Quitting cigarette smoking: 10 means to resist tobacco cravings

Tobacco cravings can put on you down when you’re hoping to give up. Use these strategies to minimize and resist cravings.

By Mayo Clinic Employees

For most tobacco people, tobacco cravings or urges to smoke can be strong. But you’re not at the mercy of these cravings.

When an urge to use tobacco strikes, remember that even though it might be intense, it will possibly go within just five to 10 minutes no matter whether or not you smoke a cigarette or take a dip of chewing tobacco. Just about every time you resist a tobacco craving, you’re 1 stage nearer to stopping tobacco use for excellent.

Listed here are 10 means to enable you resist the urge to smoke or use tobacco when a tobacco craving strikes.

one.Consider nicotine substitute remedy

Question your doctor about nicotine substitute remedy. The choices involve:

  • Prescription nicotine in a nasal spray or inhaler
  • Above-the-counter nicotine patches, gum and lozenges
  • Prescription non-nicotine stop-cigarette smoking drugs this kind of as bupropion (Zyban) and varenicline (Chantix)

Shorter-acting nicotine substitute therapies — this kind of as nicotine gum, lozenges, nasal sprays or inhalers — can enable you overcome intense cravings. These small-acting therapies are normally risk-free to use in blend with prolonged-acting nicotine patches or 1 of the non-nicotine drugs.

Electronic cigarettes have had a large amount of focus a short while ago as an option to cigarette smoking common cigarettes. Nonetheless, extra studies are required to decide the effectiveness of digital cigarettes for cigarette smoking cessation and the prolonged-time period security of these products.

two.Prevent triggers

Urges for tobacco are most likely to be strongest in the conditions the place you smoked or chewed tobacco most generally, this kind of as at functions or bars, or when experience pressured or sipping coffee. Discover your result in conditions and have a approach in place to avoid them solely or get by them without the need of making use of tobacco.

Don’t established on your own up for a cigarette smoking relapse. If you usually smoked when you talked on the cell phone, for occasion, retain a pen and paper close by to occupy on your own with doodling somewhat than cigarette smoking.

three.Hold off

If you feel like you’re going to give in to your tobacco craving, explain to on your own that you will have to first hold out 10 extra minutes — and then do something to distract on your own for that period of time. Consider going to a general public, smoke-totally free zone. These simple methods might be enough to derail your tobacco craving.

four.Chew on it

Give your mouth something to do to fight a tobacco craving. Chew on sugarless gum or challenging candy, or munch on raw carrots, celery, nuts or sunflower seeds — something crunchy and satisfying.

5.Don’t have ‘just one’

You may be tempted to have just 1 cigarette to satisfy a tobacco craving. But will not idiot on your own into believing that you can stop there. Additional generally than not, acquiring just 1 sales opportunities to another— and you might close up making use of tobacco yet again.

6.Get actual physical

Bodily action can enable distract you from tobacco cravings and minimize their depth. Even small burst of actual physical action — this kind of as managing up and down the stairs a several situations — can make a tobacco craving go absent. Get out for a walk or jog.

If you’re trapped at house or the place of work, check out squats, deep knee bends, pushups, managing in place, or strolling up and down a established of stairs. If actual physical action will not curiosity you, check out prayer, needlework, woodwork or journaling. Or do chores for distraction, this kind of as vacuuming or submitting paperwork.

seven.Follow relaxation approaches

Cigarette smoking might have been your way to offer with strain. Resisting a tobacco craving can alone be stress filled. Just take the edge off strain by training relaxation approaches, this kind of as deep-respiration exercise routines, muscle mass relaxation, yoga, visualization, massage or listening to calming music.

eight.Connect with for reinforcements

Touch base with a family member, pal or support group member for enable in your energy to resist a tobacco craving. Chat on the cell phone, go for a walk with each other, share a several laughs, or get with each other to commiserate about your cravings. A totally free phone give up line — 800-Give up-NOW (800-784-8669) — provides support and counseling

nine.Go on-line for support

Join an on-line stop-cigarette smoking program. Or browse a quitter’s blog and write-up encouraging views for someone else who may be struggling with tobacco cravings. Master from how others have handled their tobacco cravings.

10.Remind on your own of the rewards

Publish down or say out loud the motives you want to stop cigarette smoking and resist tobacco cravings. These may involve:

  • Experience improved
  • Finding more healthy
  • Sparing your loved types from secondhand smoke
  • Preserving income

Try to remember, hoping something to beat the urge is usually improved than doing almost nothing. And every time you resist a tobacco craving, you’re 1 stage nearer to staying totally tobacco-totally free.