught with the development of blockage of the vessel of any vital organ.

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

What can help you quit smoking forever?

Quitting smoking must be planned in advance, it is necessary 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 disappear;
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, normalization of the heart rhythm will begin;
after six years the risk sudden stop heart rate and the development of ischemic stroke will be halved.

As you know, quitting smoking is worth it, at least in order 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 your fridge and reread it every morning or whenever you feel like smoking.

healthy eating

stick rational nutrition to normalize internal metabolism. Eat more fruits. It has been proven that vitamin C contributes to a faster elimination of nicotine and the normalization of immune defenses.

Reduce your caffeine intake

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

Go in for sports

Sports allow you to spend time with health benefits. Start running or pumping the press, this will improve the blood circulation of the heart, help evacuate the accumulated resin residues deep in the lungs. This will reduce the risk of heart attack in the first two years of quitting smoking.

Smoking is an addiction to cigarettes 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.

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 drastic limitations.

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 fruit;
after breakfast for 3-5 minutes it is important to perform breathing exercises ( deep breath nose, then hold your breath, then exhale slowly through your mouth);
every time, with the next desire to smoke, you need to drink a couple of glasses of juice or water, repeat the breathing exercises;
the lunch menu should include vegetable salad, soup, vegetable stew, juice and a pie stuffed with jam or jam;
after lunch a walk is recommended;
dinner should consist exclusively of vegetables, fruits and juice;
very important to lead active image life, do not drink alcohol, and avoid contact with smokers.

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

Gradual smoking cessation

To kick this negative habit, you can follow the advice of methods that allow you to:

no need to buy more packs of cigarettes;
the type of cigarettes needs to be changed periodically;
cigarettes are best kept out of sight;
refuse offers to smoke;
when you take out a cigarette, immediately remove the pack from your field of vision;
leave the cigarette on the edge of the ashtray after each new puff;
try to inhale smoke every other time;
start smoking slowly without puffs;
remove the ashtray after each smoke break;
do not smoke on an empty stomach;
at the next desire to smoke, delay the moment of lighting for a few minutes;
Calculate the savings with less smoking.

Most scholars are of the opinion that positive result most often it is a decisive refusal, and not a gradual one. Research confirms that motivation plays a huge role in achieving success in this matter.

Strong motivation gives the greatest performance, because. resentment towards dangerous habit become the result of some tension, with the growth of which there is an unambiguous desire to quit smoking.

Weak motivation usually leads to delaying the decisive cessation of smoking.

First of all, you should firmly believe that you can do without tobacco. Take advantage of your life experience where the result was the solution of 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 the bad habit. Write also possible benefits life without cigarettes (increased life expectancy, improved well-being, financial savings, etc.). Note also what is the danger of using nicotine, as well as "acquisition" when quitting smoking. The notes made should be read every day.
Reach out to friends and family with a request to show indulgence, to support you. Warn others 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 the stress of the body, start the day with a charge, and if possible, actively go in for sports. Physical exercise excellent for helping the body recover.
Get in the habit of walking several times a day.
Follow the previously described breathing exercises.
You should reduce the number of cigarettes smoked gradually (daily) in such a way that by the agreed day you will finally give up tobacco.
Find a person who also decided to quit a bad habit. Together, overcoming nicotine addiction is a little easier.
You can give your cigarettes to someone, in order to decide to smoke, you had to ask for them.
Drink as much as you can 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 dear person.
Celebrate little "anniversaries" of a nicotine-free life. You can treat yourself to some kind of purchase or trip, for example, to the theater or cinema after a short period of time. In a year, celebrate with friends the birth of a person who has a chance to live a life without nicotine.
Do not forget that millions of people give up nicotine forever every year. And you will find yourself in their ranks!

Sharing experiences of ex-smokers

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

After taking a puff on a cigarette, you need to release the smoke into the bottle and close the cap tightly. From a mixture of these 2 ingredients, plaque forms on the walls of the vial yellowish color. The procedure should be repeated after 2 days. After that, carry the bottle with you, and with the next desire 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 into a game. You should not convince yourself that just quit smoking once and for all. Subconsciously, not every person is ready for such a turn, while a stressful situation will provoke you to take up a cigarette again.

The element of the game makes it possible to look at the situation much easier, which makes it easier to cope with nicotine addiction. First of all, you do not need to force yourself to completely give up cigarettes. You can try to play the role of a non-smoking person in 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 go on for a long time, gradually developing into the habit of doing without cigarettes at all. If it is difficult to completely stop smoking with such a game, do not stop “playing”, because this will bring many benefits to your health. It is important for smokers to resort to even small breaks, because. it is conducive. Important role In this situation, the habit of thinking positively also plays.

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

Some advice is given by Inna Postol, the wife of a former smoker. In her opinion, quitting smoking will be much easier to cope with his addiction with the support of the people around him. Also, when quitting smoking, Inna advises, one should not allow dehydration of the body, it is necessary to drink two to three liters of liquid (juices and water) per day, because. after that, the smoker "turns back from the soul" from the taste.

