Nowadays, it is very common for people to get involved in drinking and smoking. This is a new trend in our society where people destroy their lives using addictive substances and other harmful materials such as nicotine, tobacco, and many more.
People have developed a very bad habit of drinking and smoking, and it has become their new lifestyle. Both drinking and smoking have severely diverse effects on the body. These are marked as highly addictive substances which have long-term health hazards.
The effects of using alcohol and tobacco (a common component used in smoking) are responsible for a short lifespan by causing numerous health-related diseases such as respiratory problems. Despite the health hazards of smoking and drinking, it is legal to use and is widely available all over the world.
Smoking is common among people. Even teenagers are more likely to get involved in such addictive activities. Tobacco is the primary ingredient of cigarettes, and it contains nicotine which has a severely addictive nature.
Cigarettes not only contain tobacco and nicotine, but they also have other harmful substances such as tar, preservatives, and carcinogenic chemicals. Due to a high continent of cancer-causing substances in cigarettes, smokers usually fell prey to diseases like mouth or liver cancer. The other chemical in cigarettes is hydrogen cyanide, cadmium, carbon monoxide, butane, and DDT.
When we smoke a cigarette, the highly addictive component of nicotine constricts some stressed blood vessels of the brain. In this way, the blood pressure rises. This high blood pressure is directly involved in causing several health problems. It also stimulates our nervous system and increases the beating rate of the heart. However, smoking a cigarette can cause a mild buzz, but it has a long-term addictive nature.
Like smoking, alcohol is also very addictive and common all over the world. It is a well-known depressant which means it is responsible for slowing down the performance of the brain and body. The reason is that it reduces the activity of the brain’s neuron cells.
In the initial stages, even a little amount of alcoholic drink can affect the working of the body and causes dizziness, sleepiness, and giddiness. Moderate drinking does not have severe side effects. However, prolonged drinking even in a moderate amount can cause addiction. So, it is safe to drink occasionally. Children and teenagers should never drink, but nowadays, it is a normal thing for teenagers to do drugs, and drink.
If anyone tries to drink more than one glass of alcoholic drink at a time, they can feel highly nauseous. It can also cause vomiting, poor judgment, loss of sensations, trouble sleeping, or excess sleeping.
Effects of Smoking and Drinking
The short-term effects of smoking and drinking are mild. If you ever visit a bar or club, you may know that it is very common to drink a shot for enjoyment and to smoke at the same time. The primary danger of smoking and drinking at the same time is that one is a stimulant and the other one is a depressant. So, it becomes difficult for the brain to distinguish between both these drugs. It can make you feel uncomfortable and nauseous.
The long-term effects of alcohol and smoking are more diverse and chronic. They can cause several health disorders. Some common effects of drinking and smoking are given as follows.
⦁ Emphysema
The lungs are the primary organs to breathe properly and exchange gases. Smoking causes damage to the lungs and affects their elasticity. This leads to a severe liver condition known as Emphysema where breathing becomes difficult.
⦁ High blood pressure
Excessive drinking and smoking increase the risk of high blood pressure. High blood pressure is marked as 140/90 or higher. It should be treated in the first place as it can cause stroke, heart attack, kidney stone, and vision loss.
⦁ Liver cirrhosis
The liver is the crucial organ in the body that helps break down different nutrients and helps purify the blood by removing toxic substances. In the excess use of smoking and drinking, cirrhosis can occur which makes the liver inactive and work improperly.
⦁ High cholesterol
It can also cause high cholesterol levels which is the main cause of several heart problems such as myocardial infarction, heart attack, and damage to the blood vessels.
⦁ Lung cancer
is the most common effect of excessive smoking and drinking. This is not only caused by smoking or drinking but can also occur due to inhaling cigarette smoke from surroundings.
Treatment of alcohol and smoking addiction
Addiction to everything is dangerous for health. Many people fall prey to addiction to different drugs. The good news is that there are a lot of rehabilitation centers where a drug addict can clean himself from such drugs. Moreover, many addiction-controlling pills are also available in the market. So, it is very important to see a consultant who can help addicted people.
Moral support from family is the most important thing for an addicted person, so the family needs to take care of the addicted person and take good care of them.
Conclusion
Smoking and drinking are two very common actions nowadays. It causes several health problems which can ultimately lead to death. It is necessary to avoid excess use of such things. However, if you fall prey to them then it is important to visit rehabilitation centers.