Introduction:
Pan masala with tobacco has been traditionally consumed not only in India but across the Asian continent. The consumption in India is higher comparatively. A potent addictive pan masala consists of the following ingredients namely, areca nut, slaked lime, catechu, and varied other flavors. While traditionally this product is known for its mouth freshening and digestive properties and an element of socializing, there are many health risks associated with the consumption of pan masala products. As the pan masala contains certain ingredients that stimulate addiction, quitting its consumption is a challenge. The consumers of pan masala are at greater health risks, as giving up on this is realized only when the health adversities start showing up. While quitting is a challenge, it is not impossible. This article focuses on how one can adopt a healthier lifestyle by quitting the consumption of pan masala before it is too late. It also emphasizes how you can manage your psychological make-up towards quitting an addiction.
Health risks associated with addiction:
Quitting an addiction is always a difficult task, but not an impossible one. Before delving into effective ways of quitting an addiction, it is important to understand the objective behind why leaving this habit is crucial for a better life. While most consuming pan masala products may enjoy its taste, stimulation properties, and also social status, they do not realize the long-term health hazards that this product can create. The consumption of pan masala poses the following health risks:
- Oral Cancer: The ingredient of areca nut in pan masala, is a carcinogen. Over or regular consumption of this has a potential risk of developing oral cancer. Pan masala is often paired with gutka/Tobacco which is also carcinogenic.
- Oral Submucous Fibrosis (OSMF): This refers to a condition where the person feels restricted from opening his/her mouth to eat due to stiffening of the oral mucosa.
- Dental Problems: While it may seem that teeth are only beauty enhancers, several health issues can arise due to poor dental care or issues. Consumption of Pan masala leads to staining of teeth, it can cause gum diseases, it can decay teeth, and trigger dental health risks apart from bad breath amongst others.
- Addiction: Areca nut and tobacco contents are stimulating, and this can lead to craving and dependency, which in turn becomes an addiction, difficult to quit.
Addiction Mindset:
Before we explore various strategies to quit addiction, it is important to understand why addiction happens and what goes into the psyche of a person addicted to tobacco. The nature of the addiction to pan masala is not only physical but also psychological.
The craving to stimulate one’s senses due to the contents of Areca nut and tobacco is a physical addiction and hence the individual finds it difficult to withdraw from this habit. The moment the consumption of pan masala becomes a habit, which is often a routine during specific times of the day or in conjunction with activities or occasions, that is where the mind conditioning is linked to it, resulting in psychological addiction.
To quit this habit gets more challenging when the individual is not in acceptance of the health hazards of this habit or addiction. Hence it is important to mentally prepare the individual by showcasing the health risks and slowly convince people towards a change mindset for their own well-being.
Bringing this change into routine is equally important as only with conscious efforts and practice quitting can become easier. Hence, it is important to choose a target date for quitting, and keeping this as the goal is important to trigger action. This also enables the person to arrange for support and essential elements that can enable this process.
As this is a process where physical and psychological addiction must be addressed simultaneously, hence recognizing the triggers becomes crucial in the process of quitting. There could be many different triggers which can be emotional, situational, time-based, or activity-based that can be responsible for pan masala consumption on a regular basis. It is important to observe and note those patterns to plan the most effective quitting strategy. Once the triggers are identified, then an effective quitting strategy needs to be devised.
The process of quitting:
Addiction of any kind is a difficult behavior to handle and hence the transformation is slow. One needs to be patient and gradually help the individual to move towards reduction and then complete quitting. Gradual ways of reducing addiction helps in the comfortable change management and its effect. Setting a timeline for this process is important to trigger the right plan with a steady reaction toward this process.
About Smotect Azaadi:
Smotect Azaadi is the world’s first nicotine-free and natural product as a solution for quitting an addiction to pan masala, gutka, and other chewable forms of tobacco. It is a weapon that can help you transform into healthy living by enabling you to quit pan masala and tobacco products.
This product works on your body and mind to quit tobacco and prepares you to reduce your dependency on the same. It’s a solution to counter addiction and is created with the use of natural herbs. It is a product that is FDA-approved, GMP-certified, and scientifically proven to deliver 95% positive results.
Smotect Azaadi helps its users quit tobacco by reducing their nicotine dependence by restoring the body's natural neurochemical balance. It helps restore the balance of neurochemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA.
It also helps repair the damage done to the body through years of tobacco usage. It helps with problems like cuts and ulcers, stained teeth, bad breath, etc.
