Nicotine Addiction (Nicotine Dependence)
Nicotine addiction (nicotine dependence) is the physical and psychological dependence on the cigarette component nicotine. It takes place on two levels, but is treatable.
What is nicotine addiction?
Nicotine addiction develops over time through the use of commercial cigarettes. The tobacco plant contains nicotine to protect against voracious insects, in humans nicotine can trigger physical and psychological dependence. In high doses, nicotine could even be deadly. As with any addiction, it is difficult to classify as an addiction.
Mental nicotine addiction leads to an inner craving for a cigarette, while physical nicotine addiction is more likely to result in physical withdrawal symptoms. Complete withdrawal from cigarettes is associated with severe physical side effects in nicotine addiction.
causes
Nicotine addiction develops very quickly after the first cigarette, even if those affected like to claim that quitting smoking is not a problem for them . If the substance nicotine gets into the brain, it can, in contrast to many other substances, penetrate the blood-brain barrier and thus dock onto receptors that are responsible for the release of various endorphins . This creates a positive feeling when enjoying the cigarette and soon afterwards the need to smoke another cigarette arises.Those affected can often fight against a purely psychological dependency themselves; It becomes more difficult when the nicotine addiction already has physical symptoms. In these cases, it often persists because those affected do not find sufficient ways to effectively alleviate the physical withdrawal symptoms of nicotine addiction.
When to the doctor?
While some may not view nicotine addiction as a condition or type of illness, in some cases it may be medically necessary to see a doctor. If the addict is so dependent on the substance that it determines his whole life, restricts him in everyday life and possibly numerous attempts to break the addiction have failed, a visit to the doctor can definitely help.
Even if the withdrawal symptoms are difficult to cope with when you stop smoking, a doctor can help. The doctor can then alleviate the withdrawal symptoms by administering certain medications. A visit to the doctor is urgently necessary if severe physical limitations are already evident, such as shortness of breath , high blood pressure and other warning signs that indicate lung or cardiovascular diseases. Here, too, a distinction must be made.
The usual smoker’s cough due to the constant strain and damage to the lungs will probably occur sooner or later in almost every smoker. If it starts to get worse or the color of the sputum changes significantly, this can indicate serious damage to the lungs. Accordingly, it is advisable to consult a doctor by then at the latest in order to counteract nicotine addiction and its consequential damage. The earlier this happens, the higher the chances of success.
symptoms and course
Typical symptoms of nicotine addiction:
- aggressiveness
- feelings of hunger
Nicotine intake, like nicotine addiction, has physical and psychological effects. When taking nicotine, there is a stimulating and a calming, relaxing effect at the same time. Many smokers actually often reach for a cigarette again when they are stressed . This is followed by vasodilatation and an increase in psychomotor skills.
Withdrawal from nicotine addiction, on the other hand, leads to nervousness, irritability to the point of aggressiveness, depressive moods , fears , sweating, restlessness, feelings of hunger and sleep disorders. If the withdrawal is maintained, the nicotine addiction becomes less unpleasant after 6-10 days. However, the consequences of a weakened immune system and weight gain can still occur for a long time.
The psychological component is also difficult when withdrawing from nicotine, because the craving can last for a long time and there is a feeling of inner emptiness if those affected cannot satisfy the craving with their usual cigarette. If nicotine addiction from cigarettes is neither recognized nor treated, the other harmful ingredients in cigarettes can lead to secondary diseases over a long period of time, such as smoker ‘s leg , pulmonary emphysema and, in the worst case, lung cancer .
Diagnose
Because of the physical and psychological components of nicotine addiction, clear, definitive diagnosis can be difficult. Those affected usually know themselves that they would not last long without cigarettes – this is a first indication of a nicotine addiction. Similar to other addictions, there is a catalog of criteria according to which those affected are considered nicotine addicts if they can answer a certain number of questions in the affirmative, i.e. the addiction criterion applies to them.
For example, the question arises as to whether there is an ever-increasing craving for more and more nicotine, whether other activities are neglected because of smoking, or whether physical withdrawal symptoms occur when not smoking a cigarette. The Fagerstrom test, which is based on this scheme, is particularly popular for diagnosing nicotine addiction.
treatment and therapy
As with other addictions, the only effective way to effectively combat a nicotine addiction is to go cold turkey. While there are other methods that should at least help you get rid of cigarettes and their other harmful ingredients, these tools do not treat nicotine addiction. Nicotine patches , nicotine sprays or nicotine chewing gum still contain nicotine and it can therefore easily come back to cigarettes.
Severe nicotine dependence can even be treated as an inpatient if the person concerned seriously wants to work on the addiction and cannot do it on their own. Normally, however, it is sufficient to carry out an outpatient withdrawal with supervision and to decide for yourself when the day comes when the last cigarette is smoked. The doctor or accompanying psychologist can help maintain withdrawal and recommend tools or coping strategies for those first few, most difficult days and weeks without nicotine.
Behavioral therapy or accompanying medication to suppress the worst withdrawal symptoms also help to break the nicotine addiction, as important as self-motivation may be.
prevention
The best way to prevent nicotine addiction is to abstain from cigarettes and similar substances. Early education for children and young people makes an important contribution to this: parents can show their children that smoking cigarettes is not healthy and can lead to nicotine addiction with all its consequences. Nevertheless, it still happens in adulthood that people reach for cigarettes for the first time. Adults are in a better position to educate themselves about the health consequences of nicotine addiction and thus decide not to take the risk.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.