Coping With Nicotine Withdrawal

Managing the Ups and Downs of Nicotine Withdrawal

Much of the "work" of quitting tobacco takes place early on in cessation. Symptoms of nicotine withdrawal can range from feeling like you're coming down with a cold to being so lethargic all you want to do is sleep. Take heart. While the discomforts can be intense, nicotine withdrawal is a short-lived event, otherwise none of us would have been able to quit for the long term.

In this lesson we'll cover how you can cope with nicotine withdrawal and share tips from those who have been through it successfully.

Take a deep breath, forge ahead, and please remember: The discomforts of nicotine withdrawal are truly temporary. You'll be out of this phase of the recovery process quickly in the grand scheme of things. Better days are ahead -- much better!

As the saying goes...

...you have to go through it to get through it.

Nicotine Withdrawal

Coping with Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms
Understand how the process of withdrawal from nicotine works, from the symptoms to successful coping skills. Knowledge is empowering! Learn what you need what you need to know to maintain control.

What Happens When You Quit Smoking -- Video
The addictive qualities of nicotine are explained in this video from Blausen Medical as we watch what happens when cigarette smoke is inhaled and travels through the body to the brain.

Top 10 Tips for Coping with Nicotine Withdrawal
Let's take a look at some of the most common symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and ways that you can cope with them successfully.

Nicotine Withdrawal -- Reader Tips
People who have been through nicotine withdrawal have valuable insights to share. Read what they have to say here.

Beat The Urge to Smoke

5 Minute Craving Busters
When you first quit smoking, it may feel like your day is one long, continual urge for a cigarette. If you pay close attention though, you'll notice that most cravings to smoke last only three to five minutes.

101 Things to Do Instead of Smoking
Sometimes the best thing we can do when craving a cigarette is to simply redirect our attention to something different and interesting. Nine times out of ten, the urge is gone within moments. Our thoughts color our lives, so if you find that yours are taking you places you'd rather not go, take charge and shift your focus.

10 Things to Avoid When You Quit Smoking
Misconceptions about the nature of addiction and the process of quitting tobacco can set smokers who are trying to quit up for failure. Build a strong quit program by educating yourself about the process of recovery from nicotine addiction. Learning about common pitfalls puts you in the best position to avoid them and finally become smoke-free.

Inspirational Quit Stories

Three Years Down the Smoke-Free Road
From Sally: "BEWARE: quitting smoking can lead to a positive domino effect. I was very overweight and out of shape when I quit. Beating this nicotine thing gave me the confidence to tackle my other demons. Working out and eating right finally felt good. My best advice? Do what you can to stay quit. The rest will fall into place."

If I Can Quit Smoking, So Can You
From Your Guide, Terry Martin: "With the right information and a plan, each one of us has the ability to quit smoking permanently. And that, of course, is what we all want -- lasting freedom from nicotine addiction."

Quit Smoking 101 -- Index Page | Lesson 8