84 What do you think are the main reasons for starting to smoke? ONLINE RESOURCES Smoking alert: attento gambling: gioco d azzardo healing time: tempo di guarigione injury: ferita poisoning: avvelenamento to shorten: accorciare yellowish: giallastro 166 ADOLESCENTS ADDICTIONS: TOBACCO AND OTHERS Smoking Teenagers start smoking for a variety of different reasons ; some think it looks cool, others start because their family members or friends smoke. Smoking and vaping (smoking e-cigarettes) can cause several diseases and can shorten life by ten years or more, in fact, at least 69 of the chemicals out of the 600 ingredients contained in cigarettes can cause cancer, and many are toxic. The consequences of this poisoning happen gradually. Over the long term, smoking causes health problems like heart disease, strokes, emphysema, and many types of cancer. People who smoke may also have an increased risk of infections like bronchitis and pneumonia, fertility problems, and sexual health can be impacted, too. Nicotine and the other toxins in cigarettes can also affect a person s body faster: smokers can experience problems as yellowish skin, bad breath, bad-smelling clothes and hair, reduced athletic performance, greater risk of injury, and slower healing time. Smoking is a hard habit to break because tobacco contains nicotine, which is highly addictive, so, when stopping, it can be helpful to know that the first few days are the hardest. Gaming disorder The gaming disorder is considered a true mental health condition. Studies suggest that it affects only a small proportion of people who engage in digital or video-gaming activities, however, these people should be alert to the amount of time they spend on gaming activities, particularly when it results in the exclusion of other daily activities, as well as in any changes in their physical or psychological health and social functioning. Social media addiction Teenagers use technology very frequently and manage their social life through various apps and social media platforms. For this reason, it is sometimes difficult to understand whether the excessive use of technology can be evaluated as a behavioural disorder. Parents should worry in presence of symptoms such as: conscious use in prohibited contexts or potentially dangerous situations (e.g. while driving); excessive use that causes conflicts with the family; negative effects on school; constant checking of the phone and need to respond immediately to messages; sleep disturbances; increased anxiety and/or irritability if phone is not accessible. Other addictions Other important addictions that can start during adolescence are exercise addiction, food addiction, shopping addiction, and gambling addiction. Generally speaking, addictions may be treated when the person admits to the fact they have a problem. Speaking to a therapist, calling an addiction treatment centre, attending support groups, and following a continuous care plan are valid tips to overcome addictions.