Why Is It So Hard To Stop Smoking?
When
Mark Twain said, "Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I've done it thousands of times", he summed up the
experience of millions of frustrated smokers. Just why is it so hard to stop smoking, even for the supremely talented Mark Twain?
There is not one answer, in fact each person has their own reasons for their addiction to nicotine. However, most come down to some combination of physical addiction, psychological addiction and other social factors.
This is deeply personal and hard to change, which is what makes smoking such a difficult habit to kick.
Understanding a compulsion will always help you to fight it. So its helpful to divide the addiction between the physical, the psychological and other aspects. That's why we've split this page into three sections.
Physical Addiction
Nicotine is actually a more addictive substance than many smokers realise. Many say that that smokers are much better 'behaved' than other addicts, but this is largely because of the cheap and readily available supply of tobacco. Smokers are addicts in exactly the same way as users of so-called harder drugs, and go through very similar withdrawal symptoms when they try to give up.
When Nicotine enters the bloodstream, it is rapidly transported to the brain, where it prompts the release of adrenaline and dopamine. The adrenaline makes the smoker more alert, while the dopamine gives a feeling of satisfaction and pleasure. The problem is that these feelings pass within a few minutes, and the user quickly has to light up another cigarette.
There are a couple of stories that demonstrate the addictive power of this drug. In experiments on squirrel monkeys, those that were given regular nicotine shots became extremely angry when their supply was cut off. In normal circumstances, pressing a lever once would normally get them their shot. The monkeys on withdrawal though, would press the lever up to 250 times to no avail.
An extraordinary story from World War II comes from an American POW. Mr N.A. Photiades wrote of his fellow inmates that, "I have actually seen men die of starvation because they had sold their food for cigarettes."
These powerful addictive qualities all too often result in smokers neglecting their bodies for a short-term gain. The uncertainties of long term health tend to be overwhelmed by the immediate buzz of a cigarette.
Psychological Addiction
Its important to realise that Nicotine is not a drug in the same way that, say, Heroin or Cocaine are. Rather than give the user a high, it actually helps the smoker get back to his or her equilibrium. This is why it does not affect a person's work ethic in the same way that some illegal drugs can, and why many smokers find their Nicotine habit simply useful for getting through life.
A British study in the 1970s found that a higher proportion of cigarettes were smoked during the day, at work, than were smoked on
evenings out and at home. This is because on some level the Nicotine allows the smoker either to calm down during a stressful day at work,
or relieve the boredom and drowsiness of a quiet one.
All of this makes Nicotine sound like a very attractive substance, but we are of course ignoring the devastating health risks. It is however easy to see why psychological dependency can develop.
Nicotine is used by smokers to cope with a range of emotions, from stress to anxiety to boredom, and ending the Nicotine habit means going through an uncomfortable period where these emotions have to be dealt with more directly. Many would-be quitters simply cannot cope with this emotional overload and return to their crutch, the cigarette, for help.
Social Factors
Most health professionals will talk about the psychological and physical qualities that make Nicotine so addictive. However, potential quitters have to deal with a variety of other outside influences before they can stop smoking.
Firstly, habit is a powerful thing. Going to a bar with your friends, talking about business on smoke breaks during work, and lighting up while driving are all regular parts of many smokers' routines. Breaking the habit doesn't just mean kicking Nicotine out of your life, it also involves changing your lifestyle so that these temptations are kept to a minimum.
Secondly, despite smoking bans around the world and a crackdown on advertising, we are still surrounded by images of cigarettes. Smoking is making something of a comeback in the movies, appearing for instance in two thirds of action movies in 2006. In addition, when celebrities such as Kate Moss and Britney Spears are seen smoking in the tabloids, it lends the habit an element of cool that it really doesn't deserve.
So there you have it - three obstacles between you and your goal to stop smoking. It may seem overwhelming at times, but if you follow the advice on our website and tackle each factor one at a time, it really is possible to kick the habit.