One of the biggest challenges of trying to quit smoking is dealing successfully with the side effects; the severity of which would depend upon how long you have been a smoker. Withdrawal symptoms are part and parcel of quitting smoking, and these can be psychological as well as chemical / physical effects. Therefore, if you are trying to quit smoking, it is important that you address both the chemical / physical addiction as well as mental (habit driven) side effects.
If you have been smoking longer than a couple of months, then trying to quit 'cold turkey' or drastically reducing your quota will almost certainly result in side effects arising from the chemical addiction. These could start within the first few hours of your last smoke, and would reach a peak after about 2-3 days, as this is how long it takes for nicotine to totally flush out from your system. The resultant withdrawal symptoms can then last for weeks, but they do get better with each passing day.
This makes it important that you chart out a plan of how you would deal with the resultant side effects when you do quit smoking. While most of these effects are short term, their intensity can often leave you feeling quite drained, and you should be prepared at the very onset.
Given below are some of the common side effects that accompany efforts made to quit smoking, and also some ideas on how you can overcome these effects.
Weight Gain:
Many people find that they gain weight after they decide quit smoking. There are many physical and mental reasons this occurs. Smokers can burn around 200 calories everyday owing to the increased body metabolism associated with chemical affects of smoking. Therefore, in the absence of smoking, your body would have an extra 200 calories per day to deal with, while also having an increased appetite stemming from the decrease in your body's metabolism. (which would only add more calories).
Smokers can habitually tend to avoid mid-meal snacks in favour of a cigarette break, and after making the decision to quit smoking, as well increasing appetite, they replace the habitual cigarette break with eating something and further imbalance the calorie balance of their diet.
There are some easy ways to avoid weight gain when you quit smoking if you are proactive. For starters, following a nutritional diet and getting some extra exercise, and if needed, getting a professional to chart out a plan for you, will not only help in managing your weight, but it will have other positive effects to help avoid the side effects of smoking withdrawal. Try to increase your daily activity levels, and try to make exercising a part of your daily routine. Also try to refrain from snacking to fill the cigarette break void, but if you do make sure it's a healthy snack. Also it's a good idea to keep a track of your weight, even if this means weighing yourself every week.
Planning ahead is a good way to make sure that you can tackle this problem effectively. Simple measures such as stocking up on healthy snacks will help, and do try and avoid anything that is fried. Carrying fruits with you while you are out is a good idea, as you can always reach for one easily, without having to worry about what to eat. Staying away from sugary carbonated drinks is definitely suggested, and you could switch to sugar free drinks. Also, don't forget to drink plenty of water, as, amongst other things, this would also help control your appetite and individual meal volumes.
Remember, if gaining weight is a concern when you quit smoking, a healthy well balanced diet coupled with exercise will help ensure that there is no significant change in your weight.
Low Blood Sugar:
A drop in your blood sugar level can trigger off some rather unpleasant withdrawals symptoms. This is because while you are smoking the nicotine that your body absorbs plays a vital role in the release of stored sugars and fats that your body needs for energy, while also inhibiting the natural use of insulin. However, once you stop smoking, your body would need to start controlling these aspects on its own.
A drop in your blood sugar level can lead to bouts of dizziness and headaches, especially if the drop is rapid. However, these symptoms don't generally last for more than 3-4 days. Low blood sugar levels can also lead to your being irritable, because your body would tend to become imbalanced and your brain can find it hard to cope with the accompanying stress. In such instances, you can find relief by taking deep breaths.
Low blood sugar can also lead to your being hungry all the time, and if you do continue to give in to your hunger pangs, weight gain could very well follow. Remember that while your body might think that it needs additional food, it actually does not. Eating plenty of fruit and drinking plenty of fluids (water is best) is a good way to keep your blood sugar levels in check.
Concentration Loss:
The loss in concentration that you face when you quit smoking can also be attributed to low blood sugar. Coupled with your body now having increased oxygen levels in its blood, this makes it difficult for your body to cope with. These opposing signals to the brain can lead it to be in a state of temporary confusion, thereby causing loss in concentration.
Remember that your body needs some time to adjust to living without nicotine stimulation, and that this is a symptom that should not last for more than a few weeks.
Depression:
While there is no conclusive evidence that links quitting smoking to depression, if you have suffered from depression in the past, or if you have an underlying depression problem, then stopping smoking may possibly bring it to the forefront. While mood swings can accompany other withdrawal symptoms, if you find yourself being depressed for a prolonged period, seeking professional help is definitely suggested.
At all times, bear in mind that every symptom will pass with time, and you should feel better with every new day. And if do you do feel like lighting up again, remind yourself of the side effects that you've already had to battle, and ask yourself if you want to go through them again.
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