Many people see smoking simply as "a bad habit": "it's my one pleasure, my treat, my only vice". As a smoker, you don't tend to see yourself as an addict; you smoke because you enjoy it. But sadly this perception is just that: a perception. Research shows that cigarettes are as addictive as drugs such as heroin or cocaine. In fact, smoking is complex because it is both addictive and habit forming. And it is the combination of the two that makes giving up so hard.
Understanding the myth
Smoking is not just a bad habit, but a complex addiction.
Experts believe that nicotine exerts its powerful addictive effects by
altering two chemicals in the brain - dopamine and noradrenaline - known
as neurotransmitters. Within seven seconds of inhaling, a concentrated
dose of nicotine is delivered directly to the brain, producing a nicotine
"rush". Many smokers interpret this rush as one of pleasure, but in
reality the pleasure is misunderstood. It only appears pleasurable because
it satisfies the craving created by the last cigarette. Over time the
smoker has become victim to the classic cycle of addiction.
The
addictive cycle
If this is hard to believe, think back to the first few
cigarettes you smoked. Most smokers will admit that these were anything
but pleasurable. In fact, you probably had to persist until the addictive
cycle had taken hold before smoking gave you any kind of "pleasure". What
smokers perceive as pleasure is, in reality, simply the relief of
satisfying a craving for nicotine. After smoking a cigarette, withdrawal
can set in as quickly as 15 minutes later.
Breaking the
addiction
Don't be too alarmed though! Despite its addictive nature,
nicotine doesn't hang around in your body long (about 48 hours) once
you've stopped smoking. For those who choose to go cold turkey, withdrawal
symptoms are likely to be at their most intense in the first two or three
days and will gradually fade away over the following two or three weeks.
For those who simply can't contemplate going cold turkey, research
indicates that using nicotine replacement therapy - now available on
prescription - can more than double your chances of staying
stopped.
The Pavlovian reaction
In the same way that you might associate certain times of day
with specific activities - such as a shower when you get up in the morning
- certain situations and events become very strongly associated with
smoking in your subconscious. Pavlov showed that if he rang a bell when he
fed his dogs, after a while purely ringing the bell was enough for the
dogs to salivate. In the same way, even though you have made a conscious
decision to stop smoking the association with certain situations will take
time to disappear.
Before you stop, try and become aware of when
you smoke and why (see Understand your
habit). Once you have identified your reasons for smoking and your
triggers, they will become much easier to break.
Emotional
triggers
Whilst breaking the physical addiction to nicotine is hard,
for many smokers breaking the habit - the psychological addiction -
is much harder. This is mainly because smoking is likely to have become
deeply ingrained over many years and has therefore become an integral part
of many emotional occasions. Sad or unhappy, bored or having to
concentrate hard, happy and relaxed with friends - cigarettes are likely
to have played a part in almost all of these situations. Again, being
prepared helps. See Understand your habit.
Sometimes, a
cigarette is just a cigarette…
It helps to remember that sometimes we ascribe too much power
to cigarettes. They don't have the power to change anything or to make
things better. As Freud once said, 'Sometimes, a cigarette is just a
cigarette'.
However, to stop and stay stopped you do need to
keep a strong and focused mind. The associations you have established with
smoking are likely to outlast your physical addiction to nicotine.
Reminding yourself that you are in control, together with a positive
mental attitude will help you to stay stopped - and enjoy life as a
non-smoker!
Reference : www.givingupsmoking.co.uk/
