Nicotine dependence is characterized by the intense craving, compulsive use, or inability to stop using tobacco products – despite its dangerous consequences.
Much like with alcohol or drug addiction, nicotine affects the areas of the brain typically involved in decision-making and behavioral control by triggering certain neurotransmitters to release. As the nicotine tolerance is built up over time, it takes more to achieve that same neurotransmitter release, which is precisely what causes the withdrawal symptoms associated with smoking cessation.
There are plenty of reasons why people take up smoking, but it’s often linked to mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and so on. Having a mental health disorder in addition to nicotine dependence can make it that much more challenging for individuals to quit.
When nicotine dependence is more severe, tobacco users tend to turn to prescription medications such as Chantix and even nicotine replacement therapy such as the nicotine patch or gum.
Nicotine therapy replacement works by delivering small doses of nicotine to the user to take the edge off of their cravings without the additional nasty chemicals in tobacco products. It’s said to ease the normal withdrawal symptoms and has proven to help many people kick the habit. However, it doesn’t help with the psychological aspect of why an individual uses tobacco in the first place.
With medication like Chantix, smoking becomes much less gratifying to the user. This is because the medication works by blocking the brain’s nicotine receptors, which in turn blocks the “reward cycle” that’s triggered by smoking in the first place.
Chantix also helps to ease cravings by releasing small doses of dopamine. However, like most prescription medications, it comes with a list of unwanted side effects.