Smoking Withdrawal Symptoms and How to Best Avoid Them
Author: Mike Didcky
The decision to quit smoking is a healthy lifestyle choice. But it is not an easy one.When you quit smoking, you may discover the development of multiple side effect, which are difficult to get through and can lead to people taking up smoking again. So how do you avoid these side effects, or at the very least minimize them?
It is important to do your research, and know what kind of side effects you might experience. The more you know in advance, the less of a surprise they will be and the easier it will be to deal with them. Remember that side effects are both physical, such as headaches and increased appetite, and also mental – as you force your body to change its habits, you also have to change your behavioral patterns.
There are aids you can use to help with the physical side effects. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is a common avenue of approach. NRT includes patches, gum, inhalers, etc., that contain nicotine and work by gradually reducing the nicotine intake. These can help minimize the physical effect of cutting nicotine out, but also have the downside of actually containing nicotine, which can lead to a relapse in smoking. There are also nicotine-free aids which can help, such as Zyban, which has been shown to seriously reduce the physical withdrawal symptoms of nicotine. You can buy generic Zyban at better supplied online pharmacy stores..
Help groups are also available, and can be found both locally to you and online. Connecting with other people who are going through the same side effects as you can help you mentally cope with the effects of quitting smoking. This is especially true of the mental side effects, such as changes to your behavioral patterns, which you will undergo when you quit smoking.
It is important to research the difficulties that you will experience when you quit smoking. But remember that these can be overcome, and your new, smoke-free lifestyle will hold immense health benefits for the future.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/smoking-withdrawal-symptoms-and-how-to-best-avoid-them-1184212.html
About the Author
medic pharma is your source of information for all things mental health related. Feeling stressed? Anxious? Depressed? Find out whether what your experiencing is normal, or whether you would benefit from treatment. Learn how to deal with your symptoms and learn tips for coping.
[TEMPLATE]cannibis[/TEMPLATE]
i quit smoking 3 years ago, but since then i been having episodes of depression is it the withdrawal symptoms?
hello Joe, I am a smoker too so trying to stop is a pain I can see for most people & u are amongst these. It really does not matter how may or how much U r smoking,,,it is how much will power U have in that brain of urs.
First U have to be firm to urself & U ahve to make up ur mind, self determination is all U ahve drum into ur head.
a) Each time U light a ciggie, U just go puff it like U hate the taste. Leave it ion the ash tray to burn & each time U look at it, U think of teh $$$ U are burning,,,how much U could have saved if U did not BURN THE $$$$??
b) GO WASH UR HANDS & MOUTH & BRUSH UR TEETH. After U have rinsed off U feel the clean fresh smell in ur face & ur mouth & U DONT SMELL OF THE ASH TRAY,,,RIGHT???
c) Find something to do that will take ur mind off looking for something U feel U r missing, the bad smell, the nicotine, the awful taste,,,,U suck on a nice mint but do not have too much of this too.
When U go out, U look around U & u have this clean air with no ciggies smell & u think ,,,”WOW!! NO BAD SMELL IN THE AIR IN THIS PLACE ,,,,SO NO SMOKING ,,,,THEN I SHOULD NOT SMOKE TOO. Now keep this up & u have not touched a ciggie for some hours now.
Suddenly U feel U have to have the ciggie,,,,ok after at least 4 hours U then go have one ,,,but,,,U remember,,,the bad taste,,,& u make a awful face in front of people when U light up,,,U make it such U r also disgusted with this bad smell & U r polluting the air for others around U too.
By now U do as I do,,,when U go out from the time U get up from bed,,,wash up,,,breakfast,,,,then off to work & dont smoke & the entire day no smoking & u will watch someone light up but U just sit & look with disgust & not ,,how U miss the ciggie.
Go home & bu then U can jsut light up 1 but that is it & go do something & U take ur mind off this & u fix a meal & place the papers in front of U to read & take ur mind off.
So each day U go the whole day with no smokign & only when U r back U light up ,,,but U limit urself to just not more than 5 till U go to bed.
This way U have managed to control urself & U ahve smokes less, & each time after U go wash ur mouth & brush ur teeth & each time U do this it will lessen ur smoking.
Perhaps U need not give it up totally ,,YET!! but U can keep woking on this & if U r married & ur wife is pregnant U stop smokign so she can breathe clean air & not let the baby smell this. If U ahve kids U dotn smoke in the house too but U go outside the yard & U make sure U wash Ur mouth again & hands.
good luck Joe,,,,
Depression?
