Smoking is not the popular activity it used to be. Its depictions in movies and TV shows have been reduced considerably, and most public spaces prohibit its use. As a result of this (as well as more definitive research on negative health effects), many people try every year to quit smoking. In many cases, this proves to be extremely difficult, not least because of the challenge of withdrawal symptoms.
What Are The Best Alternatives For Smokers In 2022?
There is unfortunately no universal method or magic switch that will help you to quit smoking. Below, however, we will list some of the products you can use to busy yourself, distract from smoking cravings, and at least make progress toward leaving the habit behind.
Chewing
The need for nicotine can manifest in the form of a very general desire to consume something. People dealing with nicotine withdrawal can actually take advantage of this, however, and use it to trick the brain into thinking the need has been satisfied.
To give a few examples, the National Cancer Institute says that keeping your mouth busy with carrots or hard candy can stop the need to smoke. That statement is remarkable in its simplicity, but a lot of smokers find it to be accurate! We would also recommend that you try different things (not just carrots and hard candy) until you find something that works for you. That might mean chewing gum, bags of sunflower seeds, or anything else of the sort.
Exercise
Physical activity is often a very effective way to change your mental state. People with anxiety and depression use it all the time to reduce symptoms and clear their minds, for instance, and it can do wonders for cravings as well.
Now, this doesn’t mean you have to become an elite athlete to stop smoking. A study detailed at Science Daily, for example, suggests that even moderate-intensity exercises can reduce withdrawal symptoms. We also recommend choosing an activity that can be done anywhere and at any time, be it a set of pushups or even a few jumping jacks.
Nicotine Pouches
One of the most effective ways to combat the desire to smoke is to use a nicotine pouch such that you get your “fix” without actually having to smoke. These pouches are small tobacco-free products that you can put under your upper lip in order to obtain a regular release of nicotine without so much of the harm of tobacco and various chemicals in cigarettes.
Nicotine pouches can also make the experience of nicotine release more satisfying with the addition of flavors. Prilla mentions mint, cinnamon, and coffee as some of the common options, as well as factors that can determine the intensity of the experience (with different users harboring different preferences). These products effectively take the concept of the old nicotine patches and turn it into something people might actually enjoy as they attempt to leave smoking behind.
Playing Mobile Games
Sometimes, if we distract ourselves long enough, the cravings may go away on their own. In
order to pull this off though, you need an activity that gets you to focus your attention and think about what you are doing. And there’s no better example than video games!
Mobile games from classics like Tetris to modern word puzzles make for great ways challenge, entertain, and ultimately focus the mind. They can help us to forget about real-life difficulties and zero in on something else for a while.
Water
Finally, there’s the simplest potential solution to consider: a simple drink of water.
In a previous piece on ‘The Benefits of Drinking More Water’, we explained the fact that good old H2O has natural calming properties. Being dehydrated is a common cause of anxiety symptoms, and therefore drinking a glass of water can help us relax –– even, potentially, with regard to nicotine cravings. Plus, this benefit aside, it’s one more thing to do when those cravings hit, not unlike chewing on gum or hard candy.
Deciding to quit smoking can be one of the most important things you do in your life. Staying away from this habit, however, is a difficult challenge. Again, there’s no magic switch you can flip. But if you try some of these alternative actions and products, you may just start to beat those cravings one by one.
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