Why It’s So Hard To Stop Smoking Cigarettes
ByIt is an indisputable fact that smoking tobacco is bad for your health. We all know it. We all believe it. While most smokers may want to quit, it’s hard to break free from such a powerful addiction. It’s hard but not impossible, especially if you personally see a need to quit.
Facts and statistics don’t seem to motivate most smokers to quit. There must be something in you that is as strong as your addiction to nicotine. It’s not just will power; it’s your personal reason for wanting to quit. It is the reason behind your motivation that can push you through beyond your tobacco addiction (more on this in my next post).
Now I’m not merely an armchair philosopher. I’m not proud to say this, but I used to smoke. I understand what tobacco addiction is like. Speaking of addiction, the addictive impact of nicotine on the brain has been classified in the same category as heroin and cocaine.
How long does nicotine stay in the blood after the last cigarette is smoked? Not very long really—only about 6 to 8 hours. What follows the missing nicotine is no longer physical addiction, but is a radical change in your life. For X number of years, someone who smokes, say 1 pack of cigarettes (20 cigarettes) a day, takes in 7,300 strong doses of nicotine a year. With each dose, 6 mood-altering neurotransmitters in the brain, stimulated by nicotine, produce:
- Appetite suppression
- Pleasure
- Reduced tension and anxiety
- Increased cognitive function
- Improved memory
I believe that the most potent ingredient in a smoker’s addiction is the staggering number of powerful, mood altering doses of nicotine a smoker inhales, which in turn become linked to specific, daily behaviors. You smoke while drinking coffee, while talking on the phone, after a meal, while reading or listening to music…etc., etc., etc. The longer you smoke, the stronger the association is made with those activities. You may quit smoking, but you still drink coffee, drive your car, and so on; only now, something major is missing.
What are your thoughts or experience with smoking, and trying to quit? If you would, please click on “Leave A Reply ” and post a comment. I’d like to hear your opinion.
I really like what you wrote here – it’s well-written. Thanks for posting this. As someone who has struggled with an addiction myself, I really appreciate what you wrote. Click here if you’d like to check out my site. Have a great week!
[...] of all, nicotine does not cause cancer. You are addicted to the drug, nicotine, and not to the toxic smoke that contains [...]