The Sunny Side Of The Pandemic: People Are Motivated To Quit Smoking During The Covid-19 Crisis

The Covid-19 pandemic has taken in its grasps thousands of lives so far, and just when the situation is looking brighter, things are getting gloomier all of a sudden. Governments are taking the necessary precautions. People all over the world are now staying indoors and maintain social distancing. One positive thing about the whole crisis is that it has forced many to quit some of their bad habits, including smoking.

This period has worked as a motivation for them. The fear of catching the virus, and the need to keep one’s lungs healthy prevent people from visiting the corner store and buying cigarettes. The medical statements that have come out have increased their fears, and that, in one way, is excellent.

The Link Between Smoking and Covid-19?

If you take a look at a study conducted in China, you would know that a higher percentage of smokers have fallen prey to coronavirus in comparison to those who have never smoked. If research findings are to go by, a higher percentage of smokers were among those who were put on a ventilator as compared to non-smokers. Nicotine or similar products make the effects of coronavirus worse.

Smokers are prone to heart and lung diseases, the most common one being COPD. People who are battling chronic illnesses are prone to inflammation from coronavirus. This can lead to damaged blood vessels as well as blood clots. Smokers tend to bring their hands close to their faces. This increases the probability of getting infected. According to experts, smoking forces the lung cells to undergo biochemical changes. This makes them more vulnerable to severe illnesses arising from Covid-19 infections.

This is the Right Time to Quit

For regular smokers, quitting is an uphill task. For many, smoking helps them to deal with anxious and stressful times. Besides that, smoking is also a social activity. Offices and factories have their shutters down, and people have no chance to meet their friends and colleagues. That old pattern of hanging up with them and smoking doesn’t exist now.

With social distancing being the order of the day, this social habit is completely out of the fray right now. Unless and until someone smokes at home, this social aspect has been done away with. As social pressure has been on the downside, smokers do have this golden opportunity to quit. Aside from that, there exist online resources that help people willing to quit this habit.

Medications and Telemedicine Can Be of Great Help

Doctors can lend a helping hand and can offer various medications that can help you quit smoking. Nicotine patches are one type of medication that can prove to be helpful and effective. Nicotine replacement therapy, as it is widely popular. It brings down the cravings by letting you have nicotine, of course, through a comparatively safer route.

Other medications that are quite popular tend to affect different areas of your brain, and smokers get to experience tobacco’s unpleasant effects. Several doctors have included telemedicine in their practices.

Some More Fruitful Suggestions

Once the doctor and a smoker strategize, there are certain fundamental things they might like doing to accentuate the probability of quitting smoking successfully. Whenever you get the urge to smoke, try to focus on something interesting, or get rid of everything that triggers your smoking habit such as ashtrays, lighters, etc. Inform your friends and family that you wish to quit smoking. They might help you in getting rid of nicotine. Sometimes, doing things alone can be tougher, and it’s no wrong if you decide to take a helping hand, especially if you have been a regular smoker.

Quitting this habit of smoking is one of the most important things that one needs to do, more so when the whole of mankind is going through such a crisis. The situation is looking grave, and no one knows when life will get back on track. Staying healthy during this period is one of the priorities that you should have. Therefore, you have to discard every habit of yours that can make you vulnerable to the contamination. Instead, embrace a healthier lifestyle and use this time productively. Besides, there’s never going to be another opportunity like now, where you can stay with your family and spend quality time with them. Stay home and stay healthy.