Contents:
- Medical Video: Five Things That Help Smokers Quit : Psychology & Mental Health
- Where does nicotine come in, and how long does it last?
- How is nicotine addictive?
- Symptoms of "sakau" can cause smokers to smoke again
- Other substances in cigarette smoke
Medical Video: Five Things That Help Smokers Quit : Psychology & Mental Health
Why is quitting smoking difficult for many people? The main answer is nicotine.
Nicotine is a substance naturally found in tobacco, which is as addictive as heroin or cocaine. Over time, a person becomes physically and emotionally dependent on nicotine. Physical dependence can cause "sickness" symptoms when you try to stop. Emotional and mental dependence makes it difficult to stay away from nicotine. Studies show that to stop smoking and stop, smokers must overcome physical and mental dependence.
Where does nicotine come in, and how long does it last?
When you breathe smoke, nicotine enters your lungs, which is then absorbed into the bloodstream along with carbon monoxide and other poisons, flowing throughout the body. In fact, nicotine inhaled from cigarette smoke reaches the brain faster than drugs given through blood vessels (intravenously or infusion).
Nicotine affects many parts of the body, including the heart and blood vessels, hormones, metabolism and the brain. Nicotine can be found in breast milk and even cervical fluid in female smokers. During pregnancy, nicotine passes through the placenta and is found in the amniotic fluid and baby's umbilical cord.
Several factors influence how long it takes for the body to remove nicotine and other products. In general cases, regular smokers will still have nicotine and other products such as cotinine in the body around 3-4 days after quitting smoking.
How is nicotine addictive?
Nicotine gives a good feeling and distracts smokers from unpleasant feelings. This makes smokers want to smoke again. Nicotine also acts as a depressant by affecting the flow between nerve cells. Smokers tend to smoke more as the nervous system adapts to nicotine. This causes an increase in nicotine levels in the blood of smokers.
Over time, the level of nicotine tolerance in smokers increases. Tolerance means that more nicotine is needed to have the same effect as the smaller smoker's natural effects. At some point, smokers reach certain nicotine levels and continue smoking to maintain nicotine levels.
When smokers spend their cigarettes, nicotine levels in the body begin to decline. The pleasure that cigarettes cause fades, so smokers want to smoke again. If you don't immediately smoke, smokers will begin to feel sensitive and irritable. Usually this does not cause serious "sakau" symptoms, but smokers will feel increasingly uncomfortable. When smokers smoke again, the feeling disappears and the cycle continues.
Symptoms of "sakau" can cause smokers to smoke again
When smokers try to stop, nicotine deficiency can cause physical and mental symptoms. Physically, the body reacts to the disappearance of nicotine. Mentally, smokers must stop their habits and make behavioral changes. Emotionally, smokers may feel like losing a good friend. These factors must be addressed so that the smoking cessation process can work well.
Smokers who smoke regularly will experience symptoms of sakau for several weeks if they immediately stop smoking. Symptoms usually start a few hours after the last cigarette and peak 2-3 days after when nicotine exits the body. Symptoms of sakau can last for several days to several weeks. Symptoms will improve if you stay away from cigarettes.
Symptoms can include:
- Dizziness (can last 1-2 days after stopping)
- Depression
- Frustrated, impatient, angry
- Anxious
- Easy to get angry
- Sleep disorders, trouble sleeping soundly, nightmares
- Concentration difficulty
- Tired or bored
- Headache
- Tired
- Increased appetite
- Weight gain
- Constipation
- Cough, dry mouth, sore throat and nasal drip
- Tightness in the chest
- Decreased heart rate
These symptoms can make smokers return to smoking to get nicotine levels until symptoms disappear.
Other substances in cigarette smoke
There is evidence that chemicals in cigarette smoke can play a role with nicotine to make stopping smoking more difficult. The effect of smoking on monoamine oxidase (a chemical in the brain) is being studied. In some people, quitting smoking can cause problems in the mood, which can worsen the desire to smoke.
Quitting smoking is not easy, but you can do it. To successfully stop and remain a non-smoker, you need to know what you want to avoid, what your choices are, and where you should seek help.
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
