Everyone knows what harm smoking causes to the body. It adversely affects the work of all our organs, and tobacco use is especially dangerous for adolescents. Cigarettes contain harmful components. Compounds and resins do not give any benefit to the gastrointestinal tract, lungs and brain, but, on the contrary, inflict huge damage on them. But how to wean a teenager to smoke? About this in detail in the article.
How does smoking affect the body of a teenager
Currently, the use of nicotine among young people is an urgent problem, as adolescents are particularly prone to "fashion for cigarettes." It is becoming increasingly difficult for adolescents to purchase tobacco every day, as it rises in price and anti-tobacco laws prohibit selling it to minors. But, despite this, there are more and more dependent teenagers. Nicotine is very dangerous for the child's body, which has not yet managed to get stronger.
Cigarettes affect minors, causing them not only physical but also mental addiction. Many throwing people become aware that the psychological factor is no less important in case of nicotine addiction than the physiological one. Those who started smoking as a teenager, for many years to think about how to quit this addiction. However, it is very difficult to do.
In the hierarchy of public health and healthcare, the first question is how to wean teenagers from smoking. Indeed, the fate of a young nation depends on this. Also, these structures are concerned about the prevention of smoking among adolescents. The same issue worries many parents.
What makes youth use nicotine?
Why do teens smoke? Experts believe that children are encouraged by cigarettes curiosity, as well as the desire to quickly "become an adult." The first craving, according to psychologists, occurs at six. If the child’s parents smoke, then he wants to try nicotine much stronger. Also in the latter case, the child is provided with more opportunities. It is proved that in children in such families the dependence is four times stronger. Therefore, before setting a bad example for children, it’s worth considering that you don’t have to wonder later on how to wean a teenager from smoking.
It is generally accepted that young people are imitated by imitation, which is the main way of socialization.
The environment often makes a teenager try cigarettes. The child seeks to start smoking as soon as possible in order to show friends his importance and importance, to stand out among them or, on the contrary, to show his peers that he is the same as them.
Psychologists also consider the option that the child begins to smoke in order to express his protest to the outside world, to prove to parents their independence, as well as the desire to look formed. This is very important for him.
It is at this moment that many parents think about how to wean a teenager from smoking.
Often personal problems push minors to buy cigarettes to relax. It is noticed that many girls begin to smoke at this age due to failed attempts to lose weight or maintain their weight.
Does your child smoke?
Children can masterfully hide their smoking, so finding out this can be difficult. If, for example, a teenager returns home, and a cigarette smell emanates from him, then he can begin to deny his smoking, saying that his friends, acquaintances or someone from passers-by smoked. In order to know exactly whether a child smokes, in no case should one start screaming at him or use force, one should take a closer look at the child and his reaction.
It is worth remembering that scandals will make a child addicted to tobacco more sophisticated to hide a bad habit. And also to be nervous and make the teenager smoke even more.
Signs of smoking a minor
If you suspect that one of your children smokes, you should take a closer look at the following symptoms:
- the color of nails and teeth (smokers turn yellow);
- to the behavior and reactions of the child (smokers begin to get nervous with prolonged inability to smoke);
- to the pocket expenses of a teenager (an increase in spending may indicate smoking);
- to the appearance in the minor spirits with a persistent smell, which he carries almost always with him (perhaps this is how the child tries to overcome the smell of tobacco);
- to constant chewing of chewing gum after walking;
- to the eyes and new manners (smokers may have increased tearing or redness of the corners of the eye);
- to the pockets of outerwear (there you can find leftover tobacco in a smoking teenager, a transparent or paper part from a package of cigarettes, a lighter;
- to the smell of clothes.
How to wean a teenager to smoke?
The right motivation, as well as the value system built in the family, will help rid the child of addiction:
- You should try to talk with a teenager to induce him to quit addiction, to explain what harm it does to the body. It is necessary to make clear to the child that the game is not worth the candle and that there is nothing more important than health.
- You can try stimulation. Psychologists believe that a promise to give the desired thing or take the minor as a reward on a tourist trip will help to convince a child to give up cigarettes.
- Experts advise in a smoking family to protect the child from smoke, as it will cause the abandoned teenager to start smoking again.
- Also, in a smoking family, you can offer your child to give up cigarettes together. A teenager can capture a hobby to win the so-called competition. After all, at that age they hate losing to adults.
