Many of the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal seem obvious. However, many signs are often disregarded as something else. Nicotine addiction itself can be hard to recognize; this makes the withdrawal symptoms hard to recognize as well. By understanding these signs and symptoms, you can better recognize if you are reaching a point of addiction and get the help you need to recover.
Strong Cravings or Urges
One of the simplest withdrawal symptoms is having strong urges to continue smoking. If you notice you are craving nicotine and are consistently drawn toward it, you are reaching a level of addiction. This can make quitting nicotine use difficult because these cravings only intensify when not catered to for a while. Working through these cravings and avoiding giving in to them can be extremely challenging, but doing so is essential to help your body get used to not having the substance.
To help you work through cravings, nicotine replacement supplements can be useful. Keeping your mouth busy by snacking on something healthy or chewing gum or hard candies can ease the desire to smoke. A large aspect of desiring to smoke involves the physical act of it. Replacing this action with something else distracting can put off the cravings for a while.
Anger and Frustration
This is a common emotional factor that is present through nicotine addiction. Many individuals feel a calming sensation after smoking that may help them regulate their emotions. Without this substance, your mind has trouble coping with stress on its own after relying on nicotine to calm you.
To work through heightened levels of anger and frustration, try implementing exercise or meditation when you feel these emotions coming into play. These heightened emotions are temporary and can be worked through without the use of substances. Allow yourself to cope with your emotions and self-regulate them. Avoiding caffeine during this period can also help you control your feelings of frustration.
Flu-Like Symptoms
Many individuals find within their first week of quitting smoking, they may catch some kind of flu or cold going around. This is often due to the symptoms of withdrawal and the presentation of flu-like effects. Nicotine withdrawal can cause an individual to show symptoms of coughing, sneezing, restlessness, dizziness, headaches, constipation, and possible mouth ulcers. Many individuals see these symptoms and assume they must be sick; however, these could be symptoms of withdrawal. This can be hard to work through, but fortunately, these feelings typically only last up to a week after the initial quitting.
Drinking plenty of water and taking care of your body as if you were sick can help you overcome this period. Treat your body with the care it needs and work to maintain adequate nutrients for your body to function properly and overcome these symptoms.
Weight Gain
Weight loss is a common side effect of smoking. When quitting, you may worry that you will gain a drastic amount of weight because of your appetite increase. Some individuals develop diabetes or obesity through this process; however, this does not happen to everyone. This potential risk is important to be aware of to ensure you are managing your overall health during the process of recovery. Continuing to rely on nicotine to manage your weight will only increase the chances of weight gain being a problematic withdrawal effect in the future.
It is common for your appetite to increase, especially in the first few days after quitting. Working to eat healthy snacks and watching your portion size is important if you want to avoid weight gain during this period. Usually, if you can work through a few weeks of this to adjust to your appetite, you can prevent weight gain from being a long-term issue.
Unstable or Low Moods
Withdrawal symptoms may bring upon high levels of irritability, anxiousness, anger, and depressive thoughts. These emotions are often heightened within the first few weeks of withdrawal and may be a huge hurdle to overcome during the first few weeks. Once you have worked past this phase, however, these negative mental health symptoms are greatly diminished.
After quitting smoking and the use of nicotine, most individuals find their overall mental health drastically improves after the initial withdrawal period. Getting past the beginning phase can be challenging, but ensuring you are doing everything you can to keep your mental health in check can help you to push through and see the positive mental health effects in the end. This can encourage you to continue your recovery after experiencing these positive effects by seeing how beneficial your new mental state is.
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance, the danger of which can go unnoticed for a long time. There are many withdrawal symptoms to expect when quitting nicotine to ensure you are prepared to work through recovery. These signs and symptoms may be intensified during the first few weeks of withdrawal; however, they will diminish quickly without further use of nicotine products. The withdrawal process commonly involves strong cravings, anger and frustration, flu-like symptoms, weight gain, and changes in mental health. Fortunately, getting over the initial hurdle of quitting can lead you to high success in these areas in the future. There are many ways to keep your focus on recovery during this time. To learn more about the potential signs and symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and how to cope with them, reach out to Dream Recovery today at (949) 732-1960.