I know that you have just finished with Lent and you’re
probably not too anxious to make any more sacrifices, but
I’m still hoping that you will make a commitment to quit
smoking cigarettes.
A few weeks ago, I promised a column about the latest research
on nicotine addiction. The best information I’ve come
across was in an article called Kicking Butts which was featured
in Psychology Today.
According to this article, nicotine is even more addictive
than most people realise.
“In the US an estimated 46 million Americans smoke; 80
per cent would like to stop and only two to three per cent
of those who try succeed,” says Dr Michael Flore, director
of the Centre for Tobacco Research at the University of Wisconsin.
Since 1988, nicotine dependence and withdrawal has been recognised
as a disorder by the American Psychiatric Association. That’s
because doctors now recognise nicotine addiction is comparable
in strength to hard drugs—even cocaine—and alcohol.
Doctors even claim that “graduating” from experimentation
to addiction is higher with cigarettes than any other drug.
No other drug seems to have such a high percentage of devastating
results. Scientists have identified 49 carcinogens, but cigarettes
cause a whole host of other diseases besides cancer.
“Take all the deaths in America caused by alcohol, illicit
drugs, fires, car accidents, homicide and suicide. Throw in
Aids and it’s still only half the deaths every year from
cigarettes,” says Flores.
Although everyone knows the dangers associated with cigarette
smoking, the addictive qualities make it difficult for many
people to resist.
Nicotine regulates mood, attention and memory and gives the
temporary illusion that all these three aspects of human behaviour
are working well once nicotine is involved. It appears to
stimulate the release of dopamine—a reward centre of
the brain—that also gives that initial high for opiates,
cocaine and alcohol.
“The cigarette also gives the smoker...fingertip dose
control,” says Dr Henningfield, from the National institute
on Drug Abuse. “Achieving just the right blood level
is a key to virtually all drug-related dependency.”
Researchers say one of the main reasons people smoke is because
they feel that a cigarette will reduce bad feelings. Smoking
and depression seem to go hand in hand. Smokers are twice
as likely to be depressed as nonsmokers.
Depression and the need for an instant fix make it difficult
for most smokers to quit.
“For a person who often feels sad, anxious or bored,
smoking can easily become a dependable coping mechanism to
be given up only with great difficulty,” says Dr Thomas
Brandon, a psychologist who studies drug addiction.
Scientists are now beginning to understand the effects of
nicotine on the brain, especially where memory is concerned.
An estimated ten per cent of your memory goes up in smoke
if you use nicotine or marijuana. There’s no doubt about
it: giving up smoking is a major battle. Most relapses are
said to occur soon after quitting, usually within the first
two weeks. The good news is that acute withdrawal is over
in four to six weeks if you stick it out. The bad news is
that this will not signal the end of the addiction.
Former smokers are said to be susceptible to “cues.”
Going to a fete and getting a whiff of cigarette smoke could
do you in and being around friends who smoke will not offer
the support you need to control your cigarette addiction.
Also, internal cues will rise up to haunt you.
“If you smoked in the past when under stress or depressed,
the act of being depressed can serve as a cue to trigger the
urge to smoke,” says Brandon.
Doctors don’t rate the patch very high for successfully
kicking the habit. Researchers also believe that as many as
20 per cent of cigarette smokers will never be able to kick
their nicotine habits. So what does work?
Doctors say counselling helps because it allows an addict
to understand the feelings that triggered their dependency
on nicotine. Depression treatment is equally important. Reminding
yourself of the reasons why you want to quit smoking also
helps. A positive lifestyle and plenty of exercise also helps.
Still, there’s no getting around the fact that quitting
will take tremendous courage.
Want to quit smoking? Here’s what doctors say you should
know:
1. Expect to struggle for a couple of months.
2. Know that it will take at least six tries to kick the habit.
3. Make an inventory of things that make you feel good and
try to replace smoking with those activities.
4. Cut your caffeine intake. It’s a trigger for nicotine.
5. Change the routine you followed with smoking.
6. Seek counselling and support.
7. Limit alcohol use, which is also a trigger for nicotine
use.
