What to Do If Youre Addicted to Nicotine Gum

What to Do If Youre Addicted to Nicotine Gum Addiction Nicotine Use How to Quit Smoking Print Have You Become Addicted to Nicotine Gum? By Terry Martin facebook twitter Terry Martin quit smoking after 26 years and is now an advocate for those seeking freedom from nicotine addiction. Learn about our editorial policy Terry Martin Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Sanja Jelic, MD on July 14, 2016 Sanja Jelic, MD, is board-certified in sleep medicine, critical care medicine, pulmonary disease, and internal medicine.   Learn about our Medical Review Board Sanja Jelic, MD Updated on November 19, 2019 Image Source/Getty Images More in Addiction Nicotine Use How to Quit Smoking After You Quit Nicotine Withdrawal Smoking-Related Diseases The Inside of Cigarettes Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Drug Use Coping and Recovery On the surface,  chewing a couple of pieces of nicotine gum every day is much better than smoking. Cigarette smoke contains over 7,000 chemical compounds; 250 of which are known to be poisonous, and upwards of 70 that have been identified as carcinogenic.?? We also know that inhaling secondhand smoke is hazardous, and for a smoker, its a double whammy because we breathe in both mainstream and sidestream smoke. It puts us at risk for heart disease, COPD, and cancer for starters.?? Research is ongoing â€" we dont yet fully understand all of the dangers that cigarette smoke presents. Nicotine Can Hurt Your Health That said, while cigarette smoke is worse than nicotine alone, nicotine is not a harmless drug. There is growing concern that long-term use of nicotine may contribute to cancer.?? Nicotine also affects how our bodies function â€" it puts stress on the heart and increases blood pressure.? Nicotine harms the linings of our arteries which leads to the build-up of plaque, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.?? Additionally, nicotine suppresses insulin output creating a hyperglycemic condition in smokers. Nicotine Can Hurt Your Happiness, Too While its true that the amount of nicotine youre getting daily from the gum may be small when compared to smoking, dont forget that nicotine is addictive.?? Regardless of how much or how little youre using, youre still feeding an active addiction. The message youre sending to yourself is that you cant live without nicotine â€" that youre not strong enough to give nicotine up completely. Recovery Takes Time   Recovery from this addiction involves learning how to deal with lifes ups and downs nicotine-free. If you remain dependent on nicotine, regardless of the form it comes in, you run an increased  risk of a smoking relapse. Additionally, as is the case with habit-forming drugs, your tolerance for nicotine will increase over time and so will your intake.?? When the right (or wrong) situation presents itself, you may find its a short jump to lighting up when a piece of nicotine gum isnt handy or just doesnt do the trick in taking the edge off.  Stressful situations  will continue to trigger  the urge for nicotine  until you clear it out of your system and learn new ways of coping. Dont let the junkie thinking that comes with nicotine withdrawal convince you to keep using. If you managed to stop smoking, you can go one step further and eliminate your dependence on therapeutic nicotine as well. Quitting Nicotine Completely Work out a realistic plan to wean yourself off of nicotine gum. If youre chewing 2 or 3 pieces of nicotine gum per day, start by eliminating just one piece. If there are specific times of the day that you use the gum, e.g. first thing in the morning, after meals, etc, choose the one that is the easiest to let go. Substitute a piece of sugar-free gum or a snack instead, and have a plan for a distracting activity should you need it. Once you are comfortable with the new regimen, repeat the process with the second piece of nicotine gum and then the third until you are off of it  completely. It doesnt matter how much time (within reason) that you take between each elimination. Step down when you are feeling comfortable, always keep your goal in mind. We werent born using nicotine. It is possible to leave it behind for good and get on with your life, comfortably  addiction-free. Dont Be Afraid to Let People Know Whats Going on With You Ask for support, and the load youre bearing will become much lighter. Youll be surprised at how understanding folks are. Dont feel ashamed. You are not the first person who has ever had this problem â€" far from it. You deserve a life that is free of nicotine addiction. Believe in yourself â€" you are strong enough to get nicotine out of your body and out of your life. If NRTs Can Be Addictive, Should You Avoid Using Them? No, but use care with this quit aid. All forms of NRT except for the nicotine patch are easy to misuse because you take a dose multiple times a day. The patch is the only NRT that is applied once in the morning and offers time-released nicotine throughout the day.??  We recommend it as our top NRT pick for this reason. NRTs have helped many thousands of smokers stop smoking successfully. Just remember that they are not intended for long-term use. Follow the manufacturers directions exactly, and wean yourself off the NRT product of your choice in the time period suggested.