What makes nicotine so addictive is the effect that it has on the brain; it alters the balance of two chemicals in your brain, Dopamine and Noradrenaline. When nicotine changes the levels of these chemicals, your mood and concentration levels are affected in a way that produces feelings of pleasure; while reducing stress and anxiety levels.
Since this is a change that happens very quickly when smoking a cigarette, it is incredibly easy for smokers to become dependent on this nicotine rush. Even a light smoker; someone who smokes less than 10 cigarettes on average every day, can be getting around hits of nicotine per day, every day. So you can see how smoking can be one of the most addictive habits to give up. Smoking increases the number of nicotine receptors in your brain. That adjustment process is what causes both cravings and withdrawal, and overcoming these withdrawal symptoms and cravings is one of the determining factors in whether you successfully quit or not.
Some of the symptoms you can experience with withdrawal include:. These symptoms usually last for around months after you quit; although symptoms like low levels of energy and irritability can take longer to go away than the others. Any effective smoking cessation program will have to consider this long adjustment period; the period of time it takes your nicotine receptors to go back to normal.
So to summarise, most people seeking to quit smoking will start to feel better after around a week, and all of the symptoms will have gone within three months. And in terms of nicotine withdrawal symptoms, this average is true across all types of smokers; heavy and light, so you should never be caught in the trap of thinking that it's too late to think about quitting.
The average timescale for people overcoming nicotine addiction is around 3 months. Now, create a place or situation in your mind that is calming and can divert your thoughts from the discomfort you may be feeling. This is a practice better known as guided imagery. The aim of the practice is to learn how to control your emotions rather than letting your emotions control you. Breathing is one of those unconscious functions we take for granted.
But, if you take a few minutes to control the rate and method of your breathing, inhaling, and exhaling with mindfulness , it can become a powerful tool to overcome cravings. This is a form of mind-body therapy in yoga known as pranayama in which you focus on the sensation of breathing as you control the pace of your inhalations and exhalations.
We often don't realize how dehydrated we can get during the course of a day. When this happens, it can trigger feelings of anxiety which, in turn, trigger the urge to smoke. This is a simple affirmation that allows you to overcome your ill emotions with hard intellect.
By weighing the pros and cons, you remind that there are benefits and consequences to every action. Writing it down helps reaffirm why you began this journey and what you need to do to succeed.
Moreover, putting it on paper will not only clarify your thoughts but prevent you from rationalizing any slips you may experience. This is all about distraction. Find something you enjoy doing that's easy to pick up and put down at a moment's notice. You could work a crossword puzzle or read a few pages from a novel. If you knit or crochet, you carry around a simple project to keep your hands busy and away from cigarettes. Avoid action-packed video games or any activity that is more likely to raise your blood pressure than lower it.
Anxiety or excitement can be a prime trigger for smoking that you need to avoid rather than incite. When blood sugar levels drop, the urge to smoke can seem stronger than ever. If faced with the urge to smoke, take the healthy choice and grab a nutritious snack like a piece of fruit, a cup of yogurt, or a tablespoon of peanut butter on a couple of saltines. On the other hand, avoid baked goods, chips, and candy bars that are often packed with saturated fats, high-fructose corn syrup, or refined carbohydrates.
Not only will these cause you to pack on the pounds , but they can also send your blood sugar on a rollercoaster ride and make cravings worse. If you are in distress, why go it alone?
Instead, take a few minutes to connect with someone you care about. Not only will your spirits be lifted, but your mind will also be distracted away from any thoughts of smoking. Moreover, if you share your feelings with a friend or loved one, you allow them to be part of the solution.
Doing so may also lift their spirits, as well. If you can't get away from your desk but are near a computer, you can access a number of smoking cessation forums and read how others have dealt with and survived nicotine withdrawal in the early days of quitting. But the health risks of smoking e-cigarettes are not yet known. They may be less harmful than smoking tobacco cigarettes, but there is currently insufficient research to confirm this.
E-cigarettes are available for purchase online. Counseling can help some people cope with the psychological and physical aspect of nicotine withdrawal. It can be a valuable addition alongside NRT. Counseling can help people to identify and address triggers that are preventing them from quitting. People should remember that many craving will only last for 15—20 minutes. This means that when someone feels a craving coming on, they can distract themselves in some way until it passes.
Many people find the following tips and strategies can help them cope with nicotine withdrawal symptoms:. Nicotine withdrawal symptoms can be uncomfortable and may feel overwhelming at times, particularly in the first week. Some people relapse because of this or are afraid of trying to quit. But many people successfully overcome the challenge of nicotine withdrawal because of the benefits of quitting.
Sometimes it can take a few tries before a person kicks the habit for good. A brief description of 11 helpful tips for people giving up smoking tobacco. Learn about the most effective methods about how to stop here. In this article…. The majority of cigarette, cigar and pipe smokers have nicotine dependency. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that leads to life-threatening…. Nicotine is the substance in tobacco that makes it highly addictive to people who smoke.
However, nicotine can harm the body on its own. This article…. Electronic cigarettes and vaping are popular among young people and people trying to quit smoking. This varies depending on how much you smoked and how long for. The cravings peak in 2 to 3 days and usually pass after 3 to 5 minutes.
You should stop getting them altogether after 4 to 6 weeks. You can also confuse cravings for food with cravings for nicotine and vice versa. You may have low moods or increased irritability and anxiety when you give up smoking. These feelings are temporary and get better within about 4 weeks. This can take 2 to 3 weeks to settle. Try to reduce caffeine tea, coffee, cola. Exercise can help too. Relax before bedtime with a book or a bath.
Your energy might increase after stopping smoking. This is because more oxygen is getting into your bloodstream as the carbon monoxide has left your body.
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