Quitting smoking increases the level of happiness

Smoking exacerbates the feeling of psychological stress.. and nicotine increases the intensity of tension

Many questions arise about the reasons why many people do not quit smoking, and what prevents some smokers from trying to quit smoking or even thinking about it.

The research showed that the reason is of course not the fear of deteriorating their health after stopping the tar-filled smoke from entering their lungs, but the real obstacle is the belief that their lives will be negatively affected if they are forced to stop something that brings them happiness.

However, a study conducted by a group of researchers from the University of Wisconsin in the United States indicated that smokers who succeeded in quitting smoking found themselves feeling happier and more satisfied with their lives a year or three after quitting this harmful habit than the person who continued to smoke.

Megan Pepper, from the University's Department of Medical Research, said the study provides compelling evidence that quitting smoking is more satisfying than continuing to smoke.

Smokers may believe that quitting will impair their life satisfaction or quality of life, because it will disrupt their lifestyle and relationships with others, and even lead to a loss of the enjoyment that comes with smoking.

The results of this study suggest that in the long term, a person will feel happier and more satisfied with their life if they stop smoking.

The results of this study, which was recently published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, were based on three years of evaluation and follow-up of nearly 1,000 smokers who were evaluated after one and three years, where two-thirds of the sample continued to smoke, while one-third were able to quit smoking completely.

Unsurprisingly, people who quit smoking scored higher on their overall health assessment of their quality of life than they did at the start of the study, while those who continued smoking scored lower on their health and even their self-satisfaction.

There are several factors that may be behind this, including that smoking itself can exacerbate stress and that dealing with a nicotine habit can be a source of stress.

The study authors told the Montreal Gazette that the findings could be used to encourage smokers to quit, especially those who have little motivation to quit or who are terrified by the idea of ​​what life would be like without cigarettes.