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Control the Craving to Smoke

by Marjorie Montemayor-Quellenberg, MA

clenchedhandsYou are trying to quit smoking, but you are not quite there yet. Some days you do well, while other days the craving to reach for a cigarette is overwhelming. You can take control of your cravings no matter where you are or what situation you happen to be in. Here are some tips.

Ways to Control Cravings

  • Stay away from people who smoke. Temptation may peak when you are around the very thing that tempts you. If possible, avoid places or limit your time where smoking occurs, whether at a bar, a party, or on the back patio with coworkers on a smoke break.
  • Keep your home trigger-free. Ashtrays, lighters, matches—if they are in the house, get rid of them! Having them in sight may trigger the craving for a smoke. This goes for smell, as well. Use air and fabric fresheners to rid the smell of smoke from your home. Also, if you usually smoke in certain areas of your house, try rearranging that area to keep you from smoking. For instance, if you like to smoke while sitting in your favorite patio chair in the backyard, move the chair to the side of the house. This will keep you from getting comfortable and settling in for a smoke.
  • Keep in mind why you want to quit. Always remember the reasons you want to quit smoking. Is it to improve your health? Live longer? For your family? Whatever the reason, keep it in mind the next time you want to light up. Write down your reasons and carry them with you.

Smokin’ Situations

It is important to know what situations trigger your urge to smoke. Keep a journal of these situations. Is it when you are out with friends? When you are stressed? After sex? Once you know the triggers, you can develop a plan to combat them. Here are some common situations that may trigger an urge to smoke and ways to control it:

Situation 1

You feel like lighting up a cigarette after finishing a nice meal.

Control the Craving

Instead of ending your meal with a smoke, have something sweet instead. Treat yourself to a healthy dessert, like fruit, a piece of chocolate, or a stick of sugarless gum.

Situation 2

You are out drinking with friends and want a cigarette to go with your alcoholic beverage.

Control the Craving

There are restaurants or bars where smoking is banned. If that is the case, problem solved. But if not, then the next time you are out drinking, ask the bartender for nuts, chips, or something else to snack on. If snacks are not available, then chew on a straw or cocktail stick. It may look funny to your friends, but you will be healthier for it.

In addition, drinking water may help those cravings pass by faster.

Situation 3

You are bored, lonely, or stressed.

Control the Craving

  • Keep your mind busy. Read a book or magazine. Listen to music. Do a crossword puzzle. Telephone a friend.
  • Keep your body busy. Go for a walk. Work out at the gym. Play with your kids. Find ways to stay physically active. Not only may it keep your boredom and cigarettes at bay, it is a good part of a healthy lifestyle.
  • If you are stressed, try to relax. Try meditating or taking slow, deep breaths. Or maybe what relaxes you is taking a nice, warm shower or going to a movie. The idea is to find ways, other than lighting a cigarette, to calm you.

Situation 4

You just want something in your hands or mouth.

Control the Craving

To satisfy this, do not reach for a cigarette. Reach for something in your “survival kit.” Pack a small bag or box of items and keep it near you so that the next time your hands want to reach for a cigarette, they can reach for these instead:

  • Carrot or celery sticks
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Sugarless gum or candy
  • Mints
  • Toothpicks
  • Straws
  • A ball to squeeze
  • Rubber bands
  • Paper clips
  • A pencil

Realize that the road to quitting will have its ups and downs. But it is important to remain confident and to keep believing that you can and will quit. Having a plan of attack for when you feel like smoking will help you overcome the hurdles and make the road to quitting smoother.

RESOURCES::

American Cancer Society
http://www.cancer.org

American Lung Association
http://www.lungusa.org

National Cancer Institute
http://www.cancer.gov

Smokefree.gov
http://www.smokefree.gov/

CANADIAN RESOURCES::

Canadian Cancer Society
http://www.cancer.ca/

Health Canada
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/

The Lung Association
http://www.lung.ca/

REFERENCES::

Become smoke-free: healthy me, healthy baby. Kaiser Permanente website. Available at: http://mydoctor.ka.... Published 2009. Accessed June 3, 2011.

Chapter 7: Prepare For Your Quit Day. Smoking Cessation website. Available at: http://www.smoking-cessation.org/quit_smoking_guide_7.asp. Accessed June 3, 2011.

How to quit smoking: a guide to quitting and kicking the habit for good. Helpguide.org website. Available at: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/quit_smoking_cessation.htm. Updated November 2010. Accessed June 3, 2011.

Managing cravings: when you really crave a cigarette. Smokefree.gov website. Available at: http://smokefree.gov/qg-quitting-cravings.aspx. Accessed June 3, 2011.

Seven tips to controlling smoking cravings. Nicotine Free.org website. Available at: http://www.nicotin.... Accessed June 3, 2011.


Last reviewed June 2011 by Lawrence Frisch, MD, MPH
Last Updated: 6/27/2011

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