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Electronic Cigarettes: The New Nicotine Withdrawal Aid.

  • Posted on July 2, 2009 at 11:42 pm

For some considerable time now the National Health Service in the UK has been promoting aids to nicotine withdrawal in the form of nicotine pads and nicotine gum. Private enterprise has now entered the field with the introduction of the electronic cigarette.

For anyone wishing to try electronic cigarettes the question arises: How do they compare with the established methods of nicotine replacement therapy?

There are three main areas that we need to examine.

i) The delivery system.
ii) The dosage.
iii) Breaking the habit.

1. The delivery system.

Nicotine pads depend upon the nicotine content being absorbed through the skin over a twenty-four hour period. Therefore the effect upon the smoker who is trying to quit is very different to that experienced by inhaling from a cigarette. Due to the slow action of nicotine absorption the quitting smoker does not get the immediate gratification as from a real cigarette. This is a major drawback (excuse the pun).

Nicotine gum is not as slow acting as nicotine pads but still takes a considerable length of time to reach the areas of the brain that are awaiting the desired stimulation. Again, the quitting smoker does not get the immediate stimulation required.

By contrast, the nicotine in the electronic cigarette is delivered in exactly the same way as with a real cigarette. The smoker draws on the electronic cigarette and receives immediate gratification – just like the real thing.

2. The Dosage.

Nicotine patches are available in three strengths: High, Medium and Low strength. The idea being that the quitting smoker starts off with the high dosage then moves onto the medium then low dosage patches.

Typically the dosages are in the vicinity of 21 milligrams, 14 milligrams and 7 milligrams respectively, per patch, for the high, medium and low dosages. Note: these figures are correct according to my research but there are many brands of nicotine patch and dosages may vary somewhat.

By contrast, the electronic cigarette is available in four strengths: High – 16 milligrams, Medium – 11 milligrams, Low – 6 milligrams and None (no nicotine), respectively per replaceable cartridge. One cartridge being equivalent to a twenty pack of cigarettes.

It should be noted that whereas with the nicotine pad the user is subjected to a constant, albeit slow, dosage, the electronic cigarette user can use the device in the same way as a real cigarette, i.e., on demand.

3. Breaking the Habit.

As an aid to stopping smoking the electronic cigarette possesses one great advantage over and above any other method. It looks like and is used in the same way as a real cigarette. There are two major barriers to the smoker who wants to stop smoking: a) Escaping the need for nicotine and b) Breaking the habit of physically using a cigarette. The electronic cigarette provides the answer to both these hurdles: a) By the progressive use of lower dosage cartridges and b) by emulating, in appearance and feel, a real cigarette.

In conclusion, it seems that the introduction of the electronic cigarette is a real boon to those smokers who wish to stop smoking tobacco. It is generally recognized that nicotine is the least harmful component of cigarette smoke and is present in many food items, including tea and tomatoes. There has probably never been an easier way to stop smoking.

Richard Brennan is the webmaster, internet marketing consultant for: Cig-E’s Electronic Cigarettes

Article Source: Electronic Cigarettes: The New Nicotine Withdrawal Aid.

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Anxiety: Learning = Relief

  • Posted on July 1, 2009 at 9:04 pm

Anxiety – it’s something everyone experiences from time to time. But for some it’s an ongoing, life-disrupting pain in the tush. Aside from understanding anxiety purely within the context of how it feels – well – just what exactly is it? See, I believe finding the answer to this question is the longest first step toward learning to manage anxiety and its fallout.
Now, coming to know the concept of anxiety at a healing level calls for a bit more than a quick glance at a dictionary. Yes, it calls for a bit of psycho-babble. But hang in there, as I think you’ll find these two theoretical points of view interesting and relevant.

