Many harmful things can happen to your brain due to smoking. This claim is supported by many scientific studies and organizations, which are working on anti-smoking campaign. Admit it or not, as a smoker you have experienced many unusual and uncomfortable processes in your body and brain. Here are some of the most common detriments that smoking can do to your brain.
1. You are taking in chemicals which are harmful to your brain.
There are 4000 know types of chemical in a cigarette stick. These chemicals can do a lot of negative effects to your brain. Out of 4,000 there are 69 known carcinogens which can damage your brain and other parts of your body.
2. It will make you nicotine dependent.
Undoubtedly, you have this kind of craving for smoking because of nicotine. As you develop your smoking habit, you make your brain more dependent on nicotine. The more nicotine you take into your brain the harder for you to quit it and the more powerful withdrawal symptoms will be. Being dependent to any substance is not healthy in any aspect of life.
3. It distorts your natural stress-coping mechanism
It seems that nicotine has the property to make your brain more relax, improve your mood, and help you loosen up in times of stress (for just 10 seconds ), smoking destroys your natural ability to cope with stress. You become dependent to nicotine and you can never solve a situation without puffing some smoke.
4. Triggers you to take more alcohol
Many studies have established the connection between smoking and drinking alcoholic drinks. As you drink more alcohol, you destroy your brain by killing thousands of neurons which are the primary building bloc of your brain.
5. It destroys your problem solving skill.
There have been many studies which have validated the connection of stress, anxiety, depression, and smoking. Nicotine only improves your mood for only 10 seconds and after such period, the magic will be gone. The truth is, smoking becomes your first response to escape stress. Aside from the fact that you are prolonging your agony by smoking, you don’t really solve the real problem.
6. Smoking can cause “brain stroke”.
Smoking blocks a lot of veins and arteries in our body (which includes veins and arteries in the brain). The result of this blockade is stroke, aneurism, cerebral thrombosis, and etc.
7. Smoking can lower your IQ
According to a study conducted by the University of Michigan, smoking has been proven to lower down IQ, problem solving skills, memory retention, and thinking ability of a person.
8. Smoking can cause brain inflammation
Indian National Brain Research Centre researchers have established the link between smoking and neuroinflamation. Aside from the brain inflammation, it can also lead to other complicated medical situations like multiple sclerosis.
9. Smoking can lead to motor skills problem
Since smoking destroys neurons of our brain, it can also lead to involuntary muscle movements or permanent immobilization (e.g. impotence).
10. Sleepiness, Tardiness, and exhaustion
Since there is not enough blood flow in the brain, smokers can get easily fall asleep. The brain can’t oxygenate and refresh itself.
