Nope. That's silly reasoning. No offense.
If the OP (or anyone) were to stop using nicotine, he would not die. Therefore, it is not a true need. If an addiction was really a need, people addicted to life-threatening substances would never have any freedom from said substance and would be addicted for life. But we know that's not the case.
Just because nicotine (or even, let's say, excessive sugar intake) may be a hard addiction to quash, it does not mean they are truly needed. They are only needed insofar as your addiction dictates it either mentally, physically or both.
Food and water are true needs. You will eventually die without them if you were to stop using either. Nicotine and excessive sugar intake? Not so much.
Addictions to substances that are not needed to survive are not true needs. Addiction only makes it seem that way (again, either mentally, physically or both).
But I forgot, I'm on a vaping forum LOL.
You obviously don't know much about addiction.
While a large part of any addiction is psychological and ceremonial habit
physical addiction is a very real
need that a body develops to some substances.
Read:
http://alcoholrehab.com/addiction-articles/physical-and-psychological-addiction/
Physical Addiction Defined
To say that an individual is physically addicted on a substance means that they have an
increased tolerance for it, and they will experience physical symptoms should they try to stop or reduce their intake substantially. These physical symptoms are more commonly referred to as
withdrawals and they can include:
* Nausea and vomiting
* Body aches
* Seizures
* Changes to pulse rate
* Changes to blood pressure
* Noticeable shaking or body tremors
* Headaches
* Sweating
* High temperatures
* Changes to respiratory rate
* Diarrhea
*
Restless leg syndrome
Physical or Psychological Addiction
It would be misleading to say that physical addiction and psychological addiction are completely separate. This is because the brain and the body are not different things – the
brain is part of the body. It is possible for the person to have addiction symptoms that are predominately psychological in nature. A good example of this would be gambling or internet addiction. This means that they feel the need to engage in the behavior in order to cope or because they have a deep urge to do so. When it comes to alcohol and drugs the individual will usually develop both a physical and psychological addiction. The way this usually happens is that the person develops a psychological dependence first of all, and this drives them to keep using the drugs until they become physically addiction as well.
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Also see:
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drugs-brain
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2851054/
http://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/the_addicted_brain
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Some substances mimic and replace natural substances in the brain.
The human brain then develops a very real (as opposed to imaginary) DEPENDENCE
on said substance, in our case and in context to this discussion, said substance is nicotine.
What you say above casts addicts in a "poor people they're weak willed" light
which is not the case. To an addict his or her drug is as important to survive as food and water..
Perhaps you never read The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers' Fat Freddy say, " **** will get you through
times of no money better than money will get you through times of no ****", So true and that ****
is only a psychological addiction.
As a former anti-drug addiction counselor
I have known people who have stolen and even killed in order to get a fix.