10 Consequences of Quitting Smoking

The consequences of quitting smoking They can be physical and psychological: bad mood, anxiety, depression, lack of concentration, gastrointestinal problems, headache, weight gain, sleep disturbances, tiredness and dullness. However, these effects are only temporary and it is necessary to go through them to avoid the harmfulness of tobacco.

Quitting smoking has a number of side effects that can affect you both physically and psychologically. It is estimated that approximately 85% of people who quit smoking have these secondary symptoms. They are responsible for making quitting smoking such a difficult process and also the cause of relapse.

If you are thinking about quitting smoking, knowing these symptoms can help you to be prepared and deal with them when they appear. These effects can sometimes be very unpleasant but it is important not to lose sight of the main objective, and bear in mind that quitting smoking is the most beneficial option at all levels, for oneself and for the people around us..

Also keep in mind that these side effects are temporary. Depending on the person, they can last a few days or a few weeks with greater intensity, but they will end up completely disappearing with the passage of time. The first two weeks are considered the most critical, and specifically the first 48 or 72 hours after quitting smoking..

According to studies carried out in this field, these unpleasant sensations usually last an average of 12 weeks depending on the person. After this period, it is common for the person to continue to feel the urge to smoke but it will not be a sensation that causes great discomfort and it is also easy to control.

In other words, once this critical period is over, the person begins to feel much better, both physically and psychologically, in addition to increasing their self-esteem due to the achievement achieved despite the difficulties that have arisen along the way..

Next we are going to point out the main side effects derived from quitting tobacco use and some guidelines to deal with them. We are going to divide them into psychological and physical symptoms, we will make a brief description of each one and what are the main recommendations to deal with them.

Psychological side effects

1- Irritability and bad mood

Studies indicate that the most common negative emotions associated with quitting smoking are anger, irritability, and frustration. It is common to be more tense, be less tolerant with those around us and even argue more. To deal with these emotions, different alternatives can be put into practice:

• Repeating that these emotions are transitory, they will last a few weeks at most and then they will return to the usual mood..
• Warn people around you that mood swings and irritability may appear in the coming weeks. It is also advisable to avoid conflicts as much as possible during this period..
• Perform physical exercise as a way of escape and relief.
• Use relaxation and / or meditation techniques that can help reduce accumulated tension.

2- Anxiety and intense desire to smoke

Nicotine is the main addictive substance in tobacco. This substance is harmful to health since it affects many parts of the body, such as the brain among others.

A person who smokes regularly is used to having a certain level of nicotine in the body, so when they quit they feel the real need to smoke to maintain those levels. Here are some guidelines that can be followed to deal with this anxiety:

• Repeating that this discomfort is temporary. Although the symptoms of anxiety are very unpleasant, it is necessary to bear in mind that they will last only a few weeks, and that in addition, over time the most critical moments will be spaced out. Each time the need will be less and it will occur less frequently.
• Avoid situations that have been associated with smoking. For example, a coffee after lunch, or going outside to take a break from work. They are moments in which it is habitually used to smoke and that have inevitably been associated and one cannot be done without the other. It is necessary to stop doing them in those critical weeks of greater abstinence, then these habits can be recovered with total normality.
• Find a substitute for the cigar. Whenever the urge to smoke appears, you can have a candy, chew gum, eat a piece of fruit or even use steam cigarettes for a while..

3- depression

Most people feel sad when they quit smoking, but in very few cases it turns into episodes of major depression.

These cases usually occur only when there is a history of depression. We can implement different strategies to combat it:

• Make plans and be busy as much of the time as possible. Whether at work, making plans with friends, or solo activities. Staying busy and active is one of the best ways to counteract the symptoms of depression..
• Look for small prizes or rewards to congratulate us and encourage us to keep going.
• Perform physical exercise.
• Consult a professional if symptoms persist.

4- Lack of concentration

According to studies in this field, approximately 60% of people who quit smoking experience a lack of concentration in the first two weeks. It seems that the main cause is because we focus all our resources and our attention on the process of quitting smoking and therefore neglect others.

It is common at this stage to make mistakes at work, not being able to study properly or suffer small forgetfulness and confusion. Some indications to better deal with these symptoms are:

• Remember that it is temporary. The lack of concentration lasts approximately two weeks, after which you will return to your normal state of concentration. Not remembering this can lead us to despair and throw in the towel, therefore it is very important to keep it in mind.
• Help yourself with an agenda, notes or reminders in which to write all the appointments, meetings or important tasks that you have to do on those days.

