Withdrawal symptoms are uncomfortable. They include strong cravings to smoke, irritability, feeling tired, and difficulty with concentration. Smoking is also a habit. Smoking is linked to the things you do each day such as driving in the car, eating, waking up, working, relaxing, and dealing with stress. So, you are trying to deal with withdrawal symptoms and trying to change ingrained habits at the same time! This is not easy to do! Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) can help ease withdrawal symptoms while you are also working to change your habits.
High Risk Situations.
One of the most important things you can do is learn your high risk situations. These are times when you might slip, or return to smoking. They may be times when you have slipped in the past when you tried to quit or times when you could give in to an urge to smoke.
Below is a list of “Top 5 High Risk Situations” or common times that many people are likely to slip and return to smoking. Having strategies, or quit tips to deal especially with high risk situations, gives you the necessary tools to say no to urges to smoke.
Top 5 High Risk Situations
- After stopping NRT or taking off the patch
- Becoming very irritable or stressed
- Having many strong cravings or urges to smoke
- Drinking alcohol
- Gaining weight
References
- Fiore MC, Jaén CR, Baker TB, et al. Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update. Clinical Practice Guideline. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Public Health Service. May 2008.