Tobacco, an addiction

According to a report presented by the Surgeon General of the United States in 1988, it was concluded that the pharmacologic and biologic processes of nicotine on the body are similar to those of heroine, cocaine and alcohol.

The habit of smoking, beyond being an addiction by itself, constitutes an important risk factor for many illnesses such as cardiovascular, vascular (it has been proven that nicotine favors the deposit of cholesterol in arteries, making the circulation towards the brain and other vital organs more difficult), cancer, emphysema and premature wear-out of the Central Nervous System (being researched). Even on a pregnancy level it has been proven that the chemical components of tobacco inhibit fetal growth. Height, weight and head circumference of the children born to mothers who smoke are lower than normal.

It is frequently heard the need or firm decision to quit such a worrying habit. But…why do some people achieve it while others don’t? What are the reasons that lead people to make this decision?

First we must not forget that smoking is an addiction and therefore there are different degrees of dependence, which constitutes and important variable when trying to quit the habit. Everyone doesn’t even suffer the same changes on the receptors of the Central Nervous System.

It is very common the phrase “I only smoke when I am anxious”. The important thing here is to take into consideration the following: cigarettes first act as an anxiolytic, but it then increase the anxiety to greater levels than before it was consumed.

We must not forget than in this great deed of quitting smoking, there are environmental factors that can influence its success or failure such as: if at your workplace everybody smokes, if in your home your decision is not accompanied and everybody smokes, among others. Although these elements exist, it is important to state that they are not determinant.

Collaborated in this article: Lic. Oscar Gill

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