Quitting smoking can improve both the quality and length of your life, but nicotine dependence can make stopping difficult. Understanding the benefits, available support, and possible withdrawal symptoms can help people who smoke prepare to quit. This information can also help family members understand why stopping tobacco use may take more than one approach.
According to MedlinePlus guidance on quitting smoking, combining counseling with quit-smoking medicine has been shown to be the best method. A health care provider can help you discuss your habits, readiness to quit, and which options may be appropriate.
Why stopping smoking matters
Smoking tobacco harms most organs and causes many health problems. MedlinePlus identifies it as the leading cause of cancer in the United States and tobacco use as the most common preventable cause of death. Risk increases with the number of years a person smokes and the number of cigarettes smoked each day.
The effects extend beyond the person smoking. Tobacco smoke contains many chemicals, and exposure to secondhand smoke can increase the risk of cancer and other diseases. During pregnancy, smoke exposure can also harm the fetus.
Health benefits of quitting smoking
Stopping smoking reduces health risks and can improve everyday well-being. MedlinePlus lists several initial benefits:
- Lower heart rate and blood pressure.
- Less carbon monoxide in the blood, allowing the blood to carry oxygen more effectively.
- Better circulation.
- Less coughing and wheezing.
- The return of the senses of smell and taste.
The benefits also continue over the long term. Quitting tobacco can help you live longer, and the risk of getting cancer decreases with each year you remain smoke-free. The source does not give a single timetable for when every person will notice each improvement.
Approaches that can help you stop
There is more than one way to quit. You may need to try different approaches, and support can address both smoking habits and nicotine addiction.
Counseling and preparation
Counseling with a health care provider can include discussing your smoking habits, assessing your readiness to stop, and setting a quit date. These conversations provide an opportunity to consider how you want to approach quitting and what help may be suitable.
Nicotine replacement products and medicines
Nicotine replacement products and other quit-smoking medicines can help reduce nicotine addiction. However, these products may not be right for everyone. MedlinePlus specifically notes concerns for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, teenagers, and people with certain medical conditions or who take certain medicines.
Discussing these factors with a provider is important before choosing a smoking-cessation product. This guide does not identify a particular medicine, dose, or treatment plan for an individual.
Reducing smoking or stopping altogether
Common approaches include gradually reducing the number of cigarettes smoked each day or stopping altogether, often called “cold turkey.” MedlinePlus lists both approaches while emphasizing that counseling combined with quit-smoking medicine has been shown to work best.
Withdrawal symptoms and professional support
Nicotine is a stimulant drug in tobacco that causes addiction. When you stop or cut back on smoking, you may experience short-term withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, anxiety, moodiness, weight gain, or trouble sleeping.
A provider can help you address these symptoms and find an appropriate way to quit. Professional guidance is especially important when pregnancy, breastfeeding, adolescence, medical conditions, or other medicines may affect which cessation aids are suitable. Contact a health care provider with questions about your health rather than using general information as a substitute for medical care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can e-cigarettes help me quit smoking?
MedlinePlus states that switching to e-cigarettes has not been proven to help people quit smoking. Researchers still have much to learn about their health effects.
Is it normal to feel irritable after stopping?
Irritability is one possible short-term nicotine withdrawal symptom. Anxiety, mood changes, weight gain, and sleep problems can also occur. A provider can help you manage these symptoms.
What if I need to try more than one approach?
MedlinePlus notes that you may need to try different things. Counseling combined with quit-smoking medicine has been shown to be the best method, and a provider can help you explore appropriate options.
