Psychological Relapse

Unlike physical withdrawal, psychological withdrawal is 100% mental and greatly within our ability to control. To understand the process can be power in itself. We also need to realize that just one chew of nicotine will revive all memories and conditioning associated with that particular habit trigger and commence the process of re-establishing your full chemical dependency upon nicotine. Whether immediate or gradual, your freedom is over and you’re going back to your old level of nicotine intake or higher. Soon, the millions and millions of dipping memories in the recovered addict’s mind will make them feel like they’ve never tasted freedom. Once an addict, even when we do arrest and trade places with our dependency our probation is conditioned on one simple rule – no nicotine!

© John R. Polito 2000, 2013
The original article has been modified to be more relevant for dippers and chewers.