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According to researchers, there are many different reasons why people smoke and they are related to two major aspects: one physical and one behavioral. These two aspects combined are why it is so hard to “kick the tire”. However, if you are truly committed to quitting, you can accomplish your goal by gradually reducing your level of nicotine intake. Below we discuss how incrementally tapering off your intake affects the physical and behavioral aspects of your addiction.
The Physical Nicotine Addiction Aspect
Gradually reducing nicotine intake is an effective way to reduce or eliminate the withdrawal symptoms associated with nicotine addiction. An effective method of gradual nicotine reduction is to use a schedule to gradually reduce the number of e-cigs you smoke, and reduce the amount of nicotine per e-cig. These two factors are carefully calculated to help accomplish a successful nicotine reduction program.
The Behavioral / Psychological Aspect
By using a device that looks and operates like a cigarette, you still get the behavioral/psychological fix. Without the second-hand smoke, a smoker can now vape our electronic cigarettes anytime, anywhere. And although it is not a “real” cigarette, it feels like one. There is the same hand to mouth motion, inhaling and exhaling action, the familiar taste and satisfying feeling. So a smoker is not “missing” smoking, they just replaced it with an electronic cigarette. This factor is a key to reducing the behavioral/psychological impediment involved in the process.
References:
Dichter, E. (1947). Why do we smoke cigarettes? The Psychology of Everyday Living. Retrieved from http://smokingsides.com/docs/whysmoke.html
The Lung Association. (2012). Quitting smoking. Retrieved from
http://www.lung.ca/lung-health/smoking-and-tobacco
