When it comes to trying trends and keeping up with what's new, there are some trends that are great, like people trying natural remedies instead of relying solely on prescribed medications. Trying out new methods to stimulate hair growth or ways to help with making cooking easier for those who may not know how. The things you see on social media that become trendy can be really beneficial to one's life, though there are trends that are not. One of those trends is vaping. This trend that has people hooked is actually doing way more harm than good. It’s causing so much harm that it’s getting to the point where it’s a dangerous habit to have.
What Is Vaping?
So, what actually is vaping? Well, vaping is when one inhales the vapors of an electronic cigarette otherwise known as an e-cigarette. How it works is by the vape pen heating a liquid until it becomes a vapor which is inhaled.
The liquid in the pen can be either tobacco or marijuana. Though many people of all ages vape, it’s most commonly done by teenagers.
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How It Damages The Body
Inhaling any type of substance into your lungs too often can damage them over time. People who smoke regular tobacco cigarettes, people who smoke marijuana and people who use vape pens are all putting their lungs at risk for damage.
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Vaping can also do more than just lung damage. It can cause damage that can lead to lung cancer. Vaping can lead to chronic bronchitis and other respiratory problems as well. The chemicals that you inhale when you vape can be deadly. Most of the e-liquid chemicals found in a vape pen are a mix of flavorings, nicotine, THC and aromatic additives. All these chemicals can cause inflammatory responses in the lungs.
The different forms of lung cancers that can develop are cancers such as popcorn lungs, which is another term for bronchiolitis obliterans. BO is a medical illness that happens when the lungs' small airways are damaged.
You can also suffer from collapsed lungs when you decide to vape often. Vaping can also cause people to have trouble sleeping and cause impotence, which can cause sexual dysfunction in men.
It May Be An Addiction
The one thing that many people don’t know about addiction is that you can become addicted to anything and vaping is not exempt from that. Due to the chemicals found in the e-liquid, people who vape can become addicted to it.
E-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is a highly addictive drug. If you notice that you have this yearning feeling for it, then this may be the start or result of addiction.
Once you become dependent on a vape pen it can cause problems in other areas of your life. It can worsen your depression and anxiety or lead to it. It affects your memory causing memory loss, difficulty concentrating, short attention span and can make you lose self-control. You also don’t have to smoke the e-cigarette every day to get addicted to it. It can happen gradually over time.
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What To Do If You Feel That You Can’t Stop
If you feel as if you are addicted or dependent and can’t stop, the first step is acknowledging that you have a problem. Don’t try to quit cold turkey. Doing so can lead to overdosing in the future because your body is dependent on it.
Gradually smoke less and less until you are smoking nothing at all. Look for other healthy alternatives and habits to build to replace vaping. If you have the urge to vape and you’re looking to quit, try chewing gum or playing with a stress ball every time you feel the urge until it passes.
Reach out for help and support. Fighting an addiction is hard and having a support system to help you and hold you accountable can be extremely beneficial. Give yourself some grace as you go through this process. Healing and fighting an addiction or dependency is not an overnight process. There will be times when you feel that you want to relapse but know that there is a goal to be reached; a healthier and better version of yourself. Don’t let your hobby become an addiction. Take care of yourself and know your limits.
