She had to consciously change her habits. He doesn't let me do them. So I started taking walks with my sons. Bunnell stopped taking Zyban in September. Now, after 163 days without so much as a drag on a cigarette, her only lingering problem is the 10 pounds she gained.
Experts say that's part of the addiction.
Nicotine increases insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. This suppresses appetite and makes sweet foods taste less yummy, explained psychopharmacologist Neil E. Grunberg, who helped produce the landmark 1988 U.S. Surgeon General's report that recognized smoking as addictive. The most thoroughly researched of these is dopamine, which has been linked to the pleasures of sex, chocolate, gambling, addictive drugs, even the elation of winning a race. But nicotine also releases endorphins, involved in pain relief, and acetylcholine, involved in memory. Researchers say it's no wonder smokers reach for their pack whether they want to calm down or perk up, let their mind wander or summon concentration.