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yes lance it is addictive in the same way as opiates. no intention to preach but i find it fascinating. have learnt a fair bit from the joel spitzer site, as well as various psychology text books from my studies, and my own experience. others can skip the post if they want to.. but i figure some info never hurts.
nicotine is nearly chemically identical to a natural brain chemical (serotonin i believe). the brain loves it, so is happy to let you start smoking. over time the body regulates itself and produces less serotonin, as there appears to be some from an additional source. thus the physical dependency.
for opiates it works the same way - the body compensates for the external source by producing less natural opiates (it explains the reported physical pain during withdrawal).
the brain prioritises these chemicals above even basic needs like food.
in each case if the external supply stops.. the brain freaks out.
also the half life of nicotine is 15 minutes.. hence the constant cravings.. it also means that after 72 hours the molecules have been completely broken down; the peak craving time during withdrawal.
after 1-2 weeks the brain restores the balance of chemicals. any subsequent cravings are psychological, but thats the worst bit.
need to break all the pyschological triggers.. like having a cigarette with coffee or alcohol. those conditioned behaviours have been learnt over the length of time smoking, e.g. a pack a day for 10 years is over 100,000 cigarettes.. say 10% of them is with coffee, then that is a lot of psychological links to break.
about a year after quitting i watched star trek or something that i hadnt seen for a few years.. during the intro i reflexively got up for a cigarette like i always would have.. lol.
even now 3+ years later if i wait for a bus, and theres people smoking nearby.. i really want one. but the reality is my brain just wants a taste.. i would cough my guts up and not enjoy it.
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