The most popular places where young adults gather to smoke, drink, and party are bars and clubs. In the modern youth, smoking has become a symbol separating cool and uncool people. The marketing of cigarettes is done in such a way to create attractions for the young people in the form of parties and “the vibe.” Attending a party and not having a drink or smoking is almost impossible due to the environment created in such places. So, party lovers are almost always cigarette smokers or alcohol drinkers, or both. It is almost a rule!
Do you crave cigarettes while drinking alcohol?
Are you a party lover, and have you ever experienced the craving for cigarettes right after alcohol? Have you ever wondered why you feel the need for the two evils together? The answer is simple!
The biggest drawback of alcohol for party goers is “sleepiness” following alcohol use. On the other hand, when used with alcohol, cigarettes ward off sleep because nicotine is a stimulator of the brain. According to a study at the University of Missouri, nicotine acts on the basal forebrain resulting in decreased sleep. So a smoker is more likely to consume more alcohol. These two evils, smoking and drinking, feed off each other in the form of a vicious cycle.
Effects of Smoking on Health and Well-being – Reasons You Need to Quit Smoking!
Cigarettes contain many harmful substances that have adverse effects on your health.
Addiction and Withdrawal:
Cigarette contains nicotine which causes brain stimulation after consumption, and the smoker feels elevated and energetic. But the effects wear off, and tiredness sets in. as a result, the smoker craves more and more doses, and eventually, it becomes a habit.
Quitting smoking is not an easy feat. When you take your body of the stimulatory effects of nicotine, you undergo withdrawal symptoms like headaches and anxiety.
Physical Appearance:
Cigarette smokers have pale and saggy skin with bad breath. It increases the risk of tooth loss and causes yellow patches on fingers and tongue. The hair shine is also lost, and they become coarse.
Health Effects:
Smoking decreases the quality of life due to dependence and life expectancy due to severe diseases that follow long-term cigarette dependence. Although the conditions related to smoking occur after several years, two third of cigarette smokers die due to smoking-related pathologies, and their life is reduced by a decade compared to a non-smoker. The physical stamina of smokers is less than non-smokers.
1. Respiratory System:
Smoke from cigarettes goes directly to the lungs causing various diseases to the respiratory system, including:
● Emphysema; destruction of the walls of air sacs.
● Obstructive lung diseases
● Chronic Bronchitis; inflammation of airways
● Lung cancer
Quitting smoking will lead to healing of the lungs and protection from these life-threatening diseases.
2. Cardiovascular System:
Nicotine causes vasoconstriction, which results in slow blood flow. The continuous narrowing leads to vessel damage and chronic artery disease. Nicotine increases blood pressure and blood clotting, which might result in a stroke.
3. Digestive System:
Smoking increases the risk of digestive system cancers, including pancreatic cancer. The people who do not inhale the smoke up to the lungs can still get mouth cancers due to carcinogens in the smoke. Smoking also makes the cells more insulin resistant resulting in a higher risk of diabetes type 2.
4. Reproductive System:
Nicotine affects the blood flow to the genitals resulting in decreased sexual performance in men and reduced satisfaction due to poor lubrication in women. Smoking can also affect sex hormone levels resulting in decreased sexual desire.
Sum Up!
While staying updated with modern trends has its kick, it is a slippery slope. If you lose your balance, your physical health can get seriously affected. The temporary pleasures of drinking and smoking can be replaced but the health, once lost, is very difficult to regain. So make healthy and wise choices for yourself and your family. Your bad habits not only affect you, but it also affects your loved ones and put them in harm’s way!