Learn about the causes of Smoking Addiction & find a practitioner in Auckland, Hamilton, Bay of Plenty, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin to help you overcome Smoking Addiction within New Zealand.
Smoking addiction is an uncontrollable dependence on the highly addictive nicotine stimulant present in tobacco products. Nicotine alters the levels of certain chemicals in the brain that causes smokers to experience pleasurable changes to mood and concentration. When a smoker stops smoking they crave the nicotine effects and can suffer withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, depression and irritable moods.
Causes Of Smoking Addiction
Smoking addiction is caused by the psychoactive drug nicotine and its
stimulating effects on electrical/chemical activity in the brain.
Nicotine alters the dopamine and noradrenaline chemicals that affect
mood. When the nicotine is inhaled, smokers have a rush that is
pleasurable and the more nicotine that is smoked the more people become
dependent on it.
Smoking addiction typically begins during
adolescence. People who start smoking from an early age are more prone
to developing a nicotine addiction than those who start later in life.
Smoking addiction is difficult to overcome as it not only causes
physical dependency but also forms habitual behaviour. When trying to
give up smoking, nicotine addiction can be suppressed by nicotine
substitution products but these won't necessarily alter the
psychological and emotional dependency on smoking.
There are various signs and symptoms of a person with a smoking
addiction. The physical symptoms of smoking addiction include high
blood pressure, increased heart rate, ageing skin, gum disease, bad
breath, weight loss and respiratory problems. Smoking during pregnancy
increases the risks of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth or
low birth weight and long-term growth of the child.
Other
symptoms of smoking addiction can include repeated failed attempts to
give up smoking and severe withdrawal effects when trying to give up.
These physical and mental symptoms include cravings for tobacco,
headaches, a disturbed and agitated state of mind and digestion
problems. Smoking addiction can also cause social problems such as
avoidance of places or people where the freedom to smoke has been taken
away. Smoking addiction can also be linked to specific places or
situations such as pubs or after meals.
Diagnosis
*Source: GoToSee.co.uk