How to Keep Smoking Systematically Without Getting Addicted
Avoid nicotine triggers., Distract yourself., Delay and regulate your urges., Use relaxation techniques., Make time for a workout.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Avoid nicotine triggers.
Many smokers find that they experience cravings whenever they are in situations or places where they smoke most often.If you tend to smoke at parties, bars, or around a particular group of friends, and you want to temper your smoking habits, it may be best to avoid those triggers until a day when you're ready to smoke.
The first step in avoiding triggers is to identify what your triggers are.Think about when you most often smoke, and compare that place/scenario with your frequency of cravings between cigarettes.
If you absolutely cannot avoid your biggest triggers, have a plan in place to avoid smoking on "off" days.
Give yourself permission to leave early if necessary, and arm yourself with distractions to keep you from smoking. -
Step 2: Distract yourself.
One of the best ways to avoid giving in to your cravings, especially if you find yourself in places or situations that trigger the urge to smoke, is to give yourself adequate distractions.
For some, that may mean something to satisfy an oral fixation.
For others, it may require something to keep the hands busy.Identify what activities suppress your cravings most effectively.
Do you feel the need to put something in your mouth, hold something in your hand, or some combination of the two?If you crave the oral fixation that comes with smoking, try chewing gum or sucking on a hard candy or lozenge.
Some smokers also find it very satisfying to chew on something crunchy, like sunflower seeds, to help stave off a nicotine craving.If you find yourself craving something to do with your hands, try carrying a pen and paper around.
You can twirl the pen between your fingers, or doodle/draw to help distract you from the cravings.If you feel you need both the hand occupation and oral fixation, try carrying around a bundle of toothpicks/tea tree sticks, straws, or lollipops.
Many former smokers (and current smokers who cannot smoke, for example while at work) turn to toothpicks, straws, and lollipops as a means of satisfying both the behavioral and oral components of cigarette cravings., If you find yourself absolutely craving a cigarette on a day you don't want to smoke, promise yourself you'll wait 10 minutes before reaching for a pack.
In that time, do something distracting.
Try going for a walk or reading something engrossing to distract your mind, and use a physical replacement (like a toothpick or lollipop) to satisfy the habitual components of smoking.
You can also squeeze a stress ball to help manage any anxiety that accompanies your cravings.If you absolutely must give in to your craving, then you may want to subtract that cigarette from a day you were planning to allow yourself to smoke later in the week.
For example, if you're too stressed out on a Wednesday at work and you give in to your craving, then skip the situations or groups of friends who would trigger a craving on Friday or Saturday.
That way you're still keeping yourself below a weekly minimum. , If you find your social smoking habits turning into bad cravings whenever you're stressed, try using relaxation techniques to break your stress patterns.
There are many relaxation techniques that smokers find useful, including deep-breathing, meditation, muscle relaxation, and yoga.In deep breathing, the goal is to breathe from your diaphragm (below your rib cage) to produce a slow, steady, deep inhalation and exhalation.Meditation is used to calm the mind and focus attention away from stressful thoughts and feelings.
Most people who meditate begin by focusing on their breath, taking slow and deep breaths in and out.
Some practitioners also use a repeated word or phrase (called a mantra) or practice visualization to imagine a place or time that is peaceful and serene.Progressive muscle relaxation involves tensing and subsequently relaxing each group of muscles progressively, from one end of the body to the other.
This can help alleviate muscle tension and quell stressful or anxious thoughts and feelings.Yoga combines stretches and postures with controlled, meditative breathing to help relax the mind and body., Studies have shown that 30 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity can actually quell a nicotine craving.If you're able to get outside when a craving strikes, go for a run, a long walk, or a bike ride.
If you're at work, try some low-intensity workout options like squats, lunges, pushups, or walking up/down several flights of stairs. -
Step 3: Delay and regulate your urges.
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Step 4: Use relaxation techniques.
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Step 5: Make time for a workout.
Detailed Guide
Many smokers find that they experience cravings whenever they are in situations or places where they smoke most often.If you tend to smoke at parties, bars, or around a particular group of friends, and you want to temper your smoking habits, it may be best to avoid those triggers until a day when you're ready to smoke.
The first step in avoiding triggers is to identify what your triggers are.Think about when you most often smoke, and compare that place/scenario with your frequency of cravings between cigarettes.
If you absolutely cannot avoid your biggest triggers, have a plan in place to avoid smoking on "off" days.
Give yourself permission to leave early if necessary, and arm yourself with distractions to keep you from smoking.
One of the best ways to avoid giving in to your cravings, especially if you find yourself in places or situations that trigger the urge to smoke, is to give yourself adequate distractions.
For some, that may mean something to satisfy an oral fixation.
For others, it may require something to keep the hands busy.Identify what activities suppress your cravings most effectively.
Do you feel the need to put something in your mouth, hold something in your hand, or some combination of the two?If you crave the oral fixation that comes with smoking, try chewing gum or sucking on a hard candy or lozenge.
Some smokers also find it very satisfying to chew on something crunchy, like sunflower seeds, to help stave off a nicotine craving.If you find yourself craving something to do with your hands, try carrying a pen and paper around.
You can twirl the pen between your fingers, or doodle/draw to help distract you from the cravings.If you feel you need both the hand occupation and oral fixation, try carrying around a bundle of toothpicks/tea tree sticks, straws, or lollipops.
Many former smokers (and current smokers who cannot smoke, for example while at work) turn to toothpicks, straws, and lollipops as a means of satisfying both the behavioral and oral components of cigarette cravings., If you find yourself absolutely craving a cigarette on a day you don't want to smoke, promise yourself you'll wait 10 minutes before reaching for a pack.
In that time, do something distracting.
Try going for a walk or reading something engrossing to distract your mind, and use a physical replacement (like a toothpick or lollipop) to satisfy the habitual components of smoking.
You can also squeeze a stress ball to help manage any anxiety that accompanies your cravings.If you absolutely must give in to your craving, then you may want to subtract that cigarette from a day you were planning to allow yourself to smoke later in the week.
For example, if you're too stressed out on a Wednesday at work and you give in to your craving, then skip the situations or groups of friends who would trigger a craving on Friday or Saturday.
That way you're still keeping yourself below a weekly minimum. , If you find your social smoking habits turning into bad cravings whenever you're stressed, try using relaxation techniques to break your stress patterns.
There are many relaxation techniques that smokers find useful, including deep-breathing, meditation, muscle relaxation, and yoga.In deep breathing, the goal is to breathe from your diaphragm (below your rib cage) to produce a slow, steady, deep inhalation and exhalation.Meditation is used to calm the mind and focus attention away from stressful thoughts and feelings.
Most people who meditate begin by focusing on their breath, taking slow and deep breaths in and out.
Some practitioners also use a repeated word or phrase (called a mantra) or practice visualization to imagine a place or time that is peaceful and serene.Progressive muscle relaxation involves tensing and subsequently relaxing each group of muscles progressively, from one end of the body to the other.
This can help alleviate muscle tension and quell stressful or anxious thoughts and feelings.Yoga combines stretches and postures with controlled, meditative breathing to help relax the mind and body., Studies have shown that 30 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity can actually quell a nicotine craving.If you're able to get outside when a craving strikes, go for a run, a long walk, or a bike ride.
If you're at work, try some low-intensity workout options like squats, lunges, pushups, or walking up/down several flights of stairs.
About the Author
Samuel Watson
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow home improvement tutorials.
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