Staying Tobacco-Free

Worried about relapsing or going back to using tobacco?

Congratulations! If you’re reading this, you’ve been able to quit using tobacco. That’s an amazing feat. But, staying quit for the rest of your life will be the real challenge. Staying quit involves many factors. But don’t worry – with these tips, staying quit can be easier.

First, identify your triggers.
Pay attention to the things that make you crave tobacco. These are called triggers. Having nicotine withdrawal is one of the main reasons for craving tobacco. But there are also other triggers. Some are these triggers are:

Stress
Boredom
Weight gain

Then, find healthier habits to replace tobacco use.
You now know what your triggers are. Now, work towards subbing in healthier habits when you feel the urge to smoke or use other tobacco products. Let’s say you’re stressed at work and feel like smoking a cigarette. Or let’s say you’re just bored and can’t think of anything better to do. As soon as you get any of these feelings, try something else that might de-stress you, like:

Taking a walk in the woods
Doing breathing exercises
Taking a nice, hot shower
Talking to a close friend

Sometimes, your trigger for wanting to turn back to tobacco might not be linked to emotions. It might be weight gain. Many people gain between 5 and 10 pounds after they quit. If this sounds like you, don’t panic. This is normal when you quit using tobacco, since nicotine speeds up your metabolism. Instead of turning back to tobacco because of the weight gain, try these tips instead: