Nicotine Addiction
Nicotine addiction is probably the most common of all addictions and probably also the hardest to get rid of. In the Netherlands, approximately 34% of the population are addicted to cigarettes. Being addicted to tobacco products means that you are not capable of quitting your smoking habit or only for a brief period, whatever good intentions you may have.
Impact of nicotine addiction
Nicotine is absorbed quickly in the bloodstream and reaches the brain within seconds. It has a direct impact on the central nervous system and, as a consequence, on your mental state. You feel relaxed, less tense and more alert. When you stop, withdrawal symptoms such as restlessness, agitation, irritation and the need to eat sweets quickly crop up and the craving for a cigarette is always there. Without a cigarette to hold on to you feel empty and vulnerable. As soon as you light up, these symptoms disappear. Through smoking, you suppress your emotions and tensions, both in a positive and in a negative way.
Physical consequences
The physical consequences of smoking are serious and well known to all aficionados of tobacco. Since the side effects only become apparent in the long term, the smoker simply denies how his habit affects his health. Denial is one of the typical characteristics of addiction. A further negative consequence of nicotine is that it enhances the need for alcohol. This way one addiction stimulates and deteriorates the other.
Nicotine addiction prevention
Well over 90% of all smokers have tried to quit, with their own will power and/or with the help of patches, chewing gum, laser treatment or acupuncture or a combination of these. Such resources have mainly short-term effects. Less than five percent quit smoking once and for all. This should come as no great surprise, since the urge to light up stems from an array of underlying feelings and emotions. These feelings and emotions will not go away by sticking on a nicotine patch!
Weight gain
Many smokers do not want to quit because they are afraid of gaining weight. This fear is especially deep in women. This misconception, while quite common and hard to eradicate, is totally out of place. While a temporary slowing down of the metabolism is likely to add 1 to 3 kilos, the excess weight gain is the result of eating more between meals and switching to sweets and snacks. You will eat and snack more because you need to satisfy a certain need, as a substitute for the cigarette. Basically, however, what you are doing is walking away from your emotions.
Specialised in nicotine addiction
At SolutionS the treatment for nicotine addiction is regarded as a process that is identical to our approach to any other dependency. One of our partner clinics specialises in nicotine addiction. Your typical, three-packs-a-day smoker will usually be admitted for four to six weeks. At the clinic, the client will learn how to cope without mood-enhancing products through intensive medical and psychological guidance. Soon you will be able to look after yourself and will no longer have to suppress negative and positive emotions and tensions associated with heavy smoking.
Intensive treatment
Scientific research by the University of Vienna has shown that individual counselling and group sessions are often more effective than patches and pills. This type of support is also important in aftercare treatment. The intensive follow-up treatment starts as soon as the client leaves the clinic. Addiction is a form of “memory imprint” and it is very important to break certain existing patterns. Top-notch guidance is very important during the first year. Well over 95% of the people who managed to stay off the habit for more than one year will never start smoking again.
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