Giving up cigarettes is never easy and aside from all the cravings, there are many nasty side-effects of nicotine withdrawal. There’s no real way to avoid these sadly, but if you are prepared for what’s going to happen, then at least you can ensure you have the right treatments on hand to help make the process more bearable – perhaps investing in some painkillers or a top electronic cigarette.
Here are just a few of the side effects you can expect after kicking the habit…
Headaches
You’re likely to start having a few headaches after quitting for many reasons. Your oxygen levels are lowered whilst smoking and when you stop, they begin to rise again. Your body won’t be used to these higher levels or be expecting to return to them once again, so it can leave your brain a bit out of sorts. Headaches may also be triggered by the other side effects we’re going to cover, such as a lack of sleep or changes to your appetite.
Increased appetite
Speaking of appetites, yours could well increase during a period of nicotine withdrawal. It’s an unfortunate side effect and a lot of it is to do with replacing the motion of smoking with something else. Whether it’s needing to have something in your hands, taking a break from an activity or simply trying to distract yourself from your cravings, your uses for food will quite likely change. In addition, nicotine is a known appetite suppressant, so although it may seem like you have an increased appetite, it may actually just be reverting to the levels you experienced before you started smoking.
Mood swings
It’s to be expected that you’ll be feeling psychologically fragile after quitting smoking. After all, when your brain/body is used to receiving a certain substance, not having it any more will provoke a state of shock. That’s why when people give up cigarettes, they can find their mood changes quite rapidly throughout the day. One minute you could be feeling really down in the dumps, the next irritable and later on, happy. There isn’t a lot you can do to prevent this but what you can do is warn yourself and those around that it’s going to happen. If you let your partners, friends, family and colleagues know, then they’ll recognise that isn’t you talking – it’s simply the withdrawal symptoms wreaking havoc with your system.
Psychological changes
In addition to the changing mood, you’ll also experience some other psychological symptoms – such as increased anxiety, paranoia and insomnia. You may find you have difficulty concentrating, too or feel frustrated, or restless. Although you may not be affected by all of these, you should expect them – just in case – so try to have some things on hand to help you get through it.







