Nicotine is a chemical that is in tobacco plants which come from the nightshade family. Plants such as red peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, and potatoes are all examples from the nightshade family.
While nicotine doesn’t directly cause lung cancer, this drug is very addictive and exposes people to the extremely harmful effects of tobacco dependency. The nicotine in tobacco can be just as addictive as alcohol, cocaine, and morphine.
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Side Effects of Nicotine Dependency
Nicotine can have many different effects on the body after immediate use such as:
- Decrease in appetite
- Mood boost
- More saliva and phlegm
- Increase in heart rate
- Increase in blood pressure
- Sweating, nausea, and diarrhea.
- Stimulate memory and alertness
- Dizziness and lightheadedness
Continuous use of nicotine can have a wide range of harmful effects on your body:
- Blood clots
- Plaque forms on the artery wall called Atherosclerosis
- Enlargement of the aorta
- Irregular and disturbed sleep
- Possible blood restriction
- Peptic ulcers
The National Institute of Health (NIH) states:
Tobacco use is the top preventable cause of disease and death in the United States. Cigarettes cause more than 480,000 premature deaths in the United States each year. That’s about 1,300 deaths every day.
Tobacco use is driven by the fact that nicotine fuels addiction in cigarette smokers and users of other tobacco-related products.
Why is Nicotine so Addictive?
Nicotine is both a sedative and a stimulant. When a person uses nicotine through inhaling or ingesting it in any way, it creates a release of dopamine in the pleasure parts of the brain. This is the same effect that happens when a person uses heroin or cocaine. The drug user experiences a pleasurable sensation.
The more a user consumes nicotine the more their tolerance increases. When tolerances increase so does the amount of nicotine that’s needed for the same effects, which were enjoyed in the initial use.
Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms
Nicotine addiction looks just like having an addiction to any other mind/mood-altering drug because nicotine addiction involves the same drug-reinforced behavior, compulsive use, and relapse following abstinence as any other drug. So are there withdrawal symptoms from Nicotine? You bet, just like any other drug your body becomes dependent on.
Medline Plus finds that “Symptoms of nicotine withdrawal appear within 2 to 3 hours after you last use tobacco. People who smoked the longest or smoked a greater number of cigarettes each day are more likely to have withdrawal symptoms. For those who are quitting, symptoms peak about 2 to 3 days later.”
The most common Nicotine withdrawal symptoms are:
- Cravings
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Trouble sleeping
- Nightmares
- Mood swings
- Restlessness
- Headaches
- Increase in appetite/weight gain
- Trouble with concentration
Treatment for Nicotine Addiction
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT): This is the most common treatment for quitting smoking. This is available in skin patches, nasal sprays, inhalers, lozenges, gum and solutions that can be rubbed into the gums. These replace part of the nicotine normally supplemented by smoking cigarettes and reduce the severity of urges and cravings and been proven to double the chances of quitting smoking long-term.
How Can Allure Detox Help?
Allure is a comfortable and evidence-based drug and alcohol detox in West Palm Beach, Florida. We can free you or your loved one from the physical symptoms of addiction and start you on the path to recovery. We offer detox from drugs and alcohol on a medical basis so that you can safely resume the life you once lived, the life you thought was lost forever. Addicts emerge from Allure Detox healthy, sane, and prepared for a lifetime of recovery.
If you or someone you love has a substance abuse problem, the detox center at Allure is there to help. We deliver safe, compassionate, and highly individualized care on a medical basis. Our team of specially trained physicians and nurses is absolutely committed to helping addicts and alcoholics achieve lasting recovery. Please contact us today if you or someone you love is suffering the pain of addiction.