Eugene

Date With Destiny
2005-05-29 21:05:54 (UTC)

What To Expect When you Quit Smoking / Recovery Symptoms

From robfouryqr on 2/15/2005 2:39:24 PM

The Effects of Physical Withdrawal

Anxiety, anger, irritability, impatience and restlessness;
these are common, normal, and most importantly, temporary
effects of physical withdrawal from nicotine. The never-
ending cycle of falling nicotine levels and self-medication
to offset these withdrawals is called 'smoking'. Our body
can adjust, sometimes easier than we imagine. After just 72
hours without a smoke, most withdrawals will have
significantly decreased. Nicotine, being water soluble,
will be largely gone form our body. However, it will be 10
to 20 days before the body becomes accustomed to the
absence of nicotine. We will refer here to people who are
quitting smoking as 'starters' rather than quitters, and
the first week as 'Glory Week'.

A detailed study of withdrawal effects by Marcia Ward -
"Self-reported abstinence effects in the first month after
smoking cessation" (Addictive Behaviors pgs 311-327 2001),
is full of relevant findings. The average starter peaks in
withdrawals on Day 1. After two weeks withdrawal symptoms
return to manageable levels.

Anger peaks for the average 'starter' on Day 2, leveling
out to manageable levels by Day 5. Before you quit, plan
ways to vent this unavoidable frustrations without hurting
family, friends, co-workers, or your boss (Your fired! This
happened to me, really.) Walk, run, swim, shoot baskets,
shout into a pillow, shout over a valley (preferably
unoccupied!), punch the wall, this non-source anger is
finite, in other words, its normal and will pass. Remember,
you have to ride the cycle of withdrawals to get past it.
The mind does not remember details of extreme pain or bad
times. Your fierce memories of 'Glory Week' will fade as
you journey past the hump.

Occupy your time, keep a positive attitude, keep your
reasons for beginning this quest in the forefront of your
mind, clear your mind of negative thoughts and prattle,
especially excuses. Stand up straight, look the devil in
the eye, and tell him to go to hell.

Inability to Concentrate

2 out of 3 'starters' experience reduced or crippled
concentration. This will improve only with time. Be patient
with yourself, quitting smoking is a big life move. Forgive
yourself the side effects of the whole thing, you are
moving forward in ways you cannot comprehend now.

Poor concentration and focus could also be due to low blood
sugar. Nicotine releases huge amounts of fatty sugars into
our blood, by triggering the brain to release adrenaline,
which in turn causes the body to revert to 'fight or flight
mode', releasing the fatty sugars. This is why many smokers
skip breakfast or lunch without feeling hungry, they are
taxing their bodies into constant 'alert mode'.

When we stop smoking, the fat-feeding frenzies triggered by
adrenaline are halted. Continuing to skip meals will
plummet your blood sugars along with your concentration.
Spread your food out more evenly over a day's time. Strong
fruit juices like 100% cranberry or purple grape will
stabilize blood sugar, and help your body heal.

Give yourself down time to heal, grieve, rest, and
recover. 'Glory Week' consumes a huge amount of energy.
Exercise will only boost your stamina and energy levels.

Trouble Sleeping

Nicotine is a powerful stimulant affecting brain waves,
sleep patterns, sleep quality, subconscious, and even
dreams. You are returning to your true levels of sleep
need. You may find you need more sleep or less.

Bad breath or Nasty mouth

Drink lots of water to aid the flushing of your lungs,
esophagus, throat, nasal and mouth tissues. Your senses of
smell and taste are recovering and will reveal to you the
extent of your tobacco soaked tissues.

Stomach Pain, Nausea, or Constipation

Nausea was examined in the Ward study, with 1 out of
6 'starters' reporting significant nausea. The bowel and
intestines are also adjusting to the absence of the
powerful stimulant nicotine. This nausea decreases to
manageable levels in 2 weeks. Again, drinking lots of water
can speed up the transition time and reduce severity of
symptoms. Green leafy vegetables will also mitigate the
symptoms. If the symptoms do not go away, an underlying
condition, even cancer, may be present and you should go in
for a full exam.

Psychological Withdrawal Symptoms

Cravings, urges, yearnings, and desires are powerful
signals from our mind that it knows what we are trying to
do! Not giving in to these primary cues results in the
secondary symptoms: nervousness, anxiety, irritability,
frustration, anger, rage, tension, jitters, shaking,
shakiness, inability to concentrate, add yours here...

