Nicotine Addiction
Every year, hundreds of thousands of people die as a direct result of smoking nicotine-filled cigarettes; nicotine addiction is responsible for the vast number of American people who smoke, despite the information that is readily available about the dangers of smoking. 20.8% of American adults are addicted to nicotine, and there are some terrible, potentially lethal, side-effects affiliated with cigarette smoke. Quitting "cold turkey" can be challenging, and there are studies that say that a very small percentage of people who try to kick the nicotine addiction without assistance and support are actually successful; a website such as Milstrievic.com can be a valuable resource for anyone looking to stop smoking permanently. Keep reading to learn more about the perils of nicotine addiction.
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance; the nicotine that is present in the smoke that a person inhales as they smoke a cigarette travels from the lungs and into the bloodstream, reaching the smoker's brain in a record 7 seconds. Nicotine causes many different chemical reactions causing short-lived feelings of enjoyment for the person smoking the cigarette. These feelings are short-lived, and the smoker is ready to renew this sensation after a short period of time--it takes just a few minutes for a smoker to begin to experience nicotine withdrawal. When the smoker gets that nagging feeling of irritability or edginess, they quickly light up yet another cigarette, repeating the cycle throughout the day.
Nicotine is quickly taken into the bloodstream as the smoker inhales cigarette smoke, releasing a surge of adrenaline in the smoker's brain in ten seconds or less. This surge will increase the smoker's blood pressure, heart rate, and it will restrict the flow of blood into the muscle of the heart, causing rapid and shallow breathing as well as a panicky, racing heartbeat; the adrenaline can also create problems by putting forth any extraneous blood sugar, also known as glucose, directly into the bloodstream. In addition to adrenaline, nicotine triggers an increase in the dopamine levels found in each person's brain; this is a neurotransmitter that creates good feelings, feelings such as well-being as well as pleasure. The quick rise and fall of these feelings leave smokers grasping for another dose of nicotine to keep the withdrawal symptoms at bay as well as to keep the enjoyable effects in place.
Smoking cigarettes also can cause problems with the pancreas; nicotine is responsible for making it difficult for the pancreas to release insulin. This important hormone can eliminate any extra sugar from the smoker's bloodstream, and its inhibition means that the smoker has a surplus of sugar in his or her bloodstream, a condition known as hyperglycemia. This increased level of blood sugar can decrease a smoker's appetite, which explains the belief that smoking can help you lose weight.
If these physical issues aren't sufficient to make you wish to quit smoking, consider the thousands of toxic chemicals that are found inside cigarette smoke; it also contains varying levels of tar, which increases a smoker's chances of bronchial disorders, emphysema, or even lung cancer. The cigarette smoke can also affect those who are near you--secondhand smoke kills thousands of people each year, too. Quitting smoking has so numerous benefits, so you should really think about it!