Stating that smoking addiction is a medical disease, experts said, "Quitting smoking is not as easy as it seems. Professional support should be sought," they warned.

Specialist Clinical Psychologist Ahmet Yılmaz from Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital said that smoking habits change with the changing routine during Ramadan.

Stating that the body, which stays away from nicotine all day, is exposed to overload from iftar to sahur, Specialist Clinical Psychologist Ahmet Yılmaz warned about smoking after iftar.

It creates a disruptive effect for the brain

Stating that the body programs itself accordingly since the body smokes at certain times before Ramadan, Specialist Clinical Psychologist Ahmet Yılmaz said, "When you don't smoke all day during Ramadan, withdrawal symptoms appear in the body. After a while, the body's nicotine tolerance decreases. Just as the body starts to get used to this situation, this time, when smoking cigarettes in a row, it becomes more harmful than the cigarettes smoked before Ramadan and this behavior has a disruptive effect again for the brain that prepares itself for the new situation. For this reason, one should be careful about smoking after iftar. Of course, the healthiest thing is to quit smoking completely."

Smoking addiction can be treated

Stating that while it is easy for some people to quit smoking, it can be a challenging situation for many people, Specialist Clinical Psychologist Ahmet Yılmaz said:
"As addiction is a medical disease, quitting smoking is not as easy as it seems. A person who wants to quit smoking may have to change or quit many habits that they have maintained for years. If they have made several quit attempts and failed, I recommend that they seek help from a specialist in such a situation. Many of our patients who apply to our smoking cessation clinic say that they can quit more easily after getting help."

Ramadan can be an opportunity for people who want to quit smoking

Underlining that Ramadan can be an opportunity for people who are fasting and therefore cannot smoke, Specialist Clinical Psychologist Ahmet Yılmaz said, "However, physical and psychological symptoms occur when addictive substances such as cigarettes are not used. These symptoms may include headaches, restlessness, irritability, irritability, tremors, weakness and unhappiness. For this reason, for those who want to quit smoking by accepting Ramadan as the beginning, they can cope with this situation when the desire to smoke comes by receiving treatment supported by both a psychiatrist and a psychologist."