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How Addictive Are E-Cigarettes?
While E-cigarettes have always been marketed as the safer and healthier alternative to normal cigarettes, they are still highly addictive.
This is because despite them not containing any of the harmful tar-like cigarettes do, they still contain nicotine, and often more nicotine than would be in a cigarette.
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that can lead to someone struggling with a lifelong addiction after just one use. E-cigarettes were designed to be a tool for people dealing with nicotine addiction to reduce the amount they smoke and to work towards quitting entirely.
However, now it is not uncommon to see people who have never used a cigarette in their lives still struggling with nicotine addiction due to using an E-cigarette or a vape pen regularly instead.
It is important that you are aware that just because vapes don’t taste or smell of nicotine, that doesn’t mean that they are not addictive. On the contrary, they are very easy to become addicted to and very accessible.
They can be even more difficult to quit than cigarettes due to how widely accepted they have become.
Why is Vaping Addictive?
Vape pens contain the highly addictive substance nicotine and can be used pretty much everywhere.
Vape pens are still allowed to be used in many public places, making them more accessible and more likely to be used by teenagers. The dangers of their addictiveness are not often published like they legally are required to be with cigarettes.
This makes them more likely to be bought by teenagers and young adults that don’t fully understand the danger of developing a drug addiction. They can be brought inside and used around other people, so, therefore, they must be safe, right? Wrong.
As with all addictions, using something so much is dangerous. While we don’t fully know the full extent of the long-term effects of vaping, it is important to keep in mind the risks associated with nicotine addiction which can include lung cancer.
Even the vape pens that do not include nicotine, there will very likely be long-term effects of constantly breathing the flavouring into your lungs. This could manifest itself as:
- Lung disease
- Breathing difficulties
- Circulation problems
- Blood clots
When you breathe in from a vape pen, you are causing the nicotine to rush to your brain and create a rush of dopamine alongside it.
As dopamine is the chemical responsible for causing you to experience pleasure, your brain will want more of this. So it causes you to crave your vape pen again to get another hit of dopamine. It won’t be long before your brain wants to constantly be vaping in order to keep up with its need for dopamine and counteract your developing tolerance to nicotine.
This is how addiction is born. Your brain becomes dependent on vaping as it believes that it is the best way for you to deliver nicotine which it believes it needs to produce dopamine.
Nicotine Addiction
Nicotine addiction is a widespread problem across the UK as it can have serious long-term health problems.
Because of this, it is recommended that you try to stop smoking before these health problems have a chance to set in, especially if you have pre-existing conditions such as asthma.
Overcoming an addiction is very doable with support, and due to how widely accessible nicotine is, it will be difficult for you to just avoid it. But it is possible to overcome your addiction with enough work.
As with most addictions, when you quit or drastically reduce the amount you use, you will experience withdrawal symptoms. Nicotine withdrawals are much safer than other kinds of withdrawals, but they can still be very uncomfortable.
The use of nicotine patches and nicotine gum can but used to lessen the impact of the withdrawal symptoms. However, you can still expect to experience at least some of the following:
- Feeling irritable
- Feeling restless
- Experiencing migraines and frequent headaches
- Increased sweating even when not doing strenuous activities
- Feeling depressed or upset for no apparent reason
- Feeling anxious or nervous for no apparent reason
- Feeling more tired than you normally do
- Having trouble thinking clearly or concentrating on normal everyday tasks such as work or chores
- Struggling getting to and staying asleep
- Feeling hunger pangs at odd times of the day
- Having intense cravings for nicotine products such as E-cigarettes
It is perfectly normal to struggle with your addiction, but it is a very difficult thing to overcome. That is why there is no shame in needing a little more help.
You will be able to ask for advice from your local GP on how to overcome nicotine addiction. Or, if you prefer, you can seek private rehab help for a more intensive solution to your addiction-related problems alongside other addictions.
Are E-Cigarettes Better For You Than Smoking?
In some ways, E-cigarettes are better for you than traditional smoking because they don’t include tar.
Tar is what causes many of the following bad side effects of smoking:
- Yellow teeth
- Lung cancer
- Lung disease
- Yellow fingers
- Throat cancer
That is why E-cigarettes are often marketed as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes, as you are able to avoid many of the risks associated with smoking. However, just because they lack tar doesn’t mean you should use them in the long term.
E-cigarettes should only be used as a tool to help you for a short period of time and by using them beyond their intended use you are just trading one addiction for another.
Risks of Young People Vaping
Addiction to E-cigarettes is formed due to dopamine, and young people are amongst the highest group of people in the UK to suffer from a dopamine deficiency.
This means that they are much more susceptible to addictions that can make them feel happy, even if it is just for a short period of time.
These risks of young people vaping are:
- Gateway to other addiction
- Increased anxiety and depression
- Importance
- Lung damage
- Bronchitis
- Problems sleeping
It is best to nip the problem in the bud young before it can develop into something more dangerous. Contact us today if you have any addiction-related queries. You can call on 01475 303998 or email info@novarecovery.co.uk.
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John Gillen
- Author
- Last updated: September 8, 2023
John has travelled extensively around the world, culminating in 19 years’ experience looking at different models. He is the European pioneer of NAD+ (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) treatment to Europe in 2010; and recently back from the USA bringing state of the art Virtual Reality Relapse Prevention and stress reduction therapy. His passion extends to other metabolic disturbances and neurodegenerative diseases. The journey continues. In recent times, John has travelled to Russia to study and research into a new therapy photobiomudulation or systemic laser therapy working with NAD+ scientists and the very best of the medical professionals in the UK and the USA, together with Nadcell, Bionad Hospitals own select Doctors, nurses, dieticians and therapists. Johns’ passion continues to endeavour to bring to the UK and Europe new developments with NAD+ Therapy in preventive and restorative medicine and Wellness. In 2017 John Gillen was made a visiting Professor at the John Naisbitt university in Belgrade Serbia.