The Way To Addiction

موضوع: The Way To Addiction الجمعة 15 سبتمبر 2017, 2:59 am

Nicotine, in its organic form, is not addictive; but it is the primary factor responsible for releasing dopamine. It is a neurotransmitter associated with the points of pleasure and reinforcements inside the brain; this way it induces addictive tendencies in human beings. Nicotine is largely found as a chemical present in tobacco leaves which happens to be the main ingredient in cigarettes. It is believed to cause addiction and certain harmful diseases in cigarette smokers around the world, says a health report of the World Health Organization. Nicotine simulates the activities of acetylcholine. It is a naturally occurring neurotransmitter present in the human central nervous system and in the nerve-muscle seam of the skeletal muscles. This substance is responsible for stimulation which can result in an increase in the heart rate, alertness of the mind and reaction speed. Since acetylcholine and nicotine are said to be chemically similar, they set off the same cholinergic receptors inside the brain.

The nicotine-acetylcholine receptors comprise nerve endings that can release dopamine when they get bound with nicotine or acetylcholine. Receptors simulate the look of cups and have the exact dimensions that can fit a neurotransmitter molecule including acetylcholine. The receptors are lined with nerve endings that release dopamine when acetylcholine binds with acetylcholine receptors. The dopamine that is sent from the nerve endings induces a feeling of pleasure in the individual's brain. The strengthening mechanism gets initiated as the brain gets addicted to the pleasure caused by the dopamine released from the cholinergic receptors. This really means that the human brain is constantly seeking ways and means to be incited. So, in the case of cigarette smokers, they will continue to smoke cigarettes as the nicotine in the cigarettes induces the release of dopamine in the brain causing them to feel satisfied and happy every time they take a puff of a cigarette.
As a beginner, only a few cholinergic receptors would be made available because, for the natural action of acetylcholine to take place, only a minimum amount of receptors is needed. However, the increased concentration of nicotine available desensitizes the cholinergic receptors. This desensitization will again result in the production or growth of more cholinergic receptors. The extra cholinergic receptors soon become desensitized due to the excess nicotine made available. Such a cyclic process continues until a stage of equilibrium is reached. Equilibrium level is said to be reached when cigarette smokers decide on the number of cigarettes they smoke afterwards in a given day. At this time also, a certain amount of receptors will be present there for the addiction to stay dormant. Some hard core smokers usually smoke one or two packets a day. They have to do so because they have the required amount of receptors present in their system to accommodate two packs a day. This is the main reason why hard core smokers have a difficult time quitting the habit of smoking. The best approach would be to gradually cut back on the number of cigarettes one smokes in a given period of time.