Smoking is an expensive vice. An ordinary smoker incurs enormous cost to sustain this unhealthy lifestyle and the costs do not pertain solely to him. There are adverse effects to the body, to the immediate family, to the society, to the environment and to the economy.
The most obvious cost of smoking is the daily, weekly and monthly expenditure of an ordinary smoker. Cigarettes now cost an average of $4.00 per pack. How much more would this cost for a chain smoker?
Imagine a smoker burning a pack per day, $4.00 per day. The money burned could amount to almost $1500 in a year! That could already have sent the smoker and his love ones to a decent out-of-town vacation.
Statistics attribute the majority of the cause of death every year as a result of or as aggravated by smoking. The number of smoke related diseases such as cancer, respiratory problems and heart ailments increase yearly. Certain disabilities also result from these tobacco related diseases. It could also result in a decreased ability to enjoy physical abilities because of the ailment or side effects like breathing problems.
Reduced life expectancy, the smoker may lose 10-15 years of his or her life as a consequence.
Medical expenditures will also have to be addressed as most, if not all, smoke related illnesses require treatment, services and medication. Health care services do not always come free.
At the same time, there will be lost productivity when the ailing smoker is forced to retire to the hospital bed and refrain from working. Thus the earning capacity declines. Instead of bringing in more money to the household, the money had to be taken out.
The environment of the smoker will also deteriorate because of the fumes. The car is one place where the smoker could comfortably light up a cigarette. Definitely, the interior will smell, ashes will accumulate and upholstery may get burn holes. Same thing goes if the smoker freely lights up anywhere inside his or her house.
Smoking gives a higher risk of starting a fire. Several fires had been discovered to have originated from a cigarette left lit.
Air pollution is also further aggravated. This is due to the constant release of carbon monoxide in the proximate vicinity. This contributes to the high temperature of the environment.
Smokers also harm their neighbors through secondhand smoke. Non-smokers exposed to the carbons emitted are susceptible to smoking related diseases. If these exposed non-smokers have illnesses, secondhand smoking could further aggravate the situation.
In acquiring insurance policies, there is the trend now to charge higher premiums to smokers. The vice is considered a high-risk.
Smokers who die early do not get to enjoy the fruits of their pensions. This means less social security benefits.
Cigarette smoking also affects the overall aesthetics of the person. These are offshoots of smoking that cannot be disregarded as they affect the self regard of the person and also his or her relationship with others. Rectifying these could actually cost money.
Bad breath brought about by smoking would require gum or mints to overcome the odor. The smoker may also opt for breath fresheners, which are even more expensive. Cigarette components stain the teeth.
Having yellow teeth means extra charge from the dentist aside from the usual cleaning. Smokers were also found to have darkened gums. Smoking could also effect the wrinkling of the skin earlier than the usual.
Smoke makes clothes dirty and the results often require the services of a dry cleaner to be remedied. The smoke can also result in bad smell in the skin and hair.
Smoking also has emotional costs. The dependence to smoking when one gets addicted can be very restricting. There is also the pressure to quit smoking as the smoker realizes the harmful effects to himself and to his or her family.
A person with a smoking-related disease will not be the only one who will suffer. Immediate family members and friends will definitely feel the burden of the illness. There is the constant sense of helplessness in addressing the vice and its side effects.
A lot of money has actually been reduced to ashes because of the vice. That money could in fact be saved from the actual and derivative costs only if the person stops smoking!
Need help with your smoking addiction? What about a support group?
Alcoholics, smokers these are just some types of persons that a support groups help. While you”re in a support group, helping yourself quit is a sign that you”re serious about quitting smoking.
Be patient. It is natural to expect that you could overcome smoking in a short period of time, but it is also natural to know that it is not possible. Identifying yourself as a former smoker doesn”t happen overnight. It takes time to finally quit smoking. If you”ve been a smoker for a good number of years, it may take sometime for you to break the habit. Lapses could occur. So be patient. The process will help you.
Live by the day. Stop thinking about things in the long run, instead, put your focus on the present. At the start of the day, tell yourself you will not touch a cigarette for today. This may be hard at first but it could be a routine you could get used to in the days to come. Thinking of not touching a cigarette forever might be overwhelming for a smoker. Settle in for something that is more realistic, start with today.
Be positive. You don”t have to be hard on yourself if you want to stop smoking. If you have tried to quit smoking and have failed in doing so in the past, don”t think of it as a failure. It will only make you think that you can”t do it again. Instead, use this as a motivation in quitting. Tell yourself that you can conquer this weakness. Learn from your past experiences. Now you have an ace because you”ve been through that stage and know the things that you have to avoid.
You only plan on quitting smoking cigarettes, not quitting on your life. Overcome the feeling of withdrawal by taking care of your body”s needs. Be sure to eat a well-balanced diet. You also have to get enough rest. You might be feeling extra fatigued especially during the first week so be sure to take a good rest and give your body the nutrients it needs. Drink lots of water and exercise daily. Drinking water will help your body get rid of the toxins inside as well as to replace the liquids you lost while exercising. Give your body extra energy by taking vitamins daily. This will help you get back the vitamins you lost in years of smoking.
Avoid alcohol. If you”re a new quitter places where you have to drink alcohol are places where you could also smoke. Having a drink or two will most likely trigger your urge to have another light. And this is a very dangerous phase for a new graduate.
Avoid stress. Stress is a good trigger for you to smoke again. After all it is stress that drove you into your first cigarette pack right? Tension is experienced on the first phase of withdrawing. Relax. Take a deep breath and keep your mind focused on your goal. Take time everyday to cope up with stress. There”s only one thing that could solve this. That is to do things that will relieve it, like reading a good book or playing your favorite sports. A nice warm bath could also be a way of relieving stress.
Take time to enjoy the good things life has to offer. Don”t take on quitting to seriously for it may develop stress. This may even make your attendance to the support group meetings an extra load. Keep the bad thoughts away. There may be times that you would experience anxiety because of the bad turn of events. Take on it as any person would do. Accept it as a part of life. Instead of moping around, treat yourself!
Give up the idea that you could have just one cigarette a day. You started smoking with one stick a day, so this means you”re starting your way back to the old habit once again. That is the reason why you signed yourself in to a support group. It is because you wanted to stop smoking.
Quitting is a process. Getting yourself in a support group alone will not help. It needs determination and courage for you to stop that bad habit of smoking.
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