Fans of dairy products can drink at least a liter of milk a day instead of juice.

Perfectly relieve the condition of the smoker special,. However, their use in the fight against the habit can take up to a month, and unwanted side effects may occur, such as muscle pain, hiccups, and nausea.

A psychotherapist shares his experience that ex-smokers he knows have given up cigarettes without any outside help. Contributed to the decision to quit smoking health problems that were exacerbated by tobacco use. This reason was good incentive, which led to success, unlike previous attempts.

As a consequence of such an example, the doctor advises to introduce yourself to smokers in 20 years (pictures depicting light smokers with experience are suitable as a visual aid), and after that - yourself in vigor and health.

Ask your "bright future" how easy it is to get there, and then make a plan to quit smoking. Individual sessions anti-tobacco methods help not worse than work over yourself according to professional methods with a psychotherapist.

Work great various kinds, which largely relieve nicotine withdrawal, which is the main problem of quitters early stages smoking cessation.

Following any of the above tips, in any case, do not allow again to wonder whether it is worth quitting smoking. Remember: you have already accepted correct solution! Don't give in to your smoking self, which will try to trick you with "just one cigarette" more than once. If we pay less attention to such provocations, they will disappear in the near future.

Proper nutrition when quitting smoking

A properly formulated diet is important. Some, and others are best excluded from your menu.

Quitting smoking great option is the inclusion of dairy products in the diet. A glass of milk drunk before a smoke break spoils the “taste” of a tobacco product. They say that such an easy way helps a lot: and dry them. Then give them to the smoking person.

The bitterness of such a cigarette is disgusting, and it becomes impossible to finish smoking it. With the subsequent desire to smoke, the disgust caused by the "milk" cigarette will pop up in memory. Bad taste cigarettes also after eating celery salad. Currants, lemons and oranges contribute to the restoration of vitamin C in the body of a smoker. Broccoli cabbage will “protect” the lungs from all kinds of chronic diseases.

Drinks such as Coca-Cola, coffee and tea cause a negative effect on the body when you want to quit smoking. containing caffeine, according to people who smoke, drinks improve the flavor of the smoke. The combination of nicotine with alcoholic beverages will bring 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 substitute for a cigarette

Research shows what prevents quitting addiction psychological dependence fixed for years. Based on what, often means of combating in the form of tablets, patches, lozenges are significantly inferior to cigarettes without nicotine.

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

Not less famous are e-Sigs, which appearance resembles an ordinary one. However, according to some doctors, they contribute to the enjoyment of the smoking process with minimal health risk.

In a situation where an attempt to quit smoking does not bring the desired results, do not despair. Even if you have smoked a few cigarettes in any situation or even returned to the original volume of smoking - do not be discouraged.

Do not 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 come to your goal. For the final refusal of cigarettes, many smokers need to make several attempts. A short break to resolve this issue will not hurt, be patient and energy and try again.

ABOUT harmful consequences addiction to tobacco has been said so much that it is unlikely that you will scare any of the smokers with terrible medical facts. A person who is 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 an unhealthy relationship with the opposite sex: when we are in love with wrong person, we tend to ignore the advice and warnings of others because we feel comfortable here and now. In addition, the breakup will invariably entail painful withdrawal syndrome, and guarantees that an attempt to start new life will be successful, no one gives.

Not surprisingly, only 3–6% of smokers who decide to quit bad habit unaided, safely part with cigarettes - although about 70% of them explicitly or implicitly dream about it. Let's try to figure it out together effective ways quit smoking forever.

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

You must have heard that smoking shortens life. But how much? According to statistics, we are talking about 13 years - just imagine how much you can do during this time! However, an equally important argument in favor of giving up 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 pathologies such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure (due to myocardial infarction myocardium) or paralysis that developed after a stroke, you can live long years. At the same time, the burden of obligations to care for the patient falls on his relatives - spouses, children, retired parents.

Some health problems associated with smoking: tooth decay, gastritis, premature aging skin - in the literal sense of the word are expensive. Tobacco lovers are forced to seek more medical care, visit cosmetologists, buy medicines in pharmacies. Together with the cost of cigarettes, this budget item can annually "eat up" the amount that could well be spent on a good vacation or the purchase of those things for which it is always a pity to spend money.

Don't forget about this sad consequence tobacco use as a problem in the intimate sphere: due to pelvic vascular disease in male smokers in young age may develop erectile disfunction. The effect of smoking on female body no less significant: the representatives of the weaker sex who suffer from this dependence are more likely to experience hormonal disorders that lead to violation 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 is in the first place. Many celebrities admitted that they gave up cigarettes only after a ban by a gynecologist or after long-awaited pregnancy has come. So, having become a mother, actress Catherine Zeta-Jones managed to change her lifestyle, and her colleagues in the shop - Julia Roberts and Kate Hudson preferred to do it in advance, following the advice of doctors.

Quit smoking once and for all: myth or reality?

