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No One Ever Died From Not Smoking

Nicotine withdrawal can be difficult, but it is temporary and survivable. Here is a description of what to expect after Quit Day so you can mentally prepare.

Author: Matt Bucklin

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Despite what Lindsay Lohan's friends think about her chances of surviving prison without cigarettes, not smoking will NOT kill you! This is seriously important for anyone thinking about quitting to remember. Nicotine withdrawal can be difficult, but it is very temporary and very survivable. If you are about to quit smoking here is what you can expect after your Quit Day so you can mentally prepare.

To get yourself ready for what you might feel, here is a list of nicotine withdrawal symptoms documented by the American Psychological Association: Depressed mood, insomnia, irritability, frustration, anger, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, restlessness, decreased heart rate, increased appetite and weight gain. None of these symptoms are fun, but luckily all passing. And typically not everyone feels all of these symptoms. So those are the feelings, the time line goes something like this.

Day 1: Most people report that the first day of not smoking is much easier than expected. This could be attributed to the fact that physiologically the nicotine withdrawal symptoms actually peak in days 2 - 4, so they tend to slowly progress. But morel likely this phenomenon is due to people's fear of quitting. Everyone expects quitting to be much harder than it is, building up expectations in their heads of constant agony and failure, which are overblown.

Days 2 - 4: The nicotine withdrawal symptoms peak. This is usually the most difficult time physically, but people are prepared for these days and still have that resolve to quit. The constant reminder of feeling a little extra stressed or tired is directly attributed to not smoking and so easier to remember your coping mechanism and to take it easy on yourself.

Days 5 - 21: Any symptoms slowly start to subside. Each day without cigarettes gets easier as you are retraining your body. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance and a part of a smoker's daily ritual, so this part of quitting is often the hardest. This is also the phase of withdrawal when people tend to give up because they can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, and something triggers them to smoke again.

Weeks 4 - 9: By this time the physical symptoms of quitting have generally subdued and cigarette cravings are more like passing thoughts. Someone smoking on the street could remind you of smoking, but there isn't that same urgent need for a cigarette. At this time, you are not in the clear.

It is important to maintain a new routine and healthy lifestyle. Avoid smokers and old habits associated with smoking because it is still easy to slip back into the old habit. You might have heard somewhere that it takes 21 days to create a habit, but the latest research from the UK Health Behavior Research Center suggests it takes 66 days. If you can do something repetitively for 66 days then you can do it for a lifetime. Sixty six days is just over 9 weeks, 2 months, so keep it up!

Weeks 10 - whenever: If you can not smoke until week 10 then congratulations! You have quit smoking. Enjoy feeling better all the time.

Remember, anyone can quit smoking for 1 day. To really quit, it takes weeks of discipline. But as bad as it gets, remember, the hard part only lasts a few weeks, you will live, and you will be better for having quit.

About Author

Matt Bucklin is the creator of the popular natural stop smoking aid Quit Tea and President of Quit Tea LLC, Quit Tea. As an expert in smoking cessation and health, he has helped thousands finally break their addiction to cigarettes. Bucklin worked as a pharmaceuticals analyst for years, learning the need for healthy and effective alternatives. He believes that drugs are the last option and that good health comes from a healthy lifestyle and natural remedies. You can read his writing on The Quit Tea Blog.

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