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The Link Between Anger and Nicotine Use
A new study sheds light on why some people are more prone to become addicted to cigs.
Angry? Ready to blow a fuse? Nicotine is the crutch many people use to get a grip. Not the best route for anger management, obviously, but a new study by the University of California in Irvine explains why many individuals are particularly susceptible to the craving for and physical effects of nicotine. 
Apparently, nicotine may offer a way to curb emotions like anger by altering the activity of our brain responsible for reducing negative emotions. So, the study implies that someone who’s prone to anger might be especially drawn, and thus easily addicted, to the relief that nicotine can provide.
How’d the researchers figure this out? Take a group of non-smokers, throw them into a computer game in which they provoke other players with taunting noises, and watch how they get even—with and without nicotine patches. Those with nicotine patches had a reduced tendency to retaliate, even when provoked. This study is the first to connect the brain system most reactive to nicotine and nicotine’s ability to curb anger.
David Antonuccio, Ph.D., professor at the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Nevada, notes, "Nicotine is a fascinating drug. It can be used to calm a person or stimulate them depending on the dose and timing of the intake." He adds, "There may be some ground-breaking here in that this study was done with nonsmokers. It would be interesting to see how nicotine patch users fair in comparison with placebo patch users during a withdrawal phase after prolonged use, not just after one session of use as in this study." He cautions that generalizations should not be made beyond the data in a limited analogue study.
While this instant reduction of anger and stress might sound like a reason to head down to the corner market for a carton of cigs, it’s not. Aside from the hit to your bank account, smokers self-report themselves to be less happy and less satisfied with their lives than the accounts of non-smokers. And let’s not forget how nicotine products contribute to disease. A love affair with the cigarette can lead to heart attack, stroke, and cancer, just to name a few unromantic complications.
One final note: According to the CDC, cigarette smoking kills an estimated 440,000 U.S. citizens each year. Now there’s a reason to be angry.
If you're interested in quitting, these articles may offer help:
• Four Ways to Quit
• Quit and Reap the Health Benefits
Nicotine is the tobacco plant's natural protection from being eaten by insects. It is a super toxin that, drop for drop, is more lethal than strychnine or diamondback rattlesnake venom, and three times deadlier than arsenic.
Yet, amazingly, by chance, this natural insecticide's chemical structure is so similar to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine that once inside the brain it fits a host of chemical locks permitting it direct and indirect control over the flow of more than 200 neurochemicals.
hey stop being a bunch of babies. smoking isn't bad for you,
sometimestheydo:
One of the known side affects of Chantix is depression. If you are someone who already struggles w/ depression, Chantix can temporarly make it worse. But all doctors know this, and would have informed your family members of these potential risks. All drugs carry a risk. I did not notice the mood disorders while taking Chantix, but my sister did. She had to stop taking it after 3 weeks, becuase she became suicidal. I was on it for 10 weeks and did just fine.
The affects of Chantix are not the same for everyone. I've seen posts on here that Chantix did not work for some people. For me, it was a miracle drug. I didn't even care if I quit smoking. I did it because I knew I should, and part of me wanted to prove this Chantix drug wouldn't work if I didn't make an effort to 'try and quit'. So I in no way limited myself from smoking when I wanted. I exurted no will power in any way shape or form. The only thing I did was take the pill 2x a day as directed. Yet, it still worked for me. But as I said, it didn't work for others.
You shouldn't warn people like Chantix will bring on the apocolyps for heavens sake. It works differently for every person. Not EVERYONE is going to go nuts and try to kill themselves if they use Chantix.
My depression came after the fact.... I have no cravings for cig's, but I have lost my motivation for nearly everything. That has nothing to do w/ Chantix.
More to my post from earlier:
Chantix: Horrible drug. Not the wonder drug its made out to be. My mother suffers from depression and has been a smoker on and off for about 25 years. Her Dr. put her on Chantix to make her quit for good. With in 2 days of starting, my mother was thrown into a deep depression and with in 10 days, tried to kill herself. OK, you might say it could just be her depression comming back and have nothing to do with Chantix but as soon as she quit taking it, She was better. My step-mother, who has never been depressed a day in her life, took chantix for 3 months. In that time she didn't quit smoking, in fact, smoked more and she became the most horrible person to be around and my dad almost divorced her. with in 2 weeks of her quiting chantix, she quit being such a B.1.t.ch. and her and my dad's marrige is as strong today as it was the day they got married. One more example: the owner of the shop i work ats daughter took chantix and went loopy. She'll tell you herself, she got where she was terrified to leave her house, she became depressed and suicidal. again, with in weeks of her quiting chantix, she was back to normal.
With these examples, its easy to see why i would be very wary to try chantix. I'm already agoraphobic. I take medicine so i can leave my house, why would i take something that could make that condtion worse and possibly suicidal?
I use to love getting up early in the morning, have a fresh cup of coffee and go outside for a cig. I enjoyed the peace and quit of the morning, and my alone time. It was my favorite part of the day.
Now that I've quit (8 months ago), I have a hard time finding any motivating reason to get out of bed, besides the fact that I must do so in order to keep my job.. But the self desire to get up and enjoy the quiet time, has gone. I have no favorite part of the day. I feel like I just exist. My motivation for doing anything beyond what is required, has left.
I do not crave cig's, or even really think about smoking. But all day I sense that something is missing. And most days I am unhappy. I am very judgmental of others. I have little patience for just about everything. I rarely smile or laugh.
I miss smoking, too bad it was bad for me and expensive!!! I would love to feel happy again, and want to get up early in the morning and watch the sun rise and think about my day. Now it just doesn't seem to be worth the effort.
For me, FEAR was the motivator to stop smoking. All of us would like to just stop....but everyone has to have their own personal motivator.
I admit, I am a little bit harder to get along with now...but not all of it is the smoking cessation...most of it is just after effects of open heart surgery...
I totally understand how you feel, and have said the EXACT same things myself...and it isn't until you are successful in stopping smoking that you can understand what the "non-smoker Aholes" were griping about. I personally will try harder to be more understanding...you reminded me of that....
I wish you luck down the road...when you are ready....you will quit someday too.
Lets get right down to it - we all love our cigarettes to some extent and will use every and any excuse. Non-smokers don't understand. I quit 1 and 1/2 years ago on my 10th attempt. It was the patch (again) that worked along with lots of prayer. I use hard candy, gum, and ice water as my crutch while driving which seems to be my worst time. Drinking is a problem. Can drink wine or shots but definitely no beer, without a cigarette.
Every time you try, you get one step closer to quitting.
I used the patch to ward off the physical withdrawal symptoms(which were really bad headaches ect.) but I was done smoking in my head long before my last cigg. I too really hated smoking and did not want it in my life any more. I believe all these things to help a person stop, will work only if a person really wants to in their mind and spirit then the patches and gums ect. will help the body to adapt.
Since I really wanted to stop, my body only needed the patches for 8 wks and I have been free since then almost a year now. I am not a fussy non smoker..I sit next to a smoker who is having a cig and think 'wow I used to do that' have absolutly no desire for it, that love affair is so over..I want to feel!!
A friend told me her husband stopped smoking by making himself sick by way of breaking a ciggarette in a glass of water and drinking it..eewww and vomited and since then has not smoked five years?? Could this be a new method?? :-) (:
Good luck to all you people out there trying to stop..You will succeed..keep trying!!
Will Essence
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