Nicotine is the substance in cigarettes that binds us all. It is one of the most toxic and addictive substances known to man and has been said to be even more addictive than heroin. Every person's body is different, and depending on how addicted you actually are to nicotine, the side effects of giving up cigarettes can vary from mild to extreme.

The most common side effect of breaking nicotine addiction is a massive drop in blood sugar levels. This usually continues for the first three days and eventually stabilizes by the end of the first week. This rapid decrease in blood sugar is what causes people to have throbbing headaches, dizziness, fogginess, and the strange symptom of time distortion. Many people often report having massive cravings for anything sweet. This is the body trying to account for the sudden shock and loss of blood sugar.

Extreme anxiety, irritability, mood swings, and insomnia are all very common side effects from quitting smoking. Some people also get extreme nausea, vomiting for days until the body starts to stabilize itself. All of these symptoms are your body's natural response to the inhalation of a toxic chemical. It is using it's natural cleansing processes to rid you of the toxins. To help it along, be sure to drink a lot of water...much more than you would normally drink.

Just remember that these side effects are only temporary. Most of them will fade away within a week, but the craving may last weeks or even months before your mind is truly free of the habit. Don't worry too much about gaining weight, either. Gaining a few pounds is far healthier than inhaling the 4000+ chemicals that cigarettes pump into your body with every puff that you take!