Addicted smokers are looking forward to the next cigarette. The nicotine contained in tobacco makes you dependent. Around every third man and every fourth woman smokes daily or. Smokers consume an average of 14 cigarettes per day. More than 13 percent of smokers must more than 20 cigarettes a day and must consider dependent. Most often, adults between the ages of 25 and 39 smoke. The average starting age is around 15 years. Tobacco use has a significant impact on the health of smokers. Tobacco or tobacco smoke contains around 5,000 chemical substances. of which around 90 consider to carcinogenic. The main ingredients are nicotine and tar. The majority of all smokers in Germany are dependent on tobacco.

Definition: what is tobacco or nicotine addiction?
There are different definitions of nicotine addiction, depending on the classification system used. According to the ICD-10 classification, three of the following. points must have occurred in the last year for a diagnosis of tobacco addiction:

  • a strong desire or compulsion to consume tobacco
  • Limited control over start, stop, and amount of consumption
  • Withdrawal symptoms in the absence of consumption. tobacco consumption to ease withdrawal symptoms
  • Tolerance development i.e. reduced effectiveness or the need forever. higher doses (e.g. increase in the number of cigarettes per day). Neglect of other
  • interests and activities in favor of consumption
  • Continued consumption despite evidence of consequential damage.

How does nicotine work in the body?
Nicotine binds to tar particles in smoke and gets into the lungs with them when inhaled. The nicotine passes on into the blood via the mucous membranes. of the respiratory tract and reaches the brain in a few seconds. Their nicotine influences the activity of certain nerve cells. As a result, certain messenger substances release

  • have a stimulating effect
  • increase awareness
  • Trigger well-being
  • increase blood pressure
  • quicken the pulse

Withdrawal symptoms
When trying to quit smoking, withdrawal symptoms. can occur within a few hours of the last cigarette. They usually peak during the first three days. Most symptoms can last a few weeks but are often reduced after a few days.

The withdrawal symptoms vary from person to person. Possible symptoms include:

  •  Depressed mood
  •  Difficulty sleeping
  •  Irritability, nervousness, or aggressiveness
  •  Restlessness or concern
  •  Reduced ability to concentrate
  •  Slowed pulse
  •  Increased appetite
  •  Possible weight gain

Further consequences of tobacco addiction
also to the addictive nicotine, tobacco smoke. also contains many other toxic and carcinogenic substances. Nicotine is not responsible for the damage to health. but the other ingredients in cigarette smoke lead the way. Smoking is the main risk factor for lung and bladder cancer and is also harmful in many other ways. so that the list of diseases that promotor caused by smoking is long. In Germany alone, more than 120,000 people die. every year from secondary diseases caused by tobacco consumption.

With regular tobacco consumption. the first physical symptoms can appear at an early stage, for example:

  •  Inefficiency
  •  Increased susceptibility to infection
  •  Shortness of breath
  •  Smoker’s cough, which characterizes slimy sputum
  •  Chest tightness (angina pectoris)
  •  Cold hands and feet due to poor blood circulation

Consequences for the cardiovascular system
Nicotine is a strong vascular poison and narrows the blood vessels and increases. the risk of arteriosclerosis (“hardening of the arteries”). The result can be significant circulatory disorders in the body. These manifest themselves, for example, in the form of peripheral arterial occlusive. disease or as a so-called smoker’s leg. also, the risk of heart attack and stroke (apoplexy) increases.

Consequences for the lungs
The tar substances that get into the lungs when smoking damage the bronchial mucosa. The cilia of the mucous membrane transport foreign bodies such as dust. but also the tar particles in the smoke, out of the lungs again. If the cilia no longer work, the body tries to get rid of the irritating tar substances by coughing. also, the airways become slimy. This “smoker’s cough” often leads to chronic obstructive bronchitis ( COPD ). Long-term smokers can develop what known as bloating ( pulmonary emphysema ). The slightest exertion often causes shortness of breath.

Consequences of smoking during pregnancy
Mothers-to-be smoking during pregnancy can harm their unborn child. The premature birth rate in smoking mothers is 30 percent higher than in non-smokers. The newborns have a lower birth weight, are often smaller. and about a third of them keep permanent physical or mental damage.

diagnosis
The doctor makes the diagnosis of nicotine dependence. the basis of a detailed discussion and a physical examination. Special questionnaires such as the Fagerström. test plays an important role in the assessment. For example, they record when the person concerned smokes the first cigarette of the day. after waking up and how strong their desire for a cigarette is. Also, the doctor takes into account the patient’s physical and psychological. symptoms and explains possible withdrawal symptoms.

Therapy of tobacco addiction
Smokers often quit smoking overnight. You are trying to draw a line. A clear decision to quit, relaxation, exercise. and social support from the private environment. can strengthen motivation and help to quit smoking. But, when smokers experience withdrawal symptoms, the risk of relapse increases.

Because of their effectiveness, group smoking cessation programs are particularly recommended. when carried out by trained instructors. Telephone counseling or individual behavioral therapy measures can also help with the exit. Nicotine replacement therapy is an option if you have a high. cigarette consumption or are afraid of withdrawal problems.

Using prescription drugs to help quit smoking is another option. The prescribing doctor will make sure that there are no contraindications. such treatment and tell patients of possible side effects.

Smoking cessation programs
Smoking cessation programs increase the likelihood of quitting in the long term. According to the motto “It’s easier together”. the participants support each other and thus make it easier for each other to exit.

Nicotine replacement
Nicotine replacement preparations supply the body with pure nicotine. without the many other substances contained in cigarette smoke. They can help ease withdrawal symptoms and make it easier for smokers to quit. There are, for example, nicotine chewing gum, patches, sprays, and lozenges. The preparations should use for a long period of time (several weeks) and tapered towards the end.

Special active ingredients
Other active ingredients approved for the treatment of tobacco addiction. are bupropion and varenicline. These active ingredients need a prescription. so treatment with bupropion or varenicline. is only possible in cooperation with a doctor. A careful physical examination need. as well as determining whether these drugs are suitable for the patient in question.

Hypnosis and acupuncture
Many smokers show interest in hypnotherapeutic treatment. Anyone interested in this should make sure that it is a performed clinical hypnosis by a medical. or psychological hypnotherapist and not a treatment by lay hypnotists. Acupuncture has no demonstrable effect on long-term abstinence.

Benefits of quitting smoking
Smokers regardless of age experience a rapid and comprehensive. improvement in their state of health if they decide to quit smoking and install it. Both those with and without smoking-related illnesses enjoy it. a few examples:

  • Former smokers live longer than those who continue to smoke.
  • The risk of a heart attack, stroke, chronic lung disease, lung cancer. and other types of cancer decreases.
  • Quitting smoking can have beneficial effects on fertility.

Consulting expert
Peter Lindinger is a qualified psychologist. He studied psychology in Freiburg and Zurich. Since 1989 smoking cessation has been his professional focus. From 1998 to 2004 he was a research assistant at the Duet Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg. He has been working as a freelancer since 2004.