MamasHealth.com Home Substance Abuse Alcohol abuse Alcohol men vs women Alcoholic recovery parties Alcoholic spouse Cocaine addiction Ecstasy Hangovers Heroin addiction Inhalant addiction Infants exposed to drugs LSD addiction Marijuana addiction Meth addiction Nicotine addiction Prescription abuse Quit smoking Steroid abuse Substance abuse help Links Email Mama My personal story: How I quit smoking cold turkey Physical abuse Children and drugs	What is Nicotine Dependence? Nicotine dependence is the physical vulnerability of your body to the chemical nicotine. Nicotine is potently addicting when delivered by various tobacco products. Nicotine produces physical and mood-altering effects in your brain that are temporarily pleasing. The mood-altering effects reinforce your continued use of tobacco. People addicted to tobacco and nicotine have an increased risk of several other health problems. Substances in tobacco smoke can cause damage to the lungs, heart and blood vessels. Which Products Contain Nicotine? Most products that contain tobacco also contain nicotine. Symptoms of Nicotine Dependence? Some of the most common symptoms of nicotine dependence are listed below. Inability to stop smoking. Experiencing strong withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop smoking. Strong withdrawal symptoms include: craving for tobacco, anxiety, irritability, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, headache, drowsiness, stomach upset, constipation and diarrhea. You keep smoking despite health problems. You give up social or recreational activities that don't allow you to smoke. Complications of Nicotine Dependence? Nicotine dependence can affect several parts of your body. Common complications of nicotine dependence are: Lung cancer Dry skin Emphysema Chronic bronchitis Increased risk of heart disease. Esophageal cancer Larynx cancer Throat cancer Oral cancer Infertility Pregnancy and newborn complications. Dull senses Can Nicotine Dependence be Treated? Yes. The two main types of treatments are: Nicotine replacement therapy and non-nicotine medication. There are many types of nicotine replacement therapies. Most of them are available over-the-counter. Nicotine replacement therapies are designed to deliver wean you off nicotine by delivering small doses of nicotine into your bloodstream. The most common types of nicotine replacement therapies are: nicotine patches, nicotine gum and nicotine nasal spray. Non-nicotine medication are designed to act on brain chemistry to bring about some of the same effects that nicotine induces when a person smokes. A common non-nicotine medication is Zyban.
	Hot Topics: Domestic Violence: A pre-existing condition? Serena: The wanna be vegetarian Personal Story: How I recovered from my Eating Disorder Mama wants to help: Food Bank programs and shelter assistance Lucy Goes Green: Talk dirty to me How to avoid Swine Flu What no one will tell you about tummy tuck surgery Mama's favorite item of the week: Trees for the Future Foods for weight loss Win a Gift Bag filled with Goodies from Stonyfield
	Information obtained from MamasHealth.com™ should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner, nor should it be inferred as such. Always check with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about a specific condition. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use. Contact us: PO Box 2170, Pasadena, CA 91102-2170 ©2000 - 2009 MamasHealth, Inc.™. All rights reserved