Tobacco Use and Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)

• Tobacco reduces oxygen to the brain while smoking and nicotine shrink blood vessels, reducing oxygen and nutrients that your brain needs for healing.
• This slows neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to rewire and recover.

Smoking damages blood vessels, increasing the risk of:

• More strokes, leading to further cognitive decline.
• Blood clots, which can cause another brain injury.
• Worsens memory, thinking & cognitive fatigue.

Nicotine may temporarily improve focus but long-term, it worsens memory and mental clarity by:

• Disrupting neurotransmitters, that is brain chemicals.
• Making it harder for the brain to process and store new information.
• ABI already affects executive function and memory, and smoking makes it worse.
• Slows healing & increases fatigue
• Tobacco reduces deep sleep, leading to more fatigue and difficulty recovering from brain injury.
• If you feel mentally exhausted, smoking will only make it worse over time.

Increases anxiety & depression, common after ABI:

• Nicotine affects brain chemistry, making mood swings, anxiety, and depression worse.
• Smokers with brain injuries often feel more stressed and overwhelmed than non-smokers.
• Weakens balance and increases fall risk.
• Smoking affects blood circulation and weakens muscles, which increases the risk of falls—a big concern after ABI.

What can you do instead?

• Since ABI affects decision-making, impulse control, and stress management, quitting may feel extra challenging—but with the right plan, it’s completely possible!
• Deep breathing, chewing gum, and mindfulness techniques can help reduce cravings.
• If you smoke, reducing or quitting can help your brain recover faster.
• Nicotine replacement therapy (patches, gum) or medications can help if stopping suddenly is too hard.
• Quitting tobacco is one of the best things you can do for brain recovery, energy levels, and overall health.

Identify your reasons for quitting:

• “I want to heal my brain faster.”
• “I want more energy and better focus.”
• “I want to reduce my stroke risk.”

Know your triggers:

• When do you usually smoke? After meals, with coffee, when stressed?
• Make a list of situations that make you want to smoke.

Set a Quit date:

• Choose a day within the next 2 weeks to mentally prepare.
• Mark it in your calendar as a fresh start.

Tell someone for support:

• Let family, friends, or a support group know about your goal.
• Consider talking to a doctor about nicotine replacement or medication.

Replace the habit with brain-friendly alternatives:

• If you smoke with coffee, switch to herbal tea or water to break the habit.
• If you smoke when stressed, try deep breathing or a stress ball.
• If you smoke when bored, keep hands busy (fidget toy, doodling, knitting).
• If you smoke after meals, brush your teeth or chew sugar-free gum instead.

Common symptoms of nicotine withdrawal (lasts at most 2 weeks, but improves over time):

• If you have irritability or mood swings, try deep breathing, music, short walks.
• If you have cravings that last only 5-10 minutes, distract yourself!
• If you you fatigue, sleep well, drink water, light exercise.
• If you have increased appetite, reach for healthy snacks like nuts or fruit.

Nicotine replacement (if needed):

• Nicotine patches, gum, or lozenges reduce withdrawal without smoking.

Reward milestones:

• 24 hours: Brain oxygen levels improve.
• 1 week: Nicotine withdrawal eases.
• 1 month: Circulation and lung function improve.
• 6 months: Brain fog and memory improve.

If you slip, don’t give up!

• Use the money saved on cigarettes or and other kind of tobacco to treat yourself—buy a book, get a massage, or invest in something you enjoy!

• One mistake does not mean failure—just reset and continue.

• Remind yourself why you started and what’s improving.

Avoid temptations:

• Keep cigarettes out of reach, not in the house or car.
• If others smoke around you, ask them to support your goal.

Free resources & support:

• Smokefree.gov (Tips, Text Support, & Personalized Plans)
• Quitline (1-800-QUIT-NOW)
• Local Support Groups – Check hospitals or online communities.