Breaking Free from Smoking – For Health, For the Soul

The Addiction to Cigarettes

Today, there is no one unaware of the health hazards associated with smoking cigarettes. During adolescence, children attend workshops and lectures on this topic, with information printed on every cigarette pack, making it common knowledge. However, the temptation remains substantial.
Cigarettes are readily available, purchasable at any supermarket or kiosk, and even sold as individual cigarettes at a low price. Nowadays, there are even "kosher for Passover" cigarettes, indicating a degree of social legitimization for smoking from various angles. People take their first puff either out of curiosity or peer pressure, thinking, "Everyone does it," and soon enough, they become addicted. Most smokers live with a sense of guilt, refraining from defining themselves as "addicts" and believing there is no problem. But in the end, they need that cigarette, cannot function without it, and are unable to quit.
It's essential to understand that, despite cigarettes being legal and socially accepted, addiction to cigarettes is an addiction to a substance, just like any other drug. Soon, smoking becomes a "need." The body craves nicotine and struggles to function without it. This substance has emotional, psychological, and physical effects, and quitting requires effort and persistence to eliminate its influence on the body and end the physical and emotional dependence on cigarettes.

• Most people don't realize it, but cigarettes are a drug, and addiction to them is akin to substance addiction.
• Research shows that the quick and efficient way to break free from smoking is by participating in a cessation group.
• Cessation significantly impacts both physical and emotional health in the present and the future.
• Leumit offers smoking cessation workshops that consist of 8 weekly sessions and are free of charge.

Profile of a Quitter

There are two main ways to quit smoking: on your own and with external support. In both cases, the quitter begins without the desire to quit and goes through a process that eventually leads to smoking cessation. The key difference between the two methods is the duration of the process.

Self-Quit: People who quit on their own undergo a lengthy process, averaging 7-10 years according to research. They think about quitting but don't genuinely want to. Over the years, an understanding has developed that smoking is harmful, and it's worth quitting. They toy with the idea of quitting, and over time, make repeated attempts to reduce the number of cigarettes, sometimes even quitting for various periods. Eventually, they realize they can cope with quitting and prepare themselves for a smoke-free life. The genuine desire to quit comes late in the process, often accompanied by disgust for cigarettes.

Quit with Support: On the other hand, some people decide to join smoking cessation groups. These individuals, coming from various socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, are mostly motivated by health issues, medical needs requiring quitting, or intense family pressure (usually from spouses or grandchildren). They approach it with an understanding that the price of smoking is too high and express real concern about smoking consequences, but only a few come with a strong commitment to quitting.

Why Join a Quitting Group?

• A group plays a vital role in the quitting process and accelerates it. While someone quitting on their own typically takes an average of 7 years to reach the final quitting stage, a group can complete the entire process in just 8 weekly sessions.
• In a group, various aspects of quitting smoking are addressed. Significant focus is placed on making the decision and creating environmental changes and lifestyle modifications necessary for detoxification. In the conscious domain, there's an emphasis on altering beliefs about the meaning of cigarettes for the smoker and their ability to live a smoke-free life. One of the most significant changes that occurs thanks to the group is the shift in the subconscious non-aware level, enabling a lack of desire to light a cigarette.
• The group itself is essential for the quitting process. Groups usually consist of 10-15 individuals experiencing the same process together. Each participant faces someone in a similar stage of the process. In the group, participants learn from each other that success and living without cigarettes are possible. The process is somewhat akin to group hypnosis. The change they undergo includes a shift in the non-aware, non-conscious level. This change is possible thanks to behavioral exercises and group dynamics.
• As an additional support (for those interested), there is the medication "Champix," a pill that eases quitting by canceling the influence of nicotine as a drug. Cigarettes harm the body, but nicotine in cigarettes conceals the suffering and makes the damage less noticeable. Champix prevents the numbing effect of nicotine, allowing the negative physiological effects of smoking to be felt. Combining Champix with a support group offers the highest success rates.
• After investing a great deal in the course of the sessions, participants finish the workshop when they have decided not to smoke, believe in their ability not to smoke, don't want to light a cigarette, and have experienced a smoke-free period.

The Results of Quitting

Health Impact: Quitting smoking has significant health benefits. Blood oxygen levels rise, damaged nerve endings regenerate, the sense of smell and taste return, heart and lung function improve, blood circulation enhances, insulin resistance decreases, breathing difficulties and coughing disappear, teeth become stronger, energy levels and sexual performance increase, and the skin becomes more youthful and supple.
Improved Future Health Statistics: The likelihood of developing diseases such as heart disease, cancer, or lung diseases dramatically decreases. Fifteen years after quitting, in many cases, the risk is similar to that of someone who has never smoked.
Significant Emotional Changes: Emotionally, quitting brings a sense of calm and relaxation. When a person smokes, they are constantly under tension. The peak effect of nicotine is during smoking itself, and afterward, the body enters a state of craving, anxiety, and tension until the next cigarette. After quitting, there is a reduction in stress and pressure, and people who quit are significantly more relaxed and at ease compared to smokers.

How to Join a Smoking Cessation Workshop?

Leumit's smoking cessation workshops are free of charge. Call our customer service center today at 1700-507507 or *507 from any mobile phone and register for a workshop near you. Click on the link, provide your details, and our representatives will get back to you soon with information about Leumit's smoking cessation workshops.

*Dr. Reuven Bilchansky, a specialist in family medicine and a certified addiction treatment professional, has been leading the field of smoking cessation at Leumit for 14 years.