Interviewer: Are you a heavy smoker?
Interviewee: Yes.
Interviewer: Do you have a child?
Interviewee: Yes, a daughter.
Interviewer: Does your daughter smoke, too?
Interviewee: Huh? Are you insane?
Interviewer: Why not? What's wrong with it? You are doing it!
Now let's try "Imagine this."
Imagine your daughter sticking a cigarette to her mouth, mimicking the way you do it. Imagine her smoking sticks after sticks, in the hopes that she pleases you with that speed. Imagine her easily finishing a pack in a day, thinking that you would reward her with more packs afterward.
I bet this thought never crossed your mind. And perhaps as you read those lines, you create scenes on your mind that totally freaked you out. You also may have cringed on the idea that I asked you to imagine those things at all.
This is because it is really hard to imagine your innocent kid doing a habit that you know too well is bad. It is rather unimaginable to see a young pretty girl doing something which she has know no idea about. And it’s hard because you know she only does it because you do it too.
Is smoking dangerous?
It has always been said that smoking is a highly dangerous habit. Many studies have provided countless evidences that this is one of the deadliest habits. According to a report made by the World Health Organization in 2008, 100 million people died in the last century because of heavy smoking.
Moreover, around a billion people will also likely be killed before this century ends. This is why governments in the world are now heavily campaigning for people to Stop Smoking. An example of these efforts is the implementation of the World No Tobacco Day.
What made you get addicted to smoking?
There’s a reason why cigarettes were invented. Smoking is known to be therapeutic. It is also a good way to relieve oneself from stress and tension.
It is also said to be an effective way to calm oneself and prevent panic attacks.
But then again, everything in excess is bad. Smoking has become so popular that many people started to engage themselves in it. And before they knew it, they already got heavily hooked that smoking eventually becomes a bad habit.
But how does one get addicted to smoking? Cigarettes’ main content is nicotine. It is a highly addictive drug that sends signals to the brain immediately after the smoke is inhaled. It works as a psychoactive drug, which means that it boosts energy and makes one unusually hyperactive.
This drug is as highly addictive as the illegal drugs like cocaine and heroin.
What are the consequences of smoking addiction?
Cigarette smoking increases the risk of acquiring cancer. The risk is even more increased when one gets heavily addicted to it.
Lung cancer is the most common repercussion to smoking. This is because of the chemical content known as tar. This is a highly unhealthy chemical because it sticks in the lung surfaces. When they collect and accumulate, they impair and eventually destroy the lungs.
Experts say that there is no way you could release the tar collected in the lungs. Once it’s there, it’s there. The only way to lessen the risk of getting lung cancer is to immediately stop smoking before it’s too late.
So, When Do I Quit Smoking?
NOW! Now is the best time to quit smoking. It won’t be an easy process, but when you successfully get over smoking, you will feel a renewed sense of fulfillment and self-worth.
You can seek the help of people around you to help you with your aim to finally put your smoking habit to rest. Your friends and family will surely be ready to give you a helping hand. There may also be support groups in your community. These groups are usually composed of individuals who, just like you, also got into the pitfalls of smoking but were able to recover from it.
The internet is also a great source of motivations and information on how to quit the habit. You will learn that there are a lot of proven and effective ways to quit smoking forever. This is a good way to convince yourself that your desire to finally quit smoking is not at all a losing battle.
Your Thoughts?
Are you motivated enough now? Would you like to share any of your personal experiences? Let me know in the comments!
