How to Handle Cravings When you Stop Smoking
By Roy Whithouse | August 13, 2008
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Quitting smoking will almost always bring on harsh cravings. There’s no single way to handle withdrawal that is effective for everyone. Everyone has a unique way of quitting and an equally unique reaction to the drop in nicotine levels. Yet there are some methods that are useful for many people.
Smoking cigarettes is a habitual behavior. Even after you quit, the habit is set and you want to continue. For the first two weeks, as you eliminate the chemicals that have built up in your body, it automatically tries to revert to normal. This biological mechanism can be triggered to work in a variety of situations.
Homeostasis is the technical term. Your body is attempting to sustain equilibrium. When it experiences a drastic change, it tries to revert to normal. If you can acknowledge that this is a built in mechanism, you can use it to your advantage.
The anxiety and guilt that often accompanies the effort is part of the reason quitting smoking so hard. We are unsure whether or not we can stick to our decision and often feel out of control. Stress increases, such as those seen with a perceived lack of control, which causes us to want to smoke to deal with the stress. This creates a pattern that’s difficult to change.
The first couple of weeks, as these physical changes begin to take place, are the most difficult. Realizing that these things are out of our control, though we are still responsible for the commitment, can help get you through that trying time.
Try to minimize all other stressors during this period of adjustment. Don’t try to quit smoking if, for instance, you’re beginning a new job. Don’t take this on if you are facing a crisis, like a child having a serious medical procedure.
Use every healthy diversion possible.
Keep small pieces of fresh fruit with you at all times. When you feel the urge to reach for that cigarette, pop one instead. Sharp, tangy fruit is better than fruit that’s simply sweet or, worse, bland. Choose your favorite, although pineapple or oranges seem to work best.
When you are craving a cigarette, try listening to music instead. Focusing on a song and keeping busy will take up that three or four minutes you would otherwise spend smoking. During this period, your favorite music can help sustain you. Be sure to choose something uplifting. Negative music should never be played while in a negative mood, as it only serves to reinforce those negative emotions.
Small exercises can keep your hands busy. This could be as easy as using a stress-relieving hand spring or squeezing a tennis ball. Eventually, you should aim for exercises involving the entire arm, shoulder and back. This has two benefits, as it both eliminates the harm caused by cigarettes as well as helps restore your circulatory system.
Engage in an activity which requires intense concentration and suits your personality and circumstances; such as trimming a beard, fixing your hair to perfection, drawing a sketch or solving a math problem. The activity should be short, but be sure to leave little room for stray thought - including thoughts about that cigarette that you so desperately want to smoke.
If you keep your focus, the cravings will diminish to a tolerable level. Over the next few months, at random, you’ll experience a recurrence of these urges from time to time. When the need arises, return to the rituals that got you through the first few weeks. Remind yourself of the healthy advantages that come with not smoking. In no time, you will see that it outweighs the short-term advantages of smoking.
Topics: Stop Smoking |
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