Activate the brake mechanism and quit it in 14 days!

Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan noted that the learning memory in the brain deteriorates in long-term nicotine use and said that "Nicotine is not a harmless thing. When you stop nicotine suddenly, there is severe headache, restlessness, and nervousness. They feel dizzy and become distracted.”

Stating that the rate of smoking in Türkiye exceeds 30 percent, Prof. Tarhan said that "In Türkiye, this rate is 39 percent for men and 12 percent for women. It is very high. We are among the countries with the highest smoking rate in the world. There was political determination, NGOs and the media supported it, the rate decreased a little. However, we relapsed into the previous situation again. Tarhan also drew attention to the brake mechanism in the brain and the critical 14 days.

President of Üsküdar University, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan evaluated the issue of tobacco addiction.

“It activates the behavioral reward system in the brain…”

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated that addiction is related to the deterioration of the reward system in the brain of the person, and even addiction is also called 'Reward Deficiency Syndrome’, and he followed his remarks as follows:

"A person's brain is not satisfied with the reward. Dopamine is the substance that works the reward center in the brain the most. Dopamine has two important properties. One of them increases attention and allows you to focus on a subject It is also called the 'love position'. When the brain is only thinking about a subject, it is secreting excessive dopamine. The second feature is that it gives a feeling of intoxication. When the reward system in the brain is overworked, it evokes a sense of flying in the person. When this center is highly stimulated, the brain craves the reward more. In fact, it wants unexpected rewards, not the one that the person is addicted. Surprises creates pleasure in the brain by triggering more of the normal habitual reward system in the brain.”

"We live in an age where pleasure is glorified. For this reason, a philosophy of life that prioritizes pleasure and comfort as the purpose of life has emerged in the world. It became a philosophy brought by modernism. We have become too worldly, pleasure-oriented, hedonistic, conformist. Therefore, this increases dopamine more in the brain. It is such a thing that there are substances that trigger dopamine and behavioral addictions. From social media to gambling, they all activate the behavioral reward system in the brain."

"There is genetic information about predisposition to addiction"

Stating that there is genetic information about susceptibility to addiction, Prof. Tarhan said, "There are two types of genetic mechanisms. One is what we call a causative gene, for example, if it is genetically written in the genes that a person will have lung cancer, when this person reaches that age, the deterioration of the DNA there begins. It starts to trigger cancer immediately. This is also true for Alzheimer's. If there is a predisposition gene, it is the Alzheimer's gene. For example, it is a gene called ApoE4. It is very rare. If this gene is present, the person is more likely to get the disease. It is the same with addiction, if there is a predisposition, when the conditions are ready, that gene starts immediately in the person. It is a case of being activated."

"When the nicotine stops suddenly, there is severe headache, restlessness, and nervousness"

Noting that nicotine addiction is defined as nicoticism, Prof. Tarhan said that "Nicoticism is related to the acetylcholine substance in the brain. Acetylcholine is a substance related to memory and attention. Smokers smoke in what they want to be mindful of and focus on. Concentration and attention in the brain increase. The person is more focused on that issue. At the same time, nicotine is a secondary pleasurable effect. Nicotine also has an invigorating and energizing effect. The effect of nicotine is also present in dopamine. It is because of that effect that the person likes to take nicotine. Electronic cigarettes only have nicotine, and it does not other substances, but it still causes nicoticism. Since it causes nicoticism, individuals are increasing the dose. With long-term use, the learning memory in the brain deteriorates. Nicoticism is not a harmless thing. When you stop nicoticism suddenly, there is severe headache, restlessness, and nervousness. They get dizzy and distracted."

"Rituals such as smoking with tea or coffee trigger smoking"

Stating that nicotine is addictive compared to other substances, Prof. Tarhan said that there is physiological and psychological addiction in smoking.

Explaining that rituals such as smoking, being a wannabe smoker, smoking after meals, cigarettes with coffee create a psychological integrity and trigger and remind smoking, Prof. Tarhan stated that "These create more of a behavioral addiction dimension. The two are combined with physiological dependence."

