Tips to Handle Cravings

What are nicotine cravings?

When you quit or reduce, your body needs time to adjust to being nicotine-free. You’ll likely experience cravings (strong urges to smoke or vape) as nicotine leaves your body.

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How long do cravings last?

Each craving only lasts between 3-5 minutes. Wondering when cigarette or vape cravings will stop? Cravings and withdrawal symptoms are strongest during your first few days without nicotine. As time passes, your cravings should get weaker and less frequent, but they may still happen occasionally.

How do I stop cravings?

Cravings are unavoidable when quitting smoking or vaping, but you can get through them! Planning ahead for cravings will help you get through them and stay focused on achieving your goals. Read our tips below to help you plan to manage cravings.

Prepare to handle cravings

When a craving hits, it usually only lasts between 3 and 5 minutes! Use the 4 Ds: Delay, Distract, Deep Breathing, Drink Water to ride out the craving until it passes.

Delay

Good news about cravings: they rarely last more than a few minutes. Wait 5 minutes when you feel the urge to smoke or vape and the feeling should pass. Do activities to pass the time like playing a game on your phone, doing the dishes, or playing an instrument.

Distract

Do something else to take your mind off your desire to smoke or vape. When the cravings hit, stop what you’re doing immediately and do something different.
You can also try to distract your mind from smoking or vaping with fidget toys or by chewing on gum, candy, or carrot sticks. Your brain gets used to the hand-to-mouth action of smoking or vaping, so distracting your hands and mouth can help eliminate the psychological need to smoke or vape.

Deep breathing

Inhaling and exhaling tricks your body into feeling as though it’s already relaxed, which in turn relaxes you. Inhale (breathe in) through your nose and hold it for a count of 5. Slowly exhale (breathe out) through your mouth for a count of 7. Repeat a few times to reduce your cravings, stress, and anxiety. Deep breathing can also help you manage nicotine withdrawal symptoms like anxiety and irritability.

Drink water

When you’re having a craving, water can help! Drinking water is another technique to replace the hand-to-mouth behaviour of smoking or vaping. Water also changes the feeling and taste in your mouth, which can reduce cravings. Try sipping slowly, holding each sip in your mouth for a few seconds. Change things up by drinking sparkling water or adding lemon, lime, or cucumber to your water.

Drinking water can also prevent headaches, which are a common symptom of nicotine withdrawal.

More ways to handle cravings

Avoid your triggers: Cravings can be triggered by things that make you think about smoking or vaping —like people you vaped with, a place you often smoked, or an activity you used to do while smoking or vaping like having a cup of coffee. Read up on some common triggers to help you prepare to handle them.
Have a friend you can call or text to distract you from a craving. Or call or chat with a Quit Coach by phone or Live Chat for extra support!
Try Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) or prescription quit medications if you are finding your cravings difficult to manage. Ask your pharmacist or other health care provider if these options are right for you.

Cravings to smoke or vape are usually accompanied by withdrawal symptoms, such as feeling tired or having trouble sleeping. These symptoms are especially common during your first couple weeks of quitting smoking or vaping.

Read here some coping strategies

Find support

For extra support with cravings and withdrawal, talk to a Quit Coach by Phone or Live Chat or reach out to others who know what you’re going through on the Community Forum!

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