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Quitting smoking: Coping with cravings and withdrawal
The symptoms of nicotine withdrawal are your body's way of begging for more nicotine.
When you smoke for a long time, your brain learns to depend on nicotine to help you do things. It helps you concentrate, control your anger and hunger, and relax, for example. In fact, nerve cells in your brain have changed. They are different from those of nonsmokers.
When you stop smoking, your brain has to relearn how to do the things nicotine helped you do. Until it does, you may have trouble concentrating and controlling your anger. You may be hungrier and more stressed than when you smoked.
Test Your Knowledge
Cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms are your body's way of begging for more nicotine. Smoking a cigarette might make you feel better for a short time, but your body would continue to crave more nicotine.
TrueUsing medicine or doing other things, such as exercising and reducing stress, will make you feel better and increase your chances of quitting for good. They also are much better for your health.
FalseIt's true that cravings and other withdrawal symptoms mean your body is asking for more nicotine. Smoking may be a quick way to get relief, but using medicine or doing other things, such as exercising and reducing stress, will make you feel better and increase your chances of quitting for good. They also are much better for your health.
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Quitting smoking: Coping with cravings and withdrawal
| Author: | Debby Golonka, MPH | Last Updated: July 22, 2009 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine John Hughes, MD - Psychiatry | |
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