HOW NICOTINE WORKS

Quitting initiates physiological changes. A quick explanation of how nerve impulses do Their 'thing'... there are tiny gaps between nerve cells. In order for an impulse to cross that gap, the 'sending' nerve cell floods the gap with a neurotransmitter, in this case acetylcholine. This acts like a chemical 'bridge' allowing the nerve impulse to cross the gap and bind to receptors on the receiving cell. Immediately afterward, another chemical floods the gap and absorbs (reuptake) the acetylcholine. This clears the gap so the process can be repeated again. If that 're-absorption' doesn't happen or happens slowly, that gap is effectively 'frozen' until it's cleared. Now here's how nicotine works.... it mimics acetylcholine but it's not identical. Nicotine is stronger which is why small doses stimulate. However, the chemical that reabsorbs the acetylcholine from the synaptic gap does not work as thoroughly on nicotine. If we're inhaling deeply and often (as we tend to do when stressed or feeling the need to 'calm down, remember being scared or really stressed and thinking "I really need a cig!" and we sucked a couple of very big drags all the way down to our toes?) we're flooding the gap with more nicotine than can be reabsorbed quickly. This is the 'calming' effect we experience with smoking. BTW, in extreme cases of nicotine overdose, that's how nicotine can kill. Without nerve impulses, the lungs and heart stop working. It's the differences between nicotine and acetylcholine that force changes to the receptors and that's why when we quit and there is no longer the 'accustomed' chemical to facilitate normal nerve function, we experience the brain fog and emotional turmoil that are so characteristic of quitting. The good news is that the receptors do recover their ability to function normally with our naturally produced acetlycholine and this tends to begin to happen fairly quickly, a few weeks to a month or so. The bad news is it 'feels' like an eternity.

 

By DDSteve