Cigarettes contain a lethal cocktail of chemicals which as any smoker should know can result in a number of fatal health consequences such as cancer, lung disease and heart disease to name but a few.
Of adult smokers the estimates suggest around 80% would like to stop smoking for either health, financial or social reasons but nicotine withdrawal symptoms often result in attempts to stop smoking being short lived with a quick relapse and return to smoking.
As a new smoker one or two cigarettes may have been adequate but the drug nicotine quickly results in chemical dependence as the nervous system adapts to nicotine resulting in the need to increase the number of cigarettes smoked each day in order to reach an adequate nicotine blood level which then needs to be maintained to avoid nicotine withdrawal.
Once a smoker decides to quit smoking the nicotine blood level begins to drop within 2 hours of the final cigarette and soon results in a number of physical and psychological cigarette withdrawal symptoms.
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Nicotine Withdrawal - Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms
Knowing what the most common nicotine withdrawal symptoms are before giving up smoking will place you in a better position to deal with withdrawal and also give you time in advance to prepare for these temporary but challenging and uncomfortable side effects. These withdrawal symptoms may include all or some of the following and include:
Physical Withdrawal Symptoms Include:
- Cravings - As mentioned above, upon smoking cessation the nicotine blood level drops and within 6-12 hours lead to the most basic of withdrawal symptoms and an intense urge for nicotine and to smoke a cigarette.
- Headaches - Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen within the blood stream and the increased oxygen to the brain after stopping smoking can result in excruciating headaches or dizziness. Headaches resulting from stopping smoking may also partly be due to the tension around giving up smoking cigarettes
- Physical Sickness - Nausea and vomiting can affect some people after stopping smoking and others may experience flu like symptoms (smoker's flu) with nasal congestion, tightness in chest and a sore throat, while others experience digestion problems such as indigestion, constipation or diarrhoea.
- Smokers Cough - Many people develop a smoker's cough or notice an increase in coughing after stopping smoking and as annoying as this is, it is in fact a symptom of recovery rather than withdrawal symptom as the body begins the process of detoxifying and the lungs begin to clear out the gunk that has accumulated through smoking.
- Increase in Appetite - Nicotine is an appetite suppressant and after stopping smoking many people focus turns to food or they mistake the cravings to smoke for hunger pangs. In one study weight gain after stopping smoking was found to be 2.8 Kg for men and 3.8 Kg for women.
Psychological Withdrawal Symptoms Include:
- Mood Swings - An offshoot of nicotine cravings and with these cravings not being met most people can become irritable, impatient and agitated and with a short fuse can blow their top at the smallest of stresses and become cranky around other people.
- Poor Concentration and Retention - Nicotine is a stimulant and increases alertness and another temporary side effect of withdrawal is impaired concentration resulting in some basic tasks seeming impossible with focus and retention diminished.
- Depression - Nicotine has an antidepressant effect since it stimulates the production of feel good chemicals within the brain and although a less common nicotine withdrawal symptom the symptoms of depression can occur after stopping smoking and is more likely to occur in those with a history of depressive disorders. If symptoms of depression persist you should consult your doctor.
- Sleep Disturbances - While some people suffer from fatigue and drowsiness after stopping smoking with a need to sleep excessively other people suffer from insomnia and sleepless nights resulting from brain wave functioning and anxiety associated with quitting smoking and others may even have dreams about cigarettes.
The duration of time that withdrawal symptoms are experienced will be variable between individuals and while some people will suffer only a few symptoms others will suffer the full spectrum of withdrawal symptoms and the intensity of nicotine withdrawal symptoms will also be dependent on the number of cigarettes smoked each day rather than the duration of time that a smoker has been smoking and estimates suggest that around 20% of ex-smokers will still experience occasional cravings to smoke cigarettes even years after becoming a non-smoker.
When giving up smoking and going through withdrawal it's important to keep your reasons for stopping smoking firmly in mind and remember that nicotine withdrawal symptoms are temporary and an overall small price to pay compared to the long term consequences of smoking.
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