Withdrawal Symptoms

Withdrawal Symptoms

A look at common and uncommon withdrawal symptoms you may experience and realistic timeframes to overcome them.

Educational
Author
Date Added
23 February 2026
Date Reviewed
24 April 2026
Read Time
1 min read

Withdrawal Symptoms

Withdrawal symptoms are very common when you quit smoking. You won’t be able to get rid of them completely but using your stop smoking medication will help.

If you stay quit and don’t smoke a cigarette, these symptoms will slowly disappear in the first four weeks of your quit attempt.

Common symptoms and their usual time frame

  • Wanting to smoke or craving a cigarette: Reduce over time if you stay quit but can last for a while

  • Increased appetite and weight gain: Three months or longer

  • Depression, restlessness, poor concentration and irritability/aggression: Less than a month

Less common symptoms and their usual time frame

  • Light-headedness: Less than 48 hours

  • Waking at night: Less than a week

  • Mouth ulcers: Over a month

  • Constipation: Over a month