Physical side effects

5- Gastrointestinal problems, constipation, diarrhea and / or nausea

Although they do not always appear, it is common for gastrointestinal problems to occur and especially for constipation to appear after quitting smoking..

This is because nicotine is a stimulant of the digestive system and when this substance is no longer in the body, it is necessary for the intestine to adapt to normal activity again. Some of the recommendations to mitigate these symptoms are:

• Drink lots of fluids and especially water.
• Eat fruits, vegetables, cereals and definitely any food that contains a large amount of fiber.
• Get regular exercise.

6- Headache

These pains can appear after quitting smoking because the carbon monoxide that is ingested with tobacco is no longer in the body. Some guidelines to keep in mind to deal with it are:

• Remember that this state is temporary and that pain is a common symptom when quitting smoking.
• Use deep, conscious or diaphragmatic breathing to relax the body.
• Get regular exercise.
• If the pains are very frequent and acute, consult your doctor. In some cases it may be advisable to use medication to reduce the intensity of the pain, but always under the prescription of a health professional.

7- Weight gain

Studies show that most people gain weight when they quit smoking. But only in a low percentage does it end up becoming a health problem.

In most cases, this weight gain is due to the fact that when you quit smoking, your appetite increases. Here are some guidelines to counteract it:

• When the appetite appears and the need to snack between meals, take advantage of healthy foods or infusions. They can also be substituted for gum and sugar-free candies.
• Get regular physical activity.
• If it is considered necessary, consult a professional nutritionist to facilitate the guidelines to follow and establish correct eating habits.

8- Sleep disturbances

Different sleep disturbances often appear in the first weeks after quitting smoking. On the one hand, it may be that they wake up in the middle of the night with the desire and urge to smoke. Dreams related to tobacco or relapse into addiction may also appear.

And it is also very frequent that insomnia problems appear and difficulty in getting into deep sleep. That this happens is normal, because as we have commented previously, all body rhythms have to be adjusted again and sleep is one of them. Some recommendations that we can follow when this happens:

• Use relaxation techniques and / or deep breathing when we wake up at night or before sleeping.
• Take a warm shower or read just before bed to be as relaxed as possible when we go to bed.
• If insomnia or disorders persist, it is advisable to consult a health professional who can help combat them..

9- Generalized tiredness and weakness

As we have already mentioned, nicotine works as a stimulant of the body, therefore, after quitting smoking, these symptoms often appear.

On the other hand, according to some studies, the detoxification process in which the body is immersed seems to be also responsible for the appearance of fatigue and tiredness. Some guidelines that we can follow to mitigate these symptoms are:

• Sleep the number of hours necessary to get adequate rest. Although the number varies depending on each person and their needs, it is usually between 7 or 8 hours a day.
• Avoid the consumption of stimulants such as caffeine, theine, etc. in the afternoon or evening so that they cannot influence rest.
• Eat in a healthy and balanced way. Eat plenty of fruit, vegetables, and grains.

10- It is possible that after quitting smoking, dizziness and feeling dull appear

It usually occurs just in the first days after quitting the habit and according to studies it occurs in a low percentage of people (around 10%). It seems that the main cause is because the lungs begin to receive more oxygen than they are used to..

These dizziness usually last only a few seconds and occur in the first few days after quitting. Some indications to mitigate the effects of this symptom are:

• Do not perform tasks that require overexertion in the days just after.
• Perform the movements more slowly or less abruptly. For example getting up slowly from a chair, or sitting on the bed first instead of suddenly getting up.

Although many people manage to quit smoking without outside help, in other cases it is necessary to go to a health professional who can guide us. There are different methods and therapies (both individual and group) that have proven their effectiveness in this field.

In any case, knowing the symptoms that you are going to suffer after quitting smoking will help us to cope with them. It is important to remember that in all cases they are temporary, that the discomfort will disappear in a few weeks and that the benefits that we are going to achieve in the long term always outweigh these temporary symptoms..

 And what other effects have you had when you quit smoking?

Bibliographic references

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3. Molyneux A. (2004) Nicotine replacement therapy. British Medical Journal.
4. Hatsukami DK1, Grillo M, Boyle R, Allen S, Jensen J, Bliss R, Brown S. (2000). Treatment of spit tobacco users with transdermal nicotine system and mint snuff. US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health.
5. Hatsukami, D.K., and Severson, H. (1999) Oral spit tobacco: addiction, prevention and treatment. Nicotine and Tobacco Research.