Did you know that nicotine reaches the brain within roughly ten seconds of your first puff?
Here’s a few ways nicotine impacts your body.
· Improves your mood and concentration.
· Relaxes your muscles.
· Reduces your appetite.
Might seem like positives, but regular doses of nicotine eventually lead to changes in the brain.
As the nicotine supply goes down, withdrawal symptoms develop leading you to want to smoke again to temporarily take away the symptoms. This reinforces the habit and makes you even more dependent on nicotine.
Smoking and stress
Stress is a common reason for people to smoke, many turn to cigarettes to ease feelings of stress. However, research has shown that smoking actually increases anxiety and tension. Nicotine creates an immediate sense of relaxation, so it’s easy to see why people smoke in the belief it reduces stress and anxiety. This feeling, however, is temporary, and soon gives way to withdrawal symptoms and more cravings. Smoking reduces the withdrawal symptoms but doesn’t reduce anxiety or deal with the reasons someone may feel that way.
Smoking and depression
Public Health England published a report showing that adults with depression are nearly twice as likely to smoke as adults without depression. Most people start to smoke before showing signs of depression, so it’s unclear whether smoking leads to depression or depression encourages people to start smoking.
Nicotine stimulates the release of dopamine in the brain, a chemical that triggers positive feelings. It’s often found to be low in people with depression so it may be that they use cigarettes as a way of temporarily increasing their dopamine supply.
Smoking encourages the brain to switch off its own mechanism for making dopamine so in the long term the supply decreases, which in turn prompts people to smoke more.
People with depression can have a tough time when quitting and can experience more severe withdrawal symptoms.
Prepare to succeed
Heard the saying before? Works here too. The best thing you can do is to prepare for your quit. That way you’ll be less likely to have a failed attempt, which can knock your confidence.
We’re here to help you quit and we’ll set you up with all the tools you need to succeed. Just keep on showing up and putting in the effort and a happier and healthier life are waiting.
