How To Stop Smoking

However, nicotine is so potent that even a small dose causes significant changes in the functioning of numerous organ systems in the body.

• However, nicotine is so potent that even a small dose causes significant changes in the functioning of numerous organ systems in the body.
• When you first start smoking, these changes are generally unpleasant

Beginning smokers usually experience:

Beginning smokers usually experience:

Nausea

Dizziness

Headache

Coughing

Along with other unpleasant symptoms.

However, people who continue to smoke soon develop a tolerance to these symptoms until they become unnoticeable.

• However, people who continue to smoke soon develop a tolerance to these symptoms until they become unnoticeable.

Tolerance is a term used to describe an important feature of addiction.

• Tolerance is a term used to describe an important feature of addiction.
• Tolerance develops when increasingly larger doses of a drug have to be administered to obtain the effects observed with the original dose.

What does this mean for a smoker?

• What does this mean for a smoker?
• The small dose of nicotine delivered by several puffs of a cigarette may make people feel ill the first few times they try it,
• But, after several trials, they no longer feel the negative effects

Psychologically, tolerance to the unpleasant effects of nicotine allows the smoker to focus on the pleasurable physiological effects associated with smoking.

• Psychologically, tolerance to the unpleasant effects of nicotine allows the smoker to focus on the pleasurable physiological effects associated with smoking.
• (relaxation, alertness, stress relief etc.)

This combination of physiological and psychological effects provides so many positive reinforcements that smoking quickly becomes an established habit.

• This combination of physiological and psychological effects provides so many positive reinforcements that smoking quickly becomes an established habit.