Smoking. Isn’t it just a nasty habit? At least that is what our parents and grandparents would say. But is there some truth to this blunt statement? It is true that as a smoker, the habit affects your daily life in more ways than one, and primarily negatively. In order to get a good grasp of what some of these issues are and put it all into perspective, here are 7 ways that smoking affects your daily life.
Every smoker knows that smoking isn’t a cheap habit; on the contrary, it is a very expensive habit! Quite ironic, considering you’re essentially paying to damage your health! At an average cost of £10.40 per pack, the expenses of smoking mean you must budget for this Tobacco item, as the cost can really rack up, even if you smoke less that one pack per day. The question is, is smoking really worth the time and effort to budget and then the cost it racks up daily and per month?
Being friends with many smokers, I know the stress that comes along with the habit! More specifically, the stress that occurs when you are craving a cigarette. As with any addictive substance, the urge to smoke a cigarette is strong, and as a result, it can cause frustration, agitation, restlessness, lack of concentration and sometimes even anger (among other things!). The only quick and easy way to dissipate these unpleasant symptoms is to smoke a cigarette. This is of course, counterproductive as it fuels the addiction which is problematic if you’re trying to quit.
Speaking of stress, smoking doesn’t only cause the smoker alone stress; it also causes stress for the people around them! When an otherwise calm, collected and focused person becomes the opposite in a quick fit of agitation induced by a cigarette craving, it can cause annoyance and friction with the person they are in proximity to. Not fun!
Let’s face it; we live in a vain society where looks are perceived as the all-important windows to the soul. As such, smoking has a particularly negative effect on your daily life, given that it slowly damages your appearance, day by day. In particular, smoking contributes to ageing your skin, causing lines, wrinkles and sagging, as well as other issues such as blotchiness and hair fall. I know many smokers who, despite being in their twenties, have the skin of an individual who is a decade older than themselves, due to years of smoking.
Although these tiny sticks of tobacco appear harmless enough, we all know the damage that smoking can cause to your body and overall health. However, damage doesn’t occur overnight and instead occurs over a period of time – day by day. This means that the longer and more often you smoke, the more potential damage the cigarettes can do to your body. This seems particularly relevant to me as I am writing this, having just listened to a radio show featuring Richard Peto, who emphasised the damage and illnesses that smoking can cause, including heightening the risk of lung cancer. Listen to the experts and stay away!
Every smoker will recognise the feeling of horror and panic of when they reach into what they think is an almost-empty packet of cigarettes, only to realise that the packet is in fact empty. The same feeling flashes by when a packet of cigarettes goes on an unexpected walk and can’t be found anywhere. After this, the frantic search ensues and is usually accompanied by swearing and annoyance (the cravings again!).
The odour from cigarettes isn’t the most pleasant of smells. What’s worse is this odour extends to the person who smokes cigarettes, which isn’t the most attractive of assets! If like me, you are a little odd in the fact that you quite like the smell of cigarettes, the smell isn’t an issue. However, if you are in the majority, it certainly is off-putting!
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