Because smoking is a form of addiction, 80 percent of smokers who quit usually experience some withdrawal symptoms. These may include headaches, light-headedness, and chest pains. Psychological symptoms, such as anxiety, short-term depression, and inability to concentrate, may also appear. The main psychological symptom is increased irritability. People become so irritable, in fact, that they say they feel “like killing somebody.” Yet there is no evidence that quitting smoking leads to physical violence.Some people seem to lose all their energy and drive, wanting only to sleep. Others react in exactly the opposite way, becoming so over-energized they can.t find enough activity to burn off their excess energy. For instance, one woman said she cleaned out all her closets completely and was ready to go next door to start on her neighbor.s. Both these extremes, however, eventually level off. The symptoms may be intense for two or three days, but within 10 to 14 days after quitting, most subside. The truth is that after people quit smoking, they have more energy, they generally will need less sleep, and feel better about themselves. Quitting smoking not only extends the ex-smoker.s life, but adds new happiness and meaning to one.s current life. Most smokers state that immediately after they quit smoking, they start noticing dramatic differences in their overall health and vitality. Quitting is beneficial at any age, no matter how long a person has been smoking. The death rate of an ex-smoker decreases after quitting. If the patient quits before a serious disease has developed, his/her body may eventually be able to restore itself almost completely.

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