One of the reasons why it is so hard to quit smoking is because of the presence of nicotine in cigarettes. Nicotine is an addictive drug. In fact, the Surgeon General has reported that cigarettes are just as addictive as cocaine or heroin.
Nicotine can have different effects at different times, and most experienced smokers are pretty good at getting all of them. It can act as an “upper” and speed up many body reactions. Or it can act as a “downer” and reduce anxiety. How it works depends on several factors, the amount of nicotine in the body, the time passed since the last cigarette, stress level, and time of day.
Early in the day nicotine acts as a stimulant to many people. Later in the day it seems to act more as a sedative and helps people to relax. Nicotine also alters a person’s mood in this way; it helps smokers cope with low moods or sadness.
The fact that smoking may raise one’s mood, reduce anxiety, and even, increase alertness makes it all the more attractive. That’s why people who are under stress or feel nervous or bored often are at greater risk of becoming addicted to nicotine. What may be the most troublesome part of all of this is the fact that cigarettes are ideal ways of getting nicotine to people.
It only takes 7 seconds from the time you inhale to the time nicotine hits your brain. That’s why that first puff after a long movie feels so good. Physical activity is a great substitute for smoking in this regard. With it, you can reduce tension, raise your mood and help fight depression and anxiety without putting your health and well being at risk.
The habitual nature of smoking also contributes to the difficulty of quitting. Smokers get hooked on the taste, smell, and feel of cigarettes. They link smoking with many activities. Some people like to smoke when they are talking on the telephone or having a cup of coffee. Other people like to smoke at parties or when they are relaxing at home. The person who has smoked a pack a day for 20 years, would have inhaled the toxic gases over a million times (7 puffs per cigarette x 20 cigarettes a day x 365 days a year x 20 years = 1,022,000). The combination of nicotine addiction and these kinds of strong mental links makes smoking a tough habit to break.
Smoking is used by many people as a way of coping with life’s pressures, and nicotine withdrawal can increase your anxiety and stress. After quitting, many people turn to food to relieve feelings of anxiety and develop unhealthy eating habits. By coupling quitting smoking with eating balanced meals and healthy snacks, you can start to break the links between feelings of anxiety and use of both foods and cigarettes for comfort. Walking and other forms of physical activity can relieve stress, can help you sleep better, and can have an overall calming effect. And, in addition to physical activity and making healthy eating choices, there is a broad range of techniques to help you quit, including nicotine replacement, other medicines, and group smoking cessation programs to help you.