Despite the difficulties involved in trying to quit smoking, it is now easier than ever before. At the service of people who decide to take such a step are numerous tips, books, techniques, medicines, as well as special electronic devices and even mobile applications. It is also important that society has become more critical of smokers: today it is forbidden to smoke a cigarette in public catering establishments, in stairwells, in nightclubs, airports and railway stations. But just a few decades ago, smoking was allowed even in aircraft cabins: imagine how hard it was for those who quit during long flights.

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

Do-It-Yourself Ways to Quit Smoking- those that do not require a visit to a specialist. This may include the abrupt abolition of cigarettes (when a person without any aids limits itself in the usual action), the use of nicotine-containing drugs that are in free sale, switching to electronic cigarettes, reducing the number of cigarettes smoked according to one of the popular methods (for example, according to the book by Alan Carr " easy way quit smoking”), etc.
Techniques implemented under the supervision of a doctor: this group includes approaches that require “outside” intervention. So, the narcologist will prescribe you one of prescription drugs to ease the craving for smoking. A hypnotist (for example, one who is proficient in coding using the Dovzhenko method) in just one session is able to instill in the patient a subconscious fear or aversion to cigarettes that will help overcome addiction. Psychologists specializing in motivational therapy help to understand the reasons that prompt a person to continue smoking: often, awareness of the true motives allows even those who have been attached to the coveted pack for several decades to finally quit.

It is important to understand that there are no “worthy” or “unworthy” ways to quit smoking: every person with an addiction has individual reaction to refuse a drug (even such a seemingly innocent one as nicotine). Willpower alone may not be enough to overcome the withdrawal syndrome ("withdrawal"), which develops against the background of a lengthening of the period between smoking breaks. Therefore, doctors advise quitting smoking under medical supervision: so the chances of success are higher, and the probability of occurrence negative reactions on physiological level- minimal.

Is it so useful to abruptly give up a bad habit?

In Mikhail Zoshchenko's textbook story "On How Lenin Quit Smoking" there is an episode in which, after talking 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 each unsuccessful attempt to quit smoking negatively affects a person’s self-esteem, and the next time he decides to similar action will be more difficult). A sharp exclusion from the metabolism of nicotine coming from outside leads to backfire which may manifest as an exacerbation lung diseases, digestive disorders and jumps blood pressure. Moreover, at the stage of giving up cigarettes, experienced smokers experience “nicotine withdrawal”: their mood deteriorates, their head hurts, and concentration of attention decreases. In severe cases, withdrawal syndrome can turn into insomnia and even depression.

Based on this, turning to drugs that facilitate overcoming addiction is not a weakness at all, but a wise decision - just as it is impossible to call a request for pain relief during dental treatment a weakness.

Drug therapy for ex-smokers

However, in some cases, it is better to stop taking medications. For example - if people who suffer from liver disease, pregnant women quit smoking. Many pharmaceuticals shown at nicotine addiction, possess 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, so the methods offered by psychiatrists are universal and can help each patient. Individual work with a specialist or group sessions help not only to 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 say that a fundamental lifestyle change helped them to quit cigarettes: the transition to healthy eating, the beginning of intensive sports activities, a change of job or even a place of residence. Not everyone is ready to decide on such a serious change, but it is quite appropriate to time an attempt to quit smoking for a similar situation.

Pharmacological agents for getting rid of nicotine addiction

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

Nicotine replacement therapy - these preparations contain pure nicotine or its analogues. Taking pills or using patches in a certain pattern helps to overcome the mental dependence on tobacco, and gradual decline dosage facilitates withdrawal symptoms.
Blockers nerve impulses pleasure from nicotine . Means from this group at the biochemical level change the work of brain receptors so that the cessation of the intake of nicotine from the outside does not cause a severe reaction at the physiological level.
Anti-anxiety drugs, sedatives and antidepressants do not affect dependency chemical, however, they help to cope with the manifestations of the 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 drugs themselves can only be purchased by prescription, then the first and second ones can be bought at the pharmacy on their own initiative (although here it is still worth consulting with the doctor). Among sedatives drugs can be isolated based on herbal ingredients, such as "Novo-Passit", "Gelarium Hypericum", "Persen", "Motherwort 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 for allergy sufferers.
A separate group includes over-the-counter anxiolytics (for example, Afobazol). "Afobazole" has a restorative effect on the nervous system, reducing the level of anxiety, nervous tension, irritability. As a result, a decrease in stress caused by nicotine withdrawal, the appearance of strength and confidence in the success of the undertaking, an improvement in the overall emotional background.

The opinion of the expert of the manufacturing company of the drug "Afobazol":

Treatment with the drug "Afobazol" is a kind of "repair" nerve cells, which from time to time can be shown to each of us. Everyone has stress in life, but not all ways to cope with them due to their character or lifestyle. So, many smokers explain their habit by saying that cigarettes help them calm down, but this is not so. Nicotine addiction is just a source of stress, while there are methods that are less harmful to the body to improve mood. starts working from the first week of taking - it reduces irritability and anxiety, but it does not cause drowsiness, addiction and withdrawal syndrome, does not reduce concentration.

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