Those who smoke have a statistically shorter life expectancy. To overcome addiction, various measures can be tried.
Anyone who smokes cigarettes regularly is not doing anything good for their health. The appearance also suffers. The pollutants in cigarette smoke accelerate the aging process. For example, the skin becomes wrinkled more quickly. It has also been proven that the risk of diseases such as diabetes, arteriosclerosis and cancer increases. The lungs and respiratory tract are particularly affected by smoking, according to the
Techniker Krankenkasse
. The risk of developing lung cancer is up to twenty times higher for smokers than for people who don't smoke.
As the
German Cancer Research Center (dkfz)
informs, smoking has a negative impact on life expectancy. If a man smokes more than ten cigarettes a day, he loses a full 9.4 years of life expectancy, a woman loses 7.3 years, according to the
dkfz
. Even moderate consumption of less than ten cigarettes per day still reduces life expectancy by around five years for both sexes.
Great Britain discusses smoking ban for young citizens
Britain wants to put an end to this. The government is currently discussing a regulation that should stop younger people from smoking. The proposed law would increase the minimum age for purchasing tobacco by one year each year. The current age limit is at least 18 years. According to a report in the
Tagesschau
, anyone who is now 15 years old or younger will never be able to buy cigarettes legally as a result of the new regulation.
As justification for the planned law, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cites that smoking is one of the largest preventable causes of death.
Don't miss anything: You can find everything about health in the regular newsletter from our partner 24vita.de.
Many smokers are aware that they are doing enormous damage to their health by smoking regularly. But nicotine consumption is an addiction that many people find difficult to break. With the right individual strategy and a little perseverance, the path to a smoke-free life is possible.
A selection of promising methods
:
Cold turkey:
The method for hardened people. Break up in one day and persevere. It sounds crazy, but it can work – provided the mental preparation is right. If you have previous illnesses, you should definitely talk to your doctor about whether going cold turkey is an option.
Reach your goal with the doctor:
An experienced doctor can support you in quitting smoking with medication or patches and help with withdrawal symptoms.
Behavioral therapy:
Working with a therapist to uncover and change behavioral patterns that lead to smoking may be the right path for many smokers.
Hypnosis:
Outsmarting your inner bastard? Hypnosis is intended to reprogram the subconscious and strengthen the will to stop smoking.
Distraction and reward:
Engaging in hobbies, playing sports or choosing healthier alternatives such as coffee can reduce the urge to smoke. Rewards for smoke-free days provide motivation.
Which way is the right one depends on the type. It is important not to give up straight away if a relapse occurs.
This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It in no way replaces a visit to the doctor. Our editorial team is not allowed to answer individual questions about medical conditions.