How much of a hold on you does nicotine have? A lot. Especially if you're trying to quit smoking. Nicotine is found naturally in tobacco and it's one of the more addictive substances in the world. While nicotine isn't actually illegal, it's just as addictive as drugs like heroine and cocaine - two drugs that are know to have qualities that are extremely addicting.
When a person uses nicotine, their body starts to rely on it both physically as well as mentally. One of the main reasons that it's so hard to quit smoking is because you have physical as well as psychological effects that you have to deal with and this can be absolutely overwhelming for anyone.
Do you realize that your smoking addiction is not caused by the smoke itself? It's really the nicotine the flows from the smoke down deep into your lungs where it finds it's way into your blood stream. From there the nicotine moves into other parts of your body and has a dramatic affect on your overall health.
Every main part of your body is affected by nicotine including your brain, your blood vessels, hormones and even your metabolism. Logically, you may realize that there may be major damage being done inside you but your ability to quit smoking is lessened due to the nicotine. Nicotine has similar effects as endorphins which release mood elevating feelings that can cause you to desire even more.
But nicotine also has other results. As soon as you attempt to quit smoking or even if you stay at approximately the same number of cigarettes a day, your body sends a message to your brain to smoke more... It tells you that you have become too tolerant at your current cigarette usage level. Nicotine can actually cause your body to react faster than if you were given a drug intravenously!
If you do quit smoking, be advised that the nicotine stays in your body for about four days after you quit smoking. Your body will then begin it's withdrawal routine and that's a physical as well as mental road block that you need to overcome.
Poor sleeping patterns, dizziness and head aches are part of the physical side that you'll need to deal with. But the mental side is no cake walk either. The new ex-smoker will likely need to deal with mood swings, frustration, some times depression and even anger when the nicotine withdrawal begins.
Sadly, many many smokers will turn back to their cigarettes to relieve the pressure from both their mind and their body. And so the cycle begins. This is the dilemma of nicotine withdrawal. The withdrawal symptoms can last for just days or for many it can last weeks depending on the severity of their nicotine addiction.
Thankfully though, all these symptoms will eventually disappear. That incredibly strong grip that nicotine had on you will sooner or later loosen up. This is the time that smokers will finally kick that bad habit forever. Now, many long time smokers will need to go through this cycle more than once. But, eventually they will be able to say good bye to their addiction.
Remember, you don't have to go through this cycle again and again. you can quit smoking today with one of the many smoking cessation aids available. So kick that habit today!
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