I’m going through a really hard time at the moment. I’m fifteen and in year 10 at school. Not so long ago I got into drugs and alcohol and started smoking a lot. I got in a lot of trouble with school and the social services, so I stopped. I suffered withdrawal symptoms at first and was seeing a counsellor at school but decided to stop seeing her. As a result of everything, I’m failing almost all my gcse classes and I’ve lost quite a few close friends. Right now I’m trying to get my life back to normal, but having a really hard time doing it. I feel really down at night, and it feels like I’m not really going towards anything in my life. To be honest all I’m carrying on for is a guy I really like, one of my close friends, but he is slowly drifting away. I keep giving myself false hope about him – I’ve tried everything to stop feeling like this about him. It just feels like everything in my life is pointless, even though I feel fine in the day. I get really angry at myself and
generally upset. I really often feel like giving up totally, I think up weird things in my head and upset myself even more. I can’t stand feeling like this. I get a weird feeling in my chest every time I think about him and I feel sick. I know I have no chance with him and I’m scared I’ll go back to drugs or do something stupid. Please help me
Sorry, but why does everyone say ‘forget about him’ and ‘you’re too young’? It’s so patronising, I’m not stupid and I know how I feel about someone
I’m sorry you are suffering. These are tough times and you are at a really tough age with extenuating problems like social services. Hang in there! Actually what you are experiencing, especially with the boy, is very common and it is AWFUL. It’s like you are addicted to him and in a way you are. You are learning things the hard way, but you are learning. Man, you have a WHOLE life ahead of you. You write very well and sound intelligent. This is a plus. I know things feel hopeless and the emotional pains even hurt physically, but this tough time will pass. Life will get better. Just please, DON’T start doing drugs again. I swear drugs and alcohol are life killers, especially for addictive personalities. I think it’s really important to keep reminding yourself of the things you love. It’s really important that you see a counselor that you like. Actively try to find one. Ask into it. You are unique and important. God loves you desperately in spite of everything and calls you to come to Him. If you don’t know him, pray to Jesus. Look and find out about him. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. The only way you can live a truly peaceful life is to follow him. Good luck. I’ll pray for you =]
marijuana depression and withdrawal?
ever since i started smoking weed daily a few times a day i lost my my regular enjoyment in life and i lost my social skills..i wasnt able to talk to anyone or make funny jokes or have a good relationship with friends. before i was very funny, energetic and a cool kid to hang around..all went opposite after smoking weed daily. and slowly was losing my friends because i was so quiet,shy,boring, and all the bad social things..i quit 3 weeks ago and im feeling very depressed,boring,im not funny and my friends are slowly leaving me and i feel like im gonna be a loser with no friends and being lonely all day..i have thought about suicide because i couldnt live with losing my great friends i use to have so much fun with which ive had since kindergarten. now im just a boring/not funny/ person and dont make anyone happy or laugh anymore..i feel like i ruin my friends time like im never gonna be back to the way i use to be..anyone know if this is normal or am i permanently destroyed.?
hey man,
i went through exactly the same thing except i left my weed smoking friends behind.
i didnt feel like i could quit while around them so isolated my only friends. no other people would really get too close to me apart from other weed smokers and all were pretty dull.
the recovery from such a potentially destructive drug is gradual, if u were a funny person your humour will come back in time and especially through social interaction.
i kinda felt like i was starting fresh with my personality as well as my friends so expect to feel like a blank canvas.
im not sayin its normal to go through the process but now im well liked, blatently respected as an equal (the weed smokin made me feel a bit less than every1(paranoia) when i am not)
i have a beautiful girlfriend and went back to college until i worked my way up to the level i should of hit straight after school (if i would have gone)
i arnt the richest dude alive but i feel like after coming through the dark i have rebuilt myself, colours are how they used to be when i was a kid and im smiling and laughing again.
please dont worry about the suicidle thoughts, u are not a freak…sometimes u feel theres no point but you just cant see it thats all.
you now have 1 friend at least
give me the chance to worth living for and ill giv u sum1 to talk to weneva u need to…we got a deal?
nicotine withdrawal depression and anxiety?
Hello, I smoked at least one pack a day for the past 4-5 years. I just quit abruptly cold turkey about 6 weeks ago. for 3 weeks I had anxiety and now I am feeling depressed. I have read that these are withdrawal side effects but I just want to know how long they will last? I was also thinking about asking my doc for wellbutrin to help with these symptoms. thanks in advance for the responses
EM
How well I remember the anxiety and the depression. I’m not going to tell you NOT to use medication, however, medication will have side effects, and if your depression is managable to some extent, I would say ride it out. Go to a gym, take a walk (exercise really does relieve stress and depression to an extent). If your symptoms are unbearable, don’t hesitate to tell a doctor that you’ve just quit smoking and ask them to recommend something to help you. My anxiety lasted about 2 weeks, my depression unfortunately lasted two months. It’s just a question of how much you can handle. Call the American Cancer Society…they will even call and check on you to see if you are feeling O.K.;letting you know that someone cares about what you are going through. Counselors are also onhand, meaning you don[‘t have to let them call you if you’d rather not. I found them very helpful. Congratulations on your decision. I know it’s kind of rough for you right now, but I think you can tell, you have a lot of people behind you on Yahoo! answers. Best of luck.
How long will withdrawal symptoms last if I quit smoking after smoking half a pack a day for three years?
I’m 23 and have been smoking half a pack of day for almost three years. I plan to quit, so I’d like to know how long I’m going to experience strong withdrawal symptoms. The worst fears I have about quitting is depression and irritability…How bad is it going to be?
I workout and have a healthy diet…I don’t know if that would be a factor.
Also, what are some ways to curb those symptoms?
OK forget all the BOGUS ads about stupid berries and bullshit remedy sites. You came here for an answer. Don’t pay any attention to those jerks that simply want to raise their points. I’m in it to actually help people.
Your withdrawal symptoms will last however long you LET them. I quit 6 months ago and have never looked back. My withdrawal lasted all of three days. Why? Because cigs finally and absolutely disgusted me in every way. Tell yourself that you are a drug addict and that cigs are heroin. They might as well be. You will feel f*****g awesome after you quit. You will have more money and smell better. you will be like “wtf didn’t I quit sooner??”
Quitting is 90% mental and 10% physical. Keep telling yourself that you are better than cigs. You can do it. Working out and having a healthy diet will absolutely be in your favor. You will be amazed at how much more you will be able to work out. Even you skin will be nicer!
You can do it.I’m pullin’ for ya!