Why Vaping Feels Relaxing (It's the Opposite)

Name: Why Vaping Feels Relaxing (It's the Opposite)
Uploaded: 2026-07-14T12:00:25.000Z
Duration: 6 min 24 s
Channel: Dr. Eric Berg DC

Dr. Eric Berg DCJuly 14, 20266m

Topics7

Vaping Device Scale and Nicotine Content0:00 Nicotine Receptor Mechanism1:01 The Relaxation Misconception2:01 It's Not Water Vapor3:00 Body Signals and Environment4:01 The Happiness Misconception4:30 Effects on Developing Brains5:30

In a Nutshell

Nicotine vaping creates a false sense of relaxation by first spiking stress hormones and inflammation, then briefly relieving that tension through receptor desensitization—exactly like removing a jagged pebble from your shoe. The devices deliver massive nicotine doses (up to 650 mg per unit) plus toxic aerosols containing formaldehyde, heavy metals, and flavor chemicals never meant for inhalation, which damage lungs and blood vessels. Over time this downgrades dopamine receptors, flattens mood, and wires developing brains for addiction while training users to mistake withdrawal relief for genuine calm.

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One vaping device equals two cartons of cigarettes. In that little tiny device, you are literally getting 400 cigarette puffs. Heavy users can get up to 70,000 puffs per year. The flavoring that you're breathing in was never meant to be inhaled. It's meant to be consumed. You're getting an aerosol, which is made up of tiny little particles that are broken up and they're going into your lungs, which then go into the bloodstream. For years, they tried to figure out how to make these little vaping units because they would irritate your lungs and your throat. What they eventually did is they found the way to turn the nicotine into a salt, which drops the pH. And so, you can consume a tremendous amount of nicotine without the harshness. On average, one of these vaping units has 650 mg of pure nicotine.

The nicotine receptor is almost identical to an acetylcholine receptor. Nicotine is so close to acetylcholine that nicotine can hijack that receptor. When you're exposed to nicotine, you are affecting different areas of your body. You're affecting your brain. You're affecting the adrenals. You're affecting the heart. Many modern disposable vapes, like the Geek Bar or the Pulse or the Elf Bar, use the nicotine salts, which is a way to bypass that harshness. Every time you puff that aerosol, it's desensitizing the receptor, which basically makes the body more hungry for nicotine. Deep at the cellular level, you're creating inflammation in the cells. You're actually creating an environment for tumors to grow as well. You're altering receptors in several different ways which create a major consequence.

The first misconception that a lot of people have with vaping is it relaxes me. At the cellular level, that is impossible. It doesn't calm anything. Nicotine is a stimulant, which means it tightens your blood vessels. It creates vasoconstriction. When you start doing it, your body becomes desensitized to the point where your body builds up a chemical dependence. And it really has to do with downgrading the receptors to make them not as sensitive anymore. So, therefore you're needing more and more nicotine to create the same effect.

Let's say every morning you drop a sharp, jagged pebble in your shoe, and it hurts. And then once an hour you slip off your shoe for about 60 seconds, and then you say, "Oh my gosh, I feel so much relief. I feel so much better." That's exactly what's happening with the vaping. You're building up a cortisol stress response, and then the nicotine actually gives you a little relief from that.

It's just water vapor is a complete myth. Water vapor is a gas. The vaping is an aerosol, a cloud of microscopic liquid droplets. They're small enough to slip through and pass through your airways, which are the natural filters. What's in those droplets includes solvents, vegetable glycerin, and synthetic flavorings. Some of these flavorings contain another chemical called diacetyl, which is the same chemical they use in the butter flavoring on popcorn, which they found creates irreversible lung damage. Then you have the heating unit that warms this liquid to around 200° to 300°. Toxic byproducts include formaldehyde, the chemical that they embalm you with, and acrolein, which is a harsh chemical used to kill aquatic weeds. You can also pick up heavy metal trace minerals like nickel, cadmium right off the heated coil itself. It is true there are less chemicals than in cigarettes, for sure.

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Why Vaping Feels Relaxing (It's the Opposite)

Vaping Device Scale and Nicotine Content00:00

Nicotine Receptor Mechanism01:01

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