Nicotine: Myths That Keep People Smoking

Nicotine dependence is surrounded by persistent myths that prevent people from seeing the problem clearly and finding a real way out. Dr. Saulitis takes a fundamentally different view of nicotine — and it is precisely this perspective that helps avoid the most common mistakes.

Myth 1: "Smoking is just a habit or a matter of willpower"

Nicotine is not a lifestyle habit. In Dr. Saulitis's view, a cigarette is above all a psychopharmacological substance — a mild stimulant with a gentle antipsychotic effect. When someone reaches for a cigarette, they are in effect performing a psychopharmacological intervention, albeit in a crude, archaic form. Calling this a failure of willpower means not understanding the nature of dependence.

Myth 2: "Bans and social pressure help people quit"

A common mistake is to believe that external restrictions, persuasion by loved ones, or social pressure can stop a smoker. Dr. Saulitis is convinced of the opposite: prohibitions only intensify the craving. Real change begins from within — when a person arrives at their own understanding that they no longer need it.

Myth 3: "Nicotine is needed for emotional balance"

This is perhaps the most insidious misconception. Nicotine does act as a psychopharmacological agent — and that is precisely why people under inner tension are drawn to it. Yet the doctor is unambiguous: a person who is mentally healthy does not need this "medication." If the urge to smoke feels like a necessity, that is a signal to pay attention to one's mental state — not to keep "treating" oneself with nicotine.

The practical mistake: waiting for it to pass on its own

Dependence does not disappear by itself until a person shifts their inner attitude. Attempts to quit "for someone else" or under external pressure typically fail. The readiness must be one's own — and only then do efforts bear real results.