Ear Acupuncture
I usually ask people who want to stop smoking to write down all the good things about smoking: if smoking gets you out of the office, into the sunshine, breathing deep and talking with friends, you need to find ways to keep those things into your life without the cigarettes. Chewing a licorice stick (the root, not the candy) will calm your adrenals, feels a bit like a cigarette and will occupy your hands. Ear acupuncture will help with the jitters.
It can be sobering to look at actual lungs of smokers and nonsmokers. When I worked at The Bodies exhibit, we had examples of normal lungs with firm white tissue, occasionally specked with dark areas from air pollution. On the other hand the smokers lungs were tarry and black. In the hands on section we had slices of the lung tissue, and the smokers lung was like a weird black lace, devastated by emphysema.
A close up of healthy versus smoker's lungs
Non-smoker's Lungs
Smoker's Lungs
Here are some other tips and ideas on how long things will last:
Coping With Nicotine Withdrawal
|
Symptom |
Cause |
Duration |
What to Do |
| Cough | Body is getting rid of mucus which has blocked airways | A few days | Drink plenty of fluids, use cough drops, hard candies, cough syrup at night to sleep |
| Lightheaded | Body is getting extra oxygen | 1 or 2 days | Take extra caution, get up and change positions slowly, drink water |
| Headache | More oxygen in system and less carbon monoxide | 1-2 weeks | Use pain relievers, drink plenty of water, do relaxation exercises, take warm bath |
| Constipation, gas, stomach pain | Intestinal movement decreases for a brief period | 1-2 weeks | Drink plenty of fluids, add fiber to diet (fruit, vegetables, whole grains), exercise |
| Irritability | Body’s craving for nicotine | 2-4 weeks | Walk, cut down on caffeine, deep breathing, hot baths, know it will pass |
| Insomnia | Nicotine affects brain wave function | 2-4 weeks | Cut down on caffeine and avoid after 6 PM, relaxation exercises, hot shower |
| Fatigue | Nicotine is a stimulant | 2-4 weeks | Exercise, take naps, and get plenty of rest; do not push yourself |
| Difficulty concentrating |
Body needs time to adjust to lack of stimulation from nicotine | A few weeks | Plan workload, avoid additional stress, allow extra time, make “to do” lists, relaxation exercises |
| Hunger, increased appetite |
Craving for cigarettes may be confused with hunger pangs | A few weeks | Drink water or low-calorie drinks, have low-calorie snacks on hand |
| Dysphoric or depressed mood, emotional | Adjustment to life without nicotine and tobacco | A few weeks | Talk to a friend, take time out, get support |
| Craving for a cigarette | Withdrawal from nicotine, an addictive drug | A few weeks | Wait out urge and remind yourself that they last only a few minutes, deep breathe, distract yourself, drink water, walk |
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