Smoking has become a big part of your life. It’s a part of your daily routine and maybe even your identity. But if you are prepared to face the physical, habitual, and psychological nicotine cravings you'll encounter, you can stay smoke-free and enjoy everything you used to do, without having a cigarette.
Nicotine targets your brain's nicotinic receptors, which are involved in every basic bodily function from breathing and heart rate to muscle movement. It also targets the regions of your brain where you experience pleasurable feelings such as relaxation and arousal. By attaching itself to the parts of your brain you use to breathe, move and feel emotion, nicotine literally alters the structure of your central nervous system.
There are certain "smoking" moments that are part of every smoker's day. For years, you've had that first morning cigarette with a cup of coffee, the workday smoke breaks, or a satisfying cigarette that's enjoyed after a meal. These are all powerful associations, and it will take time and willpower to overcome them
Chances are whenever you experience any emotion—positive or negative—you turn to smoking to help manage your feelings. Like a faithful companion, cigarettes are always there on bad days to lift you up, and on good days to prolong the enjoyment. In a sense, with cigarettes, you never have to be "alone," because the instant gratification that nicotine provides is never far away.
Smokers are physically, habitually, and psychologically addicted to cigarettes. As a result, when they give up smoking, their bodies experience withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, insomnia, and depression. Those who abruptly quit cold turkey are likely to feel intense withdrawal symptoms that oftentimes push them back off the wagon. This is the reason that quitting cold turkey may be an ineffective option for most smokers.
By gradually weaning your brain and body off nicotine, the transition from smoking to smoke-free is gentler and more successful.
