If you really want to forget about tobacco, you are already assured of most of the success. And for the worst days after quitting, you can help by following these tips.
Congratulations! Making the decision to quit smoking is a very important step. You have decided to think about your health and improve your lifestyle habits and that is admirable, but it is only the first step. How to overcome the worst days when you quit smoking? We’ll tell you.
THE WORST DAYS WHEN YOU QUIT SMOKING
The process of quitting smoking is usually accompanied, in almost all cases, by the well-known “withdrawal syndrome”.
For some smokers, quitting permanently is very simple. However, for most people quitting smoking is not easy. And it has a physiological cause: chronic nicotine use increases the number of receptors for feel-good hormones – such as dopaminea, serotonin and noradrenaline – but they also make them work worse. That is why the smoker needs to smoke more and more to feel satisfaction. When nicotine is no longer provided to the body, the balance previously achieved is destabilized again, which causes withdrawal symptoms and reduces the central levels of dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline.
It is a normal reaction of the organism, which is adapting to the interruption of the administration of the drug, which causes physical disorders that manifest themselves in different ways. Therefore, as the body is adapting to the new situation, it is logical that the first days are the worst when you quit smoking, especially during the first 24 hours after quitting smoking.
What are the worst days when you quit smoking exactly? According to research published in the Archives of General Psychiatry on the effects of quitting, withdrawal symptoms after quitting smoking begin within a few hours (2-12 hours) and peak 24-48 hours after quitting. You may experience some of these symptoms, although they differ greatly from person to person:
- Dysphoric or depressive mood.
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Concentration difficulties
- Craving
- Desire for sweets or a large appetite
- Increased cough
- Deterioration in the execution of surveillance tasks
- Difficulty concentrating
- Headache
Most symptoms last an average of four weeks, but feelings of hunger and nicotine need can last for 6 months or more.
HOW TO GET THROUGH THE WORST DAYS WHEN YOU QUIT SMOKING: STEP BY STEP
Sometimes the will is not enough to dare to leave behind this dangerous physical and mental addiction, nor to keep at bay the withdrawal syndrome, anxiety, nervousness, recurring thoughts, insomnia or irritability. Is there a way to facilitate this process?
Quitting smoking can be very easy if you know how. We leave you with 5 steps that will help you quit smoking and make it easier for you to change.
1. BE VERY CLEAR
If you want to quit smoking, the first step is to be fully convinced. Otherwise, relapse is more than likely. There are natural therapies that help to successfully end this difficult decision. Some, such as acupuncture or auriculotherapy, reduce the risk of gaining weight by quitting smoking.
2. KNOW THE BENEFITS OF QUITTING SMOKING FOR YOUR HEALTH
Life expectancy is 10 years shorter in smokers. But the benefits of leaving it are not long in coming and increase over time.
Within 20 minutes, for example, blood pressure begins to normalize. After a few weeks, taste and smell recover and breathe better. And the risk of lung cancer is reduced from year to year: at ten, the risk of dying from it is already half of those who continue to smoke. They also reduce the risk of laryngeal and pancreas-s-cancer and equal the risk of coronary insufficiency.
Becoming aware of these benefits can be very helpful to reaffirm the decision to quit.
3. LEAN ON OTHER SMALL HEALTHY CHANGES
These small changes are important:
- Toxins out. Drink 2 glasses of warm water on an empty stomach and with breakfast the juice of 1 apple, 2 carrots and 2 celery sticks. You eliminate toxins and the feeling of lightness helps you persist.
- Breathe well. Regain control of your lungs by following the 6-3-9 rule: take air for 6 seconds, hold it3 and slowly take it out for 9. Repeat for 10 minutes. More calm. Lavender essential oil helps you relax. Put 2 drops on your wrists and inhale their aroma during the day, as many times as you need.
- Appetite at bay. Eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Its antioxidants favor purification and satiate fiber. Also add cinnamon to your recipes to dampen the desire for sweet.
4. NATURAL THERAPIES THAT WILL HELP YOU QUIT SMOKING
During cessation it is important to cultivate mental, physical and emotional relaxation. This is achieved with relaxation techniques (conscious breathing, meditation, yoga), manual techniques (hydromassage, reflexology, massage …), physical exercise or psychotherapy.
In addition, there are other techniques that can be very effective:
- Acupuncture. Along with auriculopuncture and acupressure, it is one of the most supported by scientific evidence. By means of needles, seeds or hands, the acupuncturist doctor acts on points of the body where the chi or vital energy is blocked or circulates poorly and thus favors self-healing mechanisms.
- Hypnotherapy. The form of the session depends on each specialist, but usually, starting from a state of confidence and relaxation, an “anchor” is created. A link is established with an object that is always at hand or with some part of the body and it is given power, when touched or activated, to awaken pleasant sensations such as security, confidence, relaxation … There are also other techniques aimed at recoding the subconscious.
Using one therapy or another depends on the preferences of each one. Of course, they can be combined for even better results.
5. VITAMIN C IS YOUR GREAT ALLY
For a person convinced that they want to quit smoking, vitamin C intake can help a lot. It produces greater relaxation and better mood that helps stop smoking.
The recommended dose of Vitamin C is 1 to 3 grams a day. Take it preferably in the morning, since there are people to whom taking it in the afternoon causes insomnia.