HOW TO HELP CONQUER CRAVINGS
When you first stop smoking or vaping, your cravings and nicotine withdrawal symptoms may be pretty powerful. Understanding your cravings is essential for overcoming them and breaking free from smoking or vaping. We’re here to help! We have compiled some tips for avoiding cravings and relieving those withdrawal symptoms.
Identify what makes you crave a cigarette or vape
Write down all the things and situations that make you want to smoke or vape – these are your triggers! You can help to strengthen your willpower and increase your chances of quitting for good by limiting or skipping these triggers.
For example, if you usually have a cigarette or vape with your morning coffee, then you may associate coffeee with smoking or vaping, so smelling or drinking coffee could be one of your triggers. Perhaps try drinking something else instead, like tea or juice to see if this helps!
Avoid your triggers by breaking the habit
Do you smoke or vape on your work break? When you’re out drinking with friends? When you are feeling stressed?
Forming a habit takes time and breaking it doesn’t happen instantly. In any situation where your normal response would be to reach for a cigarette or vape, do something new.
Rather than going out for drinks at your usual spot, try going somewhere that you don’t associate with smoking or vaping. Maybe this is the cinema, or out shopping?
If alcohol is one of your triggers, try to avoid it where you can, especially in the first week where your cravings may be the toughest.
If you crave a cigarette or vape when you are stressed, then find other ways to relax. Try calling a friend, listen to your favourite song or go for a walk (exercise is a great stress reliever too!)
If you normally smoke or vape after dinner, get up and take a short walk instead.
Be prepared
We understand it can be difficult to stay smoke-free or vape-free when you're around other people smoking or vaping but there’s no need to cut social ties – just be prepared!
For vaping - if you are on a work break and surrounded by vapers, try taking Nicorette QuickMist mouthspray to relieve the urge to vape.
For smoking - Nicorette products can support your willpower and help you cope with the desire to smoke a cigarette by relieving nicotine withdrawal symptoms. In order to help cope with a craving in a social situation, try chewing Nicorette Gum or using Nicorette Cools Lozenge or Nicorette Fruit Lozenge.
Stay positive
Always stay focused on tyour reasons for quitting. Try making a list of all the reasons you want to quit.
Play out these positive thoughts in your head. Better yet, make a list of them and hang it somewhere where you’ll see it often, like the fridge. This optimism comes in handy when you need to say "no" to another cigarette or vape.
Relieve the cravings
For fast-acting relief, Nicorette QuickMist Mouthspray can start to relieve cravings after just 30 seconds to help you carry on with your day.