Nicotine Patch - A Way to Stop Smoking

The Success of the Nicotine Patch:
The nicotine patch is a widely used method today to help people stop smoking. It is a plaster type bandage worn on the skin that contains nicotine. People were skeptical when the nicotine patch first came out because of the fact that it contains nicotine and slowly feeds it into the body. It would seem, at first glance, that someone trying to quit smoking should be avoiding nicotine altogether; however, the way it works is that it provides a small, continuous feed of nicotine as opposed to the type of roller coaster effect caused by ingesting it through the lungs.

It is believed, that when smoking, the amount of nicotine that hits the bloodstream is fast and intense because inhaling it through the lungs sends it right into the bloodstream. This causes an instant rush with withdrawal symptoms setting in 20 minutes later.  This withdrawal causes a roller coaster ride that begins with getting the hit to needing the hit, and again getting the hit and so on. Whereas the small amount of nicotine that comes through the nicotine patch is released from the plaster and will enter the body through the pores.  It enters at a much slower rate than when smoking. As it enters the body at a slower rate the rush that is felt when inhaling a cigarette will not be felt, but neither will the roller coaster of inhaling and craving. The craving that occurs twenty minutes after having a cigarette is stimulated by the brain receiving a signal that more nicotine is needed by the body.

Bypassing Smoking Withdrawals:
The amount of nicotine being released by the nicotine patch is constant and thereby avoids the roller coaster effect of smoking.  It is believed that the amount released by the nicotine patch also slightly relieves withdrawal symptoms because the body is in fact still getting nicotine. Withdrawal symptoms can include headaches, irritability, tension, stress and anxiety. Even feelings of anger can be experienced during withdrawal.  Reducing the withdrawal symptoms reduces the desire to start smoking again in order just to feel better.

Does the Nicotine Patch Work for Everyone?
The nicotine patch will not necessarily work for everyone.  There are people who have worn the nicotine patch and have not succeeded. There are also people who have removed the nicotine patch and ended up quitting by going “cold turkey”, no reduction, just simply never smoking again.  In fact research shows that the cold turkey approach does work for many. But there are people who try again and again to stop smoking and simply can not take the withdrawal symptoms.  It is for these people that the nicotine patch works best because it does in fact reduce the withdrawal symptoms. With the nicotine patch, the amount of nicotine being ingested by the body is not suddenly reduced to nothing, so the body simply will not have to cope with same type of withdrawal.

Important Precautions:
It is very important to know that once the nicotine patch is applied it is absolutely imperative that the person wearing it does not have even one cigarette and does not apply multiple nicotine patches at once. The consequences could be very severe, even fatal. Please consult your physician or pharmacist before using the nicotine patch or any other method such as stop smoking drugs.

Related Links: » Quit Smoking  » Smoking Cessation  » Stop Smoking Aids  » Ways to Quit Smoking