How to Stop the Urge to Smoke
You probably already know that smoking is bad for you. Smoking causes heart disease, emphysema and lung cancer. Smoking also affects your oral and skin health. Smoking can be dangerous to unborn children whose mothers smoke while pregnant. Smoking cigarettes is a habit that is tough to break, though. There are several smoking-cessation programs that help some, but one of the main issues with smokers who fail to quit is dealing with the urge to smoke. It may help to find some ways to resist that urge before you try to quit.
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Instructions
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Find a replacement for the oral fixation that you have acquired through smoking. If you feel the urge to smoke, try chewing gum or holding in a straw in your mouth. Munch on pretzels or hard candy to keep your mouth busy.
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Keep a notebook handy to jot down when your cravings happen. Keeping a record of what is going on when you experience cravings will help you to understand why you have them. For example, if you are having cravings after each meal, you will know that eating may be a trigger for your craving.
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Plan activities for the times when you have the most cravings. If you have more cravings after meals, plan to take a walk after each meal. Do the same for any other situation, try to keep yourself busy, so you don't focus so much on smoking.
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Speak to your doctor about nicotine-replacement therapy. There are patches, pills, gums and inhalers that can help. Many people find them effective for controlling urges.
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Keep a running list of all of the positive results of quitting. Look at that list each time you have an urge to smoke. Include things like health benefits, social benefits and financial benefits.
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Join a support group in your area. Find information from your telephone book. Look under "support groups" or "Nicotine Anonymous." You can also follow the link provided to find a Nicotine Anonymous group in your area.
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