can you be addicted to nicotine after not using for 17 years
I quit smoking 17 years ago after a heat attack and a cardiologist telling me that if I would just quit I would have no further heart problems and if I continued to smoke I probably would die soon of another heart attack. Yesterday I wanted a cigarette. It was a very strong urge to smoke. This has happened before but it had been years since I had such a strong urge to smoke. I even considered buying some nicorette gum to see if that would help. Have you ever heard of this! I would be scared to ever pick up another cigarette as I smoked for 35 years before I quit and was using 2 1/2 to 3 packs everyday so I know they are very bad for you. I just can't believe that I still miss the nicotine. Sometimes I wonder if it has actually left my body and then I decide that I am losing my mind. 11 years after my heart attack and the day I quit smoking, I had an angiogram that showed I had extensive blockage and I needed coronary bypass surgery and had a quadruple bypass the next day. I was so angry that I had decided that as soon as I left the hospital I would go get a carton of cigarettes because I felt the doctor had really mislead me about my heart disease. I did not do that and I did not buy the gum then. Now I would just like to know if there are others who had these same type of urges.
Hi Ann; The truth is, you have nicotinic receptor sites in your brain that are "switched on" when you use nicotine. Receptor sites in the brain are like a lock and key; in your case, the key is nicotine, and the theory is that if you turn the key, it's always turned, you can't "unturn" it. That is to say, once the brain is "turned on" to accept or use nicotine (or any other drug like cocaine, heroin), it's always ready and waiting for its drug. That's the unfortunate thing about addictions. You may lose your craving over time, but the brain never "forgets" its drug. It can wait decades and be happy with its fix as if it was continuing from yesterday.
The other thing that can occur is that smoking carries with it not only a chemical addiction, but a behavioral addiction as well. The ritual of opening a pack, lighting up, etc, is part of the addiction behaviors. You made the connection years ago that smoking helped you manage stress and your mind hasn't forgotten that -- the very act of lighting up can help soothe frazzled nerves. However, research has shown that nicotine, while it is a stimulant and a relaxant at the same time (the only drug that has this characteristic) it actually CAUSES stress to increase.
So, contrary to popular myth, it really doesn't fix much of anything except its own addiction. For more information, go to the American Cancer Society's website:
http://www.cancer.org type in "smoking" and they have tons of info.
I hope this helps!
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Hi Ann!
I'm not a doctor but I quit smoking after 36 years on Sept. 9,2006 with the help of Chantix thank God. But in all honesty I could light up right this minute. I have a close friend who smoked for over 20 years and he has been smoke free about the same amount of time and he tells me he still gets the urge to light up. So I guess it's like cocaine or alcohol addiction it's always there waiting for us to have a moment of weakness. Good Luck
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