When a person who is highly addicted to nicotine by smoking everyday and depends on it on a routine but suddenly reduces the intake, he might experience a lot of side effects as the body has to adapt without it. It causes emotional disturbances and strong cravings, and sometimes a lot of discomfort and mood swings while carrying out the daily routine. These temporary consequences are termed as nicotine withdrawal syndrome.
Some of the symptoms of this syndrome include irritability, intense headaches and craving for a puff during the quitting process. The degree of this syndrome depends on the age of the person, how long he or she has been smoking in the past and the average frequency of smoking on a daily basis.
Chain smokers are affected much more than occasional or social smokers. Generally, these people tend to have a smoke as the first task in the morning or during coffee breaks, and it becomes highly difficult for them when they have to live without it. People tend to suffer from loss of concentration, restlessness, panting and perspiration, tension, insomnia, dizziness, irregular sleeping patterns, lowering levels of physical activity, constant fatigue and drowsiness, increased appetite as well as frequent headaches. Some people even feel the consequence while cutting down the frequency of smoking or the number of smokes during the day. The other common symptoms include anger, depression, anxiety and impaired performance level.
The withdrawal symptoms are generally at peak during the first 24 hours of abstinence from the drug (nicotine) and the body finds it very difficult to adapt to this. The symptoms are very high during the first week of trying to quit. During the last 2 to 4 weeks, hunger levels are high and the craving for cigarettes becomes very intense. This is actually quite a challenging period as the smokers can experience cough, dreams, mouth ulcers and constipation.
Many people can quit smoking without help while some seek their close friends (who are generally ex-smokers or non-smokers). Generally, chain smokers can quit smoking within 30 days of determination if they really mean to quit. Severe addiction cases require the help of therapeutic centres to get over the habit.
However, smokers who have quit generally find their moods and self-control much better. They are able to perform in a better manner in their personal as well as professional domains.
The general thumb rule for smokers who want to quit is that they should remember that the withdrawal symptoms are normal, and it is worth the stress and trauma for a short period than continuing to be addicted and cause severe (sometimes fatal) damage to the body. They should also remember that the symptoms would die away after a few weeks of working on it.
Many times, people who take unstable decisions can attend counselling sessions before and while taking the steps to quit. This would give constant reassurances to improve the quality of life better and to also get back your normal mood and concentration.
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