The fans in the psychoanalytic section of the stadium would more than likely root for the theories of Sigmund Freud, who just happens to be the father (you’ll make him neurotic if you even imply “mother”) of psychoanalysis. Of particular note is Uncle Siggy’s structural theory, which proposes the human psyche has three components – the id: home of our inborn primitive desires, which stomps its feet and demands immediate gratification and release no matter the consequences (the “pleasure principle”); the superego: our active conscious, which maintains a sense of morality and prohibits the practice of social taboos; and the ego: our great internal mediator, managing the interplay of the id, superego, and our external world.

Now, according to Freud, the ego is especially significant because it strives to establish a state of balance and peace between our primitive drives, morals, and world-reality. So the ego has its work cut out for it as it deals with some incredibly powerful forces. All of this said, when our id demands some sort of immediate primal satisfaction, and our superego responds that such behavior is totally inappropriate, our ego gets put to the test and can easily become overwhelmed. According to Uncle Siggy, it’s this dynamic that generates anxiety. And anxiety is all about sounding a 150-decibel alarm so the ego knows it, as well as its designated-human, is in peril. Now, there are other paradigms (foundational philosophical/theoretical frameworks of a school of thought or discipline) I find attractive. Here’s one of them.

The cognitivists, who subscribe to the notion that emotional distress is generated when we fail to identify the details of our thought patterns and make indicated adjustments, would submit anxiety is not a direct cause of this distress. Indeed, the seemingly endless waves of anxiety many endure are the result of a faulty internal fear response system that demands immediate attention to real or perceived danger. Now, the keyword in the last sentence is “perceived.” Come on – it’s no great secret that in the vast majority of cases our sensed dangers aren’t based in rational fact. Right? And if the present danger isn’t rationally-real then the subsequent anxiety becomes inappropriate and counterproductive to our immediate and future functioning.

So, then – according to the cognitivists issue numero uno isn’t the generation of anxiety, because in the midst of dangerous circumstances it’s supposed to make an appearance. And if you think about it, doesn’t it make sense that human genetics would foster a leaning toward the anxious? Sure. And that’s because an alarm system that doesn’t give a rip about what exactly set it off provides maximum protection in any situation where disaster may well be lurking. And having a leg-up on such disaster is well worth the cost of troublesome false alarms.

See, the cognitivists would propose the issue that causes all the problems within the realm of anxiety are the thought patterns that are foundational in the misinterpretation of internal and external stimuli (a shortened breath, a heart palpitation, boarding an airplane, crossing a bridge) leading to overreaction to a perceived reality. You see, the true threat here actually becomes the creation and impact of faulty thinking patterns, misinterpretations, and overreactions. And that’s what makes anxiety a major liability.

To assist you in organizing and understanding the two anxiety theories I’ve just reviewed, how ‘bout this summary.

Psychoanalytic
Unconscious forces collide as the id pushes toward immediate gratification of a primal desire, and the superego tells it to chill-out because it isn’t socially acceptable. The ego, in a frantic attempt to mediate, becomes overwhelmed and anxiety is generated. Anxiety is a message – an alarm – to the ego that it, and the individual, is in danger.

Cognitive
Anxiety is not a direct cause of distress, but the result of a faulty internal fear response system. It’s an emotional reaction in response to the cognitive process of fear. The generation of anxiety is designed to be a call to action – an alarm – to deescalate a world-real threat. But the threat may be a perceived reality based upon misinterpretation

So there’s the scoop from just two theoretical perspectives regarding the origin of anxiety. And as you can well imagine there are many more points of view floating around out there. The importance of such formal definitions is in learning all we can about icky stuff that impacts our lives. And the more we know, the better armed we become. Right?

Anxiety – learn and find relief.

After a life-long bout with panic disorder I found my life’s passion. So I earned my master’s degree and counseling credentials, and I’m now doing all I can to lend a hand to those having a tough time.

I authored a panic disorder education and recovery eworkbook entitled, “Panic! …and Poetic Justice,” which is available on my website, www.hopeandhealingdynamics.com. Check it out – lots of good stuff.

Article Source: Anxiety: Learning = Relief

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