Effects of Nicotine
Effects of Nicotine
Last activity on October 8, 2024
Withdrawal Symptoms
After someone has had their last cigarette, and their nicotine levels begin to drop, they are likely to experience some withdrawal symptoms, which are often unpleasant. However, it is important for both clients and stop smoking advisors to not misinterpret withdrawal symptoms with a reaction to NRT medication, as most symptoms will be attributable to stopping smoking.
Withdrawal symptoms are also known as ‘recovery symptoms’.
- Low & Depressed Mood
- Body is no longer receiving the standard dopamine hit due to a lack of nicotine
- Producing less dopamine than your body & mind was used to when smoking cigarettes
- Weight Gain & Increased Appetite
- Smoking increases metabolism and nicotine is an appetite suppressant
- Boredom can also contribute to weight gain (lack of hand to mouth action)
- Stopping smoking is the single best thing that someone can do for their health- we can tackle weight gain at a later stage
- Urges to smoke
- Strong dependence and craving dopamine hit
- After around 2 weeks, urges only occur with certain triggers
- Important to use nicotine replacement therapy to help deal with urges
- Irritability, Difficulty Concentrating & Restlessness
- Loss of physical and psychological habit
- Distracted by current quit attempt- makes everyday life a little harder
- Stress on body as not enough nicotine in bloodstream than what client was used to
- Mouth Ulcers
- Lining of mouth is repairing itself
- Cold sores and other cold symptoms are due to loss of natural antibodies
- Positive sign that your body is learning to live without cigarettes
- Cough & Phlegm
- Cilia on back of throat are responsible for moving mucus/debris up and out of the lungs
- Smoking has caused these hairs to become clogged, paralysed or even killed off
- During quit attempt, hairs begin to grow back
- Massive build-up of mucus/tar begins to leave the lungs, causing cough/phlegm
- Constipation
- Digestive tract undergoing a healing process & learning to function without high nicotine levels
- This is a temporary recovery symptom
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