{"id":611,"date":"2019-05-31T06:29:58","date_gmt":"2019-05-31T06:29:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/?p=611"},"modified":"2025-04-09T10:27:44","modified_gmt":"2025-04-09T04:57:44","slug":"stop-smoking-otherwise-it-will-crash-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/stop-smoking-otherwise-it-will-crash-you\/","title":{"rendered":"stop smoking otherwise it will crash  you"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Smoking is also proven to be a risk factor for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/what-is-insulinhow-it-is-effected\/\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">insulin resistance<\/span><\/a>. Insulin-resistant patients\u00a0cannot use their bodily <a href=\"https:\/\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/what-is-insulinhow-it-is-effected\/\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">insulin<\/span><\/a> properly.<\/p>\n<p>Together with genetics and obesity, smoking is one of the risk factors for insulin resistance. Insulin resistance often leads to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/what-is-type-2-diabetes\/\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">type 2 diabetes<\/span><\/a>. Smokers are 30\u201340% more likely to develop <a href=\"https:\/\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/what-is-type-2-diabetes\/\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">type 2 diabetes<\/span><\/a> than nonsmokers. People with diabetes who smoke are more likely than nonsmokers to have trouble with insulin dosing and controlling their disease.<\/p>\n<p>The more cigarettes you smoke, the higher your risk for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/what-is-type-2-diabetes\/\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">type 2 diabetes<\/span><\/a>. No matter what type of diabetes you have, smoking makes your diabetes harder to control. If you have diabetes and you smoke, you are more likely to have serious health problems from diabetes. Smokers with diabetes have higher risks for serious complications, including:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Heart and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/what-is-dkd\/\">kidney disease<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Poor blood flow in the legs and feet that can lead to infections, ulcers, and possible amputation (removal of a body part by surgery, such as toes or feet)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/is-soft-drink-causes-diabetic-retinopathy\/\">Retinopathy<\/a> (an eye disease that can cause blindness)<\/li>\n<li>Peripheral neuropathy (damaged nerves in the arms and legs that cause numbness, pain, weakness, and poor coordination)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How to Stop Smoking<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Prepare by making a list of things you can try when you have the urge to smoke. Take a walk, practice deep breathing, or do whatever works for you to get past cravings.<\/li>\n<li>Get motivated regularly not to smoke<\/li>\n<li>nicotine gum, lozenges, and patches improve your chances of success when you\u2019re also in a quit-smoking program.<\/li>\n<li>Try to avoid stressful situations while quitting smoking.<\/li>\n<li>Being active can curb nicotine cravings.<\/li>\n<li>Even a 5-minute walk or stretch can cut cravings and may help your brain produce anti-craving chemicals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Trying to quit smoking feels different for each person, but almost everyone will have some symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. When you stop, your body and brain have to get used to not having nicotine. This can be uncomfortable, but\u00a0<strong>nicotine withdrawal can\u2019t hurt you \u2013\u00a0<\/strong>unless you give in and have a cigarette!<\/p>\n<p>Over time, withdrawal symptoms will fade as long as you stay smoke-free.<\/p>\n<div class=\"row \">\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\n<div class=\"card mb-3\">\n<h2 class=\"card-header h4 bg-tertiary\">1. Having urges or cravings to smoke<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card border-0 rounded-0 mb-3\">\n<div class=\"card-body \">\n<div class=\"w-md-col4 float-md-right ml-md-3 pt-2\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cdc.gov\/tobacco\/campaign\/tips\/quit-smoking\/quit-smoking-medications\/images\/cessation-medications-548x380-1.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Direction street sign with Help, Support, Advice, Guidance, Assistance and Info.\" \/><\/div>\n<p>Almost everyone who smokes regularly has cravings or urges to smoke when they quit. They may be mild or can sometimes feel overwhelming. Figuring out how to deal with cravings is one of the\u00a0<em>most important\u00a0<\/em>things you can do to stay successful.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ways to manage: There are numerous things you can do to reduce the impact of urges and cravings<\/strong>. Quit-smoking medicines can help a lot, and so can other\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/tobacco\/campaign\/tips\/quit-smoking\/quit-smoking-medications\/tips-for-quitting\/index.html\">quitting tips<\/a><i>.<\/i> Cravings can be triggered by things that make you think about smoking\u2014like people you smoked with, a place you often smoked, or things you used to do while smoking like having a cup of coffee. Even a thought or a feeling can trigger a craving. But other thoughts can help you get through a craving, like remembering why you are quitting. Remember that you never have to give in to a craving and that it will always pass.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-4\">\n<div class=\"card mb-3\">\n<div class=\"card-header h4 bg-gray-d1\">Tips to Manage Withdrawal<\/div>\n<div class=\"card-body bg-gray-l1\">\n<ul>\n<li>Use a quit-smoking medicine.<\/li>\n<li>Keep busy and distract yourself.<\/li>\n<li>Be active \u2013 some physical activity is better than none!<\/li>\n<li>Spend time with friends who don\u2019t smoke.