What happens to you while you start quitting to smoke?

Answer 1

You may feel some anxiety, muscle tension, feel a bit jittery. You may have headaches, become emotionally irritable, and will likely develop a ravenous appetite and want to eat a lot. These are the effects of the nicotine withdrawal. (To complicate this, food will begin to taste better, too, as your nose and taste buds shake off the effects of the smoking.)

You probably won't know what to do with your hands. You will find yourself reaching for a smoke without thinking about it. It is likely that you will develop a cough, as your lungs start to come alive and clear out the garbage you've been putting in them.

Concentrate on the positives: the money you're saving, the lungs clearing so that you'll be able to breathe better. Chew your food longer, and enjoy the new flavor. Think about your health, and the HUGE favor you're doing for yourself and your loved ones. Now is also a good time to begin to adopt a healthier diet. Appreciate the fact that you no longer stink.

A word about tapering off the smokes: it doesn't work. You still have all the addictive behaviors, and you're concentrating on them even more. Consider using the patch. This alleviates the nicotine craving, and gives you a chance to adjust slowly to the lack of oral stimulation. (I chewed a lot of toothpicks.) After you are accustomed to a couple of weeks of freedom, then taper off according to instructions.

The patch works better than the gum because, with the gum, you get the old oral satisfaction AND a jolt when the nicotine hits. Reward for putting something in your mouth. Not good. The patch removes this factor.