Nicotine cravings can be weary when a person is trying to kick the butt for good. Avoiding triggers, nicotine replacement therapy, yoga and delaying your cravings are few ways to overcome your cigarette hankerings.
For most of the smokers, cigarette cravings are very powerful. When the cravings strike in, always remember that it will be temporary or will last for only few minutes. Every time you resist the cravings, you move a step ahead to quitting the habit for good. Though a bit difficult, but not impossible.
Here are 10 ways to assist you curb those cigarette hankerings:
- 1. Delay Or Adjournment: If you feel that you might surrender to your cigarette cravings, then wait for 10 minutes and try to distract your mind for some time. This might work to distract your mind. Repeat this when required.
- 2. Cut Yourself Completely From Nicotine: You may get tempted to smoke just one cigarette for satiating your nicotine cravings, but stop fooling yourself. Often, having one just one cigarette leads to one more and then it goes on.
- 3. Thwart Triggers: Cravings for cigarette can be strong during situations when you smoked most often such as while watching TV, driving or when at bars or parties. You ought to identify these trigger situations and devise a plan to avoid the triggers completely or get over them. Do not give in. If you had a habit of lighting the butt when talking on your phone, then keep a paper and pen nearby to engage yourself instead of smoking.
- 4. Get Physical: Yes, physical activities will help to distract a person from cravings and curb their intensity as well. Mere half hour of moderate physical workout can kick out the cravings. Consider jogging or walking daily. If you are a busy person at office, then try out pushups, squats or take up the stairs instead of the elevators. If physical activity is something that you hate, then consider indulging in journaling, woodwork, needlework or prayer. Other chores include arranging the paperwork or vacuuming.
- 5. Perform Some Relaxation Techniques: Smoking might be a means to deal with any kind of stress for you in the past. However, attempting to resist your cravings for cigarette itself can be a stressful situation. Thus, you ought to take an edge off the stress by performing some relaxation techniques. You may consider massage, hypnosis, yoga, meditation, muscle relaxation and deep breathing techniques.
- 6. Seek For Support: Stay in contact with a friend, family member or support program for getting some moral support to help you resist your cravings.
- 7. Always Remember The Pros Of Quitting The Habit: Say it loud or write down the reasons why you ought to quit smoking and overcome your cravings. The reasons are a healthy life, better feeling, reducing the adverse effects of passive smoking on your family and friends and saving money.
- 8. Resort To Internet: Yes, to no surprise, you will find tons of quit smoking programs over the World Wide Web these days. You may even go through the blog of successful ex-smokers, who got out from the clutches of smoking. Try to grasp and learn from these folks as how they were able to quit.
- 9. Opt For Nicotine Replacements: You can try some nicotine replacement option rather than lighting a cigarette. A few common options here include lozenges, gums and patches that you can avail over-the-counter.
- 10. Chew It Up: Feed your mouth with something for combating your tobacco cravings. Chew some sugarless gum or much on raw sunflower seeds, nuts, celery and carrots.
Always remember that it is better to combat the cravings by having something instead of resorting to doing nothing or lighting the stick. Most importantly, every time you beat the cravings, you move a step ahead to a healthy and tobacco-free life.