9 Tips for Smoking Cessation

1 - Avoid Triggers

Urges for tobacco are likely to be strongest in the situations where you smoked or chewed tobacco most often, such as at parties or bars, or while feeling stressed or sipping coffee. Identify your trigger situations and have a plan in place to avoid them entirely or get through them without using tobacco.

Don’t set yourself up for a smoking relapse. If you usually smoked while you talked on the phone, for instance, keep a pen and paper nearby to occupy yourself with doodling rather than smoking.

 

Tips for Smoking Cessation
2 - Delay

If you feel like you’re going to give in to your tobacco craving, tell yourself that you must first wait 10 more minutes — and then do something to distract yourself for that period of time. Try going to a public, smoke-free zone. These simple tricks may be enough to derail your tobacco craving.

Tips for Smoking Cessation
3 - Chew On It

Give your mouth something to do to fight a tobacco craving. Chew on sugarless gum or hard candy, or munch on raw carrots, celery, nuts or sunflower seeds — something crunchy and satisfying.

Tips for Smoking Cessation
4 - Don't Have 'Just One'

You might be tempted to have just one cigarette to satisfy a tobacco craving. But don’t fool yourself into believing that you can stop there. More often than not, having just one leads to another— and you may end up using tobacco again.

Tips for Smoking Cessation
5 - Get Physical

Physical activity can help distract you from tobacco cravings and reduce their intensity. Even short bursts of physical activity — such as running up and down the stairs a few times — can make a tobacco craving go away. Get out for a walk or jog.

If you’re stuck at home or the office, try squats, deep knee bends, pushups, running in place, or walking up and down a set of stairs. If physical activity doesn’t interest you, try prayer, needlework, woodwork, or journaling. Or do chores for distraction, such as vacuuming or filing paperwork.

 

Tips for Smoking Cessation
6 - Practice Relaxation Techniques

Smoking may have been your way to deal with stress. Resisting a tobacco craving can itself be stressful. Take the edge off stress by practicing relaxation techniques, such as deep-breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, yoga, visualization, massage, or listening to calming music.

Tips for Smoking Cessation
7 - Call For Reinforcements

24/7 support available by phone 613-878-9412 Facebook page or by sending email to info@thestopsmokingclinic.com

 

Tips for Smoking Cessation
8 - Go Online for Support

Join an online stop-smoking program. Or read a quitter’s blog and post encouraging thoughts for someone else who might be struggling with tobacco cravings. Learn from how others have handled their tobacco cravings.

Tips for Smoking Cessation
9 - Remind Yourself of the Benefits

Write down or say out loud the reasons you want to stop smoking and resist tobacco cravings. These might include:

  • Feeling better
  • Getting healthier
  • Sparing your loved ones from secondhand smoke
  • Saving money

Remember, trying something to beat the urge is always better than doing nothing. And each time you resist a tobacco craving, you’re one step closer to being totally tobacco-free.

 

Tips for Smoking Cessation
health icon 10 2

Helping You Be Smoke-Free is Our Mission

(613) 878-9412

Toll-Free: 1-800-418-9415

info@thestopsmokingclinic.com