Smoking

Here I am, getting ready to write another blog for you guys and what am I NOT doing? Well for starters I’m not bitting my nails, cracking my fingers, saying um or tapping my feet! But most importantly, I am not doing the habit that I will discussing this week. I am not smoking.

Unfortunately this habit has continued unabated over the years and has become a problem for people of all ages. Not only does it affect the one that is smoking, but it also affects those around them. We are taught at a young age about the severity of secondhand smoke. How can one prevent it? Smokers are creating a problem that the rest of us cannot avoid. Think about it. If the majority of our world began smoking, the rest of us would not be able to escape from the cloud of smoke that is created. We would constantly be breathing in this smoke with nowhere to hide.

How is this fair? It is different when people perform minor habits that affect only themselves. However, when it begins to affect their health and the health of others around them, then it becomes a serious problem. 

There are two kinds of bad habits. There are minor bad habits, such as our usual bitting of nails, and there are major bad habits, which is where smoking fits in. It is these habits that create addictions and health problems. These habits require a constant use of the substances in question, hence the addiction, which will eventually force the individual to need higher doses in order to get the same “high”. Addictions such as smoking can also create periods of “withdrawal” when one tries to quit. ²  It is the nicotine in the cigarettes that makes it addictive. Like any other drug that is used, nicotine
will affect the mind and body. After a certain amount of time, an individual will feel like they have to "have it just to feel normal". ¹ This is the reason why people become discouraged when trying to quit and simply continue the habit. ² 

What people may not realize is that we turn to these major bad habits because it makes us feel good and in control of situations where we would otherwise feel out of control or worthless. It is the same for minor bad habits, we turn to them in order to quell certain emotions we are feeling. Smoking is taking this to the extreme.

There are many reasons why people start smoking. Some think it is cool and do it because their friends do. Others will do it because members of the family do it. ¹  
However, I think a common cause for this habit is a persons emotions. Just as all other habits, to feel better an individual must feel in control of a situation. Smoking is what these individuals can control. It is a circumstance where the individual will feel one hundred percent in control of the situation even if they are one hundred percent out of control. It is a tricky concept to grasp and can only be fully understood if one has fallen into a major bad habit. 
This could include anything from alcohol abuse, to gambling, to eating disorders and more. ² 

However, smoking is not gambling. Smoking affects the health of an individual and can lead to heart disease, cancer (lung, stomach, throat or bladder) and other life threatening illnesses. ¹  

All of these diseases can have terrible affects on a persons life. ¹ All because of a habit! 

It is the cause of 1 in 5 deaths in the United States alone. ¹ Could you imagine what it is in the rest of the world?

In my opinion, if this habit can be so dangerous to your health and can even become fatal, it needs to stop. 

Actually no. 

It shouldn’t even be started in the first place! People do not think of others they are harming in these situations. Such as secondhand smoke when they have children or other family members around. Or even the toll it puts on one’s family if the individual does end up with one of these deadly diseases.

Fortunately, there are many ways to quit this addiction. The most affective is of course staying smoke free. It is important to try and avoid situations where you will have the urge to smoke. ¹ 




An individual can also go to therapy in order to deal with their feelings and get help from a professional. Heck! There is even the smoking patch that we see on almost every commercial out there. 

Help is everywhere. A person just needs to want to find it. Click here for more ways to quit smoking.

Hopefully those that suffer from this habit can find it in them to quit. There are many other ways to deal with situations that does not involve self harm. 

I hope this post was helpful for those of you that do want to quit smoking. 
As for my teacher and fellow classmates that are reading this.... you guys better not be smoking.

Thanks again for reading! I promise it won’t be this long and boring next week!

5 down, 3 to go!

Until next time!

¹ http://kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/tobacco/smoking.html

²  www.choosehelp.com/topics/counseling/breaking-bad-habits-cigarette-smoking