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This is an I Heart Podcast. Hello my lovely listeners. By now you know the more knowledge we have about ourselves and the way our bodies work, the more empowered and in control we are. And this is also true when it comes to our sexual health and what to do after unprotected sex. That's where Plan B comes in. It's emergency contraception with no age requirement that helps prevent pregnancy before it starts. And because it works by only temporarily delaying ovulation, it won't impact your ability to get pregnant in the future. We love a backup plan that puts us in control because the more we know, the more power we have. Learn more@planb1step.com users directed I truly don't think I've ever had as many events as I do right now. And N's Shower Cream has been not just a lifesaver but a time saver as well. Because I don't know about you, I just can't be bothered with shaving anymore. Especially as I've been trying to remove house and do a million other things. Nice is the number one hair removal brand and their body and shower creams. Firstly, they actually smell delicious whilst working so well to get rid of all of my hair. When I'm tight on time, I use the shower cream infused with coconut oil and it's also so gentle on my skin, I feel so silky afterwards. And it's free of dyes, parabens, phthalates and sulfates. So get ready for summer buy now at all major retailers. Please welcome aboard the Johnson family.
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The whole fam's here for the Disney Cruise, so you know we came to play and listen. The adults are gonna have a ball. First we're chilling in the infinity pool, onto massages at Sense's Spa. Then gliding into Star Wars Hyperspace Lounge for a toast. We're even gonna kick back with Mickey on Disney's Private island. That's how we get down. Cause Disney Cruise Line is where we came to play.
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This is Jon Fry from OK Storytime. Are you an aspiring singer songwriter? What do these three things have in common? Bitcoin, fidget, spinners and Beanie Babies. These are three things that you've prob probably all missed out on. But ladies and gentlemen, I am here to ensure that you don't miss out on this. TikTok Live and iHeartRadio are throwing the biggest live music competition on TikTok. Next up, live music. And you can catch it all in real time. The semifinals are happening August 25th through August 29th. And the hottest emerging artists performing live on TikTok for their shot at the legendary iHeart Theater stage. So come and support your favorite artist and tune in for the live performances, behind the scenes moments and more only on TikTok Live US. That is the handle on TikTok at TikTok Live. Underscore US.
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A
Hello everybody and welcome back to the psychology of your 20s, the podcast where we talk through some of the big life changes and transitions of our 20s and what they mean for our psychology. Hello everybody, welcome back to the show. Welcome back to the podcast. New listeners, old listeners, wherever you are in the world, it is so great to have you here back for another episode. As we break down the psychology of your twenties today, we are diving into a topic, I think that hits close to home for so many of us, even if we don't always want to openly admit it or acknowledge it. Honestly, my inbox has been just like buzzing with requests for this episode. I think I get this at least five times a week. We are talking about the psychology of nicotine and I definitely saw a rise in requests for this episode after we did our 20 biggest mistakes people make in their 20s episode and we talked about smoking and I had a lot of messages from people being like, how come you've never done an episode on this? Well, guess what, there was one right around the corner. This is that episode. So nicotine is one of the world's favorite drugs and it is in fact a drug. It is highly addictive, it is highly prevalent, its usage is very prevalent and the stuff it's packaged in makes it incredibly terrible for you. We know that vapes, that cigarettes, that nicotine pouches, they are not good for you, no matter how well the marketing might try and make them seem. So why are so many of us, despite all of this knowledge, all the education we have now, still getting hooked? Well, I think there's quite a few interlinked reasons. Obviously the use of nicotine is absolutely not a new phenomena. It has been used for so many years. It's also sometimes had medicinal purposes and it's often synonymous with socializing, with stress relief, with status. I think particularly with vapes, even more so than cigarettes these days. They're super accessible, even at times affordable. You know, some stores do like multi buy deals on them. They look enticing. There's this whole allure around smoking and, and nicotine and they have colorful packaging and fruity flavors and you know, it's not discreet. And these items, cigarettes, vapes, they become like deeply ingrained in social scenes. So that Even if you've had all of this education, it still kind of seems like, well, if everyone else is doing it, well, then why don't I? It's like, oh, we're all hitched to the same wagon, we're all in the same boat. As long as they're going to face the same health consequences as me, well, I may as well be part of the in group or may as well be enjoying it also. Nicotine just feels amazing. It just feels, it feels good. And so sometimes when you're in the moment and you're enjoying the cigarette or you're enjoying the hit, it's hard to think further down the line to when the other side of the coin flips over. And when the other side of this habit comes and kind of bites you in the butt, it's something that I think we're like in the current moment, we're not too great at acknowledging. And also because of the fact that nicotine and smoking and vaping has had like a revival in recent years, you know, the snowball effect of more and more people doing it is making it more and more enticing. It might be not very surprising for you guys to hear, but for the first time in decades, we are seeing nicotine use rates shift significantly in younger populations, especially in Western countries. For many, many years, the use of nicotine products was declining and then suddenly there has this massive increase. There have been studies in the uk, in the US that show E cigarette usage and nicotine uses it is at the highest it has ever been, maybe amongst 18 to 24 year olds. So this isn't just a blip. This is something that I think we really need to investigate. But also not from a point of shame, not from a point of like, how