How To Tell If You Are Addicted To Nicotine

How To Recognize Nicotine

How to tell if you are no longer addicted to nicotine

Nicotine is rarely sold as a singular product, rather it’s most often found as an ingredient in tobacco products like cigarettes and some smoking cessation products like nicotine gum and patches. Nicotine is sold as a liquid for use in e-cigarettes.

The FDA requires warning statement labels on tobacco products: WARNING: This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.

Is Smoking Tobacco Really Addictive

Addiction is marked by the repeated, compulsive seeking or use of a substance despite its harmful effects and unwanted consequences. Addiction is mental or emotional dependence on a substance. Nicotine is the known addictive substance in tobacco. Regular use of tobacco products leads to addiction in many users. Nicotine is a drug that occurs naturally in tobacco and its thought to be as addictive as heroin or cocaine.

Why Is It So Hard To Quit Tobacco

Stopping or cutting back on tobacco causes symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Withdrawal is both physical and mental. Physically, your body is reacting to the absence of nicotine. Mentally, you are faced with giving up a habit, which calls for a major change in behavior. Emotionally, you might feel like as if youve lost your best friend. Studies have shown that smokeless tobacco users have as much trouble giving up tobacco as people who want to quit smoking cigarettes.

People who have used tobacco regularly for a few weeks or longer will have withdrawal symptoms if they suddenly stop or greatly reduce the amount they use. Theres no danger in nicotine withdrawal, but the symptoms can be uncomfortable. They usually start within a few hours and peak about 2 to 3 days later when most of the nicotine and its by-products are out of the body. Withdrawal symptoms can last a few days to up to several weeks. They get better every day that a person stays tobacco-free.

Nicotine withdrawal symptoms can include any of the following:

Dizziness
Depression
Feelings of frustration, impatience, and anger
Anxiety
Irritability
Trouble sleeping, including trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, and having bad dreams or even nightmares
Trouble concentrating

Don’t Miss: How Do You Get Rid Of An Addiction

Nicotine Activates Reward Circuit In Humans Brain

It takes only 10 seconds for nicotine to get to brain cells. After reaching the brain, nicotine brings pleasure to smokers by causing a transient rise in endorphins level neurochemicals that are responsible for relieving pain and stress.

The surge is much briefer than other addictive substances like heroin or cocaine, but the rule of developing addict is the same. After nicotine kicks in, it releases a neurotransmitter called dopamine in reward circuit. This neurotransmitter will reinforce the action and make smokers seek nicotine again and again to get the reward.

Second of all, tobacco is more acceptable socially: in comparison to other illicit addictive substances like marijuana, heroin or cocaine cigarette is legal all around the world. Despite the utmost effort of the government, tobacco is still much cheaper than those drugs, and you can buy a pack of cigarettes from any stores.

How long does it take to get addicted to nicotine compared to heroin or cocaine? It may take longer to get addicted to nicotine as the effect of heroin or cocaine on the brain is stronger, but it will be much more difficult to quit it as you can satisfy your craving so easily.

How Does Nicotine Addiction Work

If you’re a smoker, your brain is filled with nicotine receptors. These receptors eagerly await incoming nicotine. Think of nicotine as a key, and receptors as little locks. When the nicotine unlocks the nicotine receptors, a feel-good chemical called dopamine is released, giving you a little hit or buzz. This doesnt last long. The nicotine soon fades making the receptor eager for more. Cue nicotine withdrawal and cigarette cravings!

Two proven quitting methods really work on the nicotine addiction. Nicotine replacement therapy and prescribed stop smoking tablets.

Recommended Reading: Am I Addicted To Vaping

How Nicotine Affects You

Researchers are also looking at other chemicals in tobacco that make it hard to quit. In the brains of animals, tobacco smoke causes chemical changes that are not fully explained by the effects of nicotine.

The average amount of nicotine in one regular cigarette is about 1 to 2 milligrams . The amount you actually take in depends on how you smoke, how many puffs you take, how deeply you inhale, and other factors.

Your Addiction To Nicotine Is High

You have a high dependence on nicotine. Look into stop smoking medication to help you quit. Stop smoking medications can help ease symptoms of withdrawal and cravings while you quit.

You should definitely consider nicotine replacement therapy . If you smoke regularly throughout the day, you may find the 16 hour patch useful. But if you smoke wake in the night to smoke, a 24 hour patch may be more suitable. If you prefer to control how much nicotine you use and when you use it, try the higher strength gum, lozenge or microtab at a higher dose. You might also think about using Champix or Zyban, non-nicotine medications. A Quit Your Way Scotland Adviser can tell you where to go to get free stop smoking medication.

Medication can help with cravings but it is still common to have times when you have the urge to smoke. Smoking is an addiction and people smoke for physical, mental and emotional reasons. Make sure that you are using other quit smoking strategies along with your medication. Attending a stop smoking group would also greatly increase your chances of quitting successfully. They can help you deal with withdrawal and cravings.

