These physical symptoms are individual. Like in other dependencies, strong physical withdrawal symptoms are not an obligation. These withdrawal symptoms go normally away in a couple of weeks. The strength of nicotine dependency is demonstrated in the fact that the long term effects of smoking cessation are alike with the heroine. After cessation it takes for several months before the activity of receptors return to the normal level.
Smoking increases the sensitivity on nicotine receptors in the brain.
This sensitivity develops normally very fast. After cessation it takes for several months before the activity of receptors return to the normal level. The tendency to pick up smoking habit is thus big even years after cessation. The majority of smokers start again within three months from cessation. During this period the sensitivity of receptors is still very high and psychological and social mechanisms related to nonsmoking are not yet learned.