Nicotine addiction - specialists and information

Around 28 percent of people over the age of 15 in Germany are smokers, which corresponds to around 20 million Germans. Nicotine addiction is present in 70 to 80 percent of these people. Nicotine addiction leads to increased mortality: around 50 percent of smokers die prematurely from secondary diseases of tobacco consumption such as lung cancer and heart attacks/strokes. Every smoker loses an average of eight years of their life.

Below you will find further information and selected specialists for the treatment of nicotine addiction.

Symptoms and diagnosis of nicotine addiction

According to ICD-10, nicotine addiction can be diagnosed if at least three of the following criteria are met over the course of a year:

• Compulsive tobacco use
• Development of tolerance, i.e. increase in the number of cigarettes over time
• Physical withdrawal symptoms when quitting
• Continued tobacco consumption despite consequential damage
• Changes in lifestyle habits in order to maintain tobacco consumption
• Limited control over smoking behavior

Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances @ www.freund-foto.de /AdobeStock

Fagerstrøm test to determine the severity of nicotine dependence

Instructions: Please read the following statements carefully and mark the answer option that is most likely to apply to you with a cross. The information should reflect your smoking behavior during the last 3 months.

1. when do you smoke your first cigarette after waking up?

• Within 5 minutes (3 points)
• Within 6 to 30 minutes (2 points)
• Within 31 to 60 minutes (1 point)
• After 60 minutes (0 points)

2. do you find it difficult to refrain from smoking in places where smoking is prohibited?

• no (0 points)
• yes (1 point)

3. which cigarette would you not want to give up?

• the first one in the morning (1 point)
• others (0 points)

4. how many cigarettes do you generally smoke per day?

• up to 10 (0 points)
• 11 to 20 (1 point)
• 21 to 30 (2 points)
• more than 30 (3 points)

5. do you generally smoke more in the early morning than during the rest of the day?

• no (0 points)
• yes (1 point)

6. do you ever smoke when you are ill and have to stay in bed during the day?

• no (0 points)
• yes (1 point)

The total values result in the following degrees of nicotine dependence:

0 - 2 low dependence
3 - 5 medium dependence
6 - 7 severe dependence
8 - 10 very severe dependence

Therapy for nicotine addiction

The best chance of quitting smoking is to seek professional help from a specialist and to use psychotherapeutic and medicinal methods together. Nevertheless, only 1 to 3 out of 10 smokers manage to quit smoking completely within a year.

There are now a number of behavioral group and individual therapy methods that usually last 6 to 10 sessions and work with the patient to develop coping strategies. Self-help manuals are also available.

Nicotine patches release nicotine slowly and continuously through the skin into the body @ Halfpoint /AdobeStock

Medication-based smoking cessation aids include nicotine replacement therapy with nicotine patches, gum and nasal sprays as well as therapy with the drug Zyban®.