Readers Respond: Nicotine Withdrawal Tips

Responses: 88

Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms

What Happens When We Quit Smoking? -- Video

Top 10 Tips For Managing Nicotine Withdrawal

For those of you who have quit smoking, please share with fellow readers the tricks and tips that helped you manage the discomforts of this short-lived, but intense phase of smoking cessation.

What Helped You Most?

It's My Choice

Knowing that cravings only last 3-5 minutes helped the most and knowing what to expect from day-to-day. I have CHOSEN not to smoke.

—Guest Vicki

Blow on your Thumb! Deep Breathing!

When I start feeling anxious, nervous, stressed, deep breathing exercises work great! Also, sounds crazy, but I was told there is a nerve in the thumb and that if you blow on it, it will calm you (also supposed to cure hiccups)......I TRIED IT! IT WORKS!!!

—Guest My3KidsMama

Kitty Litter on Old Butts!

Okay, so it's been only about 24 hours since I last had a cigarette. I snuck out to the garage today to see if there was a 1/2 smoked butt in the can, but AL had already cleaned it out. I opened the big trash can just to take a peek and he had also dumped the kitty litter. I found myself staring at it---HOW GROSS---I hope I get rid of this habit that had me looking for a leftover in a can and the trash! How absolutely disgusting. I would never tell anyone this, but this is anonymous. ;)

—Guest ALgal

Decaf Tea and Meditation

Today is my 14th day nicotine free. Im using Chantix and I believe it is helping with the physical withdrawal symptoms. As noted by others it is the habit/lifestyle change that is proving the most challenging for me. I get angry, frustrated and aggravated, but have good moments too where I feel relaxed and comfortable. My brain tries to convince me that it would be fine to keep smoking, that I don't really need to quit right now, that I can do it later, etc. but I am not falling for it.My favorite cigarette substitutes are sugarless bubble gum (I blow bubbles and crack it as loud as I want, at home anyway :), decaf hot tea (I drink about 12 cups a day now) and meditation/relaxation cds at least once a day. Best of luck. We all can do it!

—Guest Wahine

The Mirror

On the second day, the known hardest day, I gave stern pep talks to myself in the mirror. The non-smoker in me was able to speak in a clear voice that having that one puff -- that one cigarette, would not work for me. The man in the mirror offered no choice: N.O.P.E. (Not One Puff Ever) was it. He is sorta like the "SARGE". Try it!

—HEARTWOOD444

Cold Turkey is Hardest, But Best

I tried the nicotine patch... lasted 1 day. With gum I could go a week or so, but the urges seemed to become stronger, and I would binge smoke. I'm cold turkey for 3 days now. As long as you keep putting nicotine in your body, you will remain addicted. I really don't like smoking anymore, and I don't want to. My body does, by my conscience is tired of dependency. Besides, I just keep thinking of how much more my girl will want to kiss me after I've quit, and that gives me motivation.

—Guest cjb

Lots of Sleep

I find it helpful to take things hour-by-hour for now. I locked myself in my room, with lots of movies, a fan, lots of water and snacks. I find that sleeping a lot helps to pass the time of physical withdrawal from nicotine. It has been 3 days now. I will NEVER go back!!

—Guest lisa

My Arsenal of Supplies

Grape juice, sugar-free gum, straws that I have cut small to give me something to do with my hands, Multi-vitamin and lots of water helped me my first few days. After that it is all just breaking a habit and making some new ones. Thirteen days smoke-free as of today and taking it one day at a time. This site helped a lot!

—amy.75

Chemistry is the Best Weapon!

First 72 Hours (cold turkey nicotine detox), I minimized my physical withdrawal symptoms using "body chemistry" techniques I learned at Whyquit.com: (1) Keeping my blood sugar levels up (eating breakfast, which I never did as an active smoker) and, (2) throughout the day, drinking acidic fruit juice (orange juice) for both blood sugar level maintenance and also because acidic juices help the body get rid of nicotine faster. Whyquit.com recommends cranberry juice but I drank orange because I totally despise cranberry ANYTHING. But, this knowledge of body chemistry with relation to nicotine withdrawal symptoms being exacerbated by blood sugar issues) was what worked for me -- if only I'd known about these techniques the FIRST time I tried to stop smoking (a cold turkey attempt in 1983 which failed dismally in less than 24 hours), I'd probably have succeeded then. As of today, I am 34 days smoke free. :-)

