
In this article, my goal is to educate individuals who are addicted to nicotine, from the smoking of tobacco. First of all, you all should know that I myself was a cigar smoker (i.e. black n mild’s) and I am not ashamed to say that I have beat this addiction by applying certain rules in my life. If you have read my post on overcoming bad habits then most of you already know, certain habits are more than habits. They become terrible addiction. Even though you know smoking is shortening you life mortality, some people this is hard to break. So let me get into this science. (BTW this is only the short version)
Why do people smoke despite the negative effects on health?
Simple…Not because they want to smoke, they actually want to quit but it’s addictive. Smokers like to say ” It helps with my stress”, well actually the evidence says it makes stress levels worst. What happens is when you don’t smoke you start to get withdrawal symptoms and feel bad, then you smoke a cigarette to think relief.
So what do I blame my addiction on?
Some culprits of becoming an addict are early life stresses like people who have a susceptibility to depression have a hard time quitting smoking. If your parents was an alcoholic, then you are much more likely to become an alcoholic. There are many components that come together that can lead to this interaction of environmental stress. Some secrets I found out by listening to neuroscientist, is that your brain is more susceptible to nicotine as an adolescent. Why? Because during that time, you change the strength of these nerve cells by allowing adaptation to your environment. You want your brain to be able to change your behavior in response to the circumstances around you, but you are exposed to nicotine during adolescence, your brain grows up in an atmosphere where nicotine is normal meaning your connection to nicotine is stronger.
How do you beat cigarette addiction?
Every moment after you decide to stop smoking, your resolution not to smoke must be greater than your urge or need to smoke. But if the moment your urge to smoke gets high then your resolution not to smoke becomes weaker and you reach for a cigarette.
Rule#1- Not a Puff Rule- A lot of smokers say “I will just take a hit, just one hit and it will be alright” NO! THIS IS A BAD IDEA!. …You gottaa cut yourself off and say Its not gonna happen.
Rule#2 – Develop a Ex-Smoker Identity – The ideology of “That was me back then”, a lot of smokers have a thrill seeking personality and think they can keep their cool social status.
Rule#3 – Minimize the Urge- Avoid the places you used to go to (bars, pool halls, clubs, etc) Being with other smokers gives a sense of social reward and they urge positive beliefs about smoking. Don’t test yourself because you will fail.
Rule#4 – Reduce the Physiological need- This is where the herbs come in.
Dopamine neuron (reward) is responsible for release in response to things that give you pleasure, very potently released to addictive drugs.
My analogy:
When the telephone was invented, people were excited to hear the receiving voice on the othe end of the phone. Nerve cells are similiar to the structure of a telephone wire when you stimulate the circuit. The received signals from the main cell body (the caller) that sends electrical neurotransmitters to connect the call releases a voice (chemical called dopamine). The reward is sending and receiving as the messages gets transmitted. The excitement stops when the signal is terminated. Nicotine is a dopamine transportor.
What Happens in addiction?
You get a big surge, you deplete it, you get use to having the surge and you adapt. Every signal should be new so if there is something that’s on for a while, you adapt to a new normal and when you take it away, there’s a crash. When you get nicotine in your kungs, it goes immediately up to the brain, before it goes to your liver. If you get nicotine through the skin (i.e. nicotine patch), first it goes to the liver and some of it gets broken down, but now it’s in the blood and then it goes to the brain slowly but stays longer. This is the developpment of a drug delivery device that is magically good for getting nicotine to the brain rapidly. So if you chew tobacco it comes across your salivary glands. If you smoke it, you have to have a way to get nicotine deep into your lungs to get absorbed to go to the brain. The way it is done is by the tar particles are carriers that float down the airways.
Although some people reduce their need by using nicotine gum or nicotine patches, this will help but it’s not natural. The No More Smoking Formula is available at Shalom Health Services. You will finally take a natural approach to quiting this nasty addiction
Thanks for reading.
All Articles Are righted and reserved by Shalom Health Services.
You must be logged in to post a comment.