Most of us are aware that drinking and smoking aren’t good for our health in any way, yet we get to choose to smoke and drink on a daily basis and get addicted to them.
While growing up, children view smoking and drinking as a ‘cool’ thing to do and this way they get trapped and end up choosing these hazardous products over everything and this is what addiction is.
Now the question is:
Why do I want to smoke or drink even though I know how harmful it is?
Cigarettes contain nicotine and more than 4000 other harmful chemicals that are easily absorbed into the blood through the lungs. This way, nicotine spreads all over the body which in turn gives a sense of satisfaction and diverts the mind from unpleasant feelings. This triggers a powerful urge to smoke more and more. Drinking alcohol releases endorphins (chemicals that give us a feeling of intense excitement and happiness). That’s why alcohol makes people feel good leading to higher tolerance with excessive use.
The effects of smoking: Any amount of smoking is bad for your body. It can do a lot of damage to your health that it’s hard to decide where to begin.
- It can damage the air sacs of our lungs and causes chronic bronchitis and breathing difficulties.
- It can cause cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus (the tube between your mouth and stomach), voice box, bowel, cervix, kidney, liver, bladder, pancreas, uterus, stomach.
- It can cause heart attack, coronary artery disease, and can damage organs in our body.
- It can cause high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
- It increases the risk of infertility, premature birth and sudden infant death.
- It increases the risk of tuberculosis, certain eye diseases and diabetes.
The effects of drinking:
Most people assume the occasional beer or a glass of wine on special occasions or at mealtimes doesn’t harm in any way. But drinking any amount of alcohol can harm us and leads to unwanted health problems.
People who drink regularly or drink heavily tend to notice health effects sooner than those who drink in moderation.
Research in the past suggested that light drinking is acceptable and might even be beneficial for health. But recent research shows that there is no safe amount of alcohol, even light drinking can impact our health badly.
- It can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease and digestive problems.
- It can cause cancer of the throat, mouth, breast, liver,colon, voice box, bladder and rectum.
- It results in the weakening of the immune system which means you can get sick more often
- It can cause mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.
- It can cause problems with memory and concentration.
- It can cause ulcers or hemorrhoids.
Factors influencing drinking and smoking:
- Parental and peer pressure
- Anxiety and depression
- Stressful environment
- Financial pressure
- Social status
- Nicotine exposure during childhood
As we all know that smoking and drinking serves us no good, it only deteriots our health with time. Why not make better choices and take a step at least to try to quit smoking and drinking.
“I’m not telling you it is going to be easy – I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it.”
-Arthur L. Williams, Jr.