—Guest _Lena_

Learn the Symptoms of Nic Withdrawal

I have been having a hard time enduring physical withdrawal from nicotine. I had extreme anxiety, including the shakes, headache, insomnia, chest tightness, and loss of appetite. I was not expecting it and thought I was going crazy, I was using the nicotine patch and had taken it off for approximately 30 hours. I was in a panic! Had I realized it was nicotine withdrawal I might have handled it better. I smoked that night!! I am currently wearing a patch and hope to wean myself off slowly. The first week the cravings were bad, but became less frequent and weaker as the days went on. I am taking Wellbutrin and it works great for the psychological withdrawal. If anyone is really struggling with the mental aspect, prayer works. I am a recovered alcoholic and the 12 steps and lots of prayer was the only thing that could break that addiction for me.

—Guest Jane

The Discomforts Don't Last Forever

I have tried to quit smoking many times over the past 16 years. This time feels different, but I hate saying "I've quit." Instead I say that I've stopped. I don't know if that is helping me in my mission, or hurting me. I am only two days into the quitting, and this is always the time when I struggle the most. I cry every few minutes, I am jittery, I can't sit still, but I don't want to do anything. My mind races, but I can't think or articulate anything. I am hungry, but full because I've eaten all day. I hyperventilate every so often from anxiety, and then I start crying again. I hate this!!! What I hate more than anything, though, is that I do it to myself! I've stopped smoking before, and have gone through this withdrawal before. But then I had to smoke again, and now I am going through the withdrawal again. To anyone who reads this, be strong! After the first week it does get better, but after the first month you forget how awful the first week was. Don't go forget how it sucks!

—Guest Guest JSM

NO Smoke Today NO MATTER WHAT

What has helped me the most since my last cigarette 24 days ago is reading all I can here on About.com. The newsletters Prepare to Quit, Quit Time, and About Smoking Cessation have been tremendous help at renewing my determination and helping me deal with the withdrawal symptoms--both physical and psychological. When the urge to smoke hits, I do something manual (washing the dishes, cleaning, tidying up) or distract myself reading, surfing the internet or listening to music. I always carry a bottle of water with me and drink from it all the time and specially when the urges hit. Taking deep breaths also helps me a lot to relax. When I have a craving I tell myself: I am NOT going to smoke today NO MATTER WHAT. I take it one day at a time. It works. I take a multi-vitamin first thing in the morning and that reminds me every day that I am in a smoking cessation program. I write on my quit journal every day. I spend the money I used to spend on smokes on things I like to reward myself.

—pacerina

Great Pearls of Wisdom!

It's so great to read little pearls of wisdom from people actually going through nicotine withdrawal -- walking the walk. As for me, I too learned to basically give up to, but not into, the urge. I surrendered to it, in a way. My reverse psychology was to say this..."wow, look what smoking is doing to me..getting me in this fix. I will not suppress it and be angry that it won't go away. It will." I am just reminded every time I have a craving that this is nicotine talking, not smobriety. It wants me back, or miserable. I want `out of here' as fast as possible. But, in the meantime, I need to know that this pain is about being a smoker, not a non-smoker. Four years and still grateful, and mindful.

—jmf3210

I'm Going to Win This Battle

I quit on Halloween and I know exactly why. Sure, the kids asking me to quit was an incentive but the largest reason needs to be for me and my health. I started when I was 29 and I've smoked for 9 years. What a waste of time and money. One was never enough. Super Gross. I had severe nicotine withdrawal symptoms the past couple of times I quit.....which were all half-hearted quit attempts. Now....I was looking forward to the symptoms. Whatever poison my body was expelling was telling me just how angry it was at me for smoking in the first place. I'm on my third day and my feet are tingling from the withdrawal symptoms but I kinda like it. I'm going to win this battle.

—Guest quitter

Eating

I have this gnawing that I know is a craving and I make it go away by eating. For now, that is a better thing to be doing than smoking. I was to the point that every fall I would get bronchitis and cough so hard that it hurt my chest. I would stand out in the cold and rain to smoke. I have quit twice before for almost a year. The addiction don't really go away completely. I think you are always going to have that desire to smoke. I think the key is to want your health more. Everyone is right when they say that there is no such thing as "just one". It always comes back to just one more...one more...one more, until you are right back to being a smoker again. I'm on an 11 day quit and I'm taking it a day at a time. I wish everyone here the best success. This is by far the best web site I have been too. I plan to visit often.

—Guest Guest