5 Myths About Nicotine Addiction & Treatment
Successfully addressing the problem of tobacco and nicotine addiction has been made more difficult by misinformation and misunderstanding. Below are five common myths and our attempts to identify and correct them:
Myth #1: Quitting will endanger recovery from alcohol and other drugs.
Counter: Newer research shows the opposite – stopping the addictive use of all substances leads to better recovery outcomes.
Myth #2: Quitting will lead to increased symptoms for people being treated for psychiatric disorders.
Counter: Newer research shows that anxiety and depression decrease when people stop using.
Myth #3: People who smoke cigarettes do not want to quit.
Counter: 70% of tobacco smokers want to quit but are so discouraged by previous unsuccessful attempts that they are afraid to try again.
Myth #4: Medications are not helpful.
Counter: Medications can be of significant help when used in proper doses and combinations for a long enough duration.
Myth #5: Chantix (varenicline) makes people psychotic or suicidal.
Counter: Newer research has disproved this, and the FDA has removed the “black box warning” from this medication.