Take Pavlov's famous dog experiment, the dog was
conditioned to salivate whenever the bell was rung. In the
same way, the smokers mind is conditioned to expect
nicotine as soon as it begins to feel any discomfort
associated with the onset of physical withdrawal. In
response to falling nicotine levels, the addicted mind has
been conditioned to 'desire', compelling us to take more
nicotine and avoid withdrawal discomfort. This cycle has
played out for every single cigarette you have ever smoked.
Most smokers felt compelled to smoke every 20 to 30
minutes, on average. If not satisfied, the desire might
escalate to the point of urges or cravings. Our mind works
against us to prompt us in subtle ways to take a hit, take
a break, reward ourself. Pathetic, isn't it? This counter-
productive mindset works against us for weeks, we must
recondition our brain to accept this new life.

Time Triggers

The conscious mind has conditioned the subconscious to act
at that time when blood nicotine levels are dropping.
Through habit, the subconscious quickly realizes that
withdrawal discomfort can be avoided with more nicotine.
When we feel a craving, it is simply our subconscious
turning up the volume to make us act. But the subconscious
mind is a peculiar product, like Pavlov's dog, of
conditioning and NOT independent reasoning. The theory here
is, if the subconscious is not fed nicotine, it will turn
up the volume to maximum, then simply shut off!

'Starters' must realize that any craving, no matter how
strong it seems or is, will not last, period. This has been
proven. It may seem the craving lasts forever, this may be
the subconscious desperately making us believe it will last
forever, before it shuts off, as it must. Time a craving,
and you will discover for yourself this is true.
Many 'starters' fail under the false belief at the moment
that the only way to end the screaming urge is to light up.

Over the next 4-7 days as the nicotine is flushed out of
our body, our mind and subconscious will keep revisiting
the time trigger. When all the nicotine is gone, only then
does solid, complete reconditioning of this time trigger
occur. Any introduction of nicotine during this period will
re-establish this time trigger and we must battle it all
over again.

Withdrawal symptoms peak on Day 3. On average,
the 'starter' will suffer 6 episodes on this day. The
average number of strong withdrawals falls to 4 by Day 4.
Withdrawal frequencies WILL and DO continue to fall. If you
focus on nothing else during 'Glory Week', you poor
bastard, focus again and again on the hearfelt reasons you
took up this quit in the first place, the heart will not
fail you. By Day 10, average withdrawals episodes lowers to
a manageable 2.

The time trigger is stacked upon physical withdrawals from
nicotine, the 'starter' is battling both these fundamentals
at the same time. Add habit triggers on top of the stack,
and the 'starter' is battling on three fronts.
Many 'starters' are overwhelmed by the experience, and
light up before reaching the place on Day 4 when physical
withdrawals begin to clear, and psychological cravings drop
by half.


Habit Triggers

Our brain is also conditioned it to expect nicotine before,
during, or after certain events. Specific activities, even
emotions, trigger the impulse to smoke. Waking up,
breakfast, coffee, driving, break-time, meetings, lunch,
dinner, rain, snow, cold, dusk, book chapters, visits,
bills, phone calls, Fridays, bedtime, others smoking, ball-
games, weddings, funerals, graduations, births, loneliness,
sadness, romance, celebration are some examples. Even
specific locations can call on the habit; garage, porch,
garden, bar, fishing, camping out. These may seem
overwhelming, but remember, habit triggers are driven by
the subconscious, which is not capable of thinking on its
own. Our conscious effort to reset and wipe clean these
habit triggers can be achieved after a few or even one
episode. After tackling the major habit triggers,
the 'starter' will have an easier time kicking the lesser
habit triggers.

At the 3 month mark, cravings once mighty are reduced to
manageable 'thoughts'. Just like the thought of a 'hot,
juicy steak' can be discarded after you have looked in your
refrigerator and found no steak, so can the thought
of 'just one cigarette' be discarded when you have
considered your recent progress. 'Starters' at the 4 to 5
month mark often talk about cravings, but they admit these
cravings are of the 'Hot fudge sundae' type, they come and
go like normal desires.

'High Stress Trigger'

The most dangerous trigger for the 'starter' is the 'High
Stress Trigger' The 'starter' should be extremely aware,
and alert, during 'High stress' situations, and they WILL
happen. Bankruptcy, foreclosure, serious illness, injury,
or the death of someone close. You will lose someone close
to you, this is unavoidable. 'Starters' need to prepare now
for that eventuality. 'High stress' triggers are the
perfect excuse to light up. Beware of these, be alert
during these, be prepared, keep on your toes.

