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Quitting smoking can be challenging for many people because of nicotine. Nicotine is an alkaloid from the nightshade plant family used as the addictive component of cigarettes.
It’s not the taste, smell, or feel of cigarettes that has you wanting to light up; it’s the nicotine. As a result, many people wishing to quit smoking transition to less harmful products containing the same nicotine their bodies crave, such as vape products, patches, lozenges, and gum.
After transitioning to those safer products, you might decide to give up nicotine altogether. After all, there are plenty of nicotine-free vape liquids on the market. However, nicotine cravings can be fierce, and many people struggle to overcome them without reaching for a cigarette or vape juice containing nicotine.
While overcoming your nicotine addiction won’t always be easy, you might stand a chance of success by doing some of the following things.
Avoid Your Triggers
The early days of going nicotine-free will be the toughest, and you might struggle at some times of the day more than others. If there’s usually a time or occasion that sees you reaching for a nicotine-containing product, like a cigarette, distract yourself during those moments.
For example, if you usually top up your nicotine reserves after a meal or with your morning coffee, do something entirely out of your routine. Instead of smoking after a meal, you might do the dishes and help your brain forget that it craves nicotine. Eventually, you’ll be able to form a new routine, and old triggers won’t be as much of an issue anymore.
Tell Yourself the Cravings Will Pass
Nicotine cravings can be intense, and it can sometimes feel like they won’t pass until you give in to them. When you’re experiencing a powerful urge for nicotine, remind yourself that it will pass. You know it will, but your brain sometimes needs a reminder.
Delay Yourself
Sometimes, nicotine cravings can be so fierce that even telling yourself they will pass is not enough to give them their marching orders. In that case, tell yourself that you have to wait five or 10 minutes until you can satisfy that craving.
In that time, distract yourself with something else, such as a walk through a park, a bike ride, or baking. That distraction might be all it takes to make it through the other side and enjoy much less intense cravings as time passes.
Exercise
Exercise might not be your favourite pastime, but it can be an effective distraction method. Go for a quick run up and down some stairs, jog around the block, or do some star jumps. Not only does exercise offer the feel-good factor, but it can also prevent you from reaching for something that contains nicotine.
Reach Out for Support
You don’t have to go nicotine-free on your own. You can call in reinforcements through an online support group or friends and family. Talk to someone whenever you feel like you might give in to your cravings. You don’t necessarily have to discuss your desire for nicotine, but you can at least put your brain’s focus on something else for a short time.
Keep Your Mouth Busy
You might already be vaping with zero-nicotine e-liquid to give your mouth something to do, but there are also plenty of other options. Eat healthy treats like seeds, nuts, and raw carrots, or chew on sugarless gum whenever you feel a craving developing. By giving your mouth something to do, you might be able to stave off the cravings for as long as possible.
Hold Firm
It’s easy to start bargaining and negotiating with your brain when a nicotine craving has you in its grasp. You might tell yourself you can have just ‘one’ cigarette or ‘one puff’ of a vape with nicotine e-liquid. However, one can lead to multiple. Hold firm and trust yourself to move past the craving.
Start Slow
Not everyone can quit nicotine cold turkey, and that’s okay. If you believe a slow transition to zero nicotine is the best approach for you, try it. For example, if you’re currently using freebase e-liquid with 18mg of nicotine, you might purchase a bottle of 12mg to wean yourself off slowly. You can then work your way down to 12mg, 6mg, and, finally, 0mg.
The same rule applies to nicotine salts. If you currently have the highest nicotine strength available, choose one with a lesser strength when you make your next purchase until you can finally say goodbye to nicotine altogether.
Try Nicotine-Free E-Liquid Today
You might not be ready to give up vaping, but you can at least kick nicotine to the curb. Alongside trying these effective craving-reduction techniques above, you might be eager to explore the broad range of 0mg e-liquids to put you on the path to a nicotine-free lifestyle.