Everything You Need To Know About Nicotine Withdrawal

 

Nicotine is an addictive substance found in various forms of tobacco and which causes about 80-90% of smokers to be hooked. When one quits smoking, their body adjusts to the shortage of this substance. Unable to handle how they feel after quitting, most people relapse to smoking after about a week.

Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms

This is usually different for each smoker. Common signs include feelings of restlessness, irritability and sadness, difficulty in concentration, slower heart rate and lack of sleep. These can be managed and overcome successfully with the help of medication and behavioral changes. It's important to note that most of these issues, cravings included, will be less of a problem with each day of nicotine abstinence.

The cravings usually last longer than other withdrawal symptoms, something which is attributable to reminders of smoking. There are many places, people and things that could be categorized here. It's thus important to properly plan on handling cravings whenever they hit.

Risks

Despite the discomfort and high level of symptoms, nicotine withdrawal doesn't carry any health risk. Even the most extreme symptoms will disappear in about a week. Nevertheless, one should watch out if they experience prolonged feelings of sadness, especially if they've suffered from depression.

Medication for Withdrawal

Medicines could help one increase their chances of quitting smoking for good. However, effort is still required to overcome cravings as the medicines don't do all the work. Some examples of nicotine replacement therapy medication include gum, patches, inhalers, sprays and lozenges.

One could purchase gum, lozenges and patches without a prescription, which is usually required for nasal sprays and inhalers. Expectant ladies and those planning on it should consult a doctor before using any of these things. It would still be advisable to consult a dentist because the substances are known to cause side effects.

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) should only be embarked on when one is ready to quit smoking. When starting out, one should use the full amount as instructed. As time goes, they can gradually reduce the amount and number of times they use the medication per day. A doctor could be of help in setting up an appropriate NRT schedule.

Rates Of Depression In Women Exceeds Those Of Men

The Depression Factor for Women

Before adolescence you don't see much difference between the rate of depression found in boys or girls. However, between ages 11 and 13 you see a rise in the rates of depression in girls. By the time a girl is 15 she is twice as likely to have already experienced a significant depressive episode compared to what the boys experience.

Adolescent years are full of stresses and challenges. This is the time when identities are being formed, sexuality is emerging, kids are distancing themselves from their parents, and the hormones are changing and ranging. The intellect as well as the physical and hormonal changes can stretch these adolescents to their wits end.

Research reveals that high school students of the female persuasion are far more likely to experience the following than their male counterparts -

• Higher Rates of Depression
• Eating Disorders
• Adjustment Disorders
• Anxiety Disorders

Overview of Stress

Stress overall is proven to contribute to many illnesses. It attacks and weakens the immune system. Stress has been labeled the biggest killer of today, mainly because it is at the root of all other problems.

The stress levels in young adolescent females and mature single mothers is a force that they find very difficult to deal with. The high depression rates found in young girls and women is not due to them being more vulnerable, but to them suffering from more stress-related pressures. They have major responsibilities as they follow their motherly instincts taking care of kids and sometimes older family members.

When you look at the depression rates of both men and women, the ones who experience the highest rates are the ones who are divorced or separated. It is lower among married couples, however, the rate for females still remain higher than for men.

Drug Abuse and Depression in Women

Because of their already heightened stress levels and depression rates, many women turn to drugs and alcohol. Substance abuse is very common among people battling depressive disorders. Alcohol, for instance, is a known 'central nervous system' depressant. It triggers things like sadness, lethargy, and hopelessness. Substance abuse and depression feed off one another.

Dual Diagnosis

Whenever someone is suffering from both addiction and depression it's known as a 'dual diagnosis'. This is a combination of any mental disorder like bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety, and any addiction like gambling, sex, alcohol, or drugs.

In the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry a report states that 1 out of every 3 adults who are struggling with drug or alcohol abuse suffer from depression as well.

It is during times like a woman's menstrual cycle or postpartum depression that women are more susceptible to looking to drugs or alcohol to help cope with their depression.

Follow us for more articles on depression in women.

Reason For Impulsive Behavior

 

Individuals of a particular generation regard a lack of will-power or self-control as a problem with self-discipline and the current age. They believe that young people can resist temptation but simply choose not to. While this could be the case in some instances, science supports the notion that impulsive behavior is also triggered by real physiological and psychological problems. Most of these are relatively easy to determine and tackle when one knows how the brain works.

What is Impulsive Behavior?

Dieters, drug addicts, heavy drinkers, and people with anger management problems usually set out with a deliberate plan for the day. They are going to cut back on sugary foods and eat more vegetables. The urge to consume drugs or alcohol will be overcome by exercise, prayer, or sheer will power. Instead of becoming angry with small children when they whine, parents plan strategies which yield healthy and satisfying results in which everyone feels good.

