You initially become addicted to cigarettes because of the fast action of nicotine on the pleasure centers of your brain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you puff on a cigarette, the nicotine in your lungs enters your blood stream and within 15 to 20 seconds begins to work on your brain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once in your brain, nicotine binds to receptors that are intended for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This binding causes a change in the cell walls that allow calcium or sodium ions to enter the cell. After that, a number of additional brain neurotransmitters are released.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These neurotransmitters affect your mood and behavior. The neurotransmitter dopamine affects the reward center that causes feelings of pleasure and enjoyment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Serotonin helps moderate your mood and controls your appetite. GABA produces a calming effect that reduces anxiety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Smoking is a means of artificially spiking the acetylcholine system resulting in feelings of pleasure, calmness, and a moderation of your mood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because of these positive effects and the speed with which they are associated with nicotine intake (taking a puff) smoking is highly addictive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As an occasional or social smoker, you may begin to use cigarettes as a means of coping with life’s daily stresses. You switch from social smoking to daily smoking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you begin smoking several cigarettes a day, nicotine is constantly stimulating your brain, 24 hours a day. You are psychologically addicted to the positive effects of nicotine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over a period of several years a transition begins to take place in the addiction mechanism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your brain adapts to the frequent presence of nicotine. Your brain physically changes by increasing the nicotine receptor concentration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This requires more nicotine for your brain to function properly. That is, your brain now becomes dependent on nicotine for normal functions. This adaptation produces tolerance for nicotine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When your brain is unable to get the required amount of nicotine, you experience withdrawal symptoms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These withdrawal symptoms include irritability, restlessness, difficulty in getting along with family and friends, sleeplessness, anxiety, depression, hunger, difficulty concentrating, and lethargy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Half the nicotine in your body is metabolized and broken down every 2 hours. As your nicotine level declines, the withdrawal symptoms set in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The only way to relieve the withdrawal symptoms is with another dose of nicotine. You now smoke, not for pleasure, but to eliminate withdrawal symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As an addicted cigarette smoker, you often need your first dose of nicotine as soon as possible in the morning. Many smokers take their first puffs within 5 minutes of awakening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Throughout the day, you need additional doses of nicotine every couple of hours. You are often willing to leave the comfort of a smoke-free environment to stand in the freezing cold, rain, or sweltering heat to get your next dose of nicotine. You are definitely in the second stage of nicotine addiction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Overall, your smoking addiction started out as a psychologically addiction to the positive effects of nicotine on your brain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, because the brain adapts to nicotine, your smoking addiction winds up as a means of preventing the negative effects of withdrawal symptoms.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
You initially become addicted to cigarettes because of the fast action of nicotine on the pleasure centers of your brain. When you puff on a cigarette, the nicotine in your lungs enters your blood stream and within 15 to 20 seconds begins to work on your brain. Once in your brain, nicotine binds to receptors […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":39215,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[559],"yoast_head":"\n