Nicotine addiction often occurs when a person uses tobacco products for a prolonged period of time. After becoming addicted to nicotine, most people find that it is very difficult to stop using tobacco. Understanding the symptoms and treatment options, however, could make this goal easier to accomplish.
Symptoms of Nicotine Addiction
There are several symptoms of nicotine addiction. The most common is that a person cannot stop using tobacco products without experiencing withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms include
- Depression
- Strong cravings
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Difficulty concentrating
- Constipation
Some nicotine addicts will also give up certain activities so they can use tobacco products. An addict, for instance, might choose to watch TV at home instead of going to a movie theater because the theater does not allow smoking.
Treatments for Nicotine Addiction
Nicotine addiction responds to a range of treatment options. Many addicts find that they must try several treatments before discovering the one that works best for them.
Most treatments for nicotine addiction focus on reducing tobacco use over a period of time. This helps the addict avoid significant withdrawal symptoms. By replacing tobacco use with the non-tobacco nicotine products, addicts can make steady progress towards abstinence.
Some popular options include
- Nicotine gum
- Nicotine patches
- E-cigarettes
In some cases, the addict continues to use non-tobacco nicotine products for a prolonged period of time. While not ideal, this is considered a great improvement over using tobacco products that contain many other chemicals that can cause health problems such as heart disease and cancer.
