Blame nicotine, the addictive substance in cigarettes. Not only does nicotine cause powerful pleasurable sensations when it’s absorbed into the bloodstream, but it also triggers deep cravings after its effects wear off. The good news is that it’s possible to overcome nicotine cravings — with a little understanding, focus, and willpower, that is. Here’s how to kick the habit for good.
Why Stopping Smoking Makes You Feel So Bad
Nicotine is powerful stuff — and cigarettes deliver a quick supply of this drug to the brain, triggering a burst in the production of certain brain chemicals responsible for helping us feel pleasure, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Ten seconds after a smoker inhales, the nicotine level in his or her body peaks. But the problem is that the drug — and the pleasurable feelings it causes — also wears off quickly. In fact, most people who smoke do so to activate the rewarding sensation and avoid the negative consequences of depriving their bodies of nicotine. A typical smoker — for example, someone who takes 10 puffs on a cigarette over a 5-minute period and smokes about 30 cigarettes a day — gets about 300 nicotine hits to the brain every day, says the NIDA. When people stop consuming nicotine, they can experience physical withdrawal symptoms, like irritability and headaches, says Norman H. Edelman, MD, a professor of medicine at the State University of New York at Stony Brook and a senior scientific adviser to the American Lung Association. These symptoms usually creep up within hours of smoking your last cigarette and persist for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
Know Your Smoking Triggers
Cigarettes aren’t just physiologically addictive — they’re also psychologically addictive. For most people, smoking is a habit that’s linked to certain daily activities and routines. Maybe you’re used to lighting up while you’re drinking your morning coffee or driving to work. These situations are known as trigger moments, and overcoming them can be difficult at first. Use these strategies to break your habits and stay smoke free for good.
Change your routine. If you’re in the habit of smoking after meals, leave the table as soon as you finish eating and take a short walk or engage in some other activity instead.Avoid your favorite bar. If you tend to smoke at a local bar or restaurant, going there can trigger the urge to light up, especially during the first few days of abstinence and nicotine withdrawal.Go to smoke-free areas. Spend as much time as possible in places where smoking isn’t allowed. Libraries, museums, theaters, and churches are just a few examples. Make your home and car smoke-free zones, too — and tell your family and friends about the new rule.
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12 Ways to Ward Off a Cigarette Craving
When a nicotine craving strikes, it helps to have a plan of action in place. Talk to your doctor about the possibility of using nicotine replacement therapy — patches, gum, spray, or other products can help reduce cravings during the withdrawal period. Here are 12 other things you can do when you feel the urge to smoke:
Switch up your scenery. Distract yourself by going outside or into a different room.Think new thoughts. Instead of thinking about smoking, recite a list of reasons for quitting.Exercise. Physical activity can reduce cravings, help relieve stress, improve your mood, and prevent weight gain.Read a text from Smokefree.gov. This 24/7 messaging program offers tips, advice, and encouragement to people who are trying to remain smoke free. Find programs specialized for veterans, women, teens, people over age 60, and Spanish speakers.Avoid alcohol. Not only is alcohol a common smoking trigger, but it can alter your judgment and self-control. Rearrange your schedule to avoid drinking, and think about how you’ll say no to alcohol if you’re offered a glass of wine or beer.Breathe deeply. Relaxation and meditation techniques can help alleviate stress. Try visualizing the fresh air filling your lungs, and remind yourself of the health benefits of quitting smoking.Stay hydrated. Drink water or juice; if you’re watching your weight, dilute the juice with seltzer.Keep a healthy snack on hand. When the urge to smoke creeps up, try chewing sugarless gum or snacking on a pretzel rod. Just be sure to avoid any foods that you typically ate while smoking.Hold something in your hand. Keep your fingers and hands occupied by fiddling with a pen, coin, or paper clip.Talk to someone. Recruit a sympathetic ear from among your friends, relatives, or trusted coworkers.Start an activity. Do a puzzle, send an email, play a musical instrument, knit, write in your journal, organize your photos, play a video game — find an activity that will occupy your hands and change the focus of your thoughts.Delay, delay, delay. Tell yourself that you must wait 10 minutes before you have a cigarette. By the end of the 10 minutes, the urge may have passed. If not, try another 10-minute wait. Cravings usually come and go and last for only a brief period of time. Remember: It will pass.
Reward Yourself for Not Smoking
Smoking is expensive. To encourage yourself to stay smoke free, set aside the money you’re saving by quitting for a treat — a vacation, a new guitar, or a bicycle. That’s something you can be proud of.
