Fight the Cravings of Nicotine Withdrawal

You made a big decision to stop the smoking habit. You are dealing with the cravings well, until the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal made the ordeal more difficult for you. Is this the time for you to rekindle your broken relationship with cigarettes, or will you go on with what you have started—courageously enduring the difficulties of quitting until you win in the end?

What is it in smoking that makes the habit very difficult to break? The answer is primarily nicotine, the highly addictive substance found in tobacco that causes pleasure and yes, and cravings. The symptoms of nicotine withdrawal usually start within hours and reach its peak two to three days after your last puff. However, they can last for days, even weeks, depending on the level of the smoker’s cigarette addiction.

It is not surprising for quitters to experience the difficulties of withdrawal. In some cases, it the symptoms include: irritability, low energy, sleep troubles, intense cravings to smoke, dry throat, dizziness, headache, nausea, anxiety, depression, and many more. The cravings to smoke again is one of the toughest challenges among all, and failing it means putting all your started efforts into waste. Do not let yourself be tempted to get back into the deadly habit again, but break it once and for all by properly handling the cravings and learning to cope with them.

Here are some things you might want to do when you feel the urge to smoke.

• Change your routine. If you have a habit to smoke every work break, go into places where you will not be allowed to smoke then. Chat with your co-workers, eat a sandwich, or get your phone to play a game, you can also do some stretching to keep yourself energized and focused into your goal. As much as possible, avoid situations where you will most likely smoke, especially at the peak of nicotine withdrawal.

• Exercise regularly. Not only that exercise is an important factor for a healthy lifestyle, it is also a great way to reduce the cravings, relieve stress, and improve your mood, it can also keep you out of possible weight gain that many smoking quitters normally experience.

• Take deep breaths. When you feel like smoking, visualize yourself filling your lungs with fresh air. Not the poisonous smoke tobacco emits. Relax for a while and think of health benefits filling your system without cigarette smoke.

• Plan a substitute/alternative. Eat a healthy snack, have a piece of mint, or chew a sugarless gum when you feel the urge to smoke.

• Drink plenty of fluids. It will be more advantageous if you will temporarily ditch alcohol and caffeine out of your system while you are in the quitting process, particularly if you can associate them with smoking.

• Reward yourself. Smoking is an expensive habit, and you might are not aware of how big the amount you are spending for cigarette packs unless you quit. Set aside the money you usually spend for cigarette, and use it for a vacation or a purchase to treat yourself. Your efforts being rewarded is something you can be proud of.