Withdrawal Smoking Effects: What You Can Expect
Anyone who is planning to give up smoking is in for a very challenging task that will likely result in numerous failed attempts before the habit is finally dropped for good. Nicotine addiction is definitely one of the hardest things to be cured of, and any smoker that has tried to quit will normally go through a number of withdrawal symptoms that make the task that much more challenging.
Nicotine affects the body in numerous complex ways. The initial hit or puff off a cigarette instantly sends signals to the pleasure sensors of the brain, causing the smoker to become more alert and at ease. The problem is that these sensors develop a resistance to the nicotine sensations over time, and the pleasurable feeling that was once felt with a single cigarette requires more and more amounts of nicotine in order to be felt. The pleasurable sensations also disappear quite quickly, leaving the smoker feeling down, less energized…and craving for another cigarette. It is a vicious cycle that has caused millions of people to be hopelessly addicted for many years.
As mentioned earlier, withdrawal smoking effects are some of the hardest things that a would-be smoker has to deal with. Soon after the last cigarette is smoked, the body starts to feel the lack of nicotine and struggles to cope. It is pretty much like a sugar rush, in which the initial burst of energy quickly dissipates, leaving the body starved for more of the substance that caused the reaction in the first place.
When you give up smoking, some of the withdrawal smoking effects you are likely to experience are depression, insomnia, nausea, craving for foods (especially sweets), irritability, and perhaps even a general feeling of illness. While insomnia or nighttime sleeplessness is a common symptom, you may also conversely feel an overpowering urge to sleep during the day.
As for the food cravings associated with smoking withdrawal, many would be quitters attempt to rectify this by eating. With sweets being the most common food crutch of smoking quitters, this can create an excess of food consumption, which so often leads to obesity. This is the primary reason why so many quitters gain weight shortly after quitting smoking.
How do you deal with withdrawal smoking effects? There is no easy way to do that in most cases, and you will simply have to grin and bear it while the craving for nicotine leaves your system. However, you can help the process along somewhat by drinking plenty of water, getting lots of rest and exercise, and possibly sucking on hard candies to help you deal with the oral fixation associated with a smoking habit.
