Quitting any habit or dependence is challenging, especially when quitting can cause physical withdrawal symptoms that affect your daily life. Our pharmacists can help you with smoking/vaping cessation or managing your nicotine dependence. The information below is sourced from the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia which may help you recognise possible barriers to quitting and begin making a plan for reduction to begin your quitting journey.
You can always email pharmacist@pharmacyworldaustralia.com.au for further assistance.
Contents
- Nicotine withdrawal symptoms
- Barriers to quitting smoking
- Medical history is important
- Treatments for smoking cessation
- Behavioural strategies to help you quit
- Quit resources
Goals of reduction management plan
The goals of a reduction management plan are to reduce/manage your cravings and withdrawal symptoms as much as possible, decrease harm and help with long-term nicotine cessation.
Nicotine withdrawal symptoms
You might get one or more of the following symptoms when trying to decrease or quit nicotine intake:
- cravings for nicotine (vape or smoke)
- anxiety
- irritability
- increased appetite
- depressed mood
- insomnia
- lack of concentration
- restlessness.
These are usually strongest in the first week of smoking cessation and subside over time. Knowing what you might encounter may help you prepare for your quitting journey.
Barriers to quitting smoking/vaping
What we think or believe can be a barrier of attempting to quit or to the success of smoking/vaping cessation plan. Some of these barriers include the following:
- I don't think I need help to stop.
- I'm not addicted.
- My addiction is severe so I couldn't possibly stop.
- I don't want to put on weight if I stop.
- Nicotine helps me relax and/or concentrate.
- I don't want to quit.
- Withdrawal symptoms are too severe for me.
- I don't have enough willpower to quit.
- I don't think vaping is harmful.
- Vaping costs less than smoking.
- I'll go back to cigarettes if I quit vaping.
- Everyone I know either vapes or smokes.
While this isn't an exhaustive list, many of these thoughts/beliefs can be combated or helped by a tailored reduction management plan, discussion with our pharmacist or your doctor, or with quit services such as Quitline (13 78 48) who can help you achieve the behavioural change required to quit nicotine long-term.
Medical history is important
Talking to our pharmacist or other medical professional about medical conditions or medication you are taking is very important in order to create a reduction management plan that's tailored to your needs. Doing so may help with managing nicotine withdrawals.
Certain medical conditions can complicate attempts at smoking/vaping cessation, such as:
- pregnancy
- mental illness
- cardiovascular disease
- diabetes
- substance use.
Certain medications and even coffee intake may need to be adjusted during the reduction of or after stopping smoking if they are metabolised by the same liver enzyme induced by tobacco smoking. These include but are not limited to:
- medicines such as warfarin, olanzapine, clozapine and more (our pharmacists may refer you to your doctor to manage your medicine)
- caffeine (maintaining the same intake during tobacco reduction may result in anxiety, insomnia and restlessness, not caused by nicotine withdrawals in this case).
Treatments for smoking cessation
Since most research to date only relates to tobacco smoking cessation, the following information relates to treatment for quitting smoking not vaping.
What is referred to as pharmacotherapy treatment for stopping nicotine use includes:
- nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), such as nicotine spray, lozenges, patches
- nicotine vapes
- pharmaceutical medication such as Bupropion or Varenicline.
Each of these therapies can have contraindications or side effects and come with precautions so it's important that they suit your individual needs with respect to health conditions, current medication and level of nicotine dependence. You can discuss any of these options with your pharmacist and medical practitioner.
Although not supported by evidence, individuals may report success with some complimentary therapies such as acupuncture.
In any case, it's important to note that pharmacotherapy can help reduce but not completely eradicate nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
Behavioural strategies to help you quit
There are some practical tips that may assist you in your quitting smoking/vaping journey:
- Writing down reasons you want to quit; what you look forward to.
- Determine what support options might work well for you.
- Talk to family/friends about wanting to quit; let them know how they can help you.
- Try having areas of your home or car smoke-free.
- Think about what situations make you want to smoke/vape and plan for when they come up once you begin to quit.
- Exercise to help reduce stress and/or weight gain.
- Stock up on healthy snacks before quitting.
- Use the 4Ds to help with cravings:
- Delay for five minutes, the urge will pass.
- Deep breaths.
- Drink water as a time out; slow sips.
- Do something else. Keep hands busy.
- Use available support services to help you, such as Quitline (13 78 48).
There are more behavioural strategies that are available which you can discuss with our pharmacists, your doctor or other support services when preparing your nicotine reduction management plan.
Quit resources
- Make a quit plan - Department of Health & Aged Care
- Quitting methods - Department of Health & Aged Care
- Quitting smoking and vaping - HealthDirect.gov.au
