I Need a Cigarette Quick

I NEED A CIGARETTE - QUICK!

NICOTINE WITHDRAWAL

Topics in Mental Health

By Shlomo Y. Radcliffe

What is Nicotine Withdrawal?

When people stop smoking cigarettes, they start craving them! In fact, the craving can be one of the worst symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. This desire can overwhelm the ability to focus on anything else, even important issues. People withdrawing from nicotine are often irritable, sleep poorly, and eat too much. Withdrawal symptoms usually appear within a day of ceasing to smoke and often, after just a few hours after the last cigarette..

Symptoms of Nicotine Withdrawal (DSM-IV Criteria)

Symptoms of Nicotine Withdrawal include:

• The person has used nicotine daily for several weeks or more.
• Within 24 hours of suddenly reducing nicotine intake, the person develops at least four of these:

insomnia
anxiety
restlessness
anger, frustration, or irritability
increased appetite or weight gain
dysphoria (sad, grumpy mood) or depression
trouble concentrating
slowed heart rate

• These symptoms cause significant distress or impaired work, social, or personal functioning.
• These symptoms are neither the result of a general medical condition nor better explained by a different mental disorder.