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/tobacco\/campaign\/tips\/quit-smoking\/quit-smoking-medications\/tips-for-quitting\/index.html\">See other ways to manage withdrawal<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row \">\n<div class=\"col-md-12\">\n<div class=\"card mb-3\">\n<p><a id=\"two\" class=\"onThisPageAnchor\" title=\"Feeling irritated, grouchy or upset\" name=\"Feeling%20irritated,%20grouchy%20or%20upset\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"card-header h4 bg-tertiary\">2. Feeling irritated, grouchy, or upset<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card border-0 rounded-0 mb-3\">\n<div class=\"card-body \">\n<p>It is very common to feel irritated or grouchy when you quit. Even many people who have never smoked know this is part of quitting. Knowing this is normal can be helpful.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ways to manage:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Remind yourself that you likely feel this way because your body is getting used to being without nicotine. Take a few deep breaths and remind yourself why you\u2019re quitting.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row \">\n<div class=\"col-md-12\">\n<div class=\"card mb-3\">\n<p><a id=\"three\" class=\"onThisPageAnchor\" title=\"Feeling jumpy and restless\" name=\"Feeling%20jumpy%20and%20restless\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"card-header h4 bg-tertiary\">3. Feeling jumpy and restless<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card border-0 rounded-0 mb-3\">\n<div class=\"card-body \">\n<div class=\"w-md-col4 float-md-left mr-md-3 pt-2\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cdc.gov\/tobacco\/campaign\/tips\/quit-smoking\/images\/three-650x380-1.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"person stretching and holding foot\" \/><\/div>\n<p>Feeling jumpy or restless during the first days or weeks after quitting is normal. Just like your mind gets irritated without nicotine at first, the rest of your body can, too.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ways to manage:\u00a0<\/strong>Doing some physical activity can help shake loose your jumpiness. Get up and walk around for a bit if you feel restless. Try cutting back on coffee, tea, and other caffeinated drinks. When you quit smoking, caffeine lasts longer in your body.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row \">\n<div class=\"col-md-12\">\n<div class=\"card mb-3\">\n<p><a id=\"four\" class=\"onThisPageAnchor\" title=\"Having a hard time concentrating\" name=\"Having%20a%20hard%20time%20concentrating\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"card-header h4 bg-tertiary\">4. Having a hard time concentrating<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card border-0 rounded-0 mb-3\">\n<div class=\"card-body \">\n<p>You may notice that it is harder to concentrate in the first days after you quit\u2014this is very common.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ways to manage:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Try to cut yourself some slack, especially in the first days after you quit. Try to limit activities that require strong concentration if you can.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row \">\n<div class=\"col-md-12\">\n<div class=\"card mb-3\">\n<p><a id=\"five\" class=\"onThisPageAnchor\" title=\"Having trouble sleeping\" name=\"Having%20trouble%20sleeping\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"card-header h4 bg-tertiary\">5. Having trouble sleeping<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card border-0 rounded-0 mb-3\">\n<div class=\"card-body \">\n<div class=\"w-md-col4 float-md-right ml-md-3 pt-2\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cdc.gov\/tobacco\/campaign\/tips\/quit-smoking\/images\/five-650x380-1.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"man sleeping on pillow\" \/><\/div>\n<p>It\u2019s common to have some trouble sleeping when you first quit smoking. This will get better, but if it is bothering you, talk with your healthcare provider to get help. If you become exhausted from poor sleep, this can make it harder to stay quiet.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ways to manage:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If you drink coffee, tea, or other caffeinated drinks regularly, don\u2019t drink them in the late afternoon or evening. When you quit smoking, caffeine lasts longer in your body.<\/li>\n<li>If you are using the nicotine patch, try taking it off an hour before bedtime. Sometimes the nicotine in the patch can affect your sleep.<\/li>\n<li>Try some of the other things that can help you get a good night\u2019s sleep:\n<ul>\n<li>Don\u2019t watch TV or use phones, computers, or e-books in bed.<\/li>\n<li>Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature.<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t eat a heavy meal or drink alcohol right before bed.<\/li>\n<li>Add in some physical activity during the day (but not right before bed).<\/li>\n<li>Go to sleep and wake up around the same time each day, even on weekends.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row \">\n<div class=\"col-md-12\">\n<div class=\"card mb-3\">\n<p><a id=\"six\" class=\"onThisPageAnchor\" title=\"Feeling hungrier or gaining weight\" name=\"Feeling%20hungrier%20or%20gaining%20weight\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"card-header h4 bg-tertiary\">6. Feeling hungrier or gaining weight<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card border-0 rounded-0 mb-3\">\n<div class=\"card-body \">\n<p>It\u2019s normal for your appetite to increase some when you quit. And your body may not burn calories quite as fast. You may also eat more because of the stress of quitting or to have something to do with your hands and mouth. Food may even be more enjoyable because your senses of smell and taste are not being dulled by all that smoke!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ways to manage:<\/strong> While some people may gain weight after they quit, it\u2019s important for your health to quit sooner rather than later. Below are a few simple things you can do to help control weight gain after quitting. The bonus is that these things will help you build healthy behaviors for a lifetime of being smoke-free!<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Snack smart.<\/strong>\u00a0If you eat between meals, find some healthy, low-calorie foods that still give your mouth and hands something to do, like celery, carrots, or sugar-free mints. You can also keep your hands and mouth busy with a toothpick or a straw.