Addiction to Nicotine Patches

The nicotine patch provides a steady, controlled dose of nicotine throughout the day, thus reducing the effects of nicotine withdrawal. Typically, patch strength is reduced over time, allowing you to presumably kick the habit of nicotine addiction.

Although some of these treatments do help smokers, the problem with so many of these nicotine replacement therapies (NRT), such as the patch, nicotine gum and nicotine nasal sprays, is that they contain nicotine. Yes, using a patch is much safer than continuing to smoke cigarettes but you could be going from one addiction, cigarettes, to another, NRTs - addiction to nicotine patches, gums and nasal sprays.

How Nicotine Keeps You Addicted

Nicotine works by providing an almost immediate "jolt" because it causes a discharge of epinephrine from the adrenal cortex. This stimulates the central nervous system, and other endocrine glands, which causes a sudden release of glutamate, the neurotransmitter involved in memory.

The stimulation caused by nicotine is then followed by depression and fatigue, and if you are hooked on nicotine, whether it is through addiction to nicotine patches, gum, nasal spray or cigarettes, your body will then begin to crave more nicotine. This terrible cycle could continue to haunt you until you somehow fully cleanse yourself of your nicotine addiction.

This is why for many people, using nicotine patches to end an addiction to nicotine just doesn't work.

Alternatives to Using Nicotine Patches

There are many alternatives to using nicotine patches and other nicotine replacement therapies to end an addiction to cigarettes. These include natural treatments for nicotine addiction, which tend to be safer and don't contain the risk of addiction to nicotine patches, gums or nasal sprays.

Many stop smoking drugs that have come to the market over the last couple of years to help people end their nicotine addictions.

A benefit of using herbal stop smoking products is that you don't have to replace a cheap, life threatening product that contains nicotine, such as cigarettes, with a more expensive product that still contains nicotine, such as the patch, nicotine nasal sprays or nicotine gums, which may ultimately prevent you from finally beating your nicotine addiction.