There are ways to manage nicotine withdrawal leading to better health.
When you quit smoking, the body needs to get used to not getting its daily nicotine fix. The good news is while uncomfortable. You can manage it to make your life better.
Understanding Your Withdrawal
The withdrawal comes with uncomfortable symptoms when stopping getting nicotine. The primary additive in cigarettes and other Tabaco forms is an addictive drug. The most awful part for smokers is going through the diverse withdrawal symptoms the first few weeks. However, everyone experiences this differently.
- There are instance of cravings to smoke
- Hungrier than usual, leading to weight gain
- Trouble concentrating and thinking clearly
- Emotions of feeling miserable, restless, irritable, or sad
- Emotional Triggers Causing Withdrawal
Mood changes and negative feelings happen at the same time during your withdrawal. Sometimes in women, it can be a powerful smoking trigger. Learning how to deal with your emotional symptoms of quitting is essential to stay smokefree. You can try these tips:
- Beat withdrawal by exploring other ways to control it. You can find many tools available to deal with your cravings, triggers, and withdrawal.
- Build your coping skills in a healthy way to handle all the emotional triggers without relapsing to smoking a cigarette.
- If everything else fails, consider using medication such as nicotine replacement therapy to manage your withdrawal-related cravings.
Get Support to Prevent a Slip or Relapse
Having withdrawal symptoms is challenging when quitting. Many non-smokers feel the need to smoke to feel better. Get the best support to avoid this happening.
- Let your friends and family know you are quitting and lean on them for support. Ask them to be patient and supportive as you face a challenging path when stopping.
- Join a smoke-free community to find other smokers experiencing the same symptoms you have for support.
- Alternatively, get 24/7 encouragement and tips to stay on the track signing up online for assistance or text Quit to 47848.
- Connect with trained quit-smoking counselors or chant on the LiveHelp line to someone.
Depression from Withdrawal
Going through negative mood changes is normal after quitting smoking. Some feel sad, while others feel irritable or restless. However, if you feel down and it remains for two weeks, it can be from depression. To find out if you are depressed, do the following quiz. Try not to smoke and talk to your doctor for options to help treat your depression to remain smokefree.
Get Help Seven Days a Week
If you need desperate help, contact a crisis center at 1-800-273-TALK or call the 1-800-SUICIDE free. For personal assistance, you can dial 911. Sometimes you may think about hurting yourself and want to die. If you are in this situation or know someone feeling this way, get help NOW.
The SAMHSA is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services available 24/7 to help. For more information, click through to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website today to help.