NICOTINE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS
I would say it's virtually impossible to avoid the side effects of withdrawal. With some methods you can prolong the effects, but you can't avoid them forever. Eventually you'll have to face them head-on, so why not get it over with right away? Why keep feeding your body the thing it's addicted to? It doesn't make sense. It's going to be painful no matter what, so it's best to just deal with it at the beginning instead of months down the road.
Some days will be easy, and some will be tough. But none of it is impossible to get through. You may not notice any symptoms at all some days, and then a week down the road, it may hit you like a brick. Everyone is different, and every quit experience is different. Nicotine remains in the blood for 3 weeks, but during those 3 weeks, anything can happen. Day 20 can be just as hard as Day 1.
Don't be fooled because you aren't feeling anything. That is how addiction gets you. You need to FOCUS hard every single minute. Forget about focusing, and that's precisely when you're caught off guard, resulting in a relapse. Just because the last two days were terrific and you didn't feel a thing, doesn't mean tomorrow won't be the worst day yet. It's quite possible it might be. Never assume anything.
Remember, the hardest part will only last a few days (technically, but not always), and nicotine will definitely be completely gone from your body in 3 weeks, give or take a few days. You will literally be a crazy person, scheming left and right about smoking, and how to sneak just one cigarette while nobody notices.
You may be fine all day long, but as the night progresses, it gets worse. You may be completely convinced to light up, even though earlier in the day you were totally against it. That's how hard addiction strikes.
Let's take a look at some of the symptoms so you know what to expect as soon as you quit:
#1 -- BLURRY VISION - This is definitely something you will encounter on Day 1 of quitting. You will be glassy-eyed, and car's headlights may seem brighter than normal. Trees may look different, and you might lose focus at times. Your eyes will get dry.
I've had people at work ask me if I was OK, because I looked all glassy-eyed to them. Of course I would say I had a late night and stayed up too long.
You'll encounter a loss of balance, too. I'm not saying you're going to fall over, just that at times, you may take a wrong step or look at something the wrong way. This is common, and it will go away over time. It's really nothing to worry about.
More discussion on blurry vision.
#2 -- MOUTH WATERING - If you're a pack a day smoker, you've been orally feeding your mouth for many years. Suddenly you stop, and your mouth can't help but to salivate. It's like eating potato chips. You can't eat just one. And if you do, your mouth is going to salivate for another one. Same situation here.
On top of that, you may get a metallic taste in your mouth, and your teeth might excude some minor pain. These things aren't anything too terrible, but they are precisely the reason many people turn to food. There is an oral fixation void that needs to be filled. It's OK to eat, though. Don't think for one second that you should avoid eating to stay thin. Quitting should be your #1 priority, not your weight.
That doesn't mean you have to eat all day long. Chewing gum is a good option, drinking water, juices, and simply taking a nap to get throught it are also good options. Don't believe the myth that you have to pig-out to successfully quit. It's not true at all. Also, don't believe the myth that you will gain enormous weight when you quit, because in reality, you'll have more energy, and that will drive you to be more active in your everyday life. You'll burn calories naturally.
#3 -- MOOD SWINGS - You're going to be mad, you're going to be upset about something, and you won't be a happy camper. You should expect that. If you have to work, something is bound to happen ironically that changes your mood in an instant. You'll be more stressed out than usual. You may be obsessing with cigarette thoughts so much that anything else going on in your life will make you angry, as if you can't cope. That is what your addiction wants you to believe, so don't believe any of it. Everything will pass over time.
This is where music comes into play. If you're going to be thinking negative thoughts all day, which is common, why don't you try to fill those thoughts with inspirational music? Make a playlist on your MP3 player. Listen to it all day if you can. The more positive thoughts, the less space for negative ones. It really does help. Music is an imperative tool to use to fight addiction.
#4 -- SWEATING - You're going to be filled with thoughts about coping with the rest of the day, or forever even, without another cigarette. Those nervous thoughts are going to make you perspire, or sweat. You'll worry about the future.
Although this is nothing to be concerned about, as it passes after Day 1 or 2, it might be a good idea to dress accordingly. I've made the mistake at work before and didn't wear an undershirt, and to be rather blunt, I was a sweaty mess all day and I was embarrassed.
It's not necessarily the addiction that's causing you to sweat, but the nervous thoughts and anxiety associated with quitting. If you're constantly worried about what the next 30 minutes will be like, you're bound to sweat. Not a huge deal, just expect it to happen. Wear an undershirt if you have to work.
#5 -- TIGHT CHEST - For me, this happens almost 99% of the time at the beginning. For some reason, at the end of the day, I get real bloated, and that affects my lungs, almost to a swollen point, which causes tightness in my chest, making it difficult to breathe. This is a common symptom, so if it happens to you, you're not alone. It's your body responding to not getting any nicotine. It's reacting negatively.
Why do I get bloated? Not precisely sure, but I'm sure it has to do directly with how much food I've eaten all day. If I've gorged on food all day long, then there is a very high chance I will be bloated at night, and that will impair my breathing.
It also seems to occur when I haven't eaten that much, thought not nearly as debilitating. I would even go as far to say that it's the amount of food eaten at night on Day 1 (or Day 2) that determines the amount of bloating and tightness in my chest.
I would advise eating a lot during the day, and then taking a break at night, resting and doing other stuff, rather than stuffing your face all day long. You'll regret it. That is just a myth and certainly isn't true. You might even lose weight while quitting. I certainly did. I ate more, but I was more active, because I had more energy. You'll see.
