Smoking has been seen in many different ways over the past couple of decades. At some point, smoking was seen as the “cool” thing to do and every teenager and young adult wanted to try it. But over time, the negative health effects of smoking were discovered and discussed, and it began to develop a bad reputation. In fact, it’s become common around the world for cigarette producers to put warning labels on their boxes.
But even if you try to avoid bad habits like smoking, it could eventually get to you. Perhaps it’s the sense of relaxation that you experience, or maybe it’s to fit in with social norms in your workplace. Whatever the case is, we’re all susceptible to the allure of smoking–which also means we can face withdrawal symptoms.
Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/person-holding-cigarette-stick-and-round-glass-ashtray-RuMzMXNenKg (CC0)
Beating the urge to smoke whenever you find it hard to concentrate
It’s common to fail under modern pressures in the office or from our families. We can eventually shut down due to everything that’s happening to us, forcing us to go back to vices like smoking to calm our nerves and feel at ease. However, if you’re actively trying to avoid smoking while in these situations, then you’ll have a really hard time focusing and a burning urge to smoke another cigarette.
A good way to avoid this is to try and relax a bit when you’re attempting to quit smoking. Even if you’re not completely quitting and just want to break out of the dependence, you should try to avoid any stressful tasks that might’ve encouraged you to smoke in the past.
Urges to smoke can happen at almost any time as well, but it’s important to write down what causes you to get these cravings. We can identify these as triggers, and it’ll be important information to help us cut out nicotine dependence in the future.
Finding replacements for your smoking
People often smoke because they feel like it’s the only way for them to calm their nerves or avoid stress. However, there are other options out there.
For example, you could shop on! Nicopods and try tobacco-free pouches. The goal here is to lower your dependence on things like nicotine and tobacco by using products that are arguably less damaging to your health, but can still manage to fill in those needs.
Similarly, you might find it helpful to just have something between your fingers that can simulate the feel of a cigarette. This might sound silly to some people, but it’s actually really effective for others and can fulfill their needs. In a case like this, you might just be looking for something to keep your hands busy.
It’s not easy to just replace something that can be deeply rooted in your lifestyle. Smoking is, for many people, a part of who they are and it helps ground them into a daily routine that makes their life a bit less hectic. However, there are ultimately healthier ways to achieve this, and we hope that you’ll explore those options as well.