Symptoms

When smokers stop, they begin to experience withdrawal. Some of the more common symptoms include:

• Mood changes, such as irritability, anger, anxiety or feeling down
• Difficulty concentrating
• Fatigue, insomnia
• Nausea, constipation, diarrhea
• Headaches
• Increased hunger
• Tobacco cravings
• Sleep disturbance

Most of these symptoms subside in three or four weeks.

If smokers don't stop, they also experience symptoms. These include:

• Frequent colds and respiratory infections
• Chronic cough/wheezing from obstructive lung disease (emphysema)
• Increased blood pressure
• Impotence
• Cancers of the mouth, throat, lung or bladder
• Decreased oxygen to tissue, which can cause heart disease or stroke
• Miscarriage or stillbirth
• Limited joint mobility
• Wrinkling of skin
• In those with diabetes - foot ulcers, nerve damage, kidney disease

More on Smoking

In the Encyclopedia:

This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.