Nicotine Withdrawal: How To Deal

October 10, 2018

Congratulations! You’ve made the decision to better your health and kick your smoking addiction to the curb. That alone can be the hardest part of the quitting process, and you should be proud that you’ve taken that step. KwikMed’s team of U.S. licensed physicians provides people like you access to Chantix, a prescription smoking cessation drug, to help kickstart your smoke-free journey. You may feel like the toughest part is over, right? Unfortunately, most cases show that it’s not.

Withdrawal symptoms can be the most draining and painful part of the quitting process to get through. According to the NAABT, withdrawal “consists of a predictable group of signs and symptoms resulting from abrupt removal of, or a rapid decrease in the regular dosage of, a psychoactive substance.” Nicotine, an addictive agent found in all tobacco products including cigarettes, makes it incredibly difficult to quit smoking once it’s become a common habit. And because the withdrawal process can be so harsh (even with the help of cessation medication), it’s important to be prepared to deal with it in a healthy way. A great first step is to make sure you have a strong support system, who will motivate you to stay on track.

To help, we’ve outlined a few things to keep in mind about how to deal with possible withdrawal symptoms:

• Know what to expect — You can’t mentally prepare for dealing with nicotine withdrawal if you don’t know the symptoms. The most common effects quitters typically face are fatigue, irritability, depression, anxiety, changes in hunger and weight gain. It’s helpful to think about how you can deal with each of these symptoms individually, ahead of time. Implement meditation, stay busy, or have a friend you can confide in to help you when your symptoms are at their worst.

 

• Identify your triggers — They will be there. Will seeing a stranger smoking on the sidewalk cause anxiety for you? Identify what outside factors in your daily life could trigger an urge for nicotine, and set aside steps about how to overcome them. For example, if you always smoked a cigarette with your morning coffee, you may have to ditch the caffeine until you’re comfortable drinking it by itself.

 

• Distract yourself — Distract yourself from the urge of smoking with new hobbies. Start working out, golfing, writing, knitting, or painting! Find a tangible outlet to focus on, so your mind is busy dealing with what’s in front of you and not stuck on where you’re going to find your next cigarette.

 

• …and reward yourself! — This isn’t easy, so make sure you’re rewarding yourself for every milestone you reach being smoke-free! Treat yourself to a yummy breakfast, a glass of wine, or a new pair of shoes for every goal you reach on your journey. Whether it’s a day, a week, or a year, rewarding yourself will give you incentive to continue. And of course, each day that passes means you’re one step closer to less symptoms and feeling healthier and happier than ever before.

 

• Take your time — Like we said, each day can be a milestone. The fact of the matter is that quitting smoking is a long process, which means you need to take it one day at a time. Focusing on the present is the best way to beat small hurdles throughout the day, so take a deep breath and take your time.

 

• Remember why you quit in the first place — Some days may be harder than others. When those days happen (and they will), try to remember why you decided to quit in the first place. Whether it was for your health, your kids, or just a habit you were desperate to break, reminding yourself of why you chose to take on this journey can be all it takes to get through another day.

The initial stages of quitting can be extremely tough, but they won’t last forever. If your mind is set on saying goodbye to cigarettes, you’ve implemented the use of Chantix as prescribed, and have a supportive group of people rallying behind you, you too can be successful in your journey.

If you think Chantix could be helpful in kickstarting your venture to being smoke-free, speak to one of KwikMed’s U.S. licensed physicians, completely online: https://www.kwikmed.com/buy-chantix/