It smells and tastes like pan masala and gutka and also provides the same chewing gratification as chewable tobacco while being 100% safe, natural, and tobacco-free.
Smotect Azaadi is made out of therapeutic herbs that are formulated with precise ratios and potency for the best possible results.
Its formula is FDA-approved, GMP-certified, and clinically proven to have a 95% success rate.
Dosage instructions:
It is recommended to have 2-3 pouches of Smotect Azaadi per day or consume it whenever you feel the craving for chewable tobacco products.
Smotect Azaadi your partner to deal with withdrawal symptoms:
Smotect Azaadi supports the management of withdrawal symptoms as it is a product that helps restore the body's natural balance of neurochemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA. Hence quitting pan masala and similar products becomes easier with Smotect Azaadi.
Apart from dealing with the physical side of tobacco addiction, its chewable format also gives you psychological satisfaction, without causing any harmful health effects. Hence the behavioral aspect towards consumption of addictive products like pan masala, gutka, and tobacco is in control, and dependency on chewing such products gradually reduces.
Smotect Azaadi also maintains familiarization of taste and smell, to reduce withdrawal symptoms, and provide sensory pleasure but with a larger objective of being an enabler to help one quit pan masala addiction.
Other Ways to deal with withdrawal symptoms:
Quitting is not easy due to the various withdrawal symptoms one can encounter. Since the body is well-adjusted to this habit, making a shift or living without consuming it can be tough, and difficult to accept, it can also create anxiety, some physical issues like headaches, digestive triggers, distraction due to cravings, lack of focus, and irritability.
It is important to take some small steps to address these symptoms. Some of the tips to deal with withdrawal symptoms are as follows:
Stay Hydrated: Drinking a lot of water and healthy fluids can help make you feel full, reduce cravings, and also flush out the toxins from the body.
Balanced Diet: A healthy balanced diet, rich in nutrients helps in maintaining mental and physical well-being, which can boost your energy levels naturally hence an additional trigger is not needed, this can gradually help in reducing cravings.
Physical Exercises and Meditation: Exercises, meditation, and physical activity are not only essential for overall fitness but the best way to manage stress and mood upliftment.
Daily activities and work: Being engaged in your work, hobbies, and activities that keep you busy can help in be more focused and help you avoid distractions that can arise from cravings.
Social circle: Your family and friends are your closest confidants. You can seek their support by informing them of your intent to quit and they can be instrumental in helping you in this process by being a positive influencing factor or simply encouraging in your quitting journey, by making it simple and standing by you.
Support Groups: It is easier to quit when you are in the company of those who are on the same journey with the goal of quitting and support groups do help in the same, by sharing experiences, solutions, and success stories. This can lead to the development of a positive mindset of quitting.
Professional Help: You can seek this route by consulting professionals like doctors or counselors who can work on your physical and psychological well-being.
Tips for maintaining an addiction-free life:
While quitting is step 1, maintenance of a tobacco-free life is the real goal. Some of the ways in which one can maintain an addiction-free lifestyle include the following:
Avoid Triggers: Avoid being a part of situations or companies that will urge you to consume pan masala after you have already quit.
Celebrate your success: Celebration is a real motivation to maintain success. When you acknowledge your efforts of achieving milestones in your journey of quitting, it will only make you more positive and stronger to achieve the next or keep you grounded and firm for life.
Positive attitude: It is important to have a positive mindset towards your journey and the belief that this is for your own healthy living.
Provide help to others: Sharing your experiences with others who are in the same boat can help you to be more committed to your goal. Your positive advocacy can provide a sense of purpose to your life.
Smotect Azadi can provide natural care:
Smotect Azaadi contains natural and chemical-free ingredients which include Ashwagandha, Yashtimadhu, Brahmi, Kapikachu, Green Tea, Tulsi, Supari, and Lavang all of which have health benefits.
These ingredients are formulated with precise ratios and potency for the best possible results.
This product can provide you the essential natural therapy by replacing hazardous pan masala and tobacco-based products.
Conclusion:
Quitting pan masala will save you from many health horrors that can arise if you don’t walk that path. Don’t let a pan masala decide the fate of your life. There is more to life, and you can discover that by adopting a healthy lifestyle, natural and chemical free products like Smotect Azadi and by seeking support from your loved ones and professionals. For every person who is determined to quit and is walking the path towards a healthier life, it’s going to be a unique journey. Hence, in this journey self-control, willingness, determination, positive attitude, and support will play a crucial role towards quitting addiction and adopting a healthy lifestyle.
