The Benefits of Giving Up Smoking

According to the Office for National Statistics, almost 13% of people in the UK are smokers.

The NHS reports that 21% of admissions to hospital are for respiratory diseases. And 14% for circulatory diseases, both attributed to smoking.

Many people smoke to relieve stress and anxiety which is why it is so hard to give up the habit. The problem is smoking plays havoc with your health and the relief is only short-lived.

How smoking affects your health

Every time you take a drag from a cigarette you are taking in many, many poisonous chemicals. These chemicals can cause cancer. They can damage your heart and affect your circulation. Your airways can become inflamed making breathing more difficult.

Smoking also affects the structure of the skin. You are more likely to get breakouts of spots and acne and develop wrinkles. Gum disease can lead to you losing teeth. Smoking also affects fertility in men and women.

Why it’s hard to stop smoking

The best thing you can do to improve your health is to stop smoking. We know it’s not easy. Nicotine is addictive. On top of that, there’s also the psychological difficulties that your emotional dependence on smoking has caused. You have to get used to not having a cigarette with your morning tea or coffee, or when you meet up with friends for a drink.

Cravings also make giving up hard to do. This is because your brain changes as you become more dependent on cigarettes and causes cravings which can last for months.

The benefits of giving up smoking

The benefits of giving up smoking are almost immediate. Within 20 minutes you will see your blood pressure and your pulse rate reduce.

• After eight hours the carbon monoxide in your body is half the level it was when you were smoking. The amount of oxygen in your blood will return to a normal level.
• Two days after quitting your sense of taste will improve and the carbon monoxide in your body will be gone.
• Two weeks after you stop smoking, you’ll notice improvements in your circulation.
• Between one and three months will see improvements to your skin and lung function. You should cough less and find breathing easier. As the months pass your lung function may improve as much as 10%.
• After a year you will have halved the risk of having a heart attack caused by smoking
• Your risk of lung cancer, after ten years, will be half that of someone who smokes. There is also less risk of other cancers caused by smoking.
• After fifteen years your risk of having a heart attack is the same as a person who has never smoked.

Other health benefits include feeling less anxious and stressed. You should notice an improvement in your mental health and wellbeing.

What you can do to help yourself

Firstly, tell people around you that you are trying to give up smoking. That way you’ll have support from family, friends, and colleagues.

Start a journal and write down how you feel. Putting pen to paper often helps to keep us calm.

Think about something you really want. Find out how much it costs and make a plan to put away the money you are saving by not smoking. Having a goal will help you stay on track.

Try, at least for the first week or so to avoid triggers that make you want to smoke.  Do something else while you’re drinking your tea or coffee in the morning. Read a magazine or do the crossword or word puzzle.

When you get a craving go for a quick walk, bake a cake or do something that distracts you and stops you from thinking about cigarettes.

Use the NHS Stop Smoking Service. It’s free and you’ll get a lot of advice and support. Browse the NHS web page for information on how to access this service.

How can the pharmacy help?

VSM pharmacy stock a variety of treatments to help you stop smoking. You can buy nicotine replacement products. Choose one that suits you. There are gums, patches, lozenges, nasal sprays, inhalers, and tablets.

If you relapse, don’t give up all your hard work. Accept that it’s hard and try again. With the right treatment and support you can quit; it just might take some time.

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