Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Chapter 9 Tobacco 269 A physical dependence occurs when the body relies on having a certain amount of a substance present in the body to function “normally.” Without the substance in the body, the dependent person feels uncomfortable, ir- ritable, and even sick. People who smoke also develop a psychological dependence, which causes people to believe that they need the substance to feel “normal.” People may also develop patterns for using a substance by associating the substance with certain triggers. Whenever smokers encounter triggers they associate with smoking, they feel a strong psychological need to smoke. Withdrawal Symptoms When people are addicted to a substance and they try to stop using it, they experience unpleasant symptoms known as withdrawal. For people addicted to nicotine, symptoms can include irritability, diffi concen- ficulty trating, fatigue, nausea, and weight gain. They also experience intense cravings for nicotine because their body is now addicted to having this chemical. Withdrawal is one of the reasons why tobacco users have such diffi quitting. People trying to quit smoking experience withdrawal ficulty symptoms for several weeks and even months after they stop. Some ex- smokers continue to have occasional cravings for tobacco for years. Roberto is 15 years old and a sophomore in high school. As a young child he was bothered by his mother’s smoking. Roberto promised himself he would never smoke. During his freshman year, however, he hung out with older students who smoked. One day, he decided that it would be okay to occasionally have a cigarette during the week with friends. Roberto, who never intended to become a smoker, soon found himself craving cigarettes. Although he only smokes a few cigarettes each week, he has already noticed that he can’t run as far as he used to without getting winded. He is also beginning to smoke a couple of extra cigarettes each day. He worries that he may have diffi culty making the basketball team again this season. Critical Thinking 1. Identify the primary factors that led Roberto to begin smoking. What caused him to continue smoking? 2. How does Roberto’s situation relate to the stages of substance abuse? 3. How can teenagers who spend time with friends who smoke keep themselves from becoming smokers? CASE STUDY The Slippery Slope to Addiction withdrawal the unpleasant physical or psychological symptoms associated with attempting to stop using a substance