Why Quit Smoking: The #1 Reason We Need to Stop Smoking (LOVE)

In the previous post, we talk about exactly 101 reasons why we should stop smoking.

Today, we are going to focus on only ONE reason.

Put your knowledge in this post and the previous post together (they are essentially created for one another).

It is absolutely possible to quit smoking when you read the previous post or only this post (one without the other) but it is infinitely better when we combined both of them together.

Our enemy, nicotine, is out to kill

The last thing we would want to do is to merely fire once and return home. Honestly, how well has this work for us so far?

We want to make sure nicotine is completely annihilated and that it does not come back to haunt us later.

In order to do so, we need to have as many firepowers as possible.

To put it simply, we need as many reasons as we can (read the previous post) including this reason I’m about to share with you.

Contents

Why Do We Want to Quit Smoking?

Just to recap, here are few common reasons why we want to stop:

Stressed about how much we spend on cigarettes. Or more precisely, how much money we waste on cigarettes.
Having to isolate ourselves or go outside to smoke all alone.
Sick from the pressure from our loved ones to quit smoking.
Afraid of developing health issues later in life.
Worry about the negative effect of smoking has on our outward appearances and looks.
Tired of the constant distraction of nicotine withdrawal. Always ‘needing’ to smoke just to feel like a non-smoker.
Embarrass about how we smell after smoking.
To put a stop to the impact smoking has had on our relationships.

We have got a whole list of reasons why we think quitting is a good idea.

Next, let’s run through the only reason you need to help you get more inspired than ever before to make that change.

And more importantly, a change that will last a lifetime.

The #1 Reason Why You Should Want to Quit Smoking

Get ready!

Are you listening?

You can forget everything I have ever written and just remember this because it is probably the most important thing I will ever say in this entire blog.

You want to quit smoking because you love yourself. Click To Tweet

I will say it again…

you love yourself and that is why you want to put a stop to self-inflicting harm that is caused by smoking cigarettes.

Because when you love yourself, you don’t put garbage in it.

You will look after and take extremely good care of yourself (in the one and only precious body you have).

The truth is we are our own soul mate and we are stuck with ourselves till the rest of this life until death does us part… and probably even beyond that.

It makes absolute sense to start looking after ourselves when we are our own soulmate.

You will never deliberately hurt a loved one just because you are stressed so don’t use absurd excuses or reasons to hurt yourself anymore.

Benefits of Quitting Smoking (The Big 4)

I hope you will at least find ONE out of the big four meaningful because finding your specific motivation is an important part of your journey to becoming smoke-free.

#1: Life

Sometimes, we are oblivious and simply choose not to believe how much smoking is causing a nuisance in our life (not just health).

To be free from the constant distraction of withdrawal is one of the BIGGEST benefits we can definitely look forward to.

No longer do we need to schedule smoke breaks every 45 minutes or so.

On average, smokers spend around 1 hour per day smoking.

However, the downside isn’t just the hour spent smoking, it is the constant distraction of withdrawal that is the main culprit of a substandard life.

When we quit, we can enjoy our game, work, party, leisure, project, art, and even sex so much more without experiencing the constant withdrawal pangs from nicotine.

The truth is we smoke to relieve nicotine withdrawal just to temporarily feel like a non-smoker.

Read: The Truth About Nicotine Withdrawal

Imagine our life without this constant distraction, how much more can we achieve and accomplish? Surely much more than we were a smoker…

Around one in three people in the United States die from smoke-related causes which is equivalent to around 470,000 deaths every year.[efn_note]https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fast_facts/index.htm[/efn_note]

Because quitting is the single most effective way to live longer, we can also look forward to living a longer life with our loved ones

#2: Health

Smoking is the lead cause of life-threatening conditions such as heart diseases and cancers.[efn_note]https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking/index.htm[/efn_note]

Take a look at the shares of death caused by tobacco in 2016:

The underlying of this is most people do not realize all of the other health problems caused by smoking. When we quit, our body can combat life-threatening health issues more effectively, such as:

Stroke
Bronchitis
Aneurysm
Leukemia
Bone problems

Less serious (but just as problematic) issues:

Asthma
Bad complexion and skin
Infertility
High blood pressure
Sexual related issues (erectile dysfunction, etc.)
Weakened immune system

Must read: What Happens When We Stop Smoking

#3: Sex Life

Smoking increases the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED) for men in their thirties, forties and older by roughly 50%.[efn_note]https://healthtalk.unchealthcare.org/dont-ignore-erectile-dysfunction/[/efn_note] Risk of Erectile Dysfunction (ED) can be as high up to 60% if we smoke 20 or more cigarettes per day compared to non-smokers. Click To Tweet

I hope this does not come as a surprise to you.

