Side Effects After Quitting Smoking

The side effects you experience when you quit smoking are what make it so difficult to stay smoke free. There are both psychological and physical side effects that can be equally crippling. The main reason for these effects is that cigarettes contain nicotine, which is a highly addictive substance. This is because of how it's able to influence hormones released in the brain, making you think that you need a cigarette. Many people find that having a cigarette in a stressful situation helps to relax them, when in fact it's just temporarily satisfying the brain's craving for nicotine.

Quit smoking effects

Quitting smoking can affect our bodies in many different ways, not just physically but also psychologically. However, in order to cope with them effectively, it is helpful to know what to expect so that you can prepare for them.

When you are dependent on cigarettes, stopping smoking can cause you some discomfort. These effects may range from diarrhoea and headaches to agitation and the shakes. These effects don't normally last more than a couple of days, but they can test even the most determined smoker's reserve.

One of the main reasons people find that they start smoking again after giving up is the emotional and psychological effect nicotine withdrawal has on them. This is especially amplified if you often use smoking as a way to deal with stressful day-to-day situations or to help you relax.

Coping with the effects of quitting smoking

There is no single method of quitting smoking that guarantees success. In fact, according to statistics on average it takes up to five attempts to give it up indefinitely. There are many coping mechanisms that can be used to deal with quit smoking effects.

If you quit cold turkey you need to have strong willpower and be extremely determined to give up. Take each day one at a time to avoid setting unrealistic goals. Aim to get to the end of a day without smoking, and then do it again the following day.

To help ease quit smoking effects, tell your friends and family that you are giving up. Additional support is also useful when you quit. Even better, find someone else who want to give up, and do it together.

Preparing for withdrawal

If you're prepared for withdrawal symptoms, you can think of ways to help you cope with them. For example, your hands will fall idle, as you won't be smoking anymore, so perhaps try and do something to keep them busy. Read, knit, cook or write, anything to keep your hands active.

If you start feeling drained during the day, yet cannot sleep at night, then work up your level of exercise. If you are physically tired after a good workout, you will sleep naturally and more peacefully.

You could also choose to use an aid to help you quit. There are many smoking cessation medications available that can help make the quitting process easier. Champix, for example, is a medication that inhibits the receptors in the brain that react to nicotine, so you will experience fewer cravings and find quitting easier. You can also deal better with quit smoking effects and nicotine withdrawal with nicotine replacement treatments, available in patch, spray and gum form.

Another way to cope with quit smoking effects is to simply consider what the effects of passive smoking have on your friends and family, the increased risk of smoking and impotence, and the potential damage you are doing to yourself with every cigarette.

Quit smoking with Champix