- You can conduct a preventive conversation with a minor in which to explain that each person should have an opinion and should not give in to ridicule of comrades and smoke only because it is appreciated in his environment.
- Try to give Tabex a smoking pill to your child.
The opinion of experts
The teenager began to smoke - what to do? Experts believe that it is impossible to wean a child from addiction in a couple of minutes. Quitting nicotine will require a lot of hours-long conversations between parents and their child. Narcologists say that the characteristics of the child's psyche should be taken into account. In the teenage period, self-esteem is important for children, the desire to affirm themselves by all methods and prove their case always and everywhere. Therefore, it is important to communicate with the child on an equal footing, respecting his opinion and proving to him that he is right, the only way to make a conversation productive, according to psychologists.
Swearing, physical punishment, hysterical behavior and intimidation will not be able to convince a teenager to quit smoking, it is important to remember this.
You should not tell your child your negative attitude to smoking and try to make him quit smoking thanks to many hours of notations, as nothing will come of it. There should be a dialogue in which parents must argue their point of view with known facts. You should periodically remind the teenager about the damage that smoking causes to the body. You can show your child a movie on this topic.
But also do not focus on health, because guys at this age feel omnipotent and immortal. When teenage girls smoke, try to talk about how harmful cigarettes are to beauty, teeth, hair, and skin. Perhaps it is worth scaring the girls with the appearance of cellulite from smoking, as well as rapid aging. After all, everyone knows how girls at this age care about their appearance. Tell us that by smoking cigarettes one by one, you can permanently lose the opportunity to have a healthy child.
For young men at this age, it is important to be strong and strong, as well as to have a athletic physique, so they can be told about constant hypoxia of the body when smoking, a decrease in the respiratory volume of the lungs and a worsening of smell. The guys need to pay attention to the fact that nicotine reduces physical activity, worsens the effectiveness of the training process. According to psychologists, such words can greatly affect the opinion of adolescents.
Preventative conversations
Much easier than trying to get a teenager to quit smoking, to make sure that he does not start to do so. From childhood, it is necessary to explain the harm of tobacco to a child. Express disrespect for people who are addicted to nicotine. Children should develop a subconscious aversion to smokers. Also, a lie should not be allowed in a family so that a teenager who has tried a cigarette is ashamed that he has to hide it from family members.
Relations between a teenager and his parents
Experts say that it is trusting relationships in the family that can help overcome any difficulties. When a child just started smoking, he still has no addiction, so quitting tobacco use for him will not be difficult. And it is the right advice or conversation that can help a teenager who has very little life experience to make the right choice in favor of a healthy lifestyle. But not in every family a child will be able to approach such a question with their parents, so trusting relationships play a big role during quitting.
Doctors help
If you notice signs of depression or nicotine withdrawal in your child when you quit smoking, it will not be superfluous to reduce him to a psychologist, neurologist or even a psychiatrist. The doctor will be able to help with medication give up your child’s addiction and prevent him from breaking. He can also prescribe Tabex smoking pills.
The specialist will help strengthen the child’s desire to overcome addiction, help parents find sustainable motivation and overcome all fears, as well as get rid of guilt.
Interest Mugs
Psychologists advise talking with adolescents to find out what their hobbies are. It is necessary to write the child in the section in accordance with his capabilities, so that he does not have time for bad habits. So he does not want to smoke, and this will not prevent the teenager in sports achievements. A minor will find a source of pleasure, make new friends, and this will help him not to return to smoking.
Doing sports
Typically, among children involved in sports, there are no smokers, therefore, having joined the new team, the child will not want to lag behind him. Most likely, new friends will meet this addiction disapprovingly. It is also important that the coaches strictly follow this. Often children see authority in their mentor and obey it.
School activities
Traditional prevention, the story of the dangers of nicotine are effective before the child begins to smoke. Therefore, experts advise regularly to conduct events at the school devoted to this urgent problem. You can ask the class teacher or head teacher to give a lecture on the dangers of smoking for teenagers or devote a lesson to the topic, arrange a general meeting among schoolchildren in the assembly hall, which will show the significance of this problem to students. Many children at this age are very impressionable, and pictures of the consequences of addiction can help convince them not to pick up cigarettes.
Often in schools, biology teachers show children the lungs of a person who smokes and has not tried cigarettes. It also gives good results.
To combat smoking in adolescents, you can invite medical workers to classes at the school, who will tell the children in detail what is happening in the body while using nicotine, as well as provide compelling examples from medical practice.