Nicotine Addiction

Most smokers use tobacco regularly because they are addicted to nicotine. Addiction is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, even in the face of negative health consequences. It is well documented that most smokers identify tobacco use as harmful and express a desire to reduce or stop using it. While nearly 35 million people want to quit each year, only about 6 percent who try are successful for more than a month.

Research has shown how nicotine acts on the brain to produce a number of effects. Of primary importance are findings that nicotine activates reward pathways to the brain circuitry that regulates feelings of pleasure.
A key brain chemical involved in mediating the desire to consume drugs is the neurotransmitter dopamine, which research shows increases with the presence of nicotine. This reaction is similar to other drugs of abuse and is thought to underlie the pleasurable sensations experienced by many smokers.
Nicotine's pharmacokinetic properties also enhance its abuse potential. Smoking produces a rapid distribution of nicotine to the brain, with drug levels peaking within 10 seconds of inhalation. However, the acute effects of nicotine dissipate in a few minutes, as do the associated feelings of reward, which causes the smoker to continue dosing to maintain the drug's pleasurable effects and prevent withdrawal.
Nicotine withdrawal symptoms include:

Irritability
Craving
Cognitive and attention deficits
Sleep disturbances
Increased appetite

May begin within a few hours after the last cigarette
Peak within the first few days of smoking cessation
May subside within a few weeks
May persist for months for some people

While withdrawal is related to the pharmacological effects of nicotine, many behavioral factors can also affect the severity of withdrawal symptoms.

Since addiction is a brain disease with life-threatening physical and psychological effects, treatment must include biological, psychological, social, interpersonal and spiritual components. Recovery requires intense effort and diligence on the part of clients and staff in order to identify and then change the maladaptive patterns of thinking, relating, coping and behaving caused by the addictive disease.

Smoking Cessation

Our approach to addressing these issues involves individual and group experiences that will support you in discovering your truth. The path you take will be the path you create. Each path of inquiry provides something of value, some hint, some direction, some new insight on the voyage of discovery. A book, a teacher, a new experience, a therapist cannot provide you with the answer, but many combined resources can provide clues that you, yourself, must put together in your own unique way to unlock the mystery.
We provide an environment that supports change and transformation. Your journey here will include an intense look inward and a call to action. We challenge your investment to holding on to old patterns that bring old results. We challenge you to change.

You will have the opportunity to recreate your path through a blending of both conventional and integrative services, including but not limited to:

A medical, psychological and nutritional assessment to help develop a healing plan
Group therapy at least three times per week as well as a variety of group activities, both on and off campus. You will encounter a number of different professional facilitators with expertise in their particular specialty areas (i.e. Equine Therapy, Adventure Therapy, Four Agreements, etc.)
Optional IV, Oral and Dietary Nutrient Therapy to rebalance brain and body chemistry quickly
Regular body work such as exercise, yoga, massage, and acupuncture will help you detoxify, heal, grow and relax
Attendance at support group meetings of your choice (with staff approval) at least twice per week and attendance at community meetings
Participation in Experiential Groups where the primary focus will be on intense, personal experiences that will surprise and enlighten you
Attendance at educational seminars on a variety of subjects (i.e. Nutrition, Sleep Hygiene, Native American Practices, etc. ) related to recovery, growth, healing and transformation
Close work with your Program Director and Support Team to develop and implement a program that is appropriate and effective for you
Family Therapy to gain insight into interpersonal dynamics

The blending of traditional and non-traditional activities is designed to:

Improve mental and physical energy
Enhance focus and mental clarity
Elevate mood
Improve sleep
Increase your ability to identify beliefs and feelings
Increase your understanding of choice and personal responsibility
Develop a basis for connection to the world around you
Increase self-care capabilities
Identify spiritual connections
Help you discover and honor your "truth"

More Treatment Info

» Treatment Overview
» Integrated Treatment
» Chemical Dependency
» Co-Occurring Disorders
» Depression
» Trauma and PTSD
» Eating Disorders
» Codependency/Relationships
» Process Addictions