Scientist Explains Why Your Brain Craves Cigarettes When You're Drunk

You know when you've had a couple of drinks and then the smokers congregating outside the bar seem to be having more fun than you.

And you desperately want a cigarette even though you quit three years ago and you rarely even think about fags.

You and your pint are lonely. You're a sad twosome and the only thing that would make you happy is a packets of cigs.

You're craving nicotine stronger than a pregnant woman craves anything. You need nicotine.You're gonna go crazy if you don't have it.

The situation sound familiar?

via GIPHY

Wanting to smoke when you've had a couple of drinks isn't anything to do with weak willpower or how we all do stupid things while pissed because we've lowered out inhibitions. There is actually a genuine scientific reason why you feel you need a cig when you've had a drink.

There's two things going on. First - your previous nicotine intake has affected your memory. And secondly, your dopamine levels have dropped.

But wait - how does nicotine affect your memory? Well in 2009, Dr John Dani published an experiment he and his team at the University of Pennsylvania did on how nicotine forms memory pathways in mice.

"Compared to injections of saline, nicotine strengthened neuronal connections, sometimes up to 200 percent," explained Dr Dani. "And this strengthening of connections underlies new memory formation."

So basically when you used to smoke and drink, you created a memory that you enjoyed. And whenever you trigger that memory, you want the nicotine kick - which is obvious anyway from a psychological point of view. But it's also chemical.

The other thing is that, separately, nicotine and alcohol boost dopamine in the brain. And dopamine, as we all know, is the transmitter that goes straight to your brain's pleasure centre. So drinking and cigarettes make you happy.

So you'd assume that if you drank and smoked at the same time, then you'd be even happier. Stands to reason, right?

Wrong. It actually makes levels of dopamine drop and makes you stressed instead. And Dr Dani found that people ended up drinking and smoking more because they wanted to up their dopamine levels. So it's a vicious cycle - you think drinking and smoking will make you happier but it doesn't so you drink and smoke more.

So basically... it's best never to start smoking in the first place.

Words: Laura Hamilton

Topics: Science, Alcohol, Smoking

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