How To Quit Smoking
Quitting smoking sucks. Your brain’s mad, your hands miss their toys, and everything feels itchy inside. That’s the suck. Ride it out. Move, chew, scream into a pillow, whatever keeps you from lighting up. Use NRT if you need scaffolding, but remember, you’re rewiring your little raccoon brain. Every craving you beat is one step closer to freedom. Hang in there, trash panda, it gets better.
10/5/20252 min read
Settle In for the Suck: What to Expect When You Quit Smoking (and How to Cope)
Let’s be real: quitting smoking sucks. There’s no sugarcoating it. But if you’re reading this, you’re probably at that point where you’re done letting a cigarette dictate your day. That’s huge. And now, it’s time to settle in for the suck, but also for the healing, the clarity, and the freedom that comes after.
Expect It to Be Rough (At First)
The first few days without nicotine can feel like a storm in your body and your brain. You might feel:
Irritable: I was downright angry.
Depressed or emotionally flat: Your brain’s missing its dopamine hit.
Deprived: Smoking has been your ritual, your break, your “me time.” Without it, you might feel like something’s missing.
Restless and jittery: You may crave the physical sensation of smoking – something to suck, pull, inhale, exhale.
Foggy-headed: Concentration can take a hit as your body rebalances.
These symptoms are normal. They are the signs of your body healing, not failing.
Ride the Wave: Coping Strategies That Actually Help
The cravings and emotional rollercoasters will come in waves. Your job isn’t to stop the waves, it’s to learn how to ride them.
Here’s how to stay on the board:
1. Have a Plan for the Suck
Acknowledge that it’s going to be uncomfortable. When the cravings hit or you’re one stubbed toe away from yelling at the cat, say to yourself, “This is the suck. I knew it was coming. It’ll pass.” You don’t have to like it, you just have to outlast it.
2. Move Your Body
Go outside. Walk. Run. Stretch. Dance like a maniac in your living room. Physical movement does wonders for managing cravings and lifting your mood. Fresh air also mimics the deep breaths of smoking, without the poison.
3. Chew, Suck, Sip
Your mouth and hands are used to doing something. Give them a job:
Chew gum or crunchy snacks like carrots.
Sip water or herbal tea through a straw.
Use a straw or a fake cigarette to mimic the hand-to-mouth motion. This isn’t about tricking your brain—it’s about giving your body a transition period.
4. Feel Your Feels
Nicotine numbs. When you quit, emotions start surfacing hard and fast. Let them come. Journal. Talk to someone. Cry if you need to. Emotional detox is part of the process.
About NRT: Use It Smartly
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (patches, gum, lozenges, etc.) can help soften the blow. Think of it as scaffolding while you rebuild your nicotine-free life. Just don’t forget the eventual goal: freedom.
Coming off NRT:
Taper slowly. Follow the instructions.
Pair your taper with new routines and coping strategies.
As you reduce, increase support in other areas – walks, check-ins with friends, hydration, rest.
You’re Not Weak, You’re Rewiring
Every craving you ride out is a new neural pathway forming. Every hard day you don’t smoke, you build resilience. You’re not depriving yourself of cigarettes, you’re freeing yourself from needing them.
So yes, it will suck. But only for a little while.
Then, it gets better. Lighter. Clearer. You’ll breathe easier. You’ll move faster. Your body and mind will recalibrate. And one day, you’ll realize you haven’t thought about a cigarette in weeks.
Until then, settle in. You’ve got this.