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This may seem very strange, but we feel that smoking is actually good for you. There has to be a good side to smoking, otherwise nobody would be doing it. Here is a list of some of the benefits of smoking:
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- Enjoyable
- Cope with stressful situations
- Relaxing
- Combats boredom
- Keeps weight down
- Helps focus
- Fights loneliness and depression
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“Smoking is how I relax.
It also keeps my weight down”
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“Smoking gets me out of the office. I really look forward to those breaks”
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Smoking is one of the main ways people handle stressful situations. Just the simple act of smoking allows you to go outside to smoke. Think about it. Going outside:
- Allows you leave the stress
- Puts you in a different environment
- Allows you to clear your head
Also, the way you smoke can be relaxing. Taking a deep puff and holding it in for a few seconds is very similar to what’s called relaxation breathing. In relaxation breathing, you take a deep breath, hold it in for a few seconds, and then exhale slowly.
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Taking a deep puff is just like using relaxation breathing.
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| Another benefit of smoking is that is lessens feeling of depression or anxiety. It’s the nicotine in your cigarettes that is responsible for making these feelings go away. Think of the nicotine as a medication, and your cigarette as a medication delivery device. |
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The nicotine in your cigarettes acts like an anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medication.
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| After taking a puff, the nicotine in the smoke travels to your brain where is causes a chemical reaction. This reaction is what picks up your mood or lessens anxiety. |
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The nicotine in the smoke causes a chemical reaction in your brain that makes you feel better.
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| The nicotine travels to your brain in less than seven seconds. That’s faster than if you were to inject it into your veins, and it’s one of the reasons why nicotine is such an addictive drug.
The anti-depressant and anti-anxiety properties of nicotine explain why so many people who smoke suffer from depression and anxiety. The cigarettes are treating those conditions with every puff!
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About 1/3 of the people who smoke suffer from anxiety and/or depression.
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| If you smoke as a way of dealing with depression, then quitting may make you feel depressed. The quit smoking medication Zyban helps in two ways: |
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- Wards off withdrawal symptoms
- Fights depression
Another beneficial aspect of smoking is that it keeps the weight down. Cigarettes do this by:
- Keeping food in your stomach longer
- Suppressing your appetite
- Artificially speeding up your metabolism
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Smoking burns up an extra 300 calories each day.
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| Not everyone gains weight. The typical amount gained is 5 pounds, but some people gain more. There are many effective weight control methods designed to keeps the pounds off when you quit. |
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With a moderate exercise plan,
most people can keep the weight off.
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Focusing on the benefits of smoking is a good first step because:
- better prepares you to quit
- allows you replace the good side of smoking with things that are safer and healthier for you, while achieving similar results
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