Quiz: am I addicted to vaping?
Agree or disagree: whenever you are feeling down or anxious, vaping is the first thing you do to feel better.
Vaping can be a quick fix for when you are feeling low. This is because the nicotine in a vaping device can release chemicals in your brain that make you feel good temporarily. But once the good feeling wears off, nicotine use can actually make your mental health worse. Read up on how smoking and vaping can make your mental health worse.
Agree or disagree: after vaping, you soon feel the need to vape again.
The nicotine found in vaping devices is highly addictive, meaning your brain craves it not long after you have it. Your brain might even depend on it to release feel-good chemicals. Read more about the effects of nicotine on the brain.
True or false: You would rather vape than do a recreational activity you enjoy.
You might prefer to vape over activities you enjoy, because you are dependent on vaping to feel good. You might also vape when you go into withdrawal. Withdrawal is when your body no longer feels the benefits of nicotine and craves more of it. But fortunately, there are better ways to deal with withdrawal.
Do you get irritable if you can't vape?
Your body might start to expect nicotine to provide it with feel-good chemicals if you are addicted to nicotine. So when you haven’t had nicotine in a while and are in withdrawal, you might feel low or become irritable. But, there are other ways to help you deal with withdrawal. Check out some smoke-free stress busters.
Would you spend money on vaping over food or other things that you need?
Prioritising vaping over things you need, like food, might be a sign that you are addicted to it. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell though, and you might not think that you are. Think you’re not? Check out our piece on what to do if you think you’re not addicted to smoking.
When I am sick, I stop vaping until my health improves.
When you are sick, you probably don’t want to do a whole lot, including vaping. But, if you are addicted, your body still craves nicotine, even when it’s trying to look after itself. You might also be vaping because you think it’s a better alternative to smoking.
How soon do you vape after waking up?
When you wake up, your brain has gone a full night's sleep without any nicotine. If you are addicted, your brain will probably want nicotine as soon as you wake up. If you are trying to quit and are addicted, you might be nervous about how you’ll feel. Read our volunteer’s own account of how they felt after giving up smoking.
How would you feel about quitting vaping?
When you are addicted to something, giving it up can feel impossible. But, even though the initial withdrawal might be difficult, giving up nicotine in the long-run has a lot of benefits. Read up on some of the benefits of giving up nicotine.