Getting support from your family, friends or specialist stop smoking services is also important. Quit Your Way Scotland Advisers are trained to help you quit you can contact an adviser on 0800 84 84 84 or by chatting online at www.QuitYourWay.scot. Our helpline and webchat services are open:

Recommended Reading: How To Withdraw From Tramadol Addiction

Tolerance Dependence And Withdrawal

Nicotine is extremely addictive and, when used regularly, your body and mind learn to expect a certain amount of nicotine each dayand if it doesn’t get it, withdrawal can be intense. You can quickly build a tolerance to nicotine, needing more to reach the desired effect. This is one reason why it’s so hard to quit smoking.

Causes Of Nicotine Addiction

How Nicotine Addiction Works

Smoking cigarettes or using other tobacco products causes nicotine addiction. Nicotine is very addictive, so even infrequent use can lead to dependence.

Its possible for smoking cessation products, such as nicotine gum, lozenges, or patches, to cause nicotine addiction. However, the risk is low. This is because the amount of nicotine in these products is lower and delivered more slowly than the nicotine in tobacco.

You May Like: Can You Be Addicted To Tramadol

Try To Live In A Healthy Environment

Environment is a central contribution to adjust how long does it take to get addicted to nicotine. Try to shift to a cleaner community or seek for help from friends, family to get some help and advice when you are feeling stress to prevent you from smoking. If you are trying to stay away from tobacco, it is also a good choice to make friends with people who have the same goal with you.

Are You Addicted To Smoking 5 Signs To Tell

Dr. Antonio Howell

A lot of smokers dont know, or perhaps deny that they are addicted to cigarettes. But statistics show that 3 out of 4 people who try to smoke end up addicted to it. The telltale signs of nicotine addiction include the time of the day you start lighting up and how you respond to your smoking urges. According to experts, nicotine addiction has similar pharmacologic and behavioral characteristics to cocaine and heroin addictions.

Here are the signs that you are addicted to smoking:

You reach for a cigarette before anything else in the morning. How soon you light up in the morning is an important indication of nicotine addiction. If you have it five minutes after waking up, your addiction is very strong. If you are able to wait for like 30 minutes, its moderate. If its within an hour or so, it is somewhat lower.

You smoke more than 7 cigarettes a day. A lot of smokers dont count how many cigarettes they smoke on a daily basis. Aside from the number of cigarettes, another way to indicate nicotine addiction is how heavily you inhale the smoke. The thing is, you can consume the same amount of nicotine from 10 cigarettes as you do from 20 cigarettes if you tend to inhale more deeply.

Read Also: What Are The 12 Steps Of Addiction

Your Addiction To Nicotine Is Low

You have a low dependence on nicotine and you may be able to quit on your own. However, if you have tried on your own before and failed, then try using nicotine replacement therapy occasionally to supplement your willpower. A lower strength gum, lozenge, microtab or inhalator may be suitable.

Even if you do not strongly depend on nicotine, you may still get strong urges to smoke. Smoking is an addiction and people smoke for physical, mental and emotional reasons. You may be tempted to smoke when you are bored, on the phone, under stress, or with other people who smoke. Knowing when you most want to smoke can help you prepare for these cravings.

Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 10.00pm and Saturday and Sunday, 9.00am to 5.00pm.

What Are The Symptoms Of Tobacco And Nicotine Addiction

How Do You Know If You Are Addicted To Nicotine & How Long ...

A tobacco addiction is harder to hide than other addictions. This is largely because tobacco is legal, easily obtained, and can be consumed in public.

Some people can smoke socially or occasionally, but others become addicted. An addiction may be present if the person:

cannot stop smoking or chewing, despite attempts to quit
has withdrawal symptoms when they try to quit
must smoke or chew after every meal or after long periods of time without using, such as after a movie or work meeting
needs tobacco products to feel normal or turns to them during times of stress
gives up activities or wont attend events where smoking or tobacco use is not allowed
continues to smoke despite health problems

There are many treatments available for tobacco addiction. However, this addiction can be very difficult to manage. Many users find that even after nicotine cravings have passed, the ritual of smoking can lead to a relapse.

There are several different treatment options for those battling a tobacco addiction:

You May Like: How To Overcome Alcohol Addiction

Under 18s And Pregnant Women

High doses of nicotine can be dangerous, especially for children.

Nicotine can affect brain development in babies, and ideally pregnant women should be smokefree and nicotine free. However, nicotine products are used to support pregnant women to quit smoking. Your doctor or local stop smoking services can give you more information.

Nicotine can also have some negative effects on brain development in adolescents.

To avoid accidental poisoning, e-liquids should be stored out of the reach of children and animals.

Nicotine Dependencesigns And Symptoms

Nicotine is as addictive as heroin and causes release of the pleasure chemical dopamine and other neurotransmitters in the brain within minutes of the first puff, which reinforces continued tobacco use.

Tobacco users get hooked because of that pleasant feeling or “rush” and often continue to use nicotine to prevent withdrawal symptoms.

Some of the complex factors involved in tobacco and nicotine dependence are:

How the body handles nicotine, how it is absorbed and removed and how the body responds to it
Environmental factors, such as smoking while drinking coffee or after meals
Physiologic factors, such as a persons genetic predisposition to addiction

When you stop smoking, the withdrawal side effects will appear in one to two days, peak during the first week, and then subside within two to four weeks.

