C. Robert Adams, M.D.

                               (C. Robert Adams, M.D.)

                            Board Certified Neurologist

  109 N. 15th St., Ste 14, Norfolk Ne. 68701 Phone: 402-371-0226 Toll Free: 888-516-2398

How to Deal With Smoking

            Smoking tobacco, and in particular cigarettes, has long been a popular American past time and habit.  The serious effects of smoking, however, have been very well established, but probably not made well public.  The majority of lung cancers in men and women would probably not even occur if not for the cancer inducing effects of smoking over a long period of time.  Even a larger threat in terms of numbers of people affected, is the acceleration or encouragement of hardening of the arteries and associated strokes.  As a rule, those who have smoked a pack of cigarettes a day or more on a long term basis will have much higher likelihood of having premature or early heart attacks or strokes.  Other bothersome medical illnesses include increased tendency towards bronchitis and asthma.  A very slow destruction of lung tissue occurs, such that a person may get by ten to twenty years before developing problems of fatigue, cough, breathlessness, and so on.

            Being serious enough to acknowledge that smoking does cause medical problems is an important first step.  Even if one has little regard for his or her own personal health, the effects of smoking around children should be considered in that nasal congestion, asthma, and increased tendency towards bronchitis are promoted by smoking.  To look at it another way, the majority of responsible parents would be careful to not smoke around an infant who was having cough and shortness of breath from a “cold” or chest infection.  However, it is important to consider the harmful effect smoking may have on older children and adults with sinus problems, allergies, etc.

            Control of management of a smoking habit is just as important as attempts to stop smoking altogether.  The person who really “relishes” every cigarette is clearly going to have the most difficulty cutting down.  However, in the case of nearly all smokers, there are a number of “habit” cigarettes smoked during the day which can be eliminated.  There is no sense in feeling guilty about the enjoyable and satisfying cigarettes at coffee breaks, after meals, and with pleasant socialization with other people.  Those cigarettes smoked as when going to the bathroom, or walking into the kitchen, or getting into the car, etc., without little thought, are the ones best initially stopped.  One needs to look at whatever technique or gimmick that can be helpful in cutting down on smoking.  Overindulgent or excessive eating and resultant weight gain is not an appropriate substitute to obtain the oral satisfaction one might miss by not holding cigarettes in their mouth.  Chewing gum, holding a toothpick, or an unlit pipe in one’s mouth, etc., are options.  The sense of withdrawal from this oral satisfaction is usually time limited and eases up after a period of a few days to a few weeks.  There are other types of options which can be helpful in cutting down or eliminating smoking.  Again, it is extremely important to remember the beneficial value of decreasing the number of cigarettes, even if smoking is not eliminated altogether.  Other options include hypnosis, biofeedback, etc.  Finally, it is very important to identify and deal with any medical problems such as anxiety, depression, pain, etc., which might be encouraging one to rely on smoking as a “crutch”.

            The essential point is that smoking has very bad effects on the person inhaling the smoke, as well as those around that person exposed to the smoke secondarily.  A person would not be very comfortable standing with his face over the smoke of a campfire.  Similarly, it makes little sense to irritate the mucous membranes of the nose, throat, voice box, and the lungs with harmful and cancer inducing gas and ash from cigarettes.

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Last modified: 04/25/07