understanding addiction to cigarettes

Why quitting is so hard

Remember, smoking is not simply a bad habit—it’s an addiction. The drug inside tobacco that people are addicted to is called nicotine. Just like with other addictions, people who are addicted to cigarettes have a compulsive need to smoke—their body craves regular doses of nicotine.

When someone smokes, it will often lead to changes in their brain and nervous system. These are real physical differences! The brain will now be dependent on the nicotine and has ‘rewired’ itself. Because of this physical dependency, if a person stops smoking for a period of time they will start experiencing symptoms of withdrawal. This is the brain and body adjusting to no longer having nicotine in the system.