March 13, 2009
What Happens to Your Body When You Quit Smoking
In trying to stop smoking, it is crucial to take into account the benefits of a smoke free life - like, for instance, significant improvements in health for you and those you love, whiter and cleaner teeth, an absence of cigarette stench on your body and clothes, etc.. Of course, it is also important for you to know what you'll be dealing with. There are various obstacles that you have to conquer to completely kick the habit. The majority of these hurdles can be derived from outside variables, but most problems originate from inside your body as smoking cessation side effects.
The first step in quitting smoking is knowing what you will go through. An understanding of what lies ahead is the best way to cope with the adverse effects of quitting. A lack of awareness about what lies ahead will impede you and sidetrack you from your goal of quitting. Even though the repercussions of giving up cigarettes can be awfully unpleasant, remember that these are often fleeting and can be easily dealt with.
Psychological & Physical Effects of Stopping Smoking
The effects of stopping smoking can be grouped as psychological and physical. The first 2 weeks are known to be the hardest, as symptoms may exacerbate in 48-72 hours after quitting smoking. These side effects will fully diminish only after twelve weeks, and only then will you feel entirely comfortable once more.
Psychological Side Effects
The earliest psychological symptom of smoking cessation consists of irritability, anxiety, as well as an excessive impulse to smoke once more. In due time, you can encounter a trembling of your feet and hands, and also extreme sweating. Afterward, you will likely go through intense depression that comes with nicotine withdrawal. This preliminary depression will probably present as grief, such that you believe that you suffer from the loss of something important. Your best response is to just endure this sensation of sadness, keeping in mind that this is just a normal stage in your body's healing process. Permit yourself to acknowledge your "loss" and wait for it to pass. On top of depression, you may also encounter insomnia, mood swings, confusion, as well as emotions resembling helplessness, vulnerability, and neediness.
This initial depression may likely develop to permanent depression, in particular in cases where the individual involved has a related predisposition.
Physical Side Effects
The physical symptoms of stopping smoking are gastrointestinal problems such as intestinal cramps, constipation, nausea, and headaches. You will likely additionally experience various respiratory difficulties like frequent colds because both lungs are starting to clear.
Moreover, a good number of smokers have been reported to have gained excess weight after discontinuing to smoke, though this may not apply to everyone. If your body's figure is a significant issue, you are encouraged to do physical exercises to compensate.
Understand the potential effects of smoking cessation can protect you from these conditions as they manifest. Remember that the quit smoking side effects will frequently pass after a few short weeks. The only permanent impact of quitting smoking is a positive one, that of a distinctive improvement in your wellbeing and health.
Filed under About Addiction by Amy Hudson













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