dare you do this? How dare you poison your body? Like, you should know better. I don't think that's a healthier approach. Of course we know better for a lot of things and we still do them and we still do them with things that are a lot less addictive than nicotine. Nicotine is such like, it is truly like a miracle substance for our brain and it does such crazy, wild things to our neurochemistry. Of course people are getting hooked and of course there is like a whole, there is a whole level of addiction around it that needs to be discussed. So we're going to approach this episode from a perspective of just like understanding, psychoeducation knowledge, fun facts, interesting studies, so that you can kind of, yeah, just learn some more and see how you might be able to get out of a nicotine addiction, how you might be able to help a friend, how you might be able to quit vaping once and for all, quit cigarettes. Whatever your intention with this episode is, there is something for you. Without further ado, I'm very excited for this episode. I hope you learn a lot. I hope you're as intrigued as I am. Let's get into it. All right, so let's cut to the chase. How does nicotine actually work its magic? Or maybe we should say it's mischief on your brain? Nicotine is a tiny, tiny molecule, but it's incredibly powerful because it knows how to play perfectly with your brain's natural, natural chemistry. And it's able to unlock all these different things in our brain that feel amazing. Nicotine is actually a naturally occurring substance. It is a nitrogen containing alkaloid that is found in a tobacco plant at very high levels, but also in small doses in things like tomatoes, in potatoes, in eggplants, which you may not know. But it's main. The main place that we extract it is from tobacco plants in the levels at which you're going to feel something in your body. So when it enters your body, it is quickly absorbed into your bloodstream and it zips straight through your brain. It is absorbed especially fast if you are smoking it because it's already in a form that your body doesn't need to metabolize. And once it's in your brain, which happens sometimes within like literally nanoseconds, it activates your nicotinic receptors. Here's another fun fact. Even if you don't smoke, even if you have never touched a nicotine product in your life, you still have these receptors. Every single one of us has these receptors. So when nicotine, the product, the substance, the chemical, binds to these receptors, it triggers the release of a whole cocktail of neurochemicals you probably, probably already know. Dopamine, serotonin, we'll get into those in a second. But the main one is a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine, which is essential for voluntary muscle movements, but also for focus. Which is why when you smoke vape, whatever it is, you may immediately feel more alert, more in tune with your surroundings, and more concentrated on whatever is in front of you. It's why a lot of people in their 20s often get hooked to nicotine as a focused substance when they're studying or working. It's why a lot of people who work nights or are chefs or work those really intense, like, long haul jobs also get addicted to this product because it does wonders for your brain. There's no denying that the other star of the show is, of course, dopamine. Acetylcholine is where, I guess, we get the. We notice the main influence on our attention and on our focus and on our mood. Dopamine is. Is what really hooks you. So when dopamine floods your brain's reward pathway, specifically the mesolimbic pathway, often called the brain's pleasure circuit, it creates feelings of pleasure, satisfaction, even euphoria. And it's the same pathway that is activated by food, by sex, by drugs. So that hit you get from nicotine, as soon as that enters your body and your brain begins to associate it with it, with pleasurable feelings, it's just going to keep screaming, we want more of that. We want more good stuff. We want to feel better, feel more pleasure, more. Nicotine also influences norepinephrine, which, again, makes you feel more awake, more alert, more focused. And also glutamate, which after, like, the initial stimulant effect, will then have that counterbalance of gaba, which is going to bring you a sense of relaxation and reduced anxiety. All this is happening, happening very, very quickly. And the more you begin to associate the puff of a vape or the puff of a cigarette with that feeling, the more the biological mechanism of addiction begins to really take a hold. This is the biological trap of substances like nicotine. With repeated nicotine exposure, those brain receptors that we mentioned before, they also become desensitized. So after the initial, perhaps weeks or months, maybe even years of getting that same feeling of pleasure, depending on how often you're using it, they are going to stop responding as strongly to nicotine over time. And so to compensate, your brain actually creates more of these receptors. This is a process known as upregulation. And it means that your brain now needs more nicotine to just feel normal or to achieve the same effects as you previously did. This is why I think it's so important that we understand, like, the neurochemistry and the biology of addiction, because there are some, like, wild stuff happening in our brain that we tend to ignore. And we put it all down to our discipline or to our. Our morals or to our, I don't know, our sense of, like, agency, when we're actually fighting an uphill battle against our brain's natural desire to experience more pleasure and to experience more dopamine. And here is a highly potent substance that does that for us. So then when nicotine levels drop, maybe it's been a Couple hours since your last nicotine gum, whatever it is, those extra desensitized receptors, they are no longer being stimulated. And this imbalance is what creates really uncomfortable physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms. So irritability, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, um, you get restlessness like you're. You get these cravings, even like sometimes physical aches. And these symptoms are actually really unpleasant. And we know through trial, through this, like, repeated learning process, that the quickest way to alleviate them is just to go back to the product, is just to introduce more nicotine. This desperate and, in fact, sometimes unacknowledged kind of behavioral loop really fuels our physical dependence and creates the compulsion and creates the addiction. So, you know, again, as amazingly adaptive as your brain is, your brain also actively adapts to a substance that is actually not that bad for