Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. One of the biggest fears for people who want to quit smoking is going through nicotine withdrawal.
The withdrawal process can be unpleasant and people often experience symptoms such as irritability, cravings, and weight gain. But with the right tools in place, you can overcome these symptoms and make your next attempt at quitting a success. Nicotine withdrawal is a normal physical and emotional reaction to rapidly quitting, or significantly reducing, your nicotine intake. It usually happens when you drastically reduce or stop smoking after you've been ingesting nicotine every day for at least several weeks.
Your body and brain adapt to the nicotine you take in on a regular basis through smoking, chewing tobacco, or using a nicotine patch, gum, or other nicotine replacement therapy NRT. Your body learns to expect a certain amount of nicotine each day and reacts with unpleasant symptoms without it. For many people, daily intake of nicotine also becomes part of how they manage their emotions and affects both how they relax and how they keep themselves alert.
When nicotine is suddenly absent, you tend to get nicotine withdrawal symptoms. About half of all smokers report experiencing at least four withdrawal symptoms when they quit, studies show.
Even without medication, withdrawal symptoms typically last between a week and a month. The first week after you stop is the worst, and after that, the intensity of the symptoms tends to drop over the next month.
The period of withdrawal depends on various factors such as how long and how heavily you've been smoking. People usually have several of these symptoms at once, making nicotine withdrawal unpleasant. Most people who are withdrawing from nicotine experience strong urges to smoke. These urges are known as cravings, and they are common among people withdrawing from many addictive substances.
It is important to remember that some changes in mood are normal during nicotine withdrawal, and they don't necessarily indicate that anything is wrong. Not only is there a good physiological reason for mood changes, but you are also processing the loss of an activity you enjoyed, and which may have helped you cope with low mood.
Many people feel some grief at losing the pleasure they felt from smoking. This is a natural part of the process of overcoming your addiction to nicotine. It will eventually turn to feelings of acceptance and then liberation from the drug. This mood change can range from feeling irritable or frustrated to feeling angry.
Ideally, while you're in the throes of nicotine withdrawal, you should try to give yourself plenty of space from others, as you may end up treating them in ways they don't appreciate or deserve. The anxiety you feel during nicotine withdrawal can range from feeling on edge to feeling fearful or even panicky at the thought of facing the future without the calming effects of nicotine. This state of anxiety is heightened during nicotine withdrawal for people who are prone to anxiety in general.
Like most stimulants , in the short term, nicotine can help with mental focus. However, much of this symptom is subjective. You still have the ability to concentrate, but just feel less able to. Your sense of focus will return once your body re-establishes its homeostasis. Difficulty sleeping, also known as insomnia, is quite common during nicotine withdrawal. Daytime exercise, particularly outdoor exercise that exposes you to sunlight, can help you feel more relaxed and sleepy at bedtime.
As long as the food you choose is healthy and eaten in moderation, there should be no problem. The good news is that there is much you can do to reduce cravings and manage common withdrawal symptoms. Even without medication, withdrawal symptoms and other problems subside over time.
Exercise is a quick and easy way to boost your mood, as long as you don't overdo it by developing a substitute exercise addiction. Engage in physical activity such as taking a walk or engaging in other exercises such as jogging or swimming. Many people find distraction can take their minds off cravings until they subside, since cravings usually only last for between five and 10 minutes, even if they're intense.
Others find that cravings cause them to relapse again and again. If this happens to you, talk to your doctor about nicotine replacement therapies NRTs. It can take longer to quit this way, but you may have a better chance of success. When you stop smoking, these receptors do not receive nicotine and therefore, stop releasing dopamine. This causes unpleasant side effects — known as nicotine withdrawal — and is one of the reasons why quitting can be so difficult.
You can think of nicotine withdrawal as your body's way of protesting your decision to quit smoking. According to John Hughes, MD , a professor emeritus of psychiatry and psychological science at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine's Vermont Center on Behavior and Health, you will begin experiencing withdrawal symptoms within 24 hours after your last cigarette.
