How nicotine withdrawal affected me
It's terrible! The tightness in the chest, sore/dry throat, sores on the tongue and gum, postnasal drip. But if you can get through the mental fight with yourself to not go smoke another cigarette, then the other stuff is just the consequences you must deal with to get through it all.
At times I was more emotional and cranky as well.
How I managed nicotine withdrawal symptoms
I looked up websites for tips to deal with the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. I found that drinking a lot of water and deep breathing helped me the best. Getting a lot of sleep is important too.
At first I never heard of cigarette withdrawal symptoms and I thought I was just getting a sore throat. So I did everything I knew to heal a sore throat and nothing seemed to work. Then I began to see sores on my tongue and gums, thinking how unusual this was. When it became very hard to breathe, I realized something isn't right and maybe I should consider the other possibilities.
I haven't smoked a cigarette in 15 days. When I got online and read other people's stories, I was amazed to learn how the pain I've been in the past 4-5 days was from my own actions of choosing to smoke. So the way I see it: If you choose to do something stupid you must deal with the consequences. I know that it'll be worth it.
Lessons learned
- How could I have enjoyed something so much that was so terrible for my health that the symptoms for stopping it is also extremely painful? It blows my mind.
- If you smoke cigarettes, quit as soon as you can because it is not worth the damage smoking does.
I have been smoking a pack a day since I was 15. I'm 21 now and I promise you the feeling of accomplishment you get from beating your addiction to cigarettes is awesome and empowering. Don't let the tobacco companies control you, control yourself!
Terry Martin, Smoking Cessation Guide, says:
Congratulations on your decision to quit smoking. The discomforts of nicotine withdrawal, while intense, don't last forever. Be sure to check in with your doctor if you're concerned about a physical reaction you're having to smoking cessation, or if nicotine withdrawal symptoms persist.Better days...much better days are coming, and they're not far off!