When temptation arises, one might suddenly veer from the plan. A person feels powerless in the moment and thoughtlessly pursues the path of least resistance, overeating, consuming addictive substances, or yelling.

Why Do People Behave Impulsively?

There are real physical causes for impulsive behavior. When a person lacks sleep or his blood sugar is low, he is vulnerable. Too much stress, alcohol, and a busy life are potential contributors. Poor self-image caused by internal or external conflict promotes impulsiveness as well.

When one is suffering from insomnia, has not eaten well, or is under stress in some other way, he is more likely to satisfy an immediate desire. If one were to eat regularly, select healthy and balanced meals and snacks, and get adequate rest, it would be far easier to stay on track. Plans are only followed effectively when one's reserves of energy, both mental and physical, are sufficient.

Alcohol reduces inhibitions by affecting the judgment-making portion of the brain. Stress takes a similar toll. When one's ability to make sensible decisions is depleted, impulsive behavior follows.

Fighting Urges

One can prevent impulsive behavior by planning self-care techniques. Sleeping well and taking part in counseling for self-esteem issues are helpful strategies. Busy, stressed individuals can learn to set fewer, more realistic daily goals.

Liver Cancer & Liver Cirrhosis: The Connection

The connection between liver cancer and liver cirrhosis is a simple and mostly causative one. The interconnection between the two is a strong one and the occurrence of one make the other more likely to occur, as per scientific studies. Most often, cirrhosis comes first, as a result of liver damage, majorly caused by chronic infections such as Hep B or C, alcoholism and substance abuse. This eventuates in cirrhosis, wherein the solid normal tissue of the metabolic liver organ is replaced by fibrous meshwork incapable of performing the many important liver function. Scientists have recently established that liver cirrhosis is the biggest known risk factor for liver cancer.

In the US, over 70 percent of liver cancer patients develop this condition because of previously suffering from liver cirrhosis, which refers to a kind of 'internal scarring' in the liver, according to Prof George Wu of Connecticut University Medical Centre. Extensive damage to the liver occurring during scarring promotes conversion of normal liver cells to cancerous cells.

While alcohol abuse, the primary cause of cirrhosis in the United States of America, is a reversible addiction if ceased early on, beyond a certain point, cirrhosis is irreversible. As per Dr. Wu's findings, once the irreversible point is breached, a person has basically committed to a 40x increased risk of developing liver cancer compared to the person sitting next to him on the tube.

It is a well-known fact that falling into the throws of alcohol addiction is going down a sad path of destruction that most likely ends in death from liver cancer or liver failure. It is also interesting to note here that the basic unit average of alcohol one must consume to cause cirrhosis is a value that varies by individual and between the genders too. As a woman, 2-3 drinks per day over years places one at risk. The threshold is higher for males at 3-4 drinks daily for many years.

Substance abuse and the traumas of withdrawal symptoms that follow as professionals seek to treat the addiction can be severely debilitating. Most patients will not survive the ordeal, and if they do, the scars of the experience remain with them for the rest of their lives. The best solution to avoid developing liver cancer, liver cirrhosis and alcohol dependency is through prevention and control. Follow us today for more information and interesting articles on drug abuse conditions and the available treatment.

Identifying Nine Substance-Induced Disorders

Toxic effects produced by various substances can often mimic mental disorders, making it difficult to distinguish one from the other. Mental illness symptoms that manifest from alcohol or drugs are called substance-induced disorders. Symptoms rage from mild anxiety and depression to mania and other psychotic reactions.

Alcohol

Euphoria, mood instability, decreased impulse control and increased social confidence are characteristic of those who consume heavy amount of alcohol. Withdrawal symptoms can include increased blood pressure, rapid heart beat, agitation and anxiety, tremors, malaise and perceptual distortions.

Caffeine

In large quantities, caffeine can produce anxiety, although the amount needed to do so varies from person to person. Caffeine can also produce an increase in panic attacks.

Cocaine and Amphetamines

Euphoria, and a sense of internal well-being, and perceived increased powers of thought, strength and accomplishment after often experienced by users of cocaine and amphetamines. Dangerous behavior increases with the amount ingested. Chronic users often experience occasional paranoid delusions that sometimes go on for years.

Hallucinogens

Hallucinogens can produced a distorted sense of time, depersonalization, paranoia and delusional states in addition to hallucinations. That latter usually take the for of enhanced colors and shapes. Some people who take hallucinogens have prolonged psychotic reactions, worsening of mental disorders and flashbacks, which can consisted of flashes of light and prolonged peripheral after images.

Nicotine

Individuals who are addicted to nicotine are more apt to experienced depression than non-users. some people use nicotine to regulate mood, but there is no direct causal relationship between nicotine and depression. Those who quit smoking, however, often experienced cravings and depressive symptoms.

