People think that to give up smoking, all they need to do is to replace the nicotine provided by the cigarette. There are numerous of products available, many over the counter, that give an ample way to obtain replacement nicotine. However, they aren’t very effective. The reason why people continue steadily to smoke is due to the Psychological Smoking Mechanism, not just a need for nicotine.
In this article, we will look at some research on the effectiveness of nicotine patches and gum.
The Nicotine Model of Smoking
Back the 1990’s, nicotine got called a highly addictive substance. Nikotiinipussit It was blamed for the reason why people find it hard to quit smoking. Yet, using tobacco does not fit this is of a chemical addiction.
In the nicotine model, craving nicotine is what keeps a person smoking. It followed that if nicotine could be provided from a source apart from cigarettes, the smoker wouldn’t normally crave cigarettes. Thus, the individual would stop smoking cigarettes by replacing the foundation of nicotine with a nicotine patch or nicotine gum. Then, the brand new source of nicotine could be gradually reduced over time before smoker’s “addiction” to nicotine was removed.
This would be considered a nice, simple solution if nicotine was the true driving force to smoke cigars. However, if there is various other reason people smoke, such as the Psychological Smoking Mechanism, supplying nicotine will not be a highly effective substitute. Let’s look at some research on the effectiveness of nicotine patches and gum.
The Research
Two products that follow the chemical addiction style of using tobacco are nicotine patches and nicotine gum. They’re superb products and do precisely what they say; they give a very ample supply of nicotine. Because the smoker gets generous amounts of nicotine, which they are supposedly craving, the patches ought to be incredibly effective and remove the desire to have a cigarette. But how effective are they?
Some research shows, (Davidson, M., Epstein, M., Burt, R., Schaefer, C., Whitworth, G. & McDonald, A. (1998)), only 19% of people on nicotine patches had stopped smoking at six weeks and it was reduced to 9.2% at half a year. Looking at it another way, at 6 weeks, 81% of individuals using nicotine patches were still smoking and at six months, about 91% were still smoking. Yes, 10% of these that had stopped were back at it again.
The outcomes for the gum was about the same. Despite the fact that the gum was providing the smoker with plenty of nicotine, at 6 weeks, 84% of individuals were still smoking and at 6 months, 92% were smoking.
The study showed that the 8% – 9% of the people who had quit smoking utilizing the nicotine patches and gum were highly motivated to give up smoking! Put simply, they were removing their Psychological Smoking Mechanism.
A GENUINE Life Example
A radio host was interviewing me concerning the Psychological Smoking Mechanism and in the course of the interview he explained that he was an ex-smoker. He said he had used nicotine gum to quit also it had taken him two years until he was finally off of cigarettes. TWO YEARS!
Consider that for an instant. The nicotine gum was providing a big supply of nicotine just as it is made to do. Yet, this man was smoking AND chewing the nicotine gum. Put simply, the gum, loaded with nicotine was not substituting for the cigarette since it theoretical must have done.
Since the man wanted to quit, he finally stopped after 2 yrs. Nonetheless it wasn’t the gum, it was him changing his Psychological Smoking Mechanism without even realizing consciously what he was doing. Similar to the 8% – 9% of individuals in the study study mentioned above.
Nicotine isn’t the Motivator to Smoke
How much nicotine a smoker gets in a single cigarette is quite small. Compare the cigarette to the body mass; it’s tiny therefore is the quantity of nicotine it contains.
However, these very effective nicotine dispensing products, nicotine patches and gum are loaded with nicotine. That’s what they are designed to do; put adequate nicotine in to the smokers system to, theoretically at least, replace the need to smoke a cigarette. However, most smokers have effects to these products because they are getting more nicotine than they ever did smoking. What does all this extra nicotine do?
In line with the American Lung Association, side effects with the nicotine patch are:
Headache
Dizziness
Upset stomach
Weakness
Blurred vision
Vivid dreams
Mild itching and burning on your skin
Diarrhea
Yes, nicotine has an effect on the smokers body. However, with all the items that smoking does to the smoker, it doesn’t produce the effects mentioned by the American Lung Association. This is another clue that nicotine isn’t the motivator to smoke.
Conclusion
If you pass the nicotine model to quit smoking, you are likely to be disappointed. The only method to quit smoking is to remove the Psychological Smoking Mechanism by using proven, psychological techniques. Once the mechanism is gone, so is smoking.
� Copyright 2010, R. Michael Stone
R. Michael Stone, M.S. – Counselor
33 years experience with subconscious communication and subconscious programming techniques.
Creator of The Unlearn Smoking Success System? – The program that gives you the powerful psychological tools necessary to disassemble the Psychological Smoking Mechanism. This easy 28 day program helps you become, not an ex-smoker, but a Non-smoker. Find out how this program will let you permanently remove cigarettes from your life.