Physical and psychological nicotine addiction: causes, stages, treatment

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Nicotine addiction is considered a form of drug addiction, but it occurs with the use of tobacco, more often - when smoking cigarettes. By the speed of formation of dependence, nicotine is only slightly inferior to heroin, and all other drugs successfully "conquers" it.

Nicotine addiction

By systematic tobacco smoking or nicotine addiction in medicine is understood a complex of mental, physiological, behavioral disorders that are triggered by the consumption of tobacco in any form. This dependence is widespread, which is largely due to the legal sale of cigarettes and their easy availability, even for teenagers. Dependence on nicotine is very strong, and now almost every third inhabitant of the Earth suffers it.

Nicotine stimulates the pleasure center in the brain, leading to a kind of euphoria, but with its long absence there is a decline, stress and depression.

Nicotine exerts such an effect on the body:

• Narrows the lumen of the vessels;
• Increases heart rate, pressure;
• Reduces metabolism;
• Increases the level of hormones of pleasure.

With prolonged smoking experience, the person relaxes the pleasant sensations from the consumption of cigarette smoke, and they are more vivid only when smoking the first morning "portion."But the majority still continues to smoke, as when the level of nicotine in the blood drops, the sensations will not be the most pleasant - there will be an abstinence syndrome, "withdrawal".

Reasons for forming

The habit of smoking develops not from the first use of tobacco, but after a certain period of time, which depends on the individual characteristics of the organism. Also, a habit arises with the participation of a number of social factors - smoking of parents and relatives, friends in the company, problems in the family, the presence of extra pocket funds, etc. Typically, the formation of dependence occurs already in adolescence - up to 16 years. But why is smoking so addictive and what kind of dependence can one expect the lover to indulge in a cigarette - another?

Physical

The formation of physical dependence on tobacco occurs with the participation of the central nervous system. The main substance that transmits impulses between the nuclei and the cells of the central nervous system is the neurotransmitter dopamine. If a lot of dopamine is released, a person experiences pleasure, and if the amount of dopamine falls, he experiences withdrawal symptoms. After the initial consumption, nicotine raises dopamine transmission, giving pleasant sensations and causing addiction. Regular smoking changes the complex of dopamine transfer, nicotine becomes part of this complex, that is, without this substance, the transfer of dopamine will not be normal. There is a strong craving for smoking, or nicotine addiction.

Psychological

Addiction, formed at the physical level, is complemented by psychoemotional dependence. A person is looking for arguments to continue smoking, and any stress or negative events entail the support of nicotine cravings. For any smoker, the process of smoking is a method of communicating with other people, a means for distracting, concentrating, etc. Most dependent people have a link to smoking in different situations - to a break in work, awakening, going out, meeting with friends, excitement. Smoking is becoming a powerful ritual, which is not easy to defeat.
On the video about the causes of the development of nicotine addiction:

Stages of

There are three stages of dependence, but before the development of this present the smoker has a preparatory stage, when smoking is still episodic. A certain period of time a person smokes not constantly, from time to time( 1-15 times a month).The process of smoking in these people is still accompanied by a cough, and also causes nausea, dizziness( symptoms of nicotine intoxication).

In the sequential there are 3 main stages of dependence, in which the transition from one to the other is due to the strengthening of physical and psychological traction:

1. The initial stage.3-5 years - as long as this stage lasts since the beginning of a bad habit. Smoking becomes systematic, the number of cigarettes per day is increasing. After smoking a cigarette a person feels an improvement in health, comfort. Somatic problems and mental changes are not present.
2. Chronic stage. Duration - 6-15 years and more. The number of cigarettes smoked can reach 2 packs per day, then it becomes permanent, stable. At the slightest change of the situation, after a load, stress, when changing the topic of conversation, there is already a desire to smoke. At night, in the morning there is a cough, there are periodic pains in the heart, nausea, insomnia, a drop in efficiency, etc.
3. Late stage. Duration - until the end of a person's life or until the end of a bad habit. Smoking without reason, continues almost without stopping. A person already can not distinguish between grades, the quality of cigarettes, it does not matter. Health problems become permanent, including diseases of the digestive tract, heart, mouth and many other organs.

In the video stage of nicotine addiction:

Signs of dependence

The first moments of nicotine consumption in individuals can lead to the development of such symptoms:

• Pressure drop;
• Weakness;
• Nausea;
• Dizziness;
• Weakness in muscles;
• Anxiety;
• Sometimes - fainting.

Usually, such people do not develop dependence on smoking, as they do not continue to "smoke".The rest of cigarettes have mild dizziness with a pronounced sense of satisfaction, pleasant sensations. They have a higher risk of dependence development.

In subsequent stages, when nicotine dependence already exists, the symptoms after smoking are as follows:

• Mood improvement;
• Improved performance;
• Euphoria;
• Relaxation;
• Psychological comfort.

Over time, the brightness of sensations is greatly dimmed, and the number of tobacco cigarettes is increasing. When you stop the bad habit, there is a strong desire to smoke, pressure sharply fluctuates, there is hyperhidrosis, dryness in the mouth, pain of unknown origin, cough, constipation or diarrhea, insomnia.

Diagnostics

Various psychological tests are used to diagnose dependence and its severity. One of them, the most famous is the Fagerstrom test.

After answering a number of questions, the specialist sums up the points obtained and diagnoses:

• 0-2 points - there is no dependence.
• 3-6 points - a moderate dependence.
• 7-10 points - a strong dependence.

If the patient has the last type of craving for smoking, he will need drugs to stop the habit.
Fagerstrom test to determine the degree of dependence:

Treatment of

The most popular, old and tested group of drugs against nicotine craving is nicotine replacement therapy. In people with addiction, it reduces cravings by 2 times by maintaining the level of nicotine in the body and, at the same time, destroying the very stereotype of smoking. For this purpose, patches, chewing gums, tablets, lozenges, inhalers are used. Famous brands - Nicorette, Niktivin.

Other drugs for the therapy of nicotine traction are:

• Antidepressants - Bupropion, Nortriptyline. They help to eliminate depression, normalizing reactions involving dopamine.
• Nicotinic receptor antagonists - Cytisine, Varenicline. Reduce the need for nicotine.

Specialists note that taking exclusively medications is less effective than combining them with non-medicament methods and methods of psychological and social rehabilitation.

Are relapses possible?

The most common reason why a person who quits smoking, returns to this habit again - any difficulty that has arisen and a problem, albeit insignificant. The situation is aggravated by the depressive state, which is somehow present after giving up cigarettes. Some people, on the contrary, again light up in high spirits, especially when drinking alcohol and "for the company."

Many experts argue that nicotine addiction is a chronic disease that can not be cured completely. After quitting smoking, a person only enters remission, and its duration will depend only on himself.