Know The Warning Signs Of Nicotine Addiction

Editor’s Note: This is part three of a five part series regarding e-cigarettes. The first part was printed in the Feb. 22 edition and the second part was printed in the March 1 edition.

Some common signs of nicotine addiction are visible to others, such as increased irritability or anxiety, while others are experienced internally by the addict, such as cravings and constant thoughts of the next time they will be able to smoke. Once you’re having a conversation with your teen about the possibility that they might be addicted to vaping, you can talk through a few questions about nicotine addiction, such as:

Do you continue to vape even though you want to stop or think it’s hurting you in some way?

Do you feel anxious or irritable when you want to use your vape but can’t?

Do thoughts about vaping interrupt you when you are focused on other activities?

If your child answers yes to one or more of these questions, they may be addicted to vaping. Please keep in mind that this article is intended to educate and guide, not to be used for any kind of diagnosis. If you have concerns about your child, you might want to talk to a health professional. You can also be on the lookout for symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, such as:

– Feeling irritable, restless, or jittery

– Feeling sad, down, anxious, tired, or groggy

– Having trouble concentrating or sleeping

Pick A Natural Time To Talk

You might try to let the conversation about e-cigarettes come up naturally, especially if your child is exhibiting signs of addiction (more on that below) or not acting like themselves. You can ask your teen what they think during a shared experience: when you see someone using an e-cigarette in person or on TV, when you drive or walk by a vape shop, or you see an e-cigarette advertisement on TV or online. Remember that this should be an ongoing conversation. It’s okay for the discussion to happen in bits and pieces over time.