10 Most Common Myths On smoking Cigarettes And their Realities
There is a certain phrase that has wrecked more havoc than ever imagined and that simple but very destructive phrase is “No problem, I can stop at any time”. This is not the case when we are talking about smoking addiction because nicotine which is present in cigarettes is very addictive and creates a dependency that is higher than that of heroin. This is what makes getting out of nicotine addiction so difficult. It is therefore on that note that I intend to show you here just 10 most common myths about smoking which are:
Smoking myths 1: Smoking increases the ability to concentrate.
What smokers perceive as an improved ability to concentrate is in reality a state of alarm in the body triggered by nicotine. There is an increase in blood pressure and heart rate as well as other stress reactions. Smokers therefore feel more efficient and resilient, at least in the short term. If this “stimulating effect” subsides, the smoker will very quickly again crave for the next dose of nicotine.
Smoking myths 2: people who quit smoking always increase a lot.
This misconception often prevents smokers in particular from quitting. The truth is, that you gain about two to four kilograms in the weeks after you quit because of the lower calorie metabolism. In the long run, however, this effect is put into perspective, as a study shows: Ex-smokers only gained around 1.5 kg within four years. During the same period, however, the smokers also gained weight — on average 0.5 kg.
Smoking myths 3: A few cigarettes a day are not harmful.
Smokers who smoke five cigarettes a day are of course less harmful to their bodies than smokers who smoke 30 cigarettes a day. But even one cigarette a day increases the risk of a heart attack and the development of cancer. In addition, there is always a risk that the addiction will intensify and that an initial five cigarettes will turn into maybe 15 to 20 in a few years.
Smoking myths 4: Menthol cigarettes are healthier.
The term menthol leads many smokers to believe that these cigarettes are more harmless or healthier than “normal” glow sticks. Menthol, however, only has a pain-reducing effect and relieves the urge to cough, so that smokers can inhale the smoke more deeply. In order to produce this effect, menthol is also found in smaller amounts in every other cigarette.
Smoking myths 5: Gradual smoking cessation is better than the end point method.
Experts clearly advise setting a deadline for the last cigarette. It is true that some smokers manage to limit their cigarette consumption, at least temporarily. However, since they continue to come into contact with the addictive substance on a daily basis, it is more difficult for them to finally draw a definitive line. In addition, there is always the risk of falling back into the old smoking behavior.
Smoking myths 6: At some point, stopping will no longer help.
The opposite is the case: Regardless of how long you have been smoking or how many cigarettes you have smoked, it is always worth quitting at any time. The risk of suffering a heart attack, for example, decreases slightly as early as 24 hours after the last cigarette. Even if you already suffer from a smoking-related illness, it is worth getting out of it. One study showed that people who continued to smoke despite being diagnosed with lung cancer had an increased risk of the disease recurring and died earlier than those who quit smoking.
Smoking myths 7: Smoking makes you relax.
This alleged relaxation effect is actually unknown to non-smokers. The reason: it doesn’t exist! Smokers only feel relaxed through smoking because the withdrawal symptoms that led to tension in the first place subside as they drag on the cigarette. Smoking increases blood pressure and heart rate — is this something called relaxing?
Smoking myths 8: It’s all just scare tactics.
Smokers assume or rather conclude in their mind that smoking isn’t that harmful. With each puff, smokers inhale more than 4,000 different harmful substances that are released when the tobacco is burned. For example, these are carbon monoxide, benzene, cadmium, lead, volatile aldehydes, free radicals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The result: According to the German Cancer Aid, 110,000 people die every year in Germany as a result of tobacco consumption.
Smoking myths 9: Shisha smoking is harmless.
On the contrary: by smoking water pipes you ingest even higher doses of carbon monoxide than when smoking cigarettes. A study by the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment found this out. In addition, the label on hookah tobacco “contains 0 g (or 0%) tar” is misleading, as tar is very much inhaled when smoking a shisha — this comes from the charcoal of the water pipe. In addition, the smoke from water pipes is colder than from cigarettes, which is why heavy metals such as chrome, nickel or lead are drawn even deeper into the lungs.
Smoking myths 10
When leaving, only your own will counts Without personal will, all attempts to exit are doomed to failure. Therefore, smokers should approach the exit systematically and motivate themselves sustainably. But with willpower alone, a maximum of five percent of all smokers can do it. It is better to approach an exit with medical support. The doctor knows effective methods of smoking cessation and can help to devise an individual plan for smoking cessation. The combination of behavior therapy and medical support promises the greatest success.