Smoking Cessation:Why stop? Why now? Who can help?
At a time when we are encouraged to set personal goals for 2020, thoughts tend to concern exercise, diet, and financial goals. Still, almost 1 in 6 adults are current smokers, attributing to over 480,000 hospital admissions in 2017 alone(1). This statistic is bolstered by the number of people affected by passive smoking, as breathing in second-hand smoke significantly increases the risk of lung cancer and heart disease(2,3). More importantly, as children develop, exposure to passive smoking doubles their risk of chest-related illnesses, including pneumonia and asthma(4). Therefore, in spite of the well documented personal health risks, you may be putting your loved ones at more risk than you think.
In addition to protecting your family and friends, achieving smoking cessation could help you accomplish your 2020 goals. Firstly, within 3 and 9 months of quitting, your blood circulation and lung capacity will improve, respectively(5,6). This will make all physical activity easier, meaning those exercise goals are more accomplish-able. On the other hand, smoking cessation can lead to exponential financial improvements by alleviating both the daily expense and lowering costs of life and holiday insurance.
While the motive to quit may vary for each smoker, it is important to understand the options available to help you quit. Examples include nicotine replacement therapies, i.e. patches, and e-cigarettes. Still, though cheaper, these options also incur expenses over long periods of time. Therefore, one alternative to consider is hypnotherapy. Evidence has repeatedly demonstrated its effectiveness as an aid for smoking cessation, with long-term sustained quit rates(7). Hypnotherapy can be delivered as a group or individual therapy, and aims to decrease the person’s desire to smoke, or strengthen their will to stop smoking(8). Finally, through guidance from your hypnotherapist, attending a session could give you the mental tools required to fight any future desire to smoke, and refocus on achieving those personal goals(8).
References
1. Statistics on Smoking - England , 2018 [PAS] - NHS Digital. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/statistics-on-smoking/statistics-on-smoking-england-2018
2. Taylor, R., Gumming, R., Woodward, A., & Black, M. (2001, 6 1). Passive smoking and lung cancer: a cumulative meta-analysis. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 25(3), 203-211.
3. Whincup, P., Gilg, J., Emberson, J., Jarvis, M., Feyerabend, C., Bryant, A., . . . Cook, D. (2004, 7 24). Passive smoking and risk of coronary heart disease and stroke: prospective study with cotinine measurement. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 329(7459), 200-5.
4. Kosecik, M., Erel, O., Sevinc, E., & Selek, S. (2005, 4 8). Increased oxidative stress in children exposed to passive smoking. International Journal of Cardiology, 100(1), 61-64.
5. Shimada, S., Hasegawa, K., Wada, H., Terashima, S., Satoh-Asahara, N., Yamakage, H., . . . Takahashi, Y. (2011). High Blood Viscosity Is Closely Associated With Cigarette Smoking and Markedly Reduced by Smoking Cessation. Circulation Journal, 75(1), 185-189.
6. Verbanck, S., Schuermans, D., Paiva, M., Meysman, M., & Vincken, W. (2006, 10 15). Small Airway Function Improvement after Smoking Cessation in Smokers without Airway Obstruction. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 174(8), 853-857.
7. Luciano, D. (2016, 1 1). Is Hypnotherapy an Effective Treatment in Smoking Cessation In Comparison to Alternative Methods? PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship.
8. Chaney, S., & Sheriff, S. (2012, 4). Evidence-based treatments for smoking cessation. The Nurse Practitioner, 37(4), 24-31.