Drugs such as benzodiazepines that can produce these types of withdrawal problems are said to produce "physiological dependence, " which is a fancy word for meaning they can be addictive.

CNN: What are the long-term brain effects of Xanax?

Ms Sandford said that if addiction to smoking was a mental, as well as a physiological, dependence then it was logical that anti-depressants could could play a role in helping smokers to quit.

BBC: Smoking