It\'s the first three days that people find the most difficult regardless of the smoking cessation method they\'ve chosen. This is due to the fact that it is in those 72 hours when the nicotine leaving your body is felt the greatest. This can lead to feelings of irritabililty, fatigue, and a persistent headache - all perfectly normal symptoms of withdrawal.
Preparation is the key. By knowing what you are in for, you can make plans to deal with the feelings and symptoms and not have to hide away where you won\'t bother anyone. However it is also a good idea to inform your family and friends (but only if they are supportive) of your goals. This also gives them the opportunity to stay clear if they think you might be a little bit cranky!
What are the symptoms of withdrawal? What are you going to feel? By planning beforehand, you can alleviate a lot of these problems before they arise. Here are a few things you may want to include on your list:
Agitated or angry: Find something to do to take your mind off things. In solitude is probably best.
Feeling overly emotional or sensitive: Seek out somewhere you can be alone until the feelings subside.
Feeling tired: Rest and healing are needed to allow myself to heal from my addiction.
Feeling nauseated: I will drink a glass of water (helps with nausea, as do apples and ginger).
After eating, I will: Read to keep my mind occupied so I don\'t crave the \'after-dinner\' smoke.
By drinking lots of fluids, and most especially water, your body\'s stores of nicotine will be rapidly metabolized and flushed from your system. The downside is that you will have to go to the bathroom more often, but the upside is that the nicotine will clear itself from your system that much quicker and alleviate the physical withdrawal symptoms.
A few things can make the withdrawal symptoms stronger rather than weaker. Caffeine may be one of those. But not for all people. Every situation is unique. Best to judge for yourself. If you are finding that caffeinated drinks are causing you cravings, you should cut down drastically or quit altogether.
However, giving up multiple vices at once can also be very stressful. So be wary and maybe just cut back on the caffeine to start. But be sure to use plenty of water, juices and even milkshakes to kick start your system and get those withdrawal symptoms out of the way.
A very common side effect during the first few nights is finding it difficult to fall asleep and then to sleep soundly. Even though you might\'ve been exhausted throughout the day, when it\'s time for bed it seems like everything is racing through your mind and you can\'t get comfortable.
To help alleviate this, I recommend a hot shower before heading off to bed to help you relax. Usually the sleep deprivation only lasts for a night or two. However if it persists, I would suggest a visit to the pharmacy to pick up a sleeping aid until the restlessness passes. It won\'t last forever.