Psychological Relapse

Physical withdrawals have concrete symptoms, psychological
withdrawals are a mind game which we can beat them through
positive thinking and alertness. Understanding that
negative thoughts will work against us is a powerful tool
in itself for the 'starter'. Equally as important is for
the 'starter' to realize that just one puff will reconnect
all smoking memories and will viciously refresh the
physical dependency cycle. The sobering truth to keep in
mind; 9 out of 10 'starters' who break down and have just
one will fail to quit. Feed the beast and you lose you
hand.

Sadness or Depression

Giving up smoking is similar to the death of a loved one.
It is a death of sorts, like the end of a marriage.
Emotional loss associated with quitting smoking is
documented. Mourning the loss is normal, grieve for
grievings sake, don't forget to forgive yourself also.
Heavy, long-term smokers are more likely to experience the
stronger feelings of loss. Our mind knows that a close bond
is being severed. Remember, however, that tobacco can not
return any of the love you give it, it is a weed. Saying
goodbye to a fundamental member of our life often results
in varying degrees of depression, the lightest of which is
normal sadness. Severe depression can occur, and requires
medical assistance. Seek the help you need if you find
yourself down for the extended count. Low self-esteem, loss
of sex drive, hopelessness, fatigue, or loss of appetite
are warning signals to deepening depression. For the
majority of 'starters' thank God, the onset of depression
is temporary, and lifts to reveal your bright road ahead of
you. Gratefulness and relief often follow on the heels of
depression.

By Week 3, on average, the cloud begins to lift. It was
once believed that depressed people smoked to self
medicate, but now research is asking, "Which came first?
This person's depression or the nicotine addiction? Honesty
is the most effective way to deal with these feelings of
depression. The 'starter' has not really lost a loved one,
the 'starter' has quit smoking cigarettes. Don't turn grief
into an excuse to light up. The truth shall set us free.
Wellbutrin and Zyban are two anti-depressants commonly used
to alleviate quit smoking depression. Both
contain 'bupropion', the active ingredient. Side effects
are documented, so ask your doctor.

Loneliness or Cabin Fever

For too long we have refused or eliminated activities
uncompatible with smoking. Blow off the dusty chapters of
long forgotten lifestyles, cheer up and dive in.
The 'starter' has been in a dark, deep rut which will only
become clear with time and healthy choices. Don't talk
yourself into returning to that dark world of nasty butts,
lighters, smoke, coughs, and limited choices.

Ravenous Appetite or Constant Hunger

Consuming large quantities of food seems the natural
alternative to smoking. After all, everything tastes better
and I can smell so much more! Without a doubt
most 'starters' spend lots of time inspecting their
refrigerator. Watch out that you don't overdo it. Weight
gain will happen, weight loss will come in time, not yet
mind you, but make it easier on yourself for the future and
keep an eye on it. "Thou shalt not weigh more than thy
refrigerator!" Drink lots and lots of water and dark fruit
juices. This will add some pounds which are just water, the
easy kind to lose when you feel like it. The 'starters'
metabolism will slow down to a degree, partly due to the
absence of nicotine stimulant, largely due to the heart not
having to work as hard to pump blood through constricted
blood vessels. Quitting smoking does not cause weight gain,
eating more food does. Enjoy it, you have plenty of time to
adjust down the road aways. Only if you gain 100 pounds
will you be inflicting damage similar to one pack of
cigarettes!

Rob
http://whatalongstrangetripitsbeen.blogspot.com/


hello everyone ~ i've started a club house here called the -
"Chill~Out Cafe"
i have a large collection of links and articles
on smoking cessation and support posted there ~
members are encouraged to post anything on their minds ~
the Cafe will be a safe harbor - a place to chill out with
friends who care.
i cordially invite you to join us ~

http://forums.quitnet.com/community/clubs/club.jtml?
club_id=2176


Recovery Symptoms


When someone quits smoking, the body may have a difficult
time adjusting to the absence of thousands of chemicals
found in cigarette smoke. Each individual reacts to those
recovery or "withdrawal" symptoms in a different way. Some
ex-smokers can smoke their last cigarette and never miss
smoking or experience any discomfort. However, other
smokers may experience a wide variety of unpleasant
physical and mental symptoms. There is really no way to
predict the degree of withdrawal symptoms to expect, since
it does not seem to be dependent on the amount of
cigarettes smoked, years of smoking or any other personal
characteristic. The recovery symptoms listed below are the
most commonly reported reasons for their occurrence and
possible ways to reduce them.

Irritability
Perhaps the most commonly reported withdrawal symptom is
irritability, being short tempered or grouchiness. Internal
and external stress caused by quitting smoking is bound to
upset the temperament of almost any smoker. Smokers should
try to forewarn family and friends of this difficult time
and ask for support and understanding for this temporary
period. If possible, try to avoid stressful events,
situations or other problems that might only make matters
worse.