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Be active.<\/strong>\u00a0Any physical activity is better than none. Even if you don\u2019t want to join a gym or take up running, simply going for a walk can have real health benefits!<\/li>\n<li><strong>When you eat, focus on eating.<\/strong> Eating is often something we do in the background while we watch TV or check our phones. When we eat like this, we eat more. When you quit smoking, make a point of removing distractions when you eat. Also, try eating a bit slower and focus on enjoying your food. This can help you notice when you are getting full.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>If you are worried about gaining weight<\/strong>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/tobacco\/campaign\/tips\/quit-smoking\/quitline\/index.html\">a quit coach can help you with other quitting tips<\/a>, or you can talk with your healthcare provider for help.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row \">\n<div class=\"col-md-12\">\n<div class=\"card mb-3\">\n<p><a id=\"seven\" class=\"onThisPageAnchor\" title=\"Feeling anxious, sad, or depressed\" name=\"Feeling%20anxious,%20sad,%20or%20depressed\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"card-header h4 bg-tertiary\">7. Feeling anxious, sad, or depressed<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card border-0 rounded-0 mb-3\">\n<div class=\"card-body \">\n<div class=\"w-md-col4 float-md-left mr-md-3 pt-2\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cdc.gov\/tobacco\/campaign\/tips\/quit-smoking\/images\/seven-650x380-1.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Two young women in coffee shop talking\" \/><\/div>\n<p>People who smoke are more likely to have anxiety or depression than people who don\u2019t smoke. Some people feel mood changes for a short time after they quit smoking. Watch for this, especially if you\u2019ve ever had anxiety or depression.<\/p>\n<p>For some people, smoking may seem like it helps with anxiety or depression, but don\u2019t be tricked. Smoking might make you feel better in the short term, but that\u2019s because the nicotine in cigarettes stops the discomfort of withdrawal, <em>not<\/em> because it helps with anxiety or depression. There are much better ways to deal with withdrawal symptoms and mood changes than returning to smoking! The good news is that once people have been smoke-free for a few months, their anxiety and depression levels are often lower than when they were smoking.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ways to manage:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Be Active.\u00a0<\/strong>Being physically active can help lift your mood. Start small and build up over time. This can be hard to do if you\u2019re feeling down. But your efforts will pay off.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Structure your day.\u00a0<\/strong>Stay busy. Get out of the house if you can.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Connect with other people.<\/strong>\u00a0Being in touch or talking with others every day can help your mood. Try to connect with people who are supportive of your efforts to quit smoking.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Reward yourself.\u00a0<\/strong>Do things you enjoy. Even small things add up and help you feel better.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Talk with a healthcare provider.\u00a0<\/strong>If you don\u2019t feel better in a couple of weeks, or your symptoms feel unmanageable, it\u2019s important to contact a healthcare provider.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>What if feelings of depression get worse, or don\u2019t get better?\u00a0<strong>You should get help<\/strong>. Talk to your healthcare provider, call the quitline (<a href=\"tel:1-800-784-8669\">1-800-QUIT-NOW<\/a>), or seek appropriate emergency help.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Sometimes people who are feeling depressed think about hurting themselves or dying.\u00a0<strong>If you or someone you know is having these feelings, get help now.<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Call or text\u00a0<\/strong>the\u00a0<a class=\"tp-link-policy\" href=\"http:\/\/www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-domain-ext=\"org\">988 Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline<\/a>\u00a0at\u00a0<a href=\"tel:988\">988<\/a>, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.\u00a0<a class=\"tp-link-policy tp-link-policy\" href=\"https:\/\/988lifeline.org\/chat\/?_ga=2.75394388.770091201.1669047191-1245689679.1669047191\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-class=\"tp-link-policy\" data-domain-ext=\"org\">The online chat external<span class=\"sr-only\">\u00a0icon<\/span><\/a>\u00a0is available 24\/7.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Call\u00a0<\/strong>911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department for emergency medical treatment.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t\u00a0<\/strong>be alone.\u00a0<strong>Don\u2019t\u00a0<\/strong>leave another person alone if he or she is in crisis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Smoking is also proven to be a risk factor for insulin resistance. Insulin-resistant patients\u00a0cannot use&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8893,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[224,222,223,176,175],"class_list":["post-611","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-type-2-diabetes","tag-avoid-smoking","tag-how-to-avoid-smoking","tag-how-to-quit-smoking","tag-smoking-diabetes","tag-stop-smoking"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/images.jpg?fit=279%2C181&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/611","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=611"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/611\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8895,"href":"https:\/\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/611\/revisions\/8895"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8893"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=611"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diabetesasia.org\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}