We’ve been talking a great deal about various substances. We’ve covered how abuse and addiction starts. We’ve offered aid and advice to those coping with it, whether they’ve been the addict, family or a close friend. The majority of our drug discussions center on illegal substance because those come with the most risk, from physical and mental to legal. But what about legal substances? What about nicotine addiction?
People the world over have been smoking cigarettes and ingesting nicotine via chews for decades. It was the acceptable drug of choice, and in years past it seemingly separated the cool cats from the uncool nerds. However, nicotine is one of the most powerfully addictive substances in existence; it’s more habit-forming than most people realize.
It’s The Devil to Give Up
According to Psychology Today, “Of the 46 million Americans who smoke…an estimated 80 percent would like to stop, and one-third try each year.” Among those who attempt to quit, only two to three percent succeed.
Nicotine addiction is the devil to give up; yet, millions of people around the globe don’t view their habit as an addiction. Instead, they see it as a recreational indulgence, something they can kick with enough will power. But it’s not this simple.
Nicotine Addiction Is No Joke
The medical and scientific communities now agree that smoking isn’t just a habit, but an addiction, comparable in strength to alcohol and hard drugs. You can smoke a cigarette in your car or chew on the go, and you won’t have to worry about a police officer busting you for use or possession. But the element of addiction – an addiction causing physical harm – is still very real.
Psychology Today’s Carl Sherman reveals “the odds of ‘graduating’ from experimental to true dependence are far worse for cigarettes than for illicit drugs.” Tobacco is said to have a one-two punch of addictiveness and availability; not only is it highly and rapidly addictive, but also readily available at every corner store and grocery mart.
Heroin and cocaine aren’t sold in vending machines. They’re not advertised as awesome on billboards. But tobacco products are.
Alcohol and cigarettes are both legal and available. Both are big business. However, the majority of people who drink are not dependent on alcohol while roughly 90 percent of smokers are battling a full-fledged addiction.
4 Steps to Kicking the Habit
At Absolute Advocacy, we specialize in aiding those with substance abuse and addiction problems. We assist those who find themselves on the wrong side of the law due to an addiction spiraling out of control. Nicotine hardly fits our MO, so why are we discussing it? Because nicotine has been dubbed the Gateway Drug.
According to a study released by The Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia (CASA), cigarettes are one of a handful of gateway drugs proven to lead an already addicted individual to trying, abusing, and ultimately developing an addiction to harder drugs. The study considered children and adults who used marijuana, drank alcohol, and smoked cigarettes. The results might surprise you:
- CASA’s analysis of children who drank alcohol revealed them to be 50 times more likely to use cocaine than non-drinkers. And children who smoked were 19 times more likely to use cocaine versus nonsmokers.
- CASA’s analysis of adults who used marijuana as children showed they were 17 times more likely to become regular cocaine users in the future, and an astonishing 91 percent of adults who used marijuana as children smoked or drank before picking up a harder drug habit.
Clearly, the need to quit the habit before it escalates is not to be underestimated, particularly if one is an avid smoker, and their children are aware. The mere action can entice a child to experiment with a seemingly harmless, accepted addictive substance – a substance capable of paving the way to hard, illegal drugs.
Whether a pack-a-day person or a teen smoker, quitting is no joke. Nicotine addiction is just as difficult to kick as harder substances, but one might categorize it as easier for one reason: lack of stigma. To declare a smoking addiction and subsequently work to quit is a social norm. People are accepting of the “error” and ever willing to help. But even with help, it’s tough. What can you do?
Step 1: Create a Personal Plan
What kind of smoker are you? What moments in your life call for a cigarette, and why? By answering these questions, you can begin to create what HelpGuide.org calls the START approach:
- S – Set a quit date
- T – Tell others your plan to quit
- A – Anticipate obstacles and challenges and plan on how to face them
- R – Remove the temptation by getting rid of cigarettes and tobacco products
- T – Talk to your doctor about medical assistance
Step 2: Identify Your Triggers
According to HelpGuide.org, one of the most beneficial things you can do to quit smoking is identify the things that make you want to light up. These might be specific feelings, people, activities, or situations. Consider keeping a craving journal where you log what’s happening each time you want or need a smoke. It can reveal the patterns and triggers driving the addiction.
Step 3: Be Ready For Withdrawal
No withdrawal is without symptoms. Once you stop smoking, you’ll experience any number of physical symptoms as your body withdraws from the nicotine. Symptoms start fast, as soon as 30 minutes to one hour since the last cigarette. They peak two to three days later and can last for a few days to several weeks.
Be proactive. Discuss the range of symptoms with your doctor. See them as only temporary, and rely on your friends, family, and co-workers to help you through.
Step 4: Explore Your Options
You don’t have to quit cold turkey. Numerous options, from medication and therapy to physical and mental distraction, are available to aid you in kicking the habit. Explore them to find the one or group of them that will best aid you.
You Can Quit
People just like you successfully quit smoking every day. They struggle, but they win. You can, too.
Quitting today may very well make the difference in attaining a drug-free tomorrow, both for you and those who look up to you. If kicking the gateway drug of tobacco can save you from later trying and developing an addiction to hard drugs, isn’t it worth the fight?