Stop Smoking
And Overcome The Cravings
There are two primary cravings that you'll face when you stop smoking. The first are your
physical cravings, which result from your withdrawal from nicotine. The second are your psychological cravings, which are the rituals and habits that you've created around your ceremony of smoking.
Stop smoking cravings are most commonly the result of the physical toll that comes from nicotine withdrawal. For instance, your body may physically just not feel "right." You may find that you have trouble concentrating. You may experience frequent headaches or find yourself feeling depressed and anxious. You may occasionally feel light-headed. There can be bouts of sleeplessness. And you may experience a dramatic increase in appetite.
It's these physical side effects that tend to create the craving for another cigarette. A few puffs, a few
cigarettes, and most of these troubling withdrawal symptoms will disappear.
The other form of cravings result from the desire to return to what's been so comfortable in your life for so long. When you stop smoking, you give up many of the psychological routines and rituals that you've depended on to help you relax and unwind. For instance, you may have always turned to a cigarette after a fulfilling meal or with your morning coffee before you head out the door. These routines have become a major cornerstone of your life over the years. They've become part of your belief system.
You've developed beliefs around them. For instance, I can't start my day without a morning cigarette. It's the only thing that keeps me calm. Or ... I can't get through the afternoon commute without lighting up. It's the only way I can relax in all that insane traffic. Or ... a meal doesn't feel complete until I've had a cigarette. Cigarette smoking is a fond memory for you.
The good news is that these cravings, both physical and psychological, that arise when you quit smoking are only temporary. They are most powerful and persistent when you first quit. However, they will gradually become less
intrusive over time and eventually disappear. How long will it take? Often only a couple of weeks.
So, the challenge is getting through the next fourteen or so days, when the cravings are heightened, without giving up and grabbing the nearest cigarette. How do you do this?
First of all, there should be no "nearest cigarette." All the cigarettes in your home, in your car, at the office, need to be tossed the moment you're ready to take the plunge and become a non-smoker. Having cigarettes lying around is simply too tempting. It places a tremendous and completely unnecessary stain on your will power. So get rid of them all.
In place of your cigarettes, keep other things around that you can turn to when your cravings hit. For instance, hard candy, raw carrots, sugar free gum, apples, cashews, seeds ... some small snack that you enjoy and that will occupy the place of cigarettes until the craving passes.
It's also helpful, whenever you can, to do something physical. Go for a walk, vacuum the living carpet, store your winter clothes, mow the lawn. It doesn't have to be a major undertaking, just enough physical activity to keep you busy and moving until you mind has moved beyond that desire for a cigarette.
Some smokers find relaxation exercises helpful when a craving hits. A short routine of breathing exercises, for instance. Or a long, relaxing soak in the tub, surrounded by candles and soft music.
It doesn't really matter what you do, as long as you do something to compensate for the loss of your smoking routine. And never lose sight of the fact that your cravings and withdrawal symptoms won't last forever. You only need to work through a couple of difficult weeks before you'll be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Isn't today a good time to get started?
|