Symptoms of nicotine withdrawal include:

Anxiety
Increased appetite and weight gain
Irritability, frustration and anger

How Long Does It Take To Get Addicted To Nicotine

Everything starts with the very first stick of cigarette. You told yourself you would just try it this one time, but at some point, you realize that you have already been addicted to it. So which stick of cigarette makes you addicted exactly? Or how long does it take to get addicted to nicotine the main active ingredient in tobacco- so that you can know when to stop? The answer is right here.

How Many Vape Puffs Equals A Cigarette

How I Quit Nicotine

To see to what extent this is true, consider that the typical full-flavor cigarette contains around 12 milligrams of nicotine. This is as much as an entire bottle of typical e-juice! Yet, the typical smoker only takes about 10 hits off of that cigarette while they may get up to 100 hits off the bottle of e-juice.

You May Like: How To Help My Addict Husband

Nicotine Withdrawal And Your Mood

As your body adjusts to life without nicotine, you may have mood swings or feel increased anxiety or sadness. If you become depressed or are having extreme sadness, do not ignore these feelings or keep them to yourself. Let someone who cares about you know how you are feeling, and talk to a doctor or another trusted healthcare professional.

What Are The Most Common Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms

Nicotine withdrawal symptoms vary from person to person. How severe your symptoms are depends on how frequently you use a nicotine product and the amount of nicotine in the product you use.

Common symptoms include:

Constipation and gas or diarrhea.
Cough, dry mouth, sore throat and nasal drip.
Chest tightness.

Read Also: What Is Drug Addiction Definition

Continue Learning About Quit Smoking

Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.

What The Experts Say

How to Quit Nicotine in Addiction Recovery

Many researchers are beginning to question whether nicotine is any more harmful than a daily dose of caffeine.

To date, there have been studies showing positive effects of nicotine, including decreased tension and increased thinking, as well as the stimulant’s potential in warding off cognitive decline into Alzheimer’s, delaying the progression of Parkinson’s disease, and as a therapeutic approach for ADHD and schizophrenia.

Still, health professionals continue to warn about the dangers of nicotine, especially when used by adolescents whose brains are still developing .

Nicotine impacts the parts of the brain that play a role in attention, memory, learning, and brain plasticity.

While cigarette smoking is on the decline, vaping and e-cigarettes are on the rise. The American Academy of Pediatrics warns that “e-cigarettes are threatening to addict a new generation to nicotine.”

Read Also: How To Kick Food Addiction

How Nicotine Causes Addiction

Nicotine causes addiction by causing chemical changes in the brain. Using nicotine-containing products, including smoking cigarettes or vaping, causes the release of a chemical in the brain called dopamine.

Dopamine trains people to act a certain way by reinforcing certain behaviors. It does this by rewarding a person with a pleasurable sensation. This is called reinforcement. Each time a person takes a puff on a cigarette or vapes, they get a dopamine hit. This causes them to use nicotine-containing products over and over.

Related

Taking work breaks

Find Support For Nicotine Addiction

It would help if you were very cautious about the medication’s service and storing the drug to prevent this trouble. What’s more, when appropriately implemented, nicotine gum works at its best.

Parents, relatives, and friends can enthusiastically help and encourage smokers so that patients can quickly conquer their nicotine problem. This not only safeguards the patient’s welfare and those around him.

Asking for help would make it much easier to stop smoking as well as to prevent the gum addiction you endure. With the assistance of the group, you would be amazed at the performance. Do not feel guilty. Additionally, you are not the first to ever have this problem.

You deserve a happier life. Have self-confidence! You are healthy enough to get nicotine out of your body and out of your life, like everyone else.

Contact the National Drug Abuse and Mental Health Services Helpline at once in case you or your loved ones are dealing with the use or misuse of some drugs.

For information on resources and recovery services in your state, see 1-800-662-4357.

Read Also: What Percentage Of Addicts Relapse

Psychological And Behavioral Treatments

Some people who use tobacco have success with methods such as:

hypnotherapy
cognitive-behavioral therapy
neuro-linguistic programming

These methods help the user change their thoughts about addiction. They work to alter feelings or behaviors your brain associates with tobacco use.

Treatment for a tobacco addition requires a combination of methods. Keep in mind that what works for one person wont necessarily work for another. You should talk to you doctor about what treatments you should try.

How Does The Body Become So Dependent On Nicotine

Can you get addicted to Smoking Marijuana?

Why is nicotine so addictive? When you light up a cigarette and take a puff, you are inhaling chemicals into your body. If youve often thought that the first drag of your smoke is the best, its because your giving your body the substance it craves. Once inside your mouth, nicotine enters your bloodstream and travels straight to the brain. Did you know that nicotine will reach your brain much faster than an injected drug into your veins?

Shockingly, nicotine changes many things about your body. Your heart will beat faster, and your blood pressure increases. The metabolism changes, and many people can lose weight while smoking. Consequently, when you stop, you will notice weight changes. Lastly, the blood vessels tighten because the drug deprives the body of much-needed oxygen. The vessels adjust to try to assist the body in pumping adequate blood to all the organs.