How to Overcome Tobacco Use
Posted: October 24, 2024 | Author: Savannah Price | Read Time: 3 minutes
Addiction is not easy to beat, but there is hope for recovery–especially against tobacco use. With deep understanding and respect for the struggle against tobacco addiction many people face and overcome, this article aims to provide resources and tips that may offer help in battling the ongoing process of recovering from addiction. Accompanied by details of the harmful ingredients of cigarettes, this article also covers treatment options and certain steps that can be followed to help in the recovery process. This isn’t a battle you have to face alone, and though these tips and resources are only part of the journey, you are always supported and have the strength to overcome this addiction.
What’s in a Cigarette
Today, the sale of cigarettes is accompanied by warnings of the dangers of smoking, explaining its addictive nature and multitude of side effects. Cigarettes contain more than 70 known carcinogens, including Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), N-Nitrosamines, Formaldehyde, and Benzene; which can cause mutations in DNA, leading to cancer. The primary cancers associated with tobacco use include lung cancer, mouth cancer, throat cancer, esophageal cancer, and bladder cancer. Carcinogens such as these also wear down skin tissue and cause severe damage to the mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, and lungs over time. Recently, the rise of liquid nicotine has brought about new health problems such as nicotine poisoning, which is a common side effect of using vape or e-cigarettes. These devices are not any less harmful than normal cigarettes, and can in fact cause more harmful and more addictive effects than normal cigarettes.
Resources for Quitting
QuitAssist
Luckily, since more tests began proving the harmful effects of tobacco and smoking, there are many resources to help one begin the process of quitting. Websites such as QuitAssist are packed with helpful quitting information. QuitAssist also has information for a variety of categories related to smoking and quitting, such as how to stay a quitter, help for adolescent smokers, and how to quit vaping or using e-cigarettes.
QuitStart
Other great resources such as phone apps like QuitStart are another great resource to help you on your journey to quitting. The QuitStart app has many features that provide assistance when focusing on the journey to recovery. Some of the features include stickers on a log to track one’s progress after quitting smoking, offering tips and website resources to aid in the quitting process, and even fun and quick games to help distract from nicotine cravings.
SmokeFree
The QuitStart App is paired with the website SmokeFree which aims to not only help people feel supported in smoking but actively provide live phone or texting lines people can reach out to for help along the quitting journey. Their website also provides other resources including a build-your-own quitting plan, resources on using nicotine replacement therapy to help one quit smoking, and other social media links to bring the message of awareness and support onto your very own timeline.
Smoking cessation is a long and arduous process, but the results are worth it. Remember that you are not alone in this. You can quit smoking, it is possible!
About the Health and Wellness Center
The SUU Health and Wellness Center improves student success by promoting holistic health and well-being of students through comprehensive, programming, peer-to-peer support, and preventative education. Visit them in the Sharwan Smith Student Center room 175A for support and assistance.
Tags: Student Health and Wellness FacStaff
