The warning on a box of cigarettes reading ‘Smoking Kills’ is not enough for the people who smoke regularly to shed their worries off through the smoke. Most of the people who are regular smokers or ‘chain smokers’ cannot proceed with their daily schedule without having a smoke in the morning. In cases of minor inconveniences, stress, worries, and anxiety, most people are habituated to reach out for that one cigarette in their pocket.
People think a cigarette will help them forget their worries and reduce anxiety. Little do they know that this little tobacco stick can affect your nervous system to a great extent. To get a detailed understanding on how smoking can affect your nervous system, OnlyMyHealth team spoke to Dr Sunil Singla, Director and Head of Department, Department of Neurology, SHALBY Sanar International Hospitals, Gurugram.
According to the National Institute of Health, the smoke generated during tobacco combustion is a toxic mixture of more than 5000 chemicals of which over 30 are known human carcinogens. The study also claims that smoking affects negatively on the nervous system.
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“Like most addictive drugs, nicotine generates feelings of pleasure and satisfaction by causing the release of dopamine. It also releases glutamate, which is involved in learning and memory; endorphins, which play a role in calming and sedation; and serotonin, which is implicated in mood modulation and appetite,” Dr Singla said.
Furthermore, he said, “Nicotine also affects stress levels and attention. It enhances the action of whatever is going on in the body. In the early morning, nicotine is stimulating like coffee. If you need to concentrate at work, nicotine helps you focus. It is not intoxicating like other drugs out there — another reason why it is popular.
Also read: Smoking And Cervical Cancer: Expert Explains The Link And Why Quitting Matters
Effect On Nervous System
Dr Singla explained to us how smoking tobacco filled cigarettes can affect your nervous system.
Cerebral Deterioration: You may become more neglectful or may not be able to think as quickly as you did as you age. However, if you smoke, you may experience faster cerebral deterioration than non-smokers.
Enhanced Risk of Dementia: Smokers have a heightened risk of dementia, a condition that can affect memory, thinking abilities, language skills, judgement and behaviour. It may also trigger personality changes.
Loss of Brain Volume: Smoking negatively affects the structural integrity of subcortical brain regions. Smokers as compared to non-smokers, had larger amounts of age-related brain volume loss in several areas of the brain.
Increased Risk of Stroke: Smokers are more prone to suffer from a stroke than non-smokers. Smoking increases the risk of a stroke in both men and women. This risk increases if you are a chronic smoker and smoke a higher number of cigarettes.
Increased Risk of Cancer: Smoking introduces toxic chemicals into the brain and body which are considered carcinogenic and have the ability to cause Cancer.
Also read: 6 Ways Smoking Affects Your Body Other Than Damaging Your Lung Health
Quitting smoking today can result in positive changes in your body, such as:
- Your heart rate slows down in just 20 minutes after your last cigarette
- Reduction in the levels of carbon monoxide in your blood to a normal range
- Improvement in your blood circulation and lung function
- Reduction in risk of a heart attack by 50%
- Reduction in risk of stroke to that of a non-smoker
Conclusion
Cessation counselling organised for families as a whole proves to be effective as they influence each other rather than individually. A positive, problem-solving attitude works best in quitting tobacco. Reduction in tobacco consumption will require redoubling efforts to prevent initiation and promote cessation. Quit today!