you. Nicotine is not bad for you. It's what it comes in. And so you need more and more of it, which means that you ingest more and more of these terrible chemicals, terrible other substances, instances that just, like, wear and tear your body, like not much else can do. Another part of this physical and psychological dependency or addiction is also stress. Stress plays a huge role because nicotine is a special kind of drug in that it is both a stimulant, meaning that it makes you happy, and energetic, but also a depressant, meaning that it calms down your nervous system. I'm sure you guys will have seen the trope on TV and in cinema of like, the stressed out, overworked character lighting up a cigarette with a glass of wine at the end of the long day. I think it's pretty fair to say that we as a generation in this decade, those of us in our 20s, are a stressed out generation. We are very stressed. It's a time of so much change, so much upheaval, especially for, like, again, for our generation who was dealing with a whole litany of things that previous generations didn't have to deal with. So it might be, you know, not that surprising that a lot of us actually go to nicotine as a perceived tool for emotional regulation. A 2019 study published in the journal Addiction Biology demonstrated this by looking at how stress messes with the brains of smokers. And the results of this study were pretty illuminating and mind blowing. Researchers gave some smokers in the study stress hormones to mimic a real life stress response. Then they asked them to go into an MRI scanner and to do a memory task. Normally, the part of the brain that helps with self control, your prefrontal cortex would light up to help you stay Focused doing a task like this. But under stress, activity here was massively reduced. Then came the really interesting part. The smokers had to choose between completing the task for money or puffs of a cigarette, not even an entire cigarette. Those who were taking the stress hormones, they went for the cigarettes way more, even though they didn't report feeling more cravings. So basically, stress didn't just make them want to smoke, and it quietly kind of shut down the brain's ability to choose anything else, even like a cash reward. You're feeling stressed. That is the first place your brain is going to go. And since reducing stress takes a priority in our mind, of course that is the habit that you're going to continue to choose, even when it's sometimes at the expense of doing something that's perhaps more productive. This can also, you know, crucially, lead to a false sense of control over our stress. And not just over our stress, but, you know, if you're going through a breakup over your sadness, if you're going through, like, a real identity change or identity shift, your sense of existential dread, or your sense of just like general life stress. Nicotine often feels like it helps with these feelings. It gives you a real moment of calm. It gives you a moment of focus sometimes of peace. In these situations, we can't deny that. But does it actually help with the stress in the long term? The short answer is no, it really doesn't. The immediate relief that you may feel when you smoke or vape, it isn't genuine stress reduction. More often, that relief comes from two things. The fact is that you are actually putting your body under more stress because you are addicted to a substance and constantly going through a miniature version of withdrawal from that substance, unless you are constantly using it. And it could also be that it's not the nicotine that's helping you, it's the fact that you're taking a moment out of your day, or it's the fact that you have a sense of ritual that's reducing your stress. It's not actually the nicotine entirely. In reality, chronic nicotine use is actually associated with increased anxiety and stress over time. The study published back in 2001, so a little while ago, but still relevant, it actually found that teenagers who regularly smoke were significantly more likely to report higher stress levels compared to those who had quit smoking. This is because the nicotine disrupts the brain's natural stress regulation systems, making you more prone to anxiety when you're not using it. The perceived control is a trick your brain plays on you because it wants the nicotine. You can kind of see how this cycle becomes really tricky to break, right. The more you use it, the more stress you feel when you can't use it. So the greater the pull towards the substance is and the more singular your coping strategy becomes, whereby a cigarette or nicotine is the only thing that you want. I think another element of nicotine addiction or nicotine usage really comes down to the fact that at different times and continuously smoking has been marketed and perceived as cool, as rebellious, or like a symbol of being part of the in group. This social dimension is actually a huge psychological hook, particularly when we're in our teenage years, but also when we're in our 20s. And you just really want to belong. You want to feel like, you know, you're part of a group, you're part of a crowd, that you're aligned with people. We can think about this through looking at psychologist Herbert Kelman's different types or levels of conformity, which he theorized and worked on in the 1950s. Basically he came up with this theory of how we adjust our behavior to match those around us. And. And he can be applied everywhere. Like, this theory applies to cults and it applies to bullying. It applies to why we like certain artists, why we choose certain clothes. It also can be applied to why we smoke. So the first level of conformity is compliance. This is when you publicly go along with the group's behavior, even if you don't privately agree with it, because you want to gain rewards or avoid a sense of social punishment. So you pick up a vape at a party because everyone else is doing it. You, you have the cigarette outside because everyone else is outside. You don't want to be the only one inside. You're conforming to fit in. You're conforming to be accepted. But maybe at that point you're not truly enjoying it or liking it. Interestingly, compliance stops when there is no group pressure to conform. So you're not going to have a cigarette unless you're in the social situation. Next is identification. You conform because you like or respect the group or person and you want to maintain a desirable relationship with them. And you also want to be more like them at all times. So maybe an older sibling vapes. Or like the cool girls in the locker room, like all chew nicotine gum. You adopt the behavior because it strengthens your bond with the group at all times. You are