However, the longer you go without nicotine, the more your brain receptors will return to normal, and the less you will feel unwanted side effects.
Here are some of the most common symptoms of nicotine withdrawal:. Once you quit smoking, you may start experiencing a strong desire for nicotine. Distracting yourself or simply toughing it out can work, but medication combined with nicotine replacement therapy is really "sort of our first line" of defense, says Hughes. To further curb cravings, avoid triggers — locations, situations, or individuals you associate with tobacco use. Many people in recovery from nicotine addiction report having difficulty falling asleep or difficulty staying asleep, known as insomnia.
To reduce your likelihood of experiencing sleep disturbances, you should develop a nightly relaxation ritual and avoid drinking caffeinated beverages after 6 p. Supplements such as melatonin may be able to help you sleep better, too, though you should talk with your doctor before taking any sleeping pills , even if they're over-the-counter. You may also notice an increase in appetite that can persist for several months or more. Exercise and mindful eating are typically effective countermeasures.
You can also try starting nicotine replacement therapy or taking the prescription medication Zyban, as both of these have been clinically proven to prevent nicotine withdrawal-associated weight gain. Immediately after you quit, it's normal to experience a decrease in mood and an increase in anxiety. However, your mental health will likely improve within one week to a month. In the meantime, sustained physical activity, social and spousal support, and counseling can help improve your mood.
After 10 years your risk of lung cancer will be lower than if you had kept smoking. After 15 years your risk of heart attack and stroke will be similar to that of someone who has never smoked.
Weight gain and quitting smoking Weight gain is not always part of quitting smoking but it is common. Make plans and stay busy. Engage friends and family to help distract you from your cravings and keep you motivated. Remember the four Ds : delay acting on the craving for five minutes and it will usually pass do some deep breathing drink water, or do something else.
Routines to help you manage cravings One of the biggest challenges many people face in the early days of quitting is the regular cravings. Here are some ideas for activities to do instead of smoking at those times you usually reach for the cigarettes: First thing in the morning — have a shower.
With coffee or tea — change to a different drink, a different cup, or change where you drink it. At morning tea — sit in a different place or with different people, read a magazine or take a scroll through your social media.
At the computer at home — move your desk or redecorate to change the look. After a meal — go for a walk. After work — exercise or meditate.
Before dinner — make your dinner time earlier. With alcohol — change to a different type of drink or hold your drink in your smoking hand. As you plan your next task — breathe deeply. As a reward — listen to music or have a piece of fruit. In front of the television — move the furniture around, hold a stress ball, do some easy stretches. Before bed — have a warm drink or read a book. Here are a few more ideas you can try at any time: Sip a glass of water slowly.
Play with a pet. Call a friend. Play a game on your phone. Ask your partner or a friend for a shoulder massage. Try some gardening. Put on some hand cream. Do a jigsaw puzzle or crossword. Peel an orange. Managing stress when you quit smoking It will take time to settle into new routines and find new ways to deal with stress now that smoking is not an option. Costs of smoking There is no point dwelling on the amount of money you have already spent on smoking. Benefits of quitting smoking Quitting is the best thing you will ever do for your health.
Benefits to your health and life from quitting smoking include: Your sense of taste and smell may improve, so you may enjoy your food more. Exercising to increase your fitness will become easier. You will be free from the hassles of smoking, such as smelling of smoke, or always having to make sure you have enough cigarettes.
You will save thousands of dollars a year that you can save or spend on other things. Your children will be less at risk from bronchitis, pneumonia , asthma , meningitis and ear infections. Help is available to quit If you could do with a hand, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about options to help you quit, or call Quitline for advice and support. How to reverse the health effects of smoking , Quit, Victoria. How to deal with the first few weeks , Quit, Victoria.
Withdrawal symptoms: what to expect , Quit, Victoria. How to deal with stress when you quit , Quit, Victoria. Cost of smoking , Quit, Victoria. Give feedback about this page. Was this page helpful? Yes No.
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