TEENAGERS WITH EXPERIENCE

  • Home
  • Mental Health
    • Anxiety and Stress Articles
    • Body Image Articles
    • Depression Articles
    • Disorder Articles
    • Eating Disorder Articles
    • Getting Help Articles
    • Mental Health and Others Articles
    • OCD Articles
    • Self-Harm Articles
    • Sleep Problem Articles
    • Social Anxiety Articles
  • LGBTQ+
    • Coming Out Articles
    • Gender Articles
    • Questioning Articles
    • Pride Articles
    • Sexuality Articles
  • Lifestyle
    • Addiction Articles
    • Beauty Articles
    • Growing Up Articles
    • Hobby Articles
    • Healthy Living Articles
    • Modern World Articles
    • Period Articles
    • Sex Articles
    • Sense of Self Articles
  • Education
    • College Articles
    • Life Skills Articles
    • Revision Articles
    • School Articles
    • University Articles
    • Volunteer Articles
    • Working Articles
  • Social Life
    • Abuse Articles
    • Bullying Articles
    • Emotion Articles
    • Family Articles
    • Friendship Articles
    • Death Articles
    • Pet Articles
    • Relationship Articles
  • Disabilities
    • Autism
    • ADHD
    • Deaf & Blindness
    • Learning Disabilities
    • Physical Disabilities
  • Topical
    • BLM Articles
    • COVID-19 Articles
    • Cultural Articles
    • Environment Articles
    • Feminism Articles
    • Finance Articles
    • Political Articles
    • Holiday Articles >
      • Christmas
      • Easter
      • Halloween
      • New Years Articles
      • Valentine's Day
    • Religion Articles
  • Creative Writing
    • Poems
    • Reviews
    • Short Stories
    • Writing Prompts
  • Team
    • Join The Team
    • Our Team
    • Virtual Work Experience
  • About
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Videos
  • For Schools
  • Submit an article
  • Home
  • Mental Health
    • Anxiety and Stress Articles
    • Body Image Articles
    • Depression Articles
    • Disorder Articles
    • Eating Disorder Articles
    • Getting Help Articles
    • Mental Health and Others Articles
    • OCD Articles
    • Self-Harm Articles
    • Sleep Problem Articles
    • Social Anxiety Articles
  • LGBTQ+
    • Coming Out Articles
    • Gender Articles
    • Questioning Articles
    • Pride Articles
    • Sexuality Articles
  • Lifestyle
    • Addiction Articles
    • Beauty Articles
    • Growing Up Articles
    • Hobby Articles
    • Healthy Living Articles
    • Modern World Articles
    • Period Articles
    • Sex Articles
    • Sense of Self Articles
  • Education
    • College Articles
    • Life Skills Articles
    • Revision Articles
    • School Articles
    • University Articles
    • Volunteer Articles
    • Working Articles
  • Social Life
    • Abuse Articles
    • Bullying Articles
    • Emotion Articles
    • Family Articles
    • Friendship Articles
    • Death Articles
    • Pet Articles
    • Relationship Articles
  • Disabilities
    • Autism
    • ADHD
    • Deaf & Blindness
    • Learning Disabilities
    • Physical Disabilities
  • Topical
    • BLM Articles
    • COVID-19 Articles
    • Cultural Articles
    • Environment Articles
    • Feminism Articles
    • Finance Articles
    • Political Articles
    • Holiday Articles >
      • Christmas
      • Easter
      • Halloween
      • New Years Articles
      • Valentine's Day
    • Religion Articles
  • Creative Writing
    • Poems
    • Reviews
    • Short Stories
    • Writing Prompts
  • Team
    • Join The Team
    • Our Team
    • Virtual Work Experience
  • About
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Videos
  • For Schools
  • Submit an article

Smoking underage

15/4/2018

0 Comments

 
The legal age for smoking in the UK is over 16, however according to Cancer Research UK, 18% of under 16's attempt to smoke at least once and 3% are active smokers. 


I am part of the 3% that started before I was 16, but I realised what a bad habit this was and had managed to quit. The word ‘had’ is used in past tense due to traumatic experiences and mental illnesses being my addiction back to the present. 


I started smoking when I was 13. The smoking began due to the passing of my grandparent which made me feel depressed and overly stressed, and I’d heard that nicotine was a good stress reliever. After trying it once I felt some sort of relief from my problems and so my addiction grew more and more, until the age of 15 when I decided to stop because of the effects it was having on my insides. One cigarette contains ammonia which has an effect on your entire body especially your lungs.


I still know today that smoking is a nasty habit. However after something life threatening happened to me almost 10 months ago, I picked the addiction back up again a year after quitting due to the trauma and thoughts that constantly drove through my head. I needed a relief and smoking so happened the relief I needed. 


Cigarettes taste horrible, they make you feel claustrophobic and I don’t condone it in any way. However to me it helps me to focus and helps me to get my thoughts into gear. To this day, I smoke on average on cigarette per month which is better than what it used to be.


For you however, there are so many alternatives to smoking that are healthier for you. Smoking not only affects your insides but they make you smell badly and make your fingernails and teeth turn discoloured. So here is a list of 15 alternatives that relieve stress and don’t have a nasty effect on tour body:


1.) Playing with pets 
2.) Reading a book
3.) Watching a movie
4.) Exercising
5.) Meditating
6.) Writing thoughts
7.) Drawing 
8.) Going for a walk/jog
9.) Making posters
10.) Listen to music
11.) Watch YouTube 
12.) Daydream
13.) Play video games 
14.) Practice your makeup 
15.) Talk to friends or family


There are tons and tons of things you can do instead and I highly recommend them. I wish I didn’t start smoking, and I wouldn’t say that I’m addicted, however it is something that I naturally feel will help me and even though it doesn’t in any way, shape or form I have made myself think this way. Please take my advice as a 17 year old who started smoking 4 years ago, and believe me when I say that it isn’t worth it. ​
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Guest Writers

    The articles here are written by guest writers or previous TWE members.

    Categories

    All
    Education
    LGBT+
    Lifestyle
    Mental Health
    Social Life
    Topical

Picture
Home
Join The Team

About Us
Contact Us
Teenagers With Experience is an online organisation created to provide teenagers worldwide with an online platform to share their own experiences to be able to help, inform and educate others on  a variety of different topics. We aim to provide a safe space to all young people. You can contact us via email, social media or our contact form.

Please note that the content on this website is created by teenagers. While we strive to provide accurate and helpful information, it is important to remember that we are not professional experts. If you are experiencing a crisis or need professional advice, please reach out to a qualified mental health professional or a helpline.​

Submit