Getting Addicted To Smoking Slowly But Surely!
Nicotine primarily affects the mid-brain -- the part of
the brain that controls moods and emotions. It produces pleasurable
sensations but also causes anxiety and cravings when accustomed doses
are withheld. A nicotine substitute such as a patch or chewing gum can
help alleviate these negative feelings.
?Because
of the immediate stimulation to the brain, smoking behavior is
reinforced. When smokers try to quit, they have to overcome both the
physical addiction to nicotine and the association they have made
between smoking and the pleasurable sensations it produces.
Besides
the physical addiction, there are also strong behavioral and social
links to smoking. Certain situations (such as the end of a meal or going
to a pub) become so associated with smoking that smokers reach for a
cigarette without even thinking about it. Smokers may also crave
cigarettes during times of stress.
The fact remains, however,
that some people become more addicted to nicotine than others. The
reason for this may be genetic. It seems that some people metabolize
nicotine more slowly than others and this makes them less likely to
become addicted to the substance. There is a particular enzyme that is
present in the liver which is responsible for breaking down nicotine.
People who have a genetic defect related to the production of this
enzyme are less likely to smoke, and if they do smoke, they smoke fewer
cigarettes than people with the normal enzyme.
People who are
addicted to smoking must take heart in the knowledge that it is possible
to quit. Although some find it more difficult than others, there are
many resources available to those who wish to give up the habit. If
someone needs help to give up nicotine, they can have access to medical
treatments and counselling. It is more than just the physical addiction
to nicotine that they have to give up. All of the behavioural
associations that have been developed over the years also need to be
overcome.
As with any other addictive substance, the longer
nicotine has been used the more difficult it is to give it up. Young
adults who have only been smoking for a few years may find it easier to
quit than a middle-aged person who has been smoking for 20 years. On the
other hand, a middle-age smoker is more likely to be aware of the
negative health effects of smoking and this may give him more motivation
to break the habit.