Why Is Nicotine Withdrawal So Hard When Quitting Smoking?

Everyone knows that giving up smoking is incredibly difficult; otherwise, most people who smoke would have quit a long time ago, especially now we know so many of the health risks that come along with cigarettes. 

But for those who have been puffing away for years, even decades, it can be a huge test of discipline and determination to stay free of cigarettes, because one of the chemicals in tobacco products is highly addictive - nicotine. 

And this is why successful quit attempts only amount to eight to nine percent of smokers. In fact, according to the Truth Initiative, it can take over 30 goes at giving up smoking before it finally clicks. 

Read on to find out what nicotine is and why it makes quitting smoking such a colossal challenge. 

What exactly is nicotine?

Nicotine derives from the tobacco plant, and is a stimulatory alkaloid. It stimulates neurons and inhibits synaptic transmission, but crucially for the tobacco industry, it encourages people to continue smoking due to its addictive element. 

While the combination of thousands of chemicals in cigarettes are responsible for the adverse health effects of smoking, nicotine could be considered one of the most dangerous as it is what keeps smokers going back for another drag.

As The Federation of Drugs Administration explains: “Some tobacco products, like cigarettes, are designed to deliver nicotine to the brain within seconds, making it easier to become dependent on nicotine and more difficult to quit.”

It also noted that some tobacco products contain additives that enable the body to absorb more nicotine with every intake of breath. 

In what ways does nicotine affect the body?

While cigarettes, on the whole, carry so many health risks, including increasing the chance of developing cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, type 2 diabetes, and poor reproductive health, nicotine also has an impact on the body. 

For instance, it increases blood pressure and heart rate, narrows arteries, and subsequently makes smokers more likely to have a heart attack, kidney damage, erectile dysfunction, dementia, vision problems, strokes, blood clots and heart failure.

It can also affect the lungs by causing inflammation, damage the alveoli, and speeding up decline. Additionally, nicotine harms young development in children or if a mother smokes during pregnancy. 

In fact, nicotine poses a number of risks to unborn babies, including low birth weights, preterm delivery, and even stillbirth. Smoking can increase the risk of stillbirth by as much as 47 per cent, which is why expectant mothers are urged to quit when they find out they are pregnant. 

What are the symptoms of nicotine use?

Most people don’t realise they are addicted to nicotine until they read the list of symptoms associated with overuse. 

The most obvious one is feeling as though you don’t have the willpower to stop smoking and you have a strong craving for cigarettes despite wanting to quit. This is particularly the case if you have already experienced health problems connected with smoking, but you still don’t give them up. 

Or you might avoid social situations, such as going out to dinner with friends, as you know you won’t be able to smoke for the duration of the meal. 

Nicotine addiction also has other symptoms, including an increase in anxiety or episodes of depression. Some people might have trouble sleeping, suffer from nightmares, or feel drowsy. 

Experiencing headaches, an increased appetite, or restlessness and tension are other symptoms of being addicted to nicotine, so it is wise to look out for these. 

How to withdraw from nicotine safely

Due to its addictive nature, withdrawing from nicotine can be really difficult for those who want to quit smoking. 

One of the most effective ways is to use nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs), which are products that contain small amounts of nicotine, allowing smokers to get the hit they need without the negative impact of the other toxic chemicals in cigarettes.

NRTs include gum, lozenges, skin patches, inhalers, mouth spray, and nasal spray. These give users a dose of nicotine so they don’t experience difficult withdrawal symptoms and enables them to wean off nicotine slowly. 

Lots of people find that smoking e-cigarettes is also useful, as they can give ex-smokers a dose of nicotine without inhaling tobacco. 

They allow users to lower their dose of nicotine gradually, starting with what they’re used to receiving and reducing it over time, until eventually they are no longer dependent on it. 

There are so many nicotine products available these days, from Elux nic salts with either 10mg/ml or 20mg/ml strengths to nic shots, which allow you to reach your desired nicotine dosage depending how many you use. 

These enable those who have quit smoking to keep off the cigarettes and gain control over their nicotine habit over time, giving them the greatest chance of success.