probably performing the behavior even when they're not around or you're not getting pressured into it as much. Explicitly. Thirdly, is internalization. This is the deepest level of conformity. And it happens when you actually come to privately accept the belief or the behavior as your own, because you genuinely believe that it is beneficial, that it aligns with your Persona, it aligns with your values. This happens with nicotine when you perhaps have been introduced through those other mechanisms. And then you suddenly start to feel the biological and psychological pull yourself. And so it becomes integrated into how you view your life. You know, you believe that smoking makes you calmer. You believe that vaping helps you focus. You believe that, you know, it makes you look a certain way. Your habit has at that stage become deeply embedded into your self perception. And it's also happening at the same time as a lot of underlying biological mechanisms. The reasons for doing a beh changes over time. And it changes as your neurochemistry is changing in response to this highly addictive substance. We know that alongside this as well. So you're dealing with this biological component, this stress component, this social component. And then we have the marketing component. Tobacco and vaping industries. The tobacco and vaping industry are incredibly good at what they do in terms of getting more people smoking. And they exploit these psychological vulnerability vulnerabilities in very sophisticated, insidious ways that often targets young people, often leverages social desirability and the desire for belonging. So we're going to talk about just how powerful these mechanisms are, but also how you can, I guess, act against them and maybe even escape the pull and the addiction to nicotine after this short break. My life has been chaotic recently, to say the least. And with so many events going on at the moment, my friends, weddings, my book tour, I'm also moving house. The last thing I have time for is shaving. That is where Nez shower cream comes in because it saves me so much time. And bonus, it also smells delicious. Nair is the number one hair removal brand. So you know, their stuff works. And their hair removal shower cream uses natural extracts for its scents. So things like coconut oil, almond oil, lavender, they smell delicious. It's fast, like the length of your shower fast, maybe even quicker. And it's super easy to use as well. It's also, and this is a big thing for me, free of dye, dyes, parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and dermatologists tested, which is probably why it leaves my skin feeling so insanely silky. Here's the other reason I've been really over shaving. I hate when I end up like cutting or nicking my skin. And I also feel like I end up missing Spots anyway, so I'm kind of like, what's the whole point of this? But with Nair's shower cream, I have never had that problem. I just need you to try it out for yourself. My friends were actually over the other day and I had some in my shower and they were like, what is this? And they tried it out almost as a joke. But I'm fairly sure all of them left with that on their shopping list because that stuff works. Nez hair removal shower cream. Get ready for summer. You can buy it now at all major retailers.
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Hey, everybody, it's Tony Robbins. The external world, you can't control. We're in a time that feels overwhelming for many people and it's going to have more challenging times ahead. But you can develop a resiliency and a strength in you. So this can be the best time of your life. Listen, you really need to get yourself a coach. You need a professional who's already got results. We want to be better as people want to become more, do more, share more, create more, give more. I'm so passionate about coaching because for time immemorial, that's how the job got done. Where there was lasting change, where there's someone there consistently with you that understands, you know, knows what you're missing, knows what you want, knows what the challenges are, knows what gets in the way.
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A
You see results immediately.
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Everybody's overall level has gone up.
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A
You don't work on the symptoms, you work on the issues and it solves the problem.
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B
So here's what I want to offer you. If you'd like to test out one of my top coaches, we will give you a 30 minute free coaching session.
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C
Go to tonyrobbins.com to get started today. That's tonyrobbins.com this is Amy Brown from.
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Feeling Things with Amy and Katie. We've been made to believe that saying yes is a good thing. But I've realized there's a big difference between doing it intentionally and doing it unintentionally. Isopure protein helps you focus on more of what matters, like feeling your best every day with great tasting nutrition. That's high protein and also low carb if you need that. Isopure fits seamlessly into your lifestyle and that's why I've added it to my daily routine. I use Isopure unflavored protein in recipes like pasta sauce and guacamole during the week or with 25 grams of ultra filtered protein and 0 carbs plus 20 vitamins and minerals, you can boost nearly any recipe without changing the taste of your favorite foods. I've already restocked four times because I add the Isopure unflavored to everything. You can try the Isopure vanilla to blend 25 grams of protein into your smoothies or your oatmeal. Or check out Isopure Clear protein water with 15 grams of protein, which supports hydration with electrolytes and a light berry flavor. Enjoy more of what matters today at Isopure protein and get 20% off your order when you use code MINDS20 at checkout.
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E
Okay, ladies, when I said we came to play, didn't I mean it? This Disney cruise got me feeling like a queen.
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A
We can get massages at Sense of.
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Spa, have a meet and greet with Black Panther. Oh, I love him. And I can't wait to sunbathe on the private island. And the kids will be fine.
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Girl, they're good.
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E
Except. Exactly. While they hang in the kids club with Mickey Mouse, we can do our thing and do it well all day. Disney Cruise line is where we came to play.
