To an addict drug like nicotine, smoking is a process of craving, relief, and that feeling of buzz or relaxation that may soon pass, and again craving arises. An initial introduction with smoking may be quite different with that of an advanced user.
How does a first-time user feel while smoking?
A person who is smoking the first time will experience negative feelings as the body will not be used to inhaling the smoke and nicotine.
Irritation: The smoke may lead to burning of the throat, mouth and sinuses.
Coughing: The lungs which have gotten inflamed as a result of being exposed to the unfamiliar smoke and chemicals, will cough to clear the airways.
Dizziness and nausea: the first response of the body to the nicotine may be the lightheadedness, nausea, or general sickness.
Increase in heart rate and blood pressure: The nicotine is a stimulant and it elevates heart rate and blood pressure giving one the temporary sensation of alertness or a buzz.
For an addicted user
A repeated use makes the body of the smoker tolerant and dependent on the nicotine and the emotion that comes along with smoking becomes focused on the alleviation of withdrawal effects.
Pleasure and reward: The nicotine reaches the brain, the substance stimulates the dopamine and other happy chemicals such as adrenaline and endorphins. This produces some momentary sense of pleasure, happiness, and energy.
Withdrawal relief: The nicotine buzz feelings disappear and the withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, anxiety, restlessness begin to take place. A new cigarette is lit and the negative feelings are relieved temporarily. An individual would get this relief mixed up with stress reduction although this is not the case as smoking raises the general anxiety level.
Routine and ritual: To many, smoking is something that is attached to daily life, social circumstances or even emotions. It is not only the need to get the nicotine but also the whole process of smoking.
What does smoking do to your brain?
Smoking is harmful to the brain because it raises the risk of cognitive impairment, dementia and neurodegenerative diseases because it decreases blood flow, induces oxidative stress and inflammation.
The addictive chemical in tobacco, nicotine, causes a moment of pleasure by stimulating the reward system in the brain releasing dopamine which is temporary and may cause someone to become addicted and develop cravings as well as cause mood disorders such as depression and anxiety.
The cycle of addiction
What appears to be fun is a constituent of the addiction cycle.
Nicotine hit: It is a feeling of positive emotion that is contributed by a few puffs of nicotine reaching the brain in a short time.
Nicotine crash: The pleasant effect disappears in a few minutes, causing irritability and stress when the brain starts to demand more dopamine.
Reinforced habit: The smoker lights up once more to rebuild the nicotine level and get the feeling of normal again confusing the feeling of relief in the withdrawal process with a positive and relaxing one.
With time, such a cycle produces a great physical and psychological dependency that is often very hard to break.
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