What is quitting cold turkey?
Quitting cold turkey refers to quitting smoking cigarettes at once instead of a slow gradual reduction in the number of cigarettes. It is a very popular technique used for quitting and many people have used it with success. When people go for a gradual reduction in smoking, they usually end up delaying the quitting date. But with the cold turkey technique, this problem is done away with. It is also more satisfying as it gives a feeling of complete control over oneself.
Quit smoking cold turkey – side effects
Although it is very popular and very effective, there are some side effects of using this technique to quit smoking. The biggest side effect is withdrawal symptoms that, in many cases, get highly magnified with this technique due to the sudden absence of nicotine and other substances that the body has gotten used to.
- Cravings
- Irritability
- Mood swings
- Headache
- Short term but sudden drop in blood sugar levels
- Increased craving for food, especially sweet foods
- Dizziness
- Low levels of concentration
These are the common withdrawal symptoms experienced by almost all who quit in, although in varying levels of severity. But when one quits cold turkey, these symptoms, normally called withdrawal symptoms, are usually highly magnified. This is because the body reacts very drastically when it is suddenly deprived of nicotine that it has gotten used to over time.
Also, most of these symptoms are experienced more due to the psychological rather than the physiological dependence on nicotine. The brain continually asks for more nicotine until it realizes that it is no longer going to get it and adapts to the absence of nicotine in the system. This usually takes about three to four days, although this time is highly variable depending on duration and extent of addiction.
If the individual can control cravings to smoke for these few initial days, then it is extremely easy to stay quit for good and totally worth it too.
