Quit Smoking - Psychological Effects of Smoking

Break the Smoking Habit

The mishmash of physiological and psychological effects provides many positive reinforcements that smoking quickly becomes an established habit. As the term tolerance implies, a smoker actually becomes accustomed to having a certain level of nicotine in his or her body. In fact, research studies have shown that (without realizing it) smokers regulate the number of cigarettes they smoke in order to maintain their own personally preferred level of nicotine. For example, smokers who are given a very high nicotine cigarette will puff less often than usual, so they don’t take in more nicotine than their preferred amount. Likewise, with a low nicotine cigarette, the smoker will take more puffs than usual, in order to get that preferred amount of nicotine.

To relieve these withdrawal effects of nicotine after quitting smoking, many smokers must continue to take in their usual amount of nicotine. This is a sign of “physical dependence” on nicotine. Doctors define physical dependence as a change in the body’s functioning that is produced by repeated administration of a drug, such that continued doses of the drug are needed to prevent withdrawal symptoms.

But that’s not all. Smokers also become accustomed to the psychological effects of smoking. Once the smoking habit has been established the smoker needs to continue to smoke in order to feel “normal.” In other words, the effects produced by nicotine, and the behaviors associated with smoking, become necessary to maintain the person’s optimal state of well-being. This condition is referred to as “psychological dependence.”

Overcoming the psychological effects of smoking can be difficult. For many smokers this is the main reason they have been unsuccessful at quitting smoking. Nicotine withdrawals typically go away after a short period of time, however, the psychological effects of smoking can linger on for an extended period of time. If steps aren't taken to change the way you think and feel about smoking it will be even more difficult to quit. Remember, in order to quit smoking it requires more than just dealing with the physical aspects of nicotine withdrawal but the mental as well. Some think that once you have been able to conquer the mental the physical is easy. There are many proven methods to help individuals tackle the psychological aspect associated with quitting smoking. One of which is the "Easy Quit System". If you really take the time to deal with the psychological effects of smoking and why you smoke you will be surprised just how easy it is to quit smoking.

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