This article discusses various extrinsic and intrinsic factors that push a person towards smoking and ultimately make them smoking addicts. Also, learn how you can quit smoking conveniently with the help of certain smoking cessation medications such as Champix.
Factors Influencing Your Smoking Habits:
It has been noticed that many people pick up the habit of smoking during their school days. In fact, some people even start smoking when they are in primary school. Most people, who smoke, claim they get thrilled out of smoking. However, the thrill derived from cigarettes is short-lived. The harmful effects of smoking on the other hand are extremely serious and may even take your life. Here we shall discuss the leading extrinsic and intrinsic factors that influence the smoking habit in most people.
Extrinsic Factors Influencing Smoking Habits:
Extrinsic factors are the factors that occur in the smoker’s environment that may affect their smoking habit. Some of the extrinsic factors that influence smoking habits include.
Peer Pressure:
It is said that peer pressure plays a major role in making a person kick-start the habit of smoking. Many people begin smoking because their friends have tried it or smoked themselves. Those children, in turn, start smoking because somebody in their environment be it their parents, grandparents or older siblings smokes. So basically, people smoke because they want to emulate people close to them or present in their environment.
To Look Cool And Fashionable:
Media portrayal of film stars and pop icons smoking a cigarette makes people think smoking is a fashionable thing to do. Many people, therefore, take up smoking because they want to portray themselves as trendy.
To Connect With Friends:
Many times people initiate their first dialogue with strangers by asking for a lighter or a cigarette. Smoking, therefore, helps them form a connection and make friends with people.
Intrinsic Factors Influencing Smoking Habits:
Several intrinsic factors may naturally drive people towards smoking. Some of the leading intrinsic factors that influence a person’s habit of smoking have been discussed below:
To Experiment:
Many children take up smoking because they want to experiment with smoking. People assume that they can light a few cigarettes and get out of the habit when they want. But most often casual experimenters become habitual smokers.
To Rebel:
Many times, children smoke out of rebellion. They want to do everything their parents and teachers say is wrong for them. They derive a thrill from participating in prohibitive acts without being caught.
To Relax:
Some people believe that smoking gives them pleasure and helps them relax. During breaks at work or after coming home, they light up a cigarette to relax.
To Concentrate:
Some people think that smoking helps to open up their minds and enhances their concentration levels. They smoke when they have a tough task at hand or when they wish to be creative.
To Avoid Gaining Weight:
Many women continue with the habit of smoking because they feel that if they quit smoking they’ll gain weight and therefore look unattractive. However, studies show that quitting smoking makes you feel more energetic leaving you with the energy to spend time gainfully in a gym and remain fit.
About Smoking Cessation Medications:
Currently, there are just 2 smoking cessation medications that have been approved by the FDA namely Zyban (bupropion) and Champix (varenicline). These are available on a prescription basis only. Both these medications aim at easing the smoking cessation process so that a person can get over his/her nicotine addiction and quit smoking forever. These days, smoking cessation medications are the most preferred smoking aids.
How Champix helps Quit Smoking:
In various clinical studies, Champix has been proven to be more advanced than the only other FDA-approved smoking cessation medication - Zyban (bupropion). Both drugs relieve a person of nicotine withdrawal symptoms. But Champix is more effective as it also makes smoking less pleasurable for you.
Varenicline active ingredient in Champix–attaches itself to the nicotine receptors in your brain. Your urge for nicotine is virtually satisfied and you, therefore, don’t crave a smoke. Further Champix prevents nicotine from binding to its receptors. You, therefore, do not derive the same pleasure as you used to get earlier. This unique mechanism of Champix makes it the most advanced and effective, as well as the most preferred, quit-smoking medication.
A lot of people who smoke go through cycles of wanting to give up, but they worry about the possible weight gain from quitting smoking. Putting on weight can result in a whole other set of health complications. Those who worry about gaining weight often abandon their thoughts of stopping their smoking habit.
They feel it's easier for them to continue smoking than to lose unwanted pounds. To look at ways to lose weight after quitting smoking, we need to evaluate the reasons why people gain extra pounds when they quit smoking in the first place.
First and foremost, nicotine is an appetite suppressant and a stimulant. Your metabolism increases slightly when you smoke. Your metabolism after quitting smoking decreases and your hunger increases. Also, when stress levels are high for smokers, lighting up a cigarette to calm one's nerves is typical. Those who quit smoking, find other ways to relieve the stress, such as eating.
When a smoker makes a decision to quit, cravings are normal. To control these cravings, food is often the substitute. High-calorie, high-sugar foods like chocolate bars are usually the substitute as they are easy to get, quick to eat, and give you that little buzz almost immediately. But the calories add up, the metabolism is slowed, and, sadly, the weight gain from quitting smoking begins.
Keep Yourself Busy:
You can prevent weight gain when giving up smoking by counteracting the actions that cause you to put on weight the begin with. If a craving occurs, go for a long walk or listen to music. Read a book or start a low-stress project to keep your mind busy. Whatever you do, keep yourself occupied.
When an overactive appetite becomes an issue after you quit smoking then look at healthier food snacks. Eat carrot sticks rather than potato chips or dried fruit as an alternative to biscuits. Low-calorie and sugar-free snack foods have vastly improved and, in some cases, are every bit as good as their junk food alternatives. Healthier options for snacks will help avoid too much weight gain from quitting smoking.
How To Control Weight Gain:
Sometimes weight gain becomes unavoidable for a smoker who has recently given up. If you begin an exercise program without delay, you can avoid putting on more weight and it can help you to lose the few pounds that have been put on since you stopped smoking.
Drink lots of water in between meals to help fill you up so you won't feel too much of an urge to eat tempting foods. Smoking can be a habit of the past without replacing it with tons of food. Eating sensibly keeping busy, and exercising will help you to lose weight after quitting smoking.
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