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A
Flavored vapes, sleek designs, social media influences, and I guess also the widespread retail availability of nicotine products are all tactics designed to attract a new generation of users that a new generation that needs to replace the generation that used to smoke more. Traditionally, these designs and flavors, they have been cooked up in a lab and they are often specifically engineered to appeal to younger novelty seeking demographics, which is one of the reasons we're seeing such a growth in a younger audience taking up vaping. Another huge part of why vaping and nicotine as having a moment and rising was its initial marketing as a healthy alternative to cigarettes or a safer way to quit smoking, or even just a harmless recreational activity. This narrative was incredibly effective in capturing a more health conscious generation that we found ourselves in. And the thing is, they weren't lying when they said that it was healthier. It was healthier because there was no longitudinal studies proving otherwise. And because it was just a different way of consuming the same product with a different baseline of chemicals that didn't have as much research as cigarettes, they were really able to play the naive card. You know, it's, it's really crazy when you get into like the history of the tobacco industry and how its little grimy fingers are in literally everything. Every industry that you can think of. I think public perception even now is often confused about the relative harms of vaping versus traditional cigarettes. With many of us wrongly believing vaping is harmless or significantly less harmful than it actually is. You know, it tastes like blueberries. Like, how could this possibly be unhealthy for me? And this deliberate blurring of the lines is a powerful marketing tool, and it's leveraging misinformation to normalize and popularize usage. It's burying research papers, it's burying people who say something against this product by, you know, undermining their credibility or by getting paying off another group of researchers or another university to write a positive paper. You know, they could shell out millions of dollars to get the results they want for this product they're trying to make money off of. And here's where this is really, really concerning is that, like, vaping is actually and has been found to be more addictive than traditional cigarettes, and it has people consuming higher dosages and more nicotine than they would if they had been smoking. Especially for people who were trying to quit smoking. They've done studies comparing the level of nicotine, I guess the levels of nicotine they were inhaling, slash consuming before when they were smoking versus now when they're vaping and it's higher. Some individuals, and I know this is a bit more anecdotal, but I've spoken to people who are finding it so hard to quit vaping that they have gone back to traditional cigarettes as a perceived stepping stone towards quitting nicotine in general, but vaping mainly. Like, they find that cigarettes and the use of cigarettes are actually easier to control because you can't do it in public spaces as easily. You can't. Or slash, you don't want to smoke in your home or in your car or in front of people. So there's more of a barrier to constant usage. If you want some evidence that this is actually happening or that it's not just observational. There was one 2020 study I found from researchers at the University of Southern California, which basically analyzed over 3,000 Twitter posts looking at common themes related to quitting Juul, the vape brand. It's kind of gone a little bit out of style now. But not only were over a quarter of the posts talking about different methods to quit using Juul, but there was quite a big proportion of them joking about how they were going to try picking up smoking cigarettes to do so. I also saw a recent Reddit thread from someone basically conducting an experiment on themselves by going back to cigarettes and attempts to quit vaping to see if it was going to be successful. They tried all these other things. They couldn't do it. You know, even just a quick look over the other comments that followed that showed that this Was not a unique situation. A lot of people were saying that the strength and the availability of over the counter vapes and the social acceptance and the fact that they taste great and they don't smell as terrible has made them even more dependent on nicotine than they ever were before. The initial promise of vaping, that it was a healthier alternative, that it was going to help people, I think it's just simply created a new complex addiction pathway. Here's another element of this that I just considered as well. I need to introduce this. Our brains are really clever at making us believe we don't have a problem. So now we're also phasing our own minds, right? Our brains have this really great way of convincing us that we could quit at any time, that we're not smoking as much as we think we are, that we have it under control as a way to keep us hooked, because it does make us feel good, Even when rationally we know that we're kind of lying to ourselves. I had this friend who used to smoke five cigarettes a day, but only five. Like, she would only have five cigarettes a day, and she would always say, like, when I turn 25, I'm gonna quit. And one day we got approached by these, like, marketing people on the street doing a survey when we were at uni, and they came up to us and they were like, do you. Do either of you guys smoke? We're conducting some research. And she said, no. She was like, no, I don't. And she fully, like. Afterwards, I asked her, I was like, why did you say no? Like, you do smoke? And she was like, oh, no, no, no. Like, I don't smoke because I only smoke five a day. Or, and I only smoke them when I'm out, and I only smoke them on weekends or like, when I'm drinking, Which back then we were in college, so we were drinking all the time. But she was like, no. There was this cognitive dissonance. I don't smoke. I'm not a smoker. Even though she had literally had one five minutes before. Cognitive dissonance is a powerful psychological discomfort we feel when our beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors clash. In the context of nicotine, the clash is very glaring, and that's a great example of it right there. The deeply held belief of I know that smoking and vaping is bad for my health goes up against the fact that we are continuing to smoke vapor and vape. This creates an internal tension, kind of mental unease where two things can't be true. Like, those two things that we know this is bad for us. We know we care about our health and yet we continue to do it. They can't all exist at once without making us uncomfortable. And so our brain does a few things to kind of reduce the discomfort and kind of rationalize our behavior or lie to us. So for example, we might minimize the harm it's causing and say things like, oh, it's actually not that bad. Like, oh, my grandma, she smoked a pack a day and she never got cancer. Like this is, this is a lie. Some people, it just doesn't hurt. Some people we might think everyone does it. So I won't be alone in dealing with the health consequences. So surely again, like, this isn't going to hurt me. And if it does, it will hurt other people as well. We might convince ourselves that we aren't actually smokers. You know, a smoker is someone who smokes more than five cigarettes or who smokes, you know, a pack a day. And if I'm not smoking that much, well then I'm not a smoker. We might focus on the perceived benefits, you know, well, it helps me relax and de stress. And stress is more. Stress is more dangerous than, than smoking. So actually I'm doing myself a favor. We might also