Tobacco cravings can wear you down when you're trying to quit. Use these tips
to reduce and resist cravings.
For most tobacco users, tobacco cravings or urges to smoke can be powerful. But
you're not at the mercy of these cravings.
When an urge to use tobacco strikes, remember that although it may be intense, it will
probably pass within five to 10 minutes whether or not you smoke a cigarette or take a
dip of chewing tobacco. Each time you resist a tobacco craving, you're one step closer
to stopping tobacco use for good.
Here are 10 ways to help you resist the urge to smoke or use tobacco when a tobacco
craving strikes.
1. Try nicotine replacement therapy
Ask your doctor about nicotine replacement therapy. The options include:
Prescription nicotine in a nasal spray or inhaler
Over-the-counter nicotine patches, gum and lozenges
Prescription non-nicotine stop-smoking medications such as bupropion (Zyban) and
varenicline (Chantix)
Short-acting nicotine replacement therapies — such as nicotine gum, lozenges, nasal
sprays or inhalers — can help you overcome intense cravings. These short-acting
therapies are generally safe to use in combination with long-acting nicotine patches or
one of the non-nicotine medications.
Electronic cigarettes have had a lot of attention recently as an alternative to smoking
traditional cigarettes. However, more studies are needed to determine the effectiveness
of electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation and the long-term safety of these devices.
2. Avoid triggers
Urges for tobacco are likely to be strongest in the situations where you smoked or
chewed tobacco most often, such as at parties or bars, or while feeling stressed or
sipping coffee. Identify your trigger situations and have a plan in place to avoid them
entirely or get through them without using tobacco.
Don't set yourself up for a smoking relapse. If you usually smoked while you talked on
the phone, for instance, keep a pen and paper nearby to occupy yourself with doodling
rather than smoking.
3. Delay
If you feel like you're going to give in to your tobacco craving, tell yourself that you must
first wait 10 more minutes — and then do something to distract yourself for that period
of time. Try going to a public, smoke-free zone. These simple tricks may be enough to
derail your tobacco craving.
4. Chew on it
Give your mouth something to do to fight a tobacco craving. Chew on sugarless gum or
hard candy, or munch on raw carrots, celery, nuts or sunflower seeds — something
crunchy and satisfying.
5. Don't have 'just one'
You might be tempted to have just one cigarette to satisfy a tobacco craving. But don't
fool yourself into believing that you can stop there. More often than not, having just one
leads to another— and you may end up using tobacco again.
6. Get physical
Physical activity can help distract you from tobacco cravings and reduce their intensity.
Even short burst of physical activity — such as running up and down the stairs a few
times — can make a tobacco craving go away. Get out for a walk or jog.
“Cycling is known to be one of the best forms of exercise that not only tones up the
body muscles and burns the unwanted fat deposits, but also helps in improving the lung
capacity and physical stamina,
If you're stuck at home or the office, try squats, deep knee bends, pushups, running in
place, or walking up and down a set of stairs. If physical activity doesn't interest you, try
prayer, needlework, woodwork or journaling. Or do chores for distraction, such as
vacuuming or filing paperwork.
7. Practice relaxation techniques
Smoking may have been your way to deal with stress. Resisting a tobacco craving can
itself be stressful. Take the edge off stress by practicing relaxation techniques, such as
deep-breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, yoga, visualization, massage or listening
to calming music.
8. Call for reinforcements
Touch base with a family member, friend or support group member for help in your
effort to resist a tobacco craving. Chat on the phone, go for a walk together, share a few
laughs, or get together to commiserate about your cravings.
9. Go online for support
Join an online stop-smoking program. Or read a quitter's blog and post encouraging
thoughts for someone else who might be struggling with tobacco cravings. Learn from
how others have handled their tobacco cravings.
10. Remind yourself of the benefits
Write down or say out loud the reasons you want to stop smoking and resist tobacco
cravings. These might include:
Feeling better
Getting healthier
Sparing your loved ones from secondhand smoke
Saving money
Remember, trying something to beat the urge is always better than doing nothing. And
each time you resist a tobacco craving, you're one step closer to being totally tobacco-
free.
………………………………….AJAY KAPOOR
