"Feelings of happiness after consuming cigarettes"

Janine Berdelmann studied social sciences and completed her traineeship in the editorial team. She is the author of numerous science news and advice topics on .

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"Just stop smoking!" Smokers will certainly hear this several times. Why quitting smoking is easier said than done, and how nicotine is indispensable for our brain, explains graduate psychologist Steven Graves in a interview.

Steven Graves

Mr. Graves *, is it really that difficult to quit smoking?

I would say that. Because the addictive potential of nicotine can be equated with that of illegal drugs such as heroin or cocaine. And people can't get rid of these drugs easily either. Many underestimate that being dependent on nicotine is also a very serious addiction. What is particularly treacherous is that it creeps into the areas of the brain that are necessary for species conservation.

And what parts of the brain are they?

The brain's reward system plays an important role in smoking. It releases happiness hormones that make us feel good when we eat, drink, sleep, and have sex. In this way it secures the species-preserving and vital mechanisms. However, the brain of smokers also perceives the cigarettes as vital, since the nicotine also addresses the reward center. The smoker immediately feels a kind of happiness after consuming a cigarette.

Feeling happy or not - every smoker knows that the love for glow sticks can also be fatal. Why does he still smoke?

I call this the Neanderthal Mechanism, even if a lot of smokers don't like to hear it. It is important to a Neanderthal man that he is doing well for the next 48 hours. He doesn't think about the home loan and savings contract, which expires in 20 years and then rewards him. In other words: smokers feel better immediately after they have smoked a cigarette. The severe physical complaints that could dissuade him from smoking often only appear after many years.

Many try to quit smoking by gradually smoking fewer cigarettes. Can it work?

From my point of view, that's less likely. The so-called reduction approach, in which the cigarettes are stopped slowly and in a controlled manner, often ends in self-deception. If someone has smoked 30 cigarettes before, there is a rather high risk that they will adjust to these five cigarettes a day. Because with that he is of course still not a non-smoker and the smoking cessation failed. Of course, five cigarettes are better than 30, but a few cigarettes are also extremely harmful to health.

Then only a cold withdrawal helps, i.e. stopping smoking from one day to the next

Usually that is the case, even if it is a difficult idea for many. A conscious decision against smoking should be made. That is why I recommend this final point method. The smoker sets himself a date on which he wants to stop smoking. The only exceptions I see are people who do not want to or cannot stop smoking at all. The aim here is to keep the damage to health as low as possible through a controlled reduction in cigarettes.

Nicotine replacement preparations are supposed to alleviate the worst withdrawal symptoms. How well do you help?

It is important for a permanent cessation of smoking that the "smoking is great" attitude learned by the brain disappears. This includes turning off positive associations with the cigarette. And that's exactly where nicotine substitutes come in. If the body is supplied with nicotine through the patches, the cigarette practically loses its meaning and value. The brain gradually learns to have no more expectations of the glowing stick. And then you can slowly stop using the substitutes. So it is not true that many smokers then permanently stick to the nicotine patches instead of the cigarette.

Smoking cessation drugs such as bupropion or varenicline sometimes have significant side effects. Are they still worth a try?

These drugs would basically be the last resort of my choice - especially since with the conventional nicotine substitutes such as plasters, chewing gum or lozenges, effective drugs to support smoking cessation are freely available. I would only give drugs like bupropion and varenicline a chance if all other options had been exhausted, or if the smoker has already suffered severe physical damage. It could be a stroke or a chronic lung disease like COPD.

Some can also be hypnotized or acupunctured. Is that hocus-pocus?

Not necessarily, because when you quit smoking, a lot helps a lot. That's why I wouldn't advise anyone to try acupuncture or hypnosis. Presumably, however, it is more of a placebo effect. These methods can be useful as a supplement to smoking cessation programs or courses.

Even the internet or apps should be able to help you quit smoking

Those who only rely on these tools and aids when quitting smoking have a limited chance of success. However, if you add several building blocks, you increase your chances. After all, the main work in quitting smoking still rests with each individual.

Would you say that quitting smoking at 70 is still worthwhile?

In any case, quitting smoking is always good for your health - at any age. However, for older people it is often no longer a question of whether or not they die as a result of smoking. It is more important to improve the quality of life again. Because a long-time smoker with pain in his legs - we say PAD or intermittent claudication - can often only walk a few steps. If he stops smoking, the first positive physical changes can be felt after a few days. The condition improves, for example, and the toes are better supplied with blood.

Thank you for talking to us, Mr. Graves.

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