Psychological and Physical Withdrawal - Part 2

Today, many health professionals say that cigarette smoking is one of the single most important risk factors in ill health that the individual can actually control. It is the greatest single cause of preventable premature death in the United States. What can you expect if you are a smoker and you decide to modify your behavior and quit?

First of all, you'll decrease your risk of developing several tobacco-related illnesses. This happens instantly for some things, but within 15 years, your risk for coronary heart disease is generally no greater than for individuals who have never smoked. Within two years of quitting, your heart attack risk is similar to that of a complete non-smoker.

There is a support group available similar to Alcoholics Anonymous that can help you stop smoking. Nicotine Anonymous is geared for smokers who want to quit. It focuses on nicotine's addictive nature, and can help provide you the support you need from other smokers who are also trying to quit.

However, it does have religious undertones and therefore some individuals find it unsuitable. In addition, these groups discourage the use of nicotine "support" medications such as nicotine gum or patches.

One of the reasons it's so difficult to stop smoking is that there is a physical as well as psychological dependence on cigarettes. Nicotine dependence especially is a physical symptom for chronic smokers. However, this symptom can be treated effectively with both behavioral and pharmacological support.

Pharmacological support, of course, includes nicotine products such as patches, inhalers or gum. Using this combination of therapy, motivated smokers' success rates for quitting are effectively double that of placebo treatments.

If you stop smoking, you'll have an immediate positive impact on your health. As an example, if you're 35 years old and male, you'll increase your life expectancy instantly by 5.1 years.

Whether or not you choose any of the nicotine replacement therapies, choose to join a support group such as Nicotine Anonymous, or utilize any other type of product or program, stopping smoking can only benefit you and help your body begin to heal from smoking's detrimental effects.

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