Quitting smoking has physical and mental effects, including headaches, sore throat, anxiety, depression, and restlessness. Physical effects last up to a week, while mental effects can last up to three weeks. Keeping busy and using nicotine replacement therapy can help ease withdrawal symptoms. The long-term benefits of quitting smoking outweigh the temporary discomfort.
The effects of quitting smoking are usually both physical and mental. Physical effects can include headache, sore throat and cough. Some of the mental effects a person might experience after quitting smoking are anxiety, depression, and feelings of restlessness. All of these feelings are temporary and go away for most people within a few weeks to a month. Mental effects tend to last longer than physical effects.
The physical effects of quitting smoking usually don’t last longer than a week. The reason for the headache and cold symptoms a person may experience after quitting smoking is because the body expects nicotine at regular intervals throughout the day. Not getting nicotine when the body expects it can cause adverse reactions and make a person feel very sick in general. After about three days, the nicotine will have left the body’s system and the body’s dependence on the substance will begin to disappear. By the end of a week, the physical symptoms have usually subsided as well, and a person may only be dealing with the mental effects of quitting smoking by that point.
A person who is experiencing the mental effects of quitting smoking probably feels as if they are on an emotional roller coaster. It’s not unusual for someone who gives up cigarettes to feel happy one minute and sad or angry the next for a few weeks. Many people also complain of feeling restless and nervous. Insomnia can also be a problem, and when sleep occurs it may be filled with vivid or disturbing dreams. Most people who go at least three weeks without a cigarette will have overcome the worst of the mental side effects.
Quitting smoking is very difficult for many people, but there are ways to make the withdrawal process a little easier. It might be a good idea for someone who has recently kicked the habit to try and keep busy as often as possible. If your mind is busy with other things, you probably won’t be as likely to think about cigarettes. Many people who quit smoking often feel that they need to always have something on hand to replace the cigarette that was there before. It might be a good idea to get into the habit of carrying around a pen or something similar until that feeling goes away.
Doctors can also prescribe medications that can help a person get through the smoking cessation process. There are nicotine pills, patches, and gum that might be helpful to take until the worst side effects subside. The most important effects of quitting smoking are those related to general health. No matter how severe the initial side effects, in the long run most people do their bodies a favor by reducing their risks of cancer, heart disease, and many other health problems associated with smoking.
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