Smoking reduces blood flow into vital organs in our body and buildup plagues can also make it more likely for blood clots to form.

Unless blood can flow freely into the penis, erections struggle to happen. Smoking reduces blood flow to the penis and that is why ED is extremely common among smokers.

Nicotine restricts the arteries that lead to the penis, reducing vital blood flow and pressure in the penis. Click To Tweet

Moreover, smoking has also been proven to injure blood vessels and cause them to deteriorate in time.

The narrowing of blood vessels works like a time bomb. Just because we are not experiencing any problems today does not mean things could not get worse later on.

If you wish to find out more about how smoking and impotence are linked, read these articles:

Can Smoking Cigarettes Cause Impotence? – Healthline
Effects of cigarette smoking on erectile dysfunction – US National Library of Medicine
Smoking and Erectile Dysfunction: Just the Facts – forhims.com
Study: Men Who Smoke Unaware of Erectile Dysfunction Risk – Medpage Today

We can also take erection issues as a warning signal that cigarettes (and our enemy, nicotine) have already attacked other areas of our body and we shouldn’t be oblivious to being bullied any longer.

Quitting helps us get back our confidence in bed and have a much enjoyable sex life.

Smoking Affects Women’s Sex Life Too

It is not just men. Women who smoke will find sex less enjoyable due to decreased genital sensation. Read more here.

#4: Family

I haven’t met a smoker who would wish for their kids to smoke.

Nevertheless, studies have shown that kids of parents who smoke are much more likely to become smokers themselves.

A kid who smokes is more prone to behavioral problems and getting more trouble at school.

It helps to warn your kids of the dangers of smoking but what is more effective is when they see you quit.

Kids don't learn by what you say; they learn by what they see. Click To Tweet

We all know about the dangers of secondhand smoke. Lighting up a cigarette around our loved ones increase the chance of them developing breathing complications such as:

Coughs
Asthma
Shortness of breath
and even Bronchitis

Take a look at the data below to better understand the effects of secondhand smoke:

We wish for our loved ones to be healthier yet when we quit we can also expect our family to be happier.[efn_note]https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/210375.php[/efn_note]

Studies have shown that quitting elevated mood and increase happiness. Not just for ourselves but more importantly, our closed ones too. [efn_note]https://www.verywellmind.com/how-quitting-smoking-has-changed-my-life-2824706[/efn_note]

Important Read:

Conclusion

Whatever our reasons to quit, it is imperative we understand that we quit because we love ourselves.

You want to quit smoking because you love yourself.

Some people quit because of their loved ones or family but however great this intention may be, nothing beats doing it because you first love yourself.

The truth is we cannot love others when we don’t first love ourselves.

This is not being selfish; this is just a way of life.

We have all heard of flight attendants reminding us that before we can help others, we have to first help ourselves.

Isn’t this also true when it comes to love and loving others?

Seriously, I’m not advocating being selfish, in fact, I think loving and helping yourself is the least selfish thing you could do for everyone around you.

Don’t take my words for it.

Just wait till you finally quit smoking and see how much your loved ones will appreciate your newfound life and how much happier you and your family will be.

Don’t underestimate what quitting can do… based on my experience, it does a lot more than just better health and finances most people talk about when they first quit.

That is why I am so fervent to help people quit nicotine because when you stop, it doesn’t just impact your life per se, it has a ripple effect that will affect everyone around you especially your loved ones.

This is why I do what I do.

Lastly, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions regarding your journey to becoming smoke-free, I am more than willing to help you in any way I can.

Cheers to a life of absolute freedom!

I hope I have been of service.

Sincerely,
Jeremiah Say