While lighting a cigarette, a heavy smoker rarely thinks about the inconvenience and harm he causes to those around him. First of all, this concerns the closest ones - the family. Not everyone is pleased to breathe in clubs of “aromatic” smoke, but, unfortunately, not everyone thinks about it, putting first their own selfish desires. And if the family still faces such a problem as a smoking child, then panic may already begin. What to do?
How does a habit arise
Cigarette smoke is an insidious enemy. Its detrimental effect on the body is not immediately noticeable, in contrast to the habit, which is formed quickly enough. The desire to smoke occurs with nervous tension, after eating and when it becomes boring. The habitual ritual of deep tightening creates the illusion of employment, cigarette smoke relaxes and soothes. At the same time, nicotine alkaloids, which over time become addictive, settle on the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and enter the brain through the blood vessels, where they actively influence the nerve receptors responsible for pleasure. Thus, the psychological causes of a habit are closely intertwined with physiological causes.
Smoking is a time bomb
Blood vessels constrict from the effects of nicotine; accordingly, the nutrition of the brain and internal organs deteriorates. Vision suffers, lungs become contaminated, a “smoker's cough” occurs, chronic bronchitis, accompanied by morning cough with an unpleasant expectoration. In addition to nicotine, tobacco smoke contains a number of resins with a carcinogenic effect, radioactive polonium and poisons such as formaldehyde, arsenic, cyanide. These harmful substances are not completely eliminated from the body, accumulating over time and contributing to the transformation of healthy cells into cancer cells. But these processes are quite delayed in time, therefore, no doctor will indicate smoking as the immediate cause of the disease, only as a concomitant factor. The causal relationship is broken, as it were, smokers have no fear that his habit will inevitably lead to poor health.
Passive and active smoking
Smoking can be active when a person consciously exposes himself to the effects of nicotine, and passive when the surrounding product breathes the cigarette burning product. The so-called second - hand smoke is especially dangerous for babies. Smoking parents endanger their children. Often their smoking becomes the cause of allergic reactions, asthma, chronic bronchitis in their children. Even the smell emanating from the mouth and from the clothes of the mother who had just smoked a cigarette, not to mention the nicotine he receives with breast milk, is harmful to the baby. During pregnancy, with every puff, a woman provokes an oxygen deficiency in the fetus, which can subsequently negatively affect his mental abilities and cause congenital physical and neuropsychic underdevelopment. Smoking of parents in front of a teenager is a psychological addiction to the process, it seems normal and makes the first step easier for a cigarette. It is not necessary to think that if a healthy child was born to smoking parents, then in the future there will be no more problems. Unfortunately, they can occur much later, not only in the child himself, but also in his descendants.
If a child smokes
Unfortunately, a smoking child today is not a rare phenomenon. Tough morals reign in the teenage environment in order to seem older and cooler, children begin to smoke and use foul language, try alcohol. Not necessarily a smoking child will go downhill, but the chances of it are sharply increased. In these children, growth often slows down, the gastrointestinal tract worsens, shortness of breath appears, and the heart rhythm is disturbed. Due to nicotine addiction, cerebral blood supply suffers primarily, which dramatically reduces its function. Disturbed memory and logical thinking, impaired concentration and coordination. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the hormonal background changes. The teenager becomes sharper, nervous, during puberty, problems with underweight or, on the contrary, its excess may appear. Menstrual irregularities are not uncommon among girls, and reproductive system malfunctions among boys.
Reasons for early smoking of youth
Statistics show that children smoke cigarettes for the following reasons:
- Smoking by parents or older siblings. Especially relevant for children from 9 to 12 years.
- Bad company when teens get together and try to drink and smoke together. The problem affects children of a different nature, the ringleaders will try first and will persistently treat friends, and it is difficult to say “no” to shy and reserved children.
- The desire to appear more mature, to earn credibility in their midst.
- If there is a conflict at home and the child feels lonely and incomprehensible.
- Young girls are often fond of images of screen stars to get closer to them, they begin to dress more openly, use bright makeup, and start smoking.
What to do if a child starts smoking
Do you have a smoking child? What to do? No need to scream or beat him, usually this gives the opposite effect. In a conversation it is better to use the arguments “I am very upset”, “I worry” and not “you upset me”, the transition to personalities causes aggression and a desire to defend oneself. Open confrontation rarely gives the desired result, you need to try to gently and imperceptibly switch the interests of the child, remove him from the undesirable company in which it is customary to smoke. The easiest way to find allies among athletes who adhere to a healthy lifestyle. A good coach and friends in a section or circle can become friends for many years, and sports will help to instill a will and character.
Smoking and children: prevention of addictions
Nationwide, the number of smokers is terrifying. We must strive to correct the situation by all means, replacing bad habits with good ones. The desire to try something new is natural for the child's psyche, the task of adults is to timely direct energy and curiosity in the right direction. The best prevention of teenage bad habits is our own example. Parents should try to lead an active lifestyle, play sports and instill love for him in children from a young age. Many people forget about culture, this is another important component of our lives. Joint visits to museums, theaters, watching and discussing good movies and reading books, and not from time to time, but regularly. All this will help not to lose common ground and maintain their own authority in the eyes of the child, create trusting, deep relationships.
No smoking! Health - Yes
In smokers, the skin becomes yellowish, the teeth turn black, it smells bad from the mouth and hair. This bad habit takes a lot of money and free time, which can be used with greater benefit and pleasure. Everyone calculates the monetary value without difficulty, they think less about time costs, and this is neither more nor less, from 10 to 15 days every year! In addition, due to the constant effect on the nervous system, smokers are emotionally unstable, they fall asleep worse, sleep is quite alarming and is regularly disturbed by coughing attacks and numbness of the limbs. As soon as he wakes up, the smoker reaches for a cigarette to inhale such coveted tobacco smoke again, especially if it is under the influence of alcohol. This often causes fires, in which the perpetrator himself and his family members die.
Of course, abandoning bad habits, mankind will not immediately get rid of all health problems, but there will be significantly fewer of them, this is a fact. A healthy lifestyle, the habit of eating right and playing sports from early childhood can improve the nation and prolong youth. One way or another, the children follow the path of their parents, being more strict about themselves and their actions, we help our children choose the right path in life. Life can be beautiful without smoking!