Physical and Psychological effects
on smokers
Smokers report a variety of physical and psychological effects from
smoking tobacco. Those new to smoking will experience nausea,
dizziness, and rapid heart beat. The negative symptoms will
eventually vanish over time, with repeated use, as the body builds
a tolerance to the chemicals in the cigarettes, such as
nicotine.
In many respects, nicotine acts on the nervous system in a similar
way to caffeine. Some writings have stated that smoking can also
increase mental concentration; one study documents a significantly
better IQ on the normed Advanced Raven Progressive Matrices test
after smoking.[29] Most smokers say they enjoy smoking, which is
part of the reason why many continue to do so even though they are
aware of the health risks. Taste, smell, and visual enjoyment are
also major contributions to the enjoyment of smoking, in addition
to camaraderie with other smokers. Paradoxically, chronic exposure
to tobacco smoke inhibits one's sense of taste and smell, rendering
them unable to enjoy this aspect of tobacco smoking.
Most smokers, when denied access to nicotine, exhibit symptoms such
as irritability, jitteriness, dry mouth, and rapid heart beat.[30]
Longer abstinence may lead to insomnia and even mild depression.
The onset of these symptoms is very fast, nicotine's half-life
being only 1 hour. Withdrawal symptoms can appear even if the
smoker's consumption is very limited or irregular, appearing after
only 4-5 cigarettes in most adolescents. An ex-smoker's chemical
dependence to nicotine will cease after approximately ten to twenty
days, although the brain's number of nicotine receptors is
permanently altered,[citation needed] and the psychological
dependence may linger for months or even many years. Unlike illicit
recreational drugs and alcohol, nicotine does not measurably alter
a smoker's motor skills, cognition, judgement, or language
abilities while under the influence of the drug, but nicotine
withdrawal symptoms such as irritability and incapacity to
concentrate can have an influence on these aspects. Tobacco
withdrawal has been shown to cause clinically significant
distress.[31]
The majority of these effects are due to nicotine withdrawal,[30]
and so smokers who are not addicted to nicotine will not suffer
from them.
Some studies suggest that a link exists between smoking and mental
illness, citing the high incidence of smoking amongst those
suffering from schizophrenia[32] and the possibility that smoking
may alleviate some of the symptoms of mental illness,[33] but these
have not been conclusive.
