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Pros and Cons of Quitting Smoking

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To quit smoking is of particular importance and a very hard decision to make. To quit smoking depends on the individual’s personality, daily habits, and the extent of the addiction. Cold turkey has been the most popular way to quit smoking. Majority of smokers who try to stop smoking without the help of medication, only 3% to 10% succeed. This article highlights the pros and cons of quitting smoking.

 

Pros:

1. Better health: Cigarette smoking can affect your lungs and create other health risks. Once you quit smoking, you will have better health, better gums, and strong teeth.

2. No smelling of cigarettes: People who smoke cigarettes always smell of smoke and cigarettes. Once you quit, you will have a cleaner breath and teeth. You will also gain a strong sense of smell and your clothes and the smoking area will always smell clean.

3. Save money: Cigarette smoking puts financial constraints on your budget and once you make a decision to stop, you can cut down the financial cost of smoking.

4. Become a member of a support group: The easy way to help you stop smoking is by joining a support group where its members support each other during the cravings. From these support groups, you can build a strong friendship and also help others in quitting their addiction.

5. Faster recovery after illness: Nicotine substances in the body can interfere with certain drugs by reducing their effectiveness and this may prolong any medical condition. Once you quit smoking, you may notice a quick recovery from any illness or improvement in any medical condition.

6. Improved sense of taste: Quitting smoking will improve the sense of taste and food will taste better when your body is free from nicotine.

7. Short withdrawal symptoms: If you go cold turkey as a way to quit your addiction, you will only experience withdrawal symptoms for three months.

8. Smoking aids: Nicotine patches and gums can contribute to your quick recovery from your addiction although you’re still introducing nicotine to the body through them.

9. Enjoy family time: There will be no sneaking out during family dinner or funny moments to go and smoke. You will be able to enjoy others’ company without the need to sneak out.

10. No burn holes: Once you quit smoking, there will be no burned holes on your clothes or car upholstery.

 

Cons:

1. Miss smoking: You will always experience craving times to smoke and sometimes you may be tempted to smoke again.

2. Withdrawal symptoms: Smokers are psychologically and physically addicted to the nicotine substance in cigarettes and when they stop, the body experiences withdrawal symptoms like insomnia, depression, or irritation.

3. Weight gain: Quitting smoking may give you the urge to eat something to reduce the cravings for the smoke. This may contribute to weight gain if you’re not watching what you eat.

4. Side effects of cessation aids: Smoke cessation aids used to help in quitting smoking may have side effects like experiencing unusual dreams, mood changes and sometimes having suicidal thoughts.

5. No more smoke breaks: Once you quit smoking, you will not have an excuse to take some breaks for smoking because they may remind you of your smoking habits.

6. Nicotine patches and gums: The e-cigarettes used have nicotine and they still add nicotine substances into the body in small quantities so you’re not totally free of nicotine if you use them to aid in quitting smoking.

7. Hard time: You may experience a hard time permanently quitting smoking especially if you’re going cold turkey way compared to those using smoking aids.

8. Lose smoking buddies: If you quit smoking, you have to let go of some of the buddies you’re entertained while smoking.

9. Not easy to quit smoking: Only 3 to 10% of people who quit smoking without counseling or medication are able to succeed. Many have tried to quit more than 7 times.

10. Require dedication: You need to have a plan and follow it through. You also need to schedule counseling sections and follow through with the advice given to stop your addiction and this is a time-consuming method.

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