Nicotine Withdrawal
Nicotine withdrawal can be brutal. But you’re not alone if you’re trying to quit. There are many strategies for handling the temporary negative reactions your body will have when you quit smoking. The following resources provide tips for handling a nicotine craving, information on what exactly happens in your body during withdrawal, healthy and easy ways to cope, and potential treatment options. Though withdrawal may be hard in the short term, it’s important to remember that these are temporary symptoms, and that the long-term benefits of quitting smoking are many.
Nicotine Addiction and Withdraw
National Library of Medicine: Nicotine Addiction
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2928221/
- Information about nicotine addiction and how it leads to withdrawal
- How nicotine contributes to many diseases
Quit Victoria: Withdrawal - What is Going on Inside Your Body
- https://youtu.be/6DniAXFc8KA
- Short video explaining the physiological realities of withdrawal
- From Quit Victoria, an Australian organization working to aid individuals who wish to quit smoking
Craving a Cigarette? Check out these resources for others ways to spend your time:
Stop-tobacco.ch : Coping with Withdrawal Symptoms
- Includes a list of common withdrawal symptoms with hyperlinks to pages specifically about each symptom, how to identify and manage them and tips for creating diversions
Stop-tobacco.ch : FAQ Dealing with Withdrawal Symptoms
- Common questions relevant to individuals suffering with withdrawal symptoms
- Answers and shared stories from others who have suffered and medical professionals
- Questions are organized into categories based on themes (lack of energy, aggressiveness, weight gain, etc.)
Cancer.gov: How To Handle Withdrawal Symptoms and Triggers When You Decide to Quit Smoking
- https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/tobacco/withdrawal-fact-sheet#q1
- Addresses questions that may come up when looking to quit smoking but worried about the consequences of withdrawal and managing triggers that spark the desire to smoke
- Provides strategies to utilize when experiencing withdrawal or cravings
Quit.org : What to Do When You’re Craving a Cigarette Right Now
- https://www.quit.org.au/articles/what-do-when-youre-craving-cigarette-right-now/
- A six-step personal intervention to utilize when you find yourself craving a cigarette
Mayo Clinic: 10 Ways to Resist Tobacco Cravings
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/quit-smoking/in-depth/nicotine-craving/art-20045454
- Providers ten diverse alternatives for people who are looking for alternatives to tobacco cravings
Want to know about treatment options? Check out these resources:
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
Did you know that Goucher’s Health Center offers *free* NRT products? Learn more.
Quit.org : Top Strategies to Cope with Withdrawal
- https://www.quit.org.au/articles/top-strategies-cope-withdrawals/
- Offers a variety of advice on products to consider for nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)
- Recognizes NRT as a way to cope with withdrawal
Smokefree.gov: Using Nicotine Replacement Therapy
- https://smokefree.gov/tools-tips/medications-can-help-you-quit/using-nicotine-replacement-therapy
- Recognizes that medications can help alleviate withdrawal symptoms and increase the rate of quitting success
- Provides comprehensive information about a variety of nicotine replacement therapy medications/options
- Brainstorms ways to combine NRT with other quitting strategies
Smokefree.gov: Busting NRT Myths
- https://smokefree.gov/tools-tips/medications-can-help-you-quit/busting-nrt-myths
- Includes a range of myths surrounding nicotine replacement therapy and the facts that bust each myth
Resources compiled by students in PSY 338: Health Psychology.