Most ex-smokers say that the first week of being a non-smoker was one of the most challenging parts of the whole journey. The habit is still fresh, and you’ll use a lot of willpower to surpass the days to come. Let’s discuss this and explain how you could get through the first week of quitting smoking.
What makes the first week challenge?
There’s a reason why many people have tried to quit the habit but failed time and time again right before their first week of being a non-smoker ends. This is because the nicotine withdrawal symptoms of quitting are at their peak, and if you’re not aware of them and how to get through them, you’ll only end up returning to square one. Here are some of the most common struggles for smokers in their first week.
- Intense Cravings
You’re going to notice an intense craving to go back into smoking. Intense Cravings are usual, mainly if you’re used to smoking packs of cigarettes, then all of a sudden, stop using them. Smoking is called a habit because it becomes part of a routine over time. Some people use it only for social gatherings, and some may use it to alleviate stress or for recreational purposes. Either way, once you get used to it, you tend to become dependent on the smoke, and this is where addiction starts to take its course.
This is why whenever you stop using them, you should be expecting that you’re going against your instincts and set routine, so it’s expected for you to experience heightened cravings to smoke again. An excellent way to get through this is by using alternative options like vaping. E-cigarettes have helped many ex-smokers get through their journey as they are one of the best ways to curb intense smoke cravings without getting the risks of an actual combustible cigarette.
- Brain Fog and Difficulty to Concentrate
This part of the withdrawal is a huge deal, especially if you’re used to using cigarettes during breaks at work to keep up with your day-to-day stress in daily activities. Difficulty concentrating is expected when you stop smoking a cigarette simply because your brain is not used to not having nicotine around. This results in a foggy brain and gives you difficulty getting focused on the tasks at hand.
One of the best ways you could do to get through this is to cut yourself some slack for the week. Quitting smoke is difficult enough, and it’s best to cut off or limit activities that would need too much focus from you.
- Anxiety and Depressive State of Mind
Another challenging withdrawal symptom of quitting smoke is the negative mood changes which could leave you with anxiety and a depressive state of mind. This is because when your brain has gotten used to the sedative effects of nicotine, you tend to depend on the substance whenever you feel stressed and anxious.
Fortunately, natural ways to alleviate stress require you to depend on harmful chemical substances like cigarettes. Being active, catching up with your closest friends, and simply doing activities that you enjoy should be enough to get through day-to-day stress.
If you feel like your depression is getting worse, talking with a healthcare professional is highly recommended to respond and help deal with your current situation immediately.
- Increased Appetite which Leads to Weight Gain
Stress eating is natural, and you’re going to find yourself eating a lot more than you’re used to after you quit smoking. If weight gain is holding you back from trying to quit smoking, understand that this is only temporary as you’re body is trying to adapt to abrupt changes, and it’s only the best for your health in the long run if you get through the early symptoms of your quit journey.
What can you do about this? Since your daily food intake goes up, it’s also recommended that you should try to be a little more active. It helps reduce the amount of energy or calories your body stores. At the same time, it does an excellent job of alleviating stress, especially in the absence of your go-to substance for anxiety, which is smoking.
Takeaways
Deciding to quit smoking is already a massive step towards your sobriety. Although staying off smoke is a little bit more challenging in the first few days or weeks, you’ll start getting used to it as time goes by. With a little bit of help, these tips mentioned above should already be enough for you to get through the withdrawal challenges of quitting smoking.
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