place it on external factors like, well, I'm going through a breakup or my job is so stressful right now, or everyone around me is smoking, so I have to. It's not about me that's making the choice, it's my circumstances. And then the biggest one is the promise of future action. So it's okay to do this right now because I know I'm going to quit when I'm 25. I know I'm going to quit after this big exam, after this holiday. I know I'm going to quit when I feel ready. And then I could do that at any time. Just that I don't actually have a problem right now. These rationalizations are basically lies, often unconscious lies we tell ourselves to maintain a consistent self image and to again reduce that internal psychological discomfort. They become very powerful mental barriers, making it easier to keep using nicotine even in the face of overwhelming evidence that it's going to harm us. Quitting nicotine is notoriously difficult precisely because it has and it is known as a multi layered addiction. It's physical, it's psychological, it's social, it's behavioral, it's cognitive, it's so, it's just, it's cultural. There are so many levels to this. It's not just breaking one chain, it's breaking many Many intricately woven ones that want to keep you locked in on this behavior. Again, nicotine as it's pure, in a pure form, is not actually bad for you. There are nicotonic receptors in all of our brains. It is acting on very positive chemicals in our brain that are helpful. It's what it comes in that is so bad for us. The intense discomfort of withdrawal symptoms as well, that is a massive barrier. And that is why we continue to consume what we know is a bad and harmful product, even when we don't always want to. Your body genuinely feels unwell. The quickest way to relieve that is more nicotine. Of course, then it becomes deeply entwined as well with that emotional regulation we were talking about. For long term users as well, nicotine can also become deeply embedded in their personal and social identity. I am a smoker, I am a vaper. This is part of my look. Letting go of that identity can feel like losing a part of yourself. And that's not a silly thing. That's not a small thing either. And if all your friends and all your family still uses nicotine. And again, the social pressure, direct or indirect, the fear of missing out on shared rituals can make it incredibly challenging. So how do we actually start to unlearn what is simply at its core just a bad habit that is held up by a lot of underlying mechanisms We've already spoken about. How do we unlearn the bad habit? So we need to target all three levels of this addiction. The physical, the psychological and the behavioral. And it's a conscious act of reprogramming your brain and your daily life to respond differently to the triggers or I don't know, I guess, yeah, the triggers is the best word. Your triggers for using nicotine. Initially, breaking the physical cycle is really crucial. Approaches such as nicotine replacement therapy using patches, gums, lozenges, inhalers, whatever it is, can really reduce physical withdrawal symptoms, Giving you the psychological space to focus on the more cognitive and behavioral aspects. This helps your body kind of wean off the physical dependency and lessen the physical cues that might tell you that you need to vape or need a cigarette. This might take you a couple of times because you know there are so many other things that are going to be pulling you back. That's okay. Every time that you try is still a win in my mind. Even if you end up going back, that's still a couple of days that you gave your lungs a break or that you had a bit of space just to analyze what was really causing this behavior. So however many times it takes, once you get a hold of the physical triggers, you can then start to identify and disrupt the behavioral triggers. The first step to this is of course, self awareness. I know it's going to sound so simple, but really pay attention to when and why you want to use nicotine. What are your most common psychological triggers? Is it certain specific times of the day, certain specific emotions like sadness, like dread, like stress, like anxiety? Is it particular places, social situations, even certain objects? Like when you're on your phone, just take a notice of when you have that overwhelming feeling of like, I need a cigarette right now or I need to vape right now. You can then try to temporarily avoid strong triggers if possible by just asking yourself to ignore it for a minute. For a minute, and then a minute and 15 seconds. And then just go by the seconds. I always think of that Kimmy Schmidt. I think it's Kimmy Schmidt quote, that's like you can do anything for 30 seconds. You can avoid smoking, you can avoid vaping for just 30 seconds and then another 30 seconds. More importantly though, actively develop and practice healthy replacement behaviors for those triggers. So we talked about the physical replacements, but if you habitually smoke and vape with your morning coffee or when you're stressed or whatever it is, try and replace that behavior with something else so you still have the ritual. So when you are like having your morning coffee instead of vaping, try and like just journal, have a pen in your fingers instead. If you find yourself vaping when you're at work because you're distracted or you're bored, get some gum, start chewing gum. Like that's. I know it sounds small, but you've gotta like almost confuse your brain and be like, this is what we used to do. And this feels remarkably similar. It's almost 90% there, but like the 10% that's not there, like we can just hopefully ignore that and hopefully feel like this is close enough. You know, if you used to take smoke breaks at work when you got stressed, take a five minute walk around the block instead. Even pair this like walking around with buying yourself a snack or buying yourself a treat. So you're getting that little dopamine boost whilst replacing the thing you're getting a reward from. I also think setting a goal that you could only do if you are not smoking one, something you really want to do is really, really amazing. So for example, there are people who like have kids and they think, well, I want to be able to do this with my children and I won't be able to do that if I keep smoking, that's a great motiv start training for like some kind of endurance race or trying to get fitter or trying to do something that you just can't do if you're smoking. Even like long haul flights if you're really addicted, you obviously can't smoke or vape on a plane and maybe that's holding you back. What's something that you know you could only do if this product was no longer in your life? Since nicotine often serves as a physical and emotional crutch as well, we need to cultivate healthier ways to manage stress and boredom or anger or sadness or whatever it is. You know, the thing is, is that I can't tell you what that strategy is going to be for you because it's actually just like an entirely personal preference. For some people it's exercise. For some people it's meditation. For some people it's like physical, like hobbies that involve your hands, like knitting, like coloring in like sudoku, it's talking to a friend. Maybe it's just therapy. The goal here is to replace an unhealthy coping mechanism, because smoking is a coping mechanism with a beneficial one. Because we know. We also know that our brain likes to rationalize our behaviors as we just spoke about. It's also important to try and restructure these as well. Actively challenge those lies and rationalizations and false beliefs with the truth. You know, for example, we might tell ourselves that nicotine helps me de stress. This could be restructured to something like nicotine relieves withdrawal, which feels like de