Tobacco
craving lasts a maximum of 3 to 5 minutes.
Irritability,
anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, and difficulty concentrating
are common.
Increased
appetite: Weight gain is 5 to 7 pounds on average; only 5% of
people gain more than 20 pounds. You would have to gain 100 pounds
to develop the same health risk that smoking creates.
Fatigue
and dizziness may occur as well.
Symptoms
are most intense during the first 3 to 4 days. Within 20 days, the
average number of symptoms drops to just 1!
What about those first few weeks?
Here are
some things to keep in mind that will make quitting easier:
Don't
quit everything all at once. Focus on smoking. If you try to stop
drinking coffee, change your diet and quit smoking at the same
time, it will be much harder to be successful.
Focus
on the present. Deal with one urge at a time instead of anticipating
more cravings
Drink
plenty of water. It will flush the nicotine out of your system
and help you feel better.
Don't
drink alcohol for 3 weeks. Because it affects your judgment, you're
more likely to smoke without thinking about it.
Get
plenty of sleep. You'll feel better and can keep up the motivation
to stay quit.
I'm worried about gaining weight. What
can I do?
Fear of
weight gain prevents many people from quitting smoking. Nicotine
suppresses normal appetite signals, but you can re-learn how to
eat. Learn to "listen" to your body's signals of true
hunger and fullness:
Try
not to go longer than 2 to 4 hours without a meal or snack. This
prevents you from getting too hungry.
Throughout
the day, eat smaller, more frequent meals and snacks.
Eating
breakfast is critical to stabilize brain chemistry and prevent
late-day carbohydrate cravings.
Respond
to your cravings if you have them, but with small portions. Restricting
food triggers binges and causes guilt. Don't put foods in "good/bad"
categories.
Emphasize
unprocessed, whole foods, like whole grains and fresh fruit. These
foods will keep your blood sugar stable and help your mood, too.
Specific
chemicals in ex-smokers' brains cause cravings for fats. Include
a little fat or healthy oils in your meals. Your body chemistry
needs these foods, and they will keep you from feeling hungry
again soon.
Cravings
gradually disappear as eating patterns normalize. Regular, moderate
exercise is very helpful in this process.
What if I slip up?
It's normal
for some people to slip or relapse, so don't assume that it means
you can't succeed. These questions can help you learn from a slip.
Were
you well prepared to quit?
What
happened?
In
what situation did you begin to use tobacco again?
What
people were with you?
What
could you have done to avoid that cigarette or chewing tobacco?
Cold
Turkey: Stop smoking without seeking assistance. 90% of smokers
stop "on their own."
Clock
Method: Delay gratification by increasing the amount of time between
each cigarette or chew.
Slow
withdrawal method: Taper/decrease the number of cigarettes smoked
each day and/or change brands to gradually lower nicotine varieties.
Behavior
modification: This can be provided in a group or through the use
of self-help booklets.
Nicotine
replacement methods: Use the nicotine patch or gum to decrease
the physiological symptoms of dependency. You still need to address
the psychological and behavioral aspects of smoking. These are
more expensive methods, and the dose prescribed must be appropriate
for the degree of dependence. You must stop smoking immediately
when nicotine replacement is started. Combining nicotine replacement
with a behavioral program is most effective.
Hypnosis:
This may be as effective as behavioral methods.
Acupuncture:
Randomized trials have not proved its effectiveness, but some
people find it works.
1-800-TRY
TO STOP (1-800-879-8678)
This helpline provides referrals to local programs, phone counseling
and can mail out information packets. It is free, confidential and
available in English and Spanish. Monday through Thursday, 9am
to 7pm and Friday 9am to 5pm.
University
Health Services
401.863-3953
Confidential medical care, including prescriptions for Zyban. Pamphlets
on quitting smoking available throughout the building. Located at
13 Brown Street on the corner of Brown and Charlesfield Streets.
An online,
interactive quit site developed by the Massachusetts Department
of Public Health. The Quit Wizard will help you assess your risk
factors, set a quit date and keep you smoke free. Other features
include success stories, expert advice and a bulletin board. There
are many language options including Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Hatian-Creole,
Russian and Portuguese.
This site
allows you to set goals, design your own personalized quit plan,
find out about nicotine replacement therapy and read up on quitting
options. There is a smoking cessation support group and articles
on the latest news, like facts about nicotine water.
This confidential and anonymous survey gives you feedback about the likely risks of your alcohol and drug use.
Run by
Boston University, Quitnet offers quitting guides, personalized
quit plans and forums with expert counselors.
Disclaimer: Health Education is part of Health Services at Brown University. Health Education maintains this site as a resource for Brown students. This site is not intended to replace consultation with your medical providers. No site can replace real conversation. Health Education offers no endorsement of and assumes no liability for the currency, accuracy, or availability of the information on the sites we link to or the care provided by the resources listed. Health Services staff are available to treat and give medical advice to Brown University students only. If you are not a Brown student, but are in need of medical assistance please call your own health care provider or in case of an emergency, dial 911. Please contact us if you have comments, questions or suggestions.
