Former smokers may tell you that kicking the habit was the hardest thing they ever did. It can be extremely tough to quit, even though you are fully aware of the potentially deadly impact that smoking has on your health. It's understandable why smoking is such a tough habit to break. It can become addictive both physically and emotionally.
Nicotine Addiction
While your mind wants you to quit smoking, your body wants you to keep on puffing. This is because your body has grown to depend on nicotine. Nicotine is the addictive substance found in tobacco. It makes you feel satisfied and alert. It can also calm the nerves. When your supply of nicotine runs low, your body will begin to crave a cigarette, sometimes in a matter of a few minutes.
Lifestyle Habit
Quitting smoking is hard because it has become a major part of your life. Smoking goes hand in hand with many day-to-day activities. You might automatically reach for a cigarette when you drink coffee. It can become second nature to light up every time you use the phone, get in the car or immediately after eating. Some smokers enjoy the experience of holding and puffing on a cigarette.
Companion Effect
Some smokers actually refer to their cigarettes as a friend. You may smoke when you are lonely, bored, stressed out or depressed. Smoking can also be regarded as a treat or reward when a task is completed.
Challenges
Most people who quit relapse in the first 90 days. The NCI says if you can make it 3 months, you have a good chance of staying smoke free for good. Successfully reaching this milestone does not mean you should let your guard down, however. Old habits die hard, and you may be tempted to smoke from time to time, especially during periods of stress.
Incentives
Once you quit smoking, your body begins to repair itself within minutes. The American Cancer Society says your heart rate and blood pressure goes down 20 minutes after you quit. Within 12 hours, your level of carbon monoxide has returned to normal. Coughing and shortness of breath may decrease as soon as 1 month after your last cigarette. When you've been smoke-free for 1 year, your excess risk of heart disease drops to half that of a smoker. In 10 years, your lung cancer death rate is about half that of an active smoker.