stressing. But in fact, I know my overall anxiety is going to increase long term. You know, we might be saying to ourselves, oh, but I'm not really a smoker. Maybe you could say instead a smoker or someone who smokes. And what am I currently doing? I'm smoking. So if I don't, I don't know, admire the identity of a smoker, if I don't see this as who I am, I have to acknowledge that it is who I am and that I'm in like I'm tied up with those things and those parts of this activity that I don't find admirable. What does that say about my self concept? Just really question the deceptive narratives your brain tells you and call it out for being sneaky. I think under everything, a belief and an actual desire. And your own ability to quit is also super important. No one can quit unless they actually want to and unless they actually believe they can. You can give people a hundred thousand tips and tricks to stop vaping. But unless you want to do it, which I assume you do considering you're listening to this episode, you won't. So think about your why there is something calling you to want to quit or to reconsider this relationship. Is it because you want to live a long and healthy life? Is it because you want to complete some kind of fitness goal? Is it because you're starting to realize that this habit is actually really uncool and that people are judging you? I think at times when you are doubting your ability and whether this is the right choice and just returning to this why really helps anchor you in that personal drive you have for quitting. On the back of that, I know we've kind of introduced this in small dosages, but it's so helpful just to set small achievable goals. For example, like I said, just going 30 seconds or an hour without trying this like one smoke free day rather than just going cold turkey. I know a lot of people say go cold turkey. I still think that like every small thing, every small positive move in the right direction every time you show yourself that you can. Even if it's just for smaller and smaller and then larger and larger increments of time. The more you build self trust, self efficacy, the more you see that like your life is not empty without this substance. As we said earlier, you know, this isn't necessarily a quick fix. It might not have you quitting in the moment, but it is a worthwhile interruption to the addiction cycle. Here's a crucial compassionate truth. Relapse is a common part of the quitting journey for many, many people. It is not a sign of failure. Research and clinical guidelines show that most smokers make multiple attempts, sometimes upwards of 15, before achieving long term abstinence, seeing it as a setback rather than a full defeat. Seeing this as part of the journey that's going to get you to fully quit is crucial for success. If you relapse, please resist the urge for self criticism or shame because it only makes it harder to get back on track when you're like, well I can't believe I I did this. You know again, that part of your brain that wants to protect your self esteem is going to say something like, well obviously this is a sign that we're not strong enough and so we're could we should keep doing this. Obviously this is a sign that this is part of who we are and that we need this, so we should keep doing it. This keeps you stranded in the behavioral loop in the compulsion. It's so easy to throw in the towel at times like this. But don't let one lapse turn into a full blown relapse. Immediately try and get yourself to recommit to quitting. Adjust your strategy. This is an important learning, this important lesson as to what drove you to relapse. Like there is a trigger there that was ignored. There was compulsion there that was just too hard to overcome. What is it? How can you gain mastery over that the next time? And finally, this is the biggest tip I have for, I think, any kind of quitting of any kind of behavior that you don't like. Tell your friends, tell your family, tell the people you are around the most that this isn't. This is something you want to do, that this is something that you are committed to doing because it gives you accountability. If you say to your friends, I really want to quit smoking, I just feel like there's more of a barrier or a sense of, you know, judgment sometimes if you're not especially friends who don't smoke or friends who don't vape. Of course, if you tell your friends who do smoke, like, I'm going to quit, you know, sometimes they don't want you to quit because it continues to validate that they're going to be okay. So just tell people who you know, have opinions on this habit, who will encourage you and help you stay kind of loyal to your goal. It can be such an important form of extrinsic motivation. So I think that's all we have time for. I hope that this episode informed you. I hope that you learned something. I hope that you understand nicotine as a substance more, but also the addiction behind it more as well. And I hope you have compassion and empathy for yourself, but also for other people who are struggling with this. I know nicotine usage is on the rise. That's very scary. But I don't think that all hope is lost. And I know it's dark times at the moment. Sometimes it feels like a cigarette or whatever it is is the only hope. But I promise it's not. And I promise that, yeah, one day you'll be able to be like, wow, I can't believe I smoked back then. Oh, yeah, I used to be a smoker. But you're not anymore. So that's my wish for you. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend who you think might need to hear it. Maybe your friend who is secretly smoking but won't tell anyone. Or like my friend who said she wasn't a smoker because she smoked only five cigarettes a day. Whoever it is who needs to hear this, share a link with them, make sure that you are following along wherever you are listening and give a five star review if you feel called to do so. And hey, if you're still here, what should our emoji be? Leave. I don't want to make it like a cigarette emoji because that's too basic. Leave a little puff of smoke emoji down below. So I know that you made it this far. Thanks for listening to the end. That's so nice of you. I appreciate that so much. But until next time, stay safe, be kind, be gentle with yourself. You've got this. We will talk very, very soon. My life has been chaotic recently, to say the least. And with so many events going on at the moment, my friends, weddings, my book tour, I'm also moving house. The last thing I have time for is shaving. That is where Nair's shower cream comes in because it saves me so much time. And bonus, it also smells delicious. Nair is the number one hair removal brand, so you know their stuff works. And their hair removal shower cream uses natural extracts for its scents. So things like coconut oil, almond oil, lavender, they smell delicious. It's fast, like the length of your shower fast, maybe even quicker. And it's super easy to use as well. It's also, and this is a big thing for me, free of dyes, parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and dermatologists tested, which is probably why it leaves my skin feeling so insanely silky. Here's the other reason I've been really overshaving. I hate when I end up like cutting or nicking my skin and I also feel like I end up missing spots anyway. So I'm kind of like, what's the whole point of this? But with Nair's shower cream, I have never had that problem. I just need you to try it out for yourself. My friends were actually over the other day and I had some in my shower and they were like, what is this? And they tried it out almost as a joke, but I'm fairly sure all of them left with that on their shopping list because that stuff works. Nair's Hair Removal Shower cream. Get ready for summer. You can buy it now at all major retailers.
