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If you’re thinking of quitting snus then here’s a timeline of how you may be feeling at each stage.
For those unaware, snus is a little pouch of dry tobacco that is placed under the lip and next to the gum for around half an hour as an alternative to smoking.
But it’s not without its own health risks - not least what it can do to your teeth and gums - check it out:
It is illegal in all of the European Union (EU) except for Sweden, as well as Australia and New Zealand.
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It’s also illegal in the UK - although nicotine pouches, such as Nordic Spirit and Velo, aren’t.
Despite not being legal, its use in the UK is thought to be on the rise and while it may be seen as a healthier alternative to smoking, it’s still bad for you and a nasty habit to pick up.
And if you’re dead set on packing in snus - or any other nicotine product - here’s a bit of a timeline of what you may experience, according to northerner.com.
Day 1 to 3
In the first hours after quitting nicotine you’ll start to feel the withdrawal cravings the hardest.
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Over the first three-or-so days, you may begin to feel nauseous and dizzy while also struggling to concentrate or get a decent night’s kip.
While this isn’t great, stick with it as experts reckon these initial symptoms will wear off around two to three days - and in the meantime you can make sure you’re keeping hydrated.
Day 4 to 5
The physical side of your withdrawal should have buggered off by now - but you may still get the odd headache and that’s not to mention any mental cravings. The best way to tackle these is having a plan of action for when they do occur - so, if, for example, you’re used to using snus or a smoke after a meal then when you eat your brain may still make that association and you could feel a mental craving you can be prepared for this and do something to take your mind off it.
Day 6 to 7
Once the worst of your cravings have subsided you might start to crave sugar. Nicotine can act like an appetite suppressant so giving it up may make you feel hungrier than usual; while packing it in might also trigger some sugar cravings.
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Again, the best thing to do is be prepared - have some healthy snacks, such as fruit, on hand to chomp on when the cravings kick in.
Weeks 1 and 2
You can begin to experience mood swings, which might be worsened by the instability in your blood sugar - the same thing that's making you crave sugar. This can manifest itself as irritability and a lack of patience with others.
It might be a good idea to warn those around you that you’ve quit and that your moods might be a bit all over the place, otherwise they might just assume you’re being a bellend.
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Week 4
Remember that nasty video from the beginning of this article? Well, good news - if you’ve made it a month snus free you should start noticing an improvement in your oral health. This will continue on for the next year - so keep up the good work.
Weeks 4 to 6
At this point, you might experience a drop in motivation and struggle not to just quit your quitting - but be strong. A good way to help yourself through any doubts is to remind yourself of how far you’ve come, check out how much money you’ve saved, and give yourself a reward for doing so well.
Weeks 7 and 8
Things should feel a little easier here - but there’s still a risk of mental fatigue. You can try and combat this with exercise and don’t forget to give yourself another little reward for sticking to it.
Weeks 12 to the rest of your life
Around 90 days after ditching snus, you should notice that not having nicotine in your life feels a lot easier. If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably on track to kick the habit for good - but it’s still a good idea to remain vigilant so you don’t slip back into bad habits.
Topics: Health
Claire Reid