Motivation to Quit Smoking - Research Paper Example

Motivation to quit smoking Smoking can be described as a practice in which tobacco or bhang is inhaled in the body after the substance has been burned. Many inhale these substances for recreational purposes. Nevertheless these substances are addictive and if someone becomes deep smoker, he/she has a higher susceptibility to various diseases that are caused by substances in tobacco e.g. nicotine and cannabis. Some of the diseases that are associated with the vice include heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure etc. Many of the addicts have tried to quit to no avail. This has agitated a deep research to determine parts of the body that are involved in increasing motivation to quitting smoking (Noonan, 2011). Brain plays a major role in helping an individual to quit smoking. In order for a person to successfully quit smoking, he/she must be motivated in order to overcome the challenges that one will encounter. One of the areas involved with quitting smoking is ventral tegmental area. This area composes of neurons that have cell bodies that are in ventral tegmental area but have projections and are able to release neurotransmitter to the accumbens. Nicotine acetycholine receptors are mainly found mainly on neurons that are involved in releasing neurotransmitter dopamine from ventral tegmental area. Inhaling nicotine increase the release of dopamine thereby causing reinforcement of smoking. When smoking addicts tries to quit the vice, release of dopamine decreases causing increased craving for the cigarettes an aspect that hampers any trial to quit smoking (Noonan, 2011). Frontal cortex is involved in motivation to quit smoking. This part of the brain is mainly involved with planning, strategizing and free will. When dopamine is released in the frontal cortex the level of attention is reduced and the person starts planning to go back to smoking. Smoking therefore increases the release dopamine in the frontal cortex while withdrawal of nicotine in the area causes the level of dopamine to reduce leading to withdrawal symptoms. Hippocampus region is also involved in motivation towards quitting smoking. When ventral tegmental area releases dopamine into hippocampus, it mainly controls learning and individuals’ memory. This part is crucial in triggering relapse. When nicotine is withdrawn from this region, the environment that is mainly associated with smoking brings about strong cravings as hippocampus includes glutamargic connections to NAc (Noonan, 2011). Motivation to quit smoking plays a great role in enabling a person to persevere difficulties that come along with the urge to quit smoking. There are two types of motivation that are associated with the individuals urge to quit smoking i.e. intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is the internal desires of a person to perform a certain task. This desire comes from inside without being influenced by outside environment. On the other hand extrinsic motivation factors are external factors that encourage a person to perform a certain task (David, 2003). Intrinsic factors Smoker’s lack of pleasure in smoking is one of intrinsic factor. A smoker may lack pleasure from smoking due to some challenges that he/she faces as a result of smoking. Some of the challenges may include headache and hangovers etc. Dangers that’s a smoker faces as a result of smoking may also play a role in motivating the person to quit smoking. Some of these dangers include, suffering from killer diseases such as cancer and heart diseases (Rick, Anthony, 2009). A smoker may quit smoking as they try to achieve a state of self actualization. Research has indicated that majority of smokers are not comfortable with the behavior. As a result, they lack satisfaction and look at smoking as a hindrance to their success due to the cost involved in purchasing the cigarettes or bhang. Extrinsic factors One of the major extrinsic factors that may motivate a smoker to quit the vice is rewarding. When a person is rewarded, he/she will work towards that goal despite the challenges that one may encounter on their way. This also enables the person to be able to leave the smoking group a process that requires commitment and determination. Family jeering on smoking behavior may act as a motivation towards quitting smoking. When a person is discouraged by the family members concerning the smoking behavior one gains extra motivation in order for him/her to integrate with the family members. Societal alienation of the smokers may also motivate the smokers to stop the behavior. This is through putting up measures that ensures that those people who smoke do not get access to some places e.g. shrines an aspect that motivates smokers to stop the behavior in order to fit in the society (Rick, & Anthony, 2009). Heredity and environment A gene trait may be a major factor why some smokers are unable to quit the vice. Dopamine transmitters differ from one individual to the other according to the genetic makeup of a person. Difference in chromosome coding may have a part to play in quitting smoking. This difference is mainly inherited from the parents. One of the transmitters that 30% of the smokers have is B1 transmitter. Majority of non smokers were found to have 0% of this transmitter (Rick, Michael, 2004). Environment is an important aspect that might encourage a smoker to stop the behavior. When a smoker spends much of his/her time among non smokers, he/she will be influenced to leave the behavior. As a result he/she will be able to go through the quitting process due to the encouragement from non smokers. In addition spending time with members who successfully quitted smoking is another aspect that would see the smoker persevere the withdrawal consequences e.g. strong urge to smoke and headache (Rick, Michael, 2004). Environment surrounding the smokers also determine if the process of quitting smoking will be successful or not. Environment that advertisement on cigarettes are rampant have been cited as tempting for a person trying to quit smoking (David, 2003). In conclusion, motivation factors play a great role in helping a person to quit smoking. This is supported by the environment that a person is exposed. Societal support also has a role in ensuring that people who have indulged themselves in the vice are transformed. References David B. A. (2003). The Tobacco Dependence Treatment Handbook: A Guide to Best Practices. Guilford Press. Noonan, M. (2011). Parts of the brain that control motivation to quit smoking, Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/195790-parts-of-the-brain-that-control-motivation-to-quit-smoking/ Rick A. B, Anthony R. C, (2009). The Motivational Impact of Nicotine and Its Role in TobaccoUse, Springer Rick A. B, Michael T. B. (2004). Motivational Factors in the Etiology of Drug Abuse. U of Nebraska Press. Read More