"The biggest symptom of addiction is being irritated"

Noting that the biggest symptom is that an addicted person is irritated when there is no cigarette, Prof. Tarhan said that "It is dangerous and harmful for a person to want to light a cigarette as soon as they wake up in the morning. They cough, that is, the symptoms of some vascular diseases have begun, but they still do not quit smoking. They cough, and they go to the doctor. The doctor tells them to quit smoking, but they do not. In this case, even though one knows the danger and harm, they somehow find a way to convince themselves. They say, 'Nothing will happen to me, I am not addicted, I can quit whenever I want, nothing will happen to me.' Human beings are very adept at self-deception. A person does not take the warnings seriously. They do not buy packs in order not to smoke, but they continue to smoke willingly by borrowing from others."

"It is easy to quit if you want to, it is very difficult if you do not want to"

Prof. Tarhan said that "A person must first want to quit smoking and make a decision," and explained that quitting smoking is easy if the person definitely wants it, and very difficult if one does not want to.

Stating that there is a 'behavior change model' in quitting smoking, Prof. Tarhan said that "We are looking at whether those who come to quit smoking really come willingly, or whether they come for the sake of their spouse or friend. If a person says, ‘It hurts me, but I can't let it go’ and ‘As if there is a second person inside me and makes me smoke’, the solution here is easy. There are drugs that reduce the urge to smoke. These things work, we prescribe them. It is actually an antidepressant, but since that drug reduces cigarette cravings in the brain, it reduces the desire to smoke by around 40-50 percent. That medicine can be given to people who are willing.”

Critical 14 days to activate the brake mechanism in the brain!

Noting that the cigarette quitting card method is being studied in some people, Prof. Tarhan stated that "We say why do you want to quit smoking? For example, a person says, 'I do not want my mouth smell, I have suspicious findings in my lungs, my blood pressure is increasing, I cough.' When a person wants to smoke, they will take out that card and read it, and they will say that they will not smoke for these reasons. It will activate the brake mechanism in the brain. Let a person do this for 14 days, and this critical period will pass.”

Prof. Tarhan stated that those who succeed in quitting smoking for 7-14 days experience the pleasure of quitting it, and said that in this process, people can use nicotine gum or patches that gradually reduce the sensitivity of nicotine receptors, and these also work.

"The smoking rate in Türkiye exceeds 30 percent"

Stating that the USA is successful in the fight against smoking in the world and that the smoking rate there is around 15 percent on average, Prof. Tarhan said that "The smoking rate in Türkiye currently exceeds 30 percent. In Türkiye, this rate is 39 percent for men and 12 percent for women. It is very high. We are among the countries with the highest smoking rate in the world. There was political determination, NGOs and the media supported it, and the rate decreased little. However, we relapsed into the previous situation again. Most of the cigarettes are currently imported. There is also a huge loss of foreign currency.”

"It is forbidden to sell cigarettes under the age of 18, the age of commencement is before 18..."

Noting that smokers are very likely to orphan their children and do not live very long, Prof. Tarhan expressed that "It is forbidden to sell cigarettes under the age of 18 in Türkiye, but the age to start smoking is under 18. In other words, among family, environment, and friends, they say, 'You grew up, you became a young man, light a cigarette' and so on. It is a cultural problem."

"Adults need to set an example so that young people are not used to it"

Pointing out what needs to be done to protect children and young people from addiction, Prof. Tarhan said that it is necessary not to smoke at home, and even when smoking on the balcony, one must smoke like feeling a criminal, and that smoking indoors at home is not something that can be solved by law.

"It is now much easier to quit, not to use it..."

Noting that doctors should also set a good example, Prof. Tarhan said that "Adults should set an example in order not to accustom young people. However, are young people able to smoke even though there is a good example? Yes, they do smoke. The circle of friends is influencing. Advice and conferences are not effective for young people. It is actually much easier not to use and quit smoking at the moment."

"If stress decreases, so does the need..."

Noting that smoking is used as an anti-stress, Prof. Tarhan said that "If social stress decreases, the need for cigarettes also decreases. It is necessary to reduce tension. We are in such a geography that we have to live stressed, and we have to manage stress. We cannot run away from stress; however, we can manage it. There is a need for problem-solving approaches. If a person wants to quit, smoking is not the solution. Addiction therapists are successful when it comes to quitting smoking. If the brain wants, it will have difficulty in the first 7-14 days, and then it will stop."

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)