FAGERSTROM TEST | 4th city clinical hospital named after Mikalaj Saŭčanka
This test reveals the degree of nicotine dependence in people who already smoke. Even if your result says that the dependence is weak, it does not mean that everything is fine and you have nothing to worry about. Smoking has an extremely negative effect on health, regardless of whether you smoke a little or a lot, whether you have a weak dependence or not. It's still a bad habit that needs to be fought against. Quitting smoking is difficult, especially for experienced smokers, but it is possible: start working on yourself, seek help from a psychotherapist, undergo dependence treatment. Getting rid of this bad habit is a step towards a healthy future.
A special test – the Fagerstrom test – will help assess the degree of nicotine dependence. Just answer the questions and count the points!
1. How soon after waking up do you smoke 1st cigarette?
- in 6-30 min
- in 30-60 min
- in more than 60 min
2. Is it difficult for you to refrain from smoking in no smoking places?
3. What cigarette can you not easily refuse?
- the first in the morning
5. Do you smoke more often in the first hours of the morning after waking up than during the following day?
6. Do you smoke if you are very ill and have to stay in bed all day?
So, the total of points:
Interpretation of the survey data
0-2 points. Very weak nicotine dependence.
3-4 points. Weak nicotine dependence.
5 points. Medium nicotine dependence.
6-7 points. High nicotine dependence.
8-10 points. Very high nicotine dependence.
Quitting smoking: where to start?
Try to figure out why you smoke.
Try to figure out how much you smoke: how many cigarettes a day, one, one and a half or two packs, how many of them are "for a reason", and how many are smoked automatically.
Control your habits, figure out what routine actions are automatically accompanied by smoking a cigarette.
Move the cigarettes to a new place, away from the lighter, so as not to suddenly light a cigarette "automatically."
Pull yourself together, and, finally, appoint a day of complete smoking cessation – on the weekend, or on your birthday? On the other hand, having a drink on your birthday can disturb your plans to quit smoking.
Beware of unnecessary incentives to smoke – alcohol, coffee.
Tell your family, their support will not hurt.
Change cigarettes to something no less pleasant but useful.
There are many ways to quit smoking, which one to choose?
With the help of a doctor: the doctor will recommend something, help and support ...
Individually or in a group: psychological support on an individual or group basis helps to quit smoking. Often combined with medications.
Medicines: there are some, but it is better to be recommended and prescribed by a doctor. Some medications in the form of patches, inhalers and chewing gum contain nicotine and are designed to partially replenish its reserves in the body of a former smoker so that he does not experience cigarette withdrawal so hard.
Other medications behave like nicotine and are also designed to reduce the urge to smoke.
Acupuncture, electromagnetic waves, electropuncture – these are good, everything works, it helps to overcome the withdrawal syndrome, and sometimes even to prevent it.
All methods are good if there is a desire and a strong will to win!
It looks like the first days after quitting smoking are the hardest.
You have to stifle the desire to smoke, we advise you to:
eat fractionally,
drink juices and water,
Then the body will be freed from nicotine and its harmful effects.
If you have a strong craving for smoking, you can always see a doctor.
If you lost it or couldn’t stand it - again, see a doctor! And do not lose heart! Some people need a few attempts, some – even more!
You just need to understand the reason for the breakdown and not repeat the mistakes ...
The ability to refrain from smoking in prohibited places for this is a great achievement for some heavy smokers, whose dependence is so strong that it pushes people to ignore the laws and the people around them.
Smoking in the morning is more dangerous than smoking at other times of the day, and the inability to give up the "puff" in the early hours is a reason to think about the level of your dependence.
There is no safe amount of cigarettes. Even one smoked cigarette a day increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases by 50%. The more cigarettes you smoke, the more you increase your chances of developing heart disease and cancer.
Morning is the most dangerous time for smoking. If you smoke a lot of cigarettes in this part of the day, then serious health problems can soon begin.
During illness, a person's immunity is weakened, and the body requires rest and exclusion of the effects of any irritating factors, in particular smoking. If you know that you are sick and you need rest and treatment, but still continue to smoke, this is a sign of strong nicotine dependence.
You are very weakly addicted to nicotine. However, do not think that nothing threatens your health: smoking has an extremely negative effect on the whole body and even 1 cigarette a day damages health. It is better to quit smoking altogether, especially at an early stage, when the dependence is weak and there is a great chance to get rid of the bad habit without resorting to medications.