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Originally Posted by !@#$%!
you need something to keep the dopamine cranking, to ward off depression and anxiety. smoking is a natural self-medicating response to that-- which is why they give you meds like wellbutrin (dopamine reuptake inhibitor) to help quitting.
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Exercise, exercise, and exercise. I know its cliched, but the "runner's high" is honestly what helped me quit. I started running daily like Forest Gump (mainly because with my new found stamina I could actually do it) and it really helped me keep it up and quit. Of course, certain other plants also helped significantly, even if they have little impact on dopamine receptors.
With nicotine addiction, you just need to let time work its magic. Nicotine destroys the bodies normal dopamine processes, you need to let the body readjust and begin to develop normal levels, and further get used to them. On cigarette floods the dopamine receptors with upwards of 10 times the natural levels, the body simply can never produce that much, so let the brain detox gradually. It does get better. The cravings never really go away by the way, they just subside. You will ALWAYS remember them, it NEVER fully goes away, just gets totally manageable. I haven't had a soda pop in so many years I can't even remember what it tastes like, but I can deeply recall every detail of smoking a cigarette
