nicotine addiction
Is nicotine addictive? Absolutely. Addiction is best described by compulsive drug seeking and use, regardless of the negative consequences. Tobacco use fits this description perfectly. Of the 35 million people trying to quit each year, less than 7 percent of those who try are able to acheive one year of continual abstinence. Most, relapse within a few days.
What most people do not realize is that the cigarette is a very efficient drug delivery system. By inhaling, the smoker can get nicotine into the brain with every puff. A typical smoker will take 10 puffs over a 5 minute period of time. So, a person that smokes a pack and a half of cigarettes each day, gets approximately 300 hits of nicotine into the brain each day.
Many recovering addicts and alcoholics still smoke and choose to use the rational ” I can’t quit everything at one time”. The thing is, if a person is going to quit drugs and alcohol in an effort to save their life, why continue to smoke which brings you a step closer to death.
Give up your addiction to nicotine the same way you gave up your addicton to drugs and alcohol. Detox, under the care of your physician, and apply the 12 steps to your addiction. It all starts with the first step in admitting you are powerless over nicotine and you r life has become unmanageable.
Technorati Tags: addiction, alcoholic, detox, relapse
allenf said,
March 29, 2006 @ 2:03 pm
I smoked about a pack or so a day for a long, long time. When I was in rehab 7 months ago, I absolutely needed the nicotine (or at least I believed I did). I got pneumonia and that cut down my smoking but I still wasn’t ready to quit. I felt like it would be too much of a shock to my body to give up drugs, alcohol and cigarettes at the same time. Then, my Higher Power sent help my way in the form of friends and direction. My doctor prescribed wellbutrin which I took and then I was lead to a website. Margo has posted a wonderful program for quitting that worked for me. And there is a person named Historyteach (among others) on the website who really encouraged me and supported my effort to quit. I won’t lie…there were a few days of hell, but they passed and it has been over 2 months now since I have had a cig. I feel 100% better and have saved over $200. If I can do it, so can you. It all starts with a desire to quit smoking and then taking the steps you are lead to.
Oh, by the way, it was not a shock to my body to quit drinking, using and smoking. Only an addict like myself would think that healthy ways could somehow harm me. My body has been thanking me ever since I quit.