Nicotine and Tobacco: How to Navigate Withdrawals When Quitting

If you’ve made the decision to quit nicotine, you might experience withdrawal and other unpleasant side effects. While this shouldn’t deter you from continuing your quit journey, there are some considerations when navigating nicotine withdrawal. 

What is nicotine withdrawal? 

Nicotine withdrawal is the combination of physical and psychological symptoms you might experience when reducing or cutting out nicotine. Nicotine contributes to feelings of pleasure and reward. When used, chemical changes in the brain can also condition nicotine use behaviors. Nicotine changes the balance of chemicals in your brain, so when you quit, the chemical balance is temporarily disrupted, impacting your mood and behavior. 

What are symptoms of nicotine withdrawal? 

Some common symptoms of nicotine withdrawals may include: 

• Cravings or urges to use 
• Irritability or anger 
• Feelings of sadness or depression  
• Anxiety 
• Insomnia or restlessness 
• Trouble concentrating 
• Increased appetite  

And less commonly:  

• Headache 
• Nausea  
• Constipation 
• Cough or sore throat 
• Dry mouth  

Withdrawal symptoms typically aren’t harmful for your general health and will fade over time. The severity of your symptoms might vary depending on a number of factors including: 

• how long you’ve used nicotine. 
• how much you used in one sitting. 
• how frequently you used it. 
• your age and genetics. 
• your overall health.  

Withdrawal symptoms can start anywhere from 4 to 24 hours after you last used nicotine and tend to peak after the second or third day of no use. They typically fade somewhere between a few days and three to four weeks.  

Are there strategies for managing nicotine withdrawal on your own? 

If you’re planning to quit nicotine, it can be helpful to have a plan set in advance to manage any withdrawal symptoms. Some self-managed strategies that can be useful for navigating physical symptoms include:  

• Drinking water and other hydrating fluids. 
• Eating fiber-rich foods and healthy snacks. 
• Chewing gum. 
• Practicing good sleep hygiene. 
• Avoiding caffeine—especially before bedtime. 
• Trying to delay using nicotine by just a few minutes when you feel a craving. If you can delay that urge, it may decrease or go away entirely.  
• Using nicotine replacement therapy or quit smoking medication to help manage withdrawal symptoms. 

For the psychological symptoms, as well as the habitual aspects that come with using nicotine, you might try:  

• Meeting with a mental health provider or other healthcare professional 
• Getting physically active 
• Spending time with people who don’t use nicotine 
• Keeping your hands and mouth busy by chewing on something or using a fidget device 
• Getting rid of things that remind you of nicotine like ash trays or rolling papers 
• Practicing deep breathing when cravings arise 
• Using a Quitline 
• Trying relaxation techniques 
• Distracting yourself with friends or activities and creating new routines 
• Giving yourself grace! It can take multiple attempts to quit, so don’t be too hard on yourself if it doesn’t stick the first time around  
• Getting support from a friend or family member  

Remember, the first week after quitting is often the hardest, but it gets easier with time and withdrawal symptoms do fade eventually!  

Are there medical strategies for managing nicotine withdrawal? 

If you find that these behavioral based strategies aren’t working alone or you’d like some additional support, you can also consider trying nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or quit smoking medications. In many cases, people who use a combination of methods such as quit smoking medication and behavioral counseling have a higher chance of quitting. For more information on NRTs and quit smoking medications, check out the fact sheet on starting your quit journey.  

Additional Resources  

As you’re on your quit journey, it may help to get connected to support resources. There are tobacco and nicotine cessation programs that can pair you with a tobacco treatment specialist who can provide support on your journey. You can also consider speaking to a health care provider to get resources and support. Working with a provider to develop your quit plan can help you manage nicotine withdrawal and improve your chances of success. No matter where you are in your quitting journey, smokefree.gov is another great resource to check out. They have many tools to help you develop a quit plan and tips to help you quit!