Nicotine Withdrawals and Common Triggers

Nicotine withdrawal symptoms

Nicotine is the addictive chemical found in tobacco products. It only takes a few cigarettes to start building a tolerance and then addiction to nicotine.

The cravings and withdrawal symptoms you experience happen when your body gets low on nicotine levels. Everyone is different, but withdrawal symptoms can start just a few hours after your last cigarette and may include:

  • cravings
  • irritability
  • trouble concentrating
  • restlessness
  • anxiety
  • low mood
  • trouble sleeping

Many of your symptoms are actually your body repairing and improving, so see it as a positive part of the process.

Symptoms are likely to rise and fall over several weeks and can be reduced with nicotine replacement products or quitting medication. Remember to stay strong and committed to your quitting goal.

Managing nicotine withdrawal 

Distraction can assist in managing many withdrawal symptoms. To distract yourself you could:

  • Go for a walk - exercise can reduce cravings, lower stress and contribute to weight management
  • Start a new hobby
  • Keep your brain and hands busy: Try a game on your smartphone, Rubik's Cube, Yo-yo...
  • Visit a friend or call a family member
  • Find an activity that helps you relax such as listening to music, yoga , meditation or deep breathing.

Ways to cope with specific withdrawal symptoms:

  • Tenseness/irritability – Go for a walk. Take deep breaths. Relax in a warm bath. Meditate. Do some stretching exercises.
  • Depression – Speak to a friend or family member. See your doctor if the depression is intense or does not go away.
  • Appetite changes – Follow a balanced diet. Check out LiveLighter for low-fat snacks and meals.
  • Constipation, gas – Drink plenty of fluids. Eat lots of fruits, vegetables and high fibre cereal.
  • Difficulty sleeping– Check out these sleep hacks.
  • Difficulty concentrating – Break large projects into smaller tasks. Take regular breaks.
  • Cough, dry throat and mouth, nasal drip – Drink plenty of fluids.

If your withdrawal symptoms have become unbearable or have not gone away consider consulting your doctor or calling Quitline.

In this video clinical psychiatrist Dr Peter Wynn Owen discusses how to get through nicotine withdrawal when quitting smoking.

Common Triggers of Smoking

Certain events or emotions can trigger cravings. You may find it helpful to avoid these situations early on in your quit journey where possible, before slowly reintroducing them.

To make sure you understand your smoking triggers you can:

  1. Figure out what your triggers are by taking note of when you smoke, in the lead up to quitting
  2. Make a list of where you’d normally smoke
  3. Plan alternatives to those triggers as you commence your quitting journey

While there is no one simple approach to preventing slip ups or relapse, reducing risk of temptation as much as possible early on in your quit journey can be a good idea.

Below are some common triggers and ways to deal with them.

Social Situations

Overcoming the urge to smoke at a party or over a drink can be achieved through a bit of planning and making a few changes to your routine.

Once you know what triggers your urge to smoke in social situations (such as shyness, boredom or peer pressure) you can then work out how to deal with these situations. Strategies may include:

  • Meet your friends at smokefree events and venues
  • Ask one of your non-smoking friends to be your quit buddy, they can support you, keep you entertained and remind you of your quit goal
  • For many people smoking and drinking go hand-in-hand, so change your drink or volunteer as designated driver for a few weeks while you get through the cravings
  • Keep your hands busy by playing on your phone and your mouth busy by chewing on gum or sipping water
  • Don’t let other smokers talk you into having a cigarette - practice saying “No, I don’t smoke”
  • Don’t make the mistake of having 'just one', it's never a good idea

Emotions and Stress

Strategies that can help you cope with stress during quitting include:

  • Exercise to unwind, consider walking with a friend, taking the stairs or joining an exercise group
  • Write a list of all the things that make you feel stressed then think of strategies to combat these moments
  • If you're a stress eater, reach for healthy snacks, like carrot or celery sticks and fruit
  • Surround yourself with positive and supportive people
  • Use the money you have saved from not smoking to treat yourself
  • Try drinking less alcohol and caffeinated drinks
  • Practice deep breathing or muscle relaxation exercises

It is important to remember smoking is only a short term fix for stress. Smoking will not make the stressful situation go away and research shows smokers tend to have higher levels of stress than non-smokers. Learning new strategies for coping without smoking will help you deal with stressful situations in the future.

Living with a smoker

Everyone’s quit journey is unique and the person you live with might not be ready to quit at the same time as you. It is important to share your plan with them and the changes you would like to make.

What you may need to consider if you are living with a smoker is:

  • Is it possible to make your house smoke free or create a designated smoking area?
  • How will you socialise without being tempted to smoke? Is there a way you catch up that meets both your needs?
  • How can they keep cigarettes out of your sight?
  • What type of support do you want from your partner or flat mate?

You can read more about keeping on track here.