The Nicotine Trick
This is an explanation of a concept regarding the nicotine trick. This will help educate the smoker to recognise another reason why the smoking habit becomes an habitual cycle for them.
There is a process called the nicotine trick. This process describes the actual physiological, chemical and psychological effects of nicotine on the body when someone experiences their first puff and takes in the nicotine.
Nicotine causes a very specific chemical reaction in the body. This reaction can mimic the sensations of fear and anxiety. It takes about twenty minutes after smoking a cigarette for the body to begin to develop this response. So when someone has their first cigarette, approximately 20 minutes later the heart automatically begins to beat faster and they get slightly sweaty palms or a tightness or knot in the stomach, also in the muscles of the jaw. The neck and upper body begin to feel tense and tight, including the shoulder. There seems to be an uneasy feeling in the body, just like the unconscious experience of anxiety.
This is the chemical effect of nicotine on the body. It feels like uneasy fear or anxiety
What happens then is a natural human response when people do not understand or like the way they are feeling. Many acknowledge that they feel odd so they say ‘Hmmm, I don’t like this feeling. I must need another cigarette to calm me down and make me feel better.’
The cycle begins. They initiate the same 20 minute cycle process again. The person takes another dose of nicotine, they feel bad again, they take another cigarette and another, and they keep doing that until it becomes a habit they don’t think they can be without
This is the nicotine trick. It’s just a trick, a chemical response to nicotine. That’s what nicotine does: it initially triggers the release of the endorphins to help override the discomfort of the cigarette. It then causes anxiety response in the body approximately 20 minutes later by increasing the heart rate, causing uneasy feelings, sweaty palms etc. The brain has stopped producing natural endorphins now because it is saving them up in case there is more nasty nicotine to deal with.
The person thinks the only solution to feeling better is the nicotine hit again. This produces the endorphins again. The anxiety returns within 20 minutes of the last hit.
The cycle goes on and on.
If you need help to give up nicotine and quit smoking contact me on (07) 5500 5573
Once again many thanks to free digital images