What's happening inside your head then? - No Smoking Day

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What's happening inside your head then?

nsd_user663_54554 profile image
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I thought I'd post this as I find it interesting and I thought of it as I was replying to magicmom on another thread.

I came across this article a while ago while trying to understand the reasons for craving in more detail. The picture shows the level of nicotine receptors diminishing over time. Neat, huh? :cool:

Now here's my take on the image. Firstly this is for those of us going it cold turkey. I think if NRT is used (as in you keep taking in nicotine) then the path is probably more drawn out - takes longer but is smoother. Maybe, dunno.

The green is the shedloads of β2*-nACh receptors, which we as smokers have to keep tickling with nicotine to remain calm and not grumpy. If we don't keep tickling them we get craves. And they make us both lethargic and moody as well - boooo! :(

After nicotine cessation the receptors diminish in number, to be replaced with the blue stuff. Don't know what that is, but can only assume it's good as non-smokers have much more blue and much less green. :)

This suggests it takes up to 12 weeks for the brain to recalibrate itself, so even tho it takes 72 hours for nicotine to leave our bodily systems, that isn't the end of it. Far from it. The brain takes a couple of months or more to recover. This may explain the wtf? moments we get in months 2 and 3, brain is still getting used to the fact that we're no longer feeding it with nicotine.

So, where are you in your quit, and what might your brain look like? I can't even find mine this morning :D So this might make sense, it might also be very inaccurate as I'm not a doctor, as Mrs H knows too well when my payslip arrives each month. so take it as you find it please.

finally, no idea what the red in the middle is. Maybe the former smoker at the 6-12 week mark had no spine? :eek::eek:

Cheers! :)

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nsd_user663_54554
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4 Replies
nsd_user663_54332 profile image
nsd_user663_54332

Ooh that's interesting!!

So basically my brain's bright green while yours is blue?

nsd_user663_54554 profile image
nsd_user663_54554

Ooh that's interesting!!

So basically my brain's bright green while yours is blue?

I think yours is pink Gemma! ;):p I left mine at home this morning as you can tell by my quiz performance so no idea what colour it is :o

This was really to illustrate that the process of mental realignment doesnt end when you're nicotine free, that's just the start of it and it takes a wee while.

Here's another thought. If everyone fixed the price of their utilities for about five years it would bu99er up the providers business model. So what would happen if everyone quit smoking? Would the tax revenue lost from the collapse of the industry be offset by the NHS gains?? Dunno? Just waffling...

How are you getting on, any thoughts of when you might rejoin the quit crew? x

nsd_user663_60348 profile image
nsd_user663_60348

Oh Wow!!

This is brilliant to see!! Im 5 weeks completed and 2 days into my 6th week, but im on patches, still it makes me feel better that it may feel like a long sludge...but hey its gets better :)

nsd_user663_54332 profile image
nsd_user663_54332

I think yours is pink Gemma! ;):p I left mine at home this morning as you can tell by my quiz performance so no idea what colour it is :o

Ooh mine's definitely pink - and sparkly :p

Maybe I should od the quiz again - haven't been on since I caved :o

*Wonders if Max has banned her*

This was really to illustrate that the process of mental realignment doesnt end when you're nicotine free, that's just the start of it and it takes a wee while.

It's definitely very interesting!!

Remember an advert for some NRT or other that sort of explained that but I always wondered how long it actually took.

IHere's another thought. If everyone fixed the price of their utilities for about five years it would bu99er up the providers business model. So what would happen if everyone quit smoking? Would the tax revenue lost from the collapse of the industry be offset by the NHS gains?? Dunno? Just waffling...

I think from stuff I read that the NHS/government makes a tidy profit out of idiots like me, not sure but I believe it's in the billions - although obesity has overtaken smoking a the biggest cost to the NHS.

IHow are you getting on, any thoughts of when you might rejoin the quit crew? x

Am doing OK thanks, know it's dead wimpy but at the moment am scared of stopping again - had a truly horrible time since August so want to get mentally prepared.

Part of me would love to quit right away, but what I desperately want to avoid is having a cycle of quitting and failing which at the mo I would do and that would be soul-destroying.

Have got my 30th coming up in Feb and would love to be smoke-free by then!!

Basically I'll quit as soon as I can :D

How's you - preparing your room in the Penthouse?

x

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