Lack of Concentration
Quitting smoking often occupies the mind of the new ex-
smoker to such an extent that he or she is unable to
concentrate on daily activities. Again, this is only a
temporary condition and the ex-smoker should try to avoid
complicated tasks or time consuming projects for the first
few days after quitting.

Depression
Whether it is conscious or unconscious, smokers often view
giving up cigarettes as a loss in their life and often may
feel depressed or go through a period of mourning. To
counteract this depression, the new ex-smoker should focus
on the benefits of not smoking. Quitting smoking is
actually gaining back your health and energy, rather than
giving up something important.

Cough
Many ex-smokers will initially experience and increase in
coughing. Although this may seem to be a negative sign, it
is actually a positive sign that the lungs are beginning to
rid themselves of accumulated mucus and tar. Cough drops
may be helpful in easing this symptom.

Sleeplessness
One of the many benefits of quitting smoking is a
healthier, more energetic body. Activity can be comfortably
increased and there is a decreased need for sleep. If
sleeplessness is a problem, try taking deep breaths and
doing muscle relaxation exercises before going to bed.

Constipation
When cigarette use is eliminated, intestinal movements may
decrease because of the absence of nicotine, which acts as
a stimulant on the body. Drinking lots of water and eating
a high fiber diet can help to overcome this problem.

Dizziness
The absence of carbon monoxide and resulting increase in
the oxygen carrying ability of the lungs means that the
body is taking in more oxygen than usual. When occasional
dizziness is a problem, sit down and relax for a minute or
two until it passes.

Hunger
Food often tastes better to the new ex-smoker because the
taste buds are no longer numbed by tobacco smoke. Ex-
smokers often substitute food for cigarettes and the result
is a significant increase in foods or frequent tooth
brushing to satisfy the need to have something in your
mouth.

Mouth Soreness
Chemical adjustments in the mouth may cause a small
percentage of ex-smokers to suffer from minor mouth
irritations. These sores or blisters should heal quickly,
but the ex-smoker can see their physician or dentist if the
problem persists.

Bad Taste in the Mouth
Ex-smoker's improved sense of taste may detect a bad taste
in the mouth that is a result of smoking. Mouthwash, salt
water rinses or extra vitamin C may help to remedy the
situation.

Tiredness
Resisting the urges to smoke can be tiring and emotionally
draining for some smokers. If lack of energy or lethargy is
a problem, take short naps when possible and avoid
strenuous work if possible.

These withdrawal symptoms are only a selection of the more
common ones reported by ex-smokers. If you are experiencing
other unusual or unexplainable symptoms, do not be alarmed.
This is just your body's way of making the adjustment form
smoker to non-smoker. Most withdrawal symptoms are most
severe during the first three or four days after quitting
and will decrease in severity over the next few weeks.
Again, some smokers have no withdrawal symptoms and others
have symptoms which may last for over a month. If these
withdrawal symptoms still persist after more than one or
two months, it may be wise to see your physician. In rare
cases, cigarette smoking may have masked actual physical
ailments or conditions.
People using nicotine gum or nicotine skin patches may not
experience strong physical withdrawal symptoms. While
receiving treatment, they may focus on the psychological
cues and triggers to smoke. At the end of treatment, they
prepare to be nicotine free.

http://www.uni.edu/wellrec/wellness/smoke/recovery.html


Changes Your Body Goes Through
When You Quit Smoking


Within 20 minutes of last cigarette:

blood pressure drops to normal
pulse rate drops to normal rate
body temperature of hands and feet increases to normal

After eight hours:

carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal
oxygen level in blood increases to normal

After 24 hours:

chances of heart attack decrease

After 48 hours:

nerve endings in the mouth and nose start to regrow
ability to taste and smell improves

After 72 hours:

bronchial tubes relax, making breathing easier
lung capacity increases

Two weeks to three months:

circulation improves
walking becomes easier
lung function increase up to 30%

One to nine months:

coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath
decrease
cilia regrow in lungs, increasing ability to handle mucus,
clean the lungs and reduce infection
body's overall energy level increases

Five years:

lung cancer death rate for average smoker decrease from 137
per 100,000 people to 72 per 100,000 people

Ten years:

pre-cancerous cells are replaced with normal cells
risks of other cancers, such as those of the mouth, voice
box, esophagus, kidney and pancreas decrease.


All these benefits are lost when you smoke just one
cigarette a day!!!


Rob
http://whatalongstrangetripitsbeen.blogspot.com/




Ad: