Quitting smoking: 10 ways to resist tobacco cravings
2. Avoid triggers
3. Delay
4. Chew on it
5. Don't have 'just one'
6. Get physical
7. Practice relaxation techniques
8. Call for reinforcements
9. Go online for support
Content
1. Use the right nicotine replacement therapy for you.
2. Know what triggers your urge to use nicotine or tobacco and make a plan.
3. Distract yourself until the nicotine or tobacco craving gets better.
4. Replace tobacco or nicotine with gum, a healthy snack or a mint.
5. Don't cave to a nicotine craving.
6. Physical action can help manage mood and craving as you quit tobacco.
7. If tobacco helped you deal with stress, try other ways to relax.
8. Set up a support system to help you resist a tobacco craving.
9. Plan for long-term success and prevent tobacco relapse.
10. Remind yourself of the benefits
Quit smoking for life
Content
People who smoke take in the chemical nicotine from tobacco. Each time you use tobacco, nicotine triggers the brain's reward system. People become addicted to that trigger. But people who smoke also can get used to the habit of smoking, not just the nicotine.
The chemical addiction and the habits people form around smoking, when combined, make it hard to quit.
Like most people who smoke, you may have tried to quit. But it's rare to stop smoking on your first attempt, and even harder if you try to do it without help. You have a better chance of preventing smoking relapse if you have help, and if you make a plan.
To get started, here are 10 ways to resist the urge to smoke or use tobacco when a craving strikes.