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What is nicotine withdrawal?
When you quit smoking, you are likely to experience symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Nicotine is the chemical in cigarettes that makes them addictive.
Nicotine withdrawal is your body’s reaction to you no longer inhaling nicotine. It can be unpleasant, but it is temporary. Most of the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal will be completely gone after 6 months.
Why does nicotine cause withdrawal symptoms?
Nicotine causes withdrawal symptoms because it has created a chemical dependency (a physical need) for it in your body. Smoking cigarettes regularly makes your body expect a certain level of nicotine.
If you stop smoking, or reduce the amount of cigarettes you usually smoke, your nicotine levels will drop. As a result, your body goes through a withdrawal from nicotine which causes withdrawal symptoms.
Which symptoms does it cause?
Nicotine withdrawal can cause a whole range of symptoms, such as:
- desire or cravings for cigarettes
- headaches
- nausea (feeling sick)
- upset stomach (diarrhoea or constipation)
- tiredness, drowsiness or insomnia
- feeling irritable or grumpy
- anxiety or depression
- finding it difficult to concentrate on tasks
- increase in appetite (especially for sweet things)
Many ex-smokers report gaining weight after quitting smoking. The average weight gain for people who’ve stopped smoking is between 6-8 pounds (3-4kg) in the year after they quit.
However, if you watch your diet after quitting and ensure that you exercise enough you can prevent weight gain from quitting smoking.
How long can you experience withdrawal symptoms for?
Withdrawal symptoms are temporary and occur while your body adjusts to the drop of nicotine in your system.
Symptoms tend to be at their peak about two days (48 hours) after first stopping smoking. They should have disappeared completely after 6 months.
If withdrawal symptoms are still a concern after 6 months, talk to your doctor about getting some advice, support or treatment.
What you can do to combat withdrawal symptoms
The main strategies you can use to combat withdrawal symptoms are:
- Quit gradually: cut down on the number of cigarettes you smoke over time. Going cold turkey and quitting completely is more difficult and causes more withdrawal symptoms in the short-term. Only 3% of people who quit cold turkey stop permanently.
- Use nicotine replacement therapy (NRT): NRT combines nicotine replacement products (like gum, patches, sprays or lozenges) with behaviour therapy or counselling. NRT has been shown to double your chances of quitting successfully, compared to quitting by willpower alone. NRT can really help reduce feelings of frustration, cravings, or depression.
- Getting prescription medication from your doctor: Tablets like Zyban or Champix are medicated alternatives to NRT to help you stop smoking. Ask your nurse or doctor whether they think prescription medicines could help you.
Avoiding relapse
Lots of smokers have to try a few times before they quit smoking for good. Don’t let a relapse discourage you.
Certain behaviour changes help avoid a relapse:
- Manage your stress effectively. Get regular exercise and avoid stressful situations. Relaxing activities like yoga, tai chi or meditation may help you.
- Have a spring clean! If you used to smoke in your home, give your flat or house a proper clean to get rid of any tell-tale smells that might make you want to light up.
- Avoid your smoking triggers. If you tend to smoke more when you’re drinking alcohol or having your morning coffee, try avoiding booze or switching to tea for the first few weeks. This will help you break the connection your body’s made between specific activities and smoking cigarettes.
- Remember your reasons for quitting in the first place. Is your own health suffering from smoking? Are you worried about hurting your loved ones from secondhand smoke? Do you want to look younger and healthier? It helps to remind yourself of your personal motivation for quitting.
- Get help from those around you. Tell your family, friends or work colleagues that you’re quitting and ask them for encouragement. The NHS can also help put you in touch with support groups or counsellors so that you’re not going it alone.
- Reward yourself. Quitting smoking is a big achievement. Try to treat yourself along the way when you reach monthly or weekly milestones. You’ll be saving lots of money by giving up cigarettes: spend some of what you save on something fun to reward yourself.