- [54:47]
B
Hey everybody, it's Tony Robbins. The external world, you can't control. We're in a time that feels overwhelming for many people and it's going to have more challenging times ahead. But you can develop a resiliency and a strength in you. So this can be the best time of your life. Listen, you really need to get yourself a coach. You need a professional who's already got results. We want to be better as people want to become more, do more, share more, create more, give more. I'm so passionate about coaching because for Time Memorial, that's how the job got done. Where there was lasting change, where there's someone there consistently with you that understands you, knows what you're missing, knows what you want, knows what the challenges are.
- [55:22]
A
Know what gets in the way, you see results immediately.
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C
Everybody's overall level has gone up.
- [55:28]
A
You don't work on the symptoms, you work on the issues and it solves the problem.
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B
So here's what I want to offer you. If you'd like to test out one of my top coaches, we will give you a 30 minute free coaching session.
- [55:39]
C
Go to tonyrobbins.com to get started today. That's tonyrobbins.com this is Amy Brown from.
- [55:46]
D
Feeling Things with Amy and Katie that we've been made to believe that saying yes is a good thing. But I've realized there's a big difference between doing it intentionally and doing it unintentionally. Isopure protein helps you focus on more of what matters, like feeling your best every day with great tasting nutrition. That's high protein and also low carb if you need that. Isopure fits seamlessly into your lifestyle and that's why I've added it to my daily routine. I use Isopure unflavored protein in recipes like like pasta sauce and guacamole during the week. With 25 grams of ultra filtered protein and 0 carbs plus 20 vitamins and minerals, you can boost nearly any recipe without changing the taste of your favorite foods. I've already restocked four times because I add the Isopure unflavored to everything. You can try the Isopure vanilla to blend 25 grams of protein into your smoothies or your oatmeal. Or check out Isopure Clear protein water with with 15 grams of protein which supports hydration with electrolytes and a light berry flavor. Enjoy more of what matters today@isopureprotein.com and get 20% off your order when you use code MINDS20 at checkout.
- [56:58]
E
Okay, ladies, when I said we came to play, didn't I mean it? This Disney cruise got me feeling like a queen.
- [57:04]
A
We can get massages at Senses Spa.
- [57:06]
E
Have a meet and greet with Black Panther. Ooh, I love him and I can't wait to sunbathe on the private island and the kids will be fine.
- [57:13]
A
Girl, they're good.
- [57:15]
E
Exactly. While they hang in the kids club with Mickey Mouse, we can do our thing and do it well all day. Disney Cruise Line is where we came to play.
- [57:27]
A
Hello my lovely listeners. By now you know the more knowledge we have about ourselves and the way our bodies work, the more empowered and in control we are are. And this is also true when it comes to our sexual health and what to do after unprotected sex. That's where Plan B comes in. It's emergency contraception with no age requirement that helps prevent pregnancy before it starts. And because it works by only temporarily delaying ovulation, it won't impact your ability to get pregnant in the future. We love a backup plan that puts us in control because the more we know, the more power we have. Learn more@planb1step.com users directed in our 20s, we are basically constantly evolving emotionally, hormonally and yes, even our skin. I've been using Primally Pure's Soothing Mist and Clarifying Serum and it has changed how I approach skincare. It's not about control or perfection, it's about support. Primally Pure is female, founded, clean and rooted in simplicity. Go to www.p r I m a l l y p u r e.com use my code GEMMA15 and get 15 off. Your skin deserves care that matches your growth.
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E
Every business has an ambition. PayPal open is the platform designed to help you grow into yours with business loans so you can expand and access to hundreds of millions of of PayPal customers worldwide. And your customers can pay all the ways they want with PayPal, Venmo pay later and all major cards so you can focus on scaling up when it's time to get growing. There's one platform for all business PayPal open grow today at paypalopen.com loans subject to approval in available locations. Untold Stories Life with a Severe Autoimmune Condition, a production from Ruby Studio in partnership with Argenics, is back with Season four. Join me Martine Hackett as we explore the realities of life with Myasthenia gravis or mg, and chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating polyneuropathy, or cidp. We'll uncover the stories of resilience and self advocacy in the face of uncertainty. From overcoming misdiagnosis to finding empowerment in small victories, these are moments that change us. Here's a glimpse of what's in store. Whenever I go to my specialist, he mentions the R word Remission Is it possible? Like, is it over? But also knowing it's never really over, but just being able to say, hey, there's light at the end of the tunnel. Stay the course. Don't give up on yourself. Every single person living with the autoimmune illness has a life worth living, and it's up to you to define that, to capture that, and to go guns blazing, follow and listen to untold Stories on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart podcast.