Opioids

Intoxication from opioids results in intense euphoria and well-being. Withdrawal can include severe body aches, gastrointestinal symptoms, dysphoria and agitations. anxiety, depression and seep disturbances can occur weeks after abstaining. Many people who are opioid dependent need replacement therapies such as methadone or suboxone to treat relapses.

Sedatives

Acute sedative intoxication has symptoms similar those those experienced with alcohol. Withdrawal symptoms are also similar, with the addition of hallucinations and grand mal seizures.

Diagnosing substance-induced disorders often requires repeated reevaluations. Some individuals may have a combination of one or more independent mental disorders and a substance-induced disorder.

What To Expect From Cocaine Withdrawal

Knowledge is power, and it is better to be armed with the necessary information for a safe cocaine withdrawal. Most people who cease cocaine consumption experience everything from mere discomfort to fatal cocaine withdrawals, depending on their previous frequency of cocaine indulgence. Highly cocaine dependent or addicted individuals experience more serious withdrawal symptoms compared to people who may have consumed cocaine occasionally or only once.

Although the intensity of the withdrawals varies from one person to another, here are a few typical cocaine withdrawals you should know, and thus be prepared to avoid relapsing back to cocaine use or endangering your life.

What to Expect From Cocaine Withdrawal:

Extremely Low Mood Coming Down From Cocaine

One of the "desired" effects of cocaine is a well-being feeling or euphoria for those that use or abuse it. Unfortunately, as soon as the drug wears off, the mood dips to abnormal levels, and individuals experience low mood, a feeling of worthlessness, discouragement and even depression. Addicts are more likely than occasional cocaine users to experience extremely low mood and depression due to the permanent brain chemical damage inflicted by the long-term use of cocaine.

Fatigue and Psychomotor Retardation From Cocaine Use

Cocaine ingestion triggers a surge of physical energy that increases users' motor functions. Cocaine withdrawal, on the other hand, not only reduces that energy surge, but also makes people experience fatigue and abnormally slowed motor functions. More often than not, this fatigue results from the excessive activity a person indulges in during a cocaine high, and not necessarily from the absence of the drug. Psychomotor retardation (slowed motor activity) results from the lack of cocaine.

Abnormal Eating and Sleep Patterns While Quitting Cocaine

Cocaine abstainers experience troubled sleep patterns that can range from absence of sleep to excessive or disturbed sleep during which sleepers experience nightmares, tremors or other mental and physical disturbances. Also, excessive sleep may be triggered by the missed sleep experienced during a cocaine high. Nightmares and emotional disturbances result from damaged brain cells that control sleep and cognitive functions.

Being Aware of Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms:

Cocaine withdrawal, whether from a new or established cocaine consumption habit, results in mild-to-severe symptoms. The symptoms depend on each individual's indulgence, and the results include mood changes, abnormal eating and sleep patterns and fatigue. The knowledge of cocaine withdrawals can help people prepare for these symptoms and counter them before their health is jeopardized.

Oxycontin Abuse Can Lead To Severe Addiction

Addiction to prescription medications is a problem that affects people from all walks of life. Many people become addicted to narcotic pain medications such as Oxycontin while they are recovering from a surgery or other type of injury. Sadly, these medications can become a serious problem when taken for extended periods of time.

Though Oxycontin is a prescription medication, a lot of people can easily obtain it without a prescription. Since the euphoric feelings gained from taking medications such as Oxycontin are so enjoyable, many people take them just to get that euphoric high. Over a period of time, people who enjoy this type of high can easily become addicted to narcotic pain medications.

As with most types of drugs, there are several methods used to get high on pain meds. Oxycontin abusers often snort, chew, swallow, inject, as well as combine other drugs and alcohol to intensify the euphoria gained from Oxycontin. On the streets, Oxy's are one of the most sought after prescription pain medications. The cost per pill can be significantly higher than other types of prescription pills.

When misused on a regular basis, the dosage needed to gain the desired affect will increase. Considering the expense of this drug, an addict can easily lose everything they have trying to afford their expensive habit. Signs of Oxycontin abuse may vary from person to person, but tend to include changes in behavior, mood swings, committing illegal activities to obtain the drug, and extreme fatigue and lethargy.

Other typical signs of addiction such as alienation of family and friends, loss of employment, and suffering from withdrawal symptoms, are also common with Oxycontin addiction. If you or someone you love has an addiction to Oxycontin, the best thing to do is seek help immediately. Always keep in mind that delaying intervention can only do more damage and deepen Oxycontin dependency.

It is also advisable to speak to a physician about an Oxycontin addiction. There are certain medications available that can help ease the severity of withdrawal symptoms, making it easier to overcome prescription pain medication addiction. Seeking help is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of strength, and strength and determination are what is needed to kick an Oxycontin habit.