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<h3>Cravings can happen at any time, even if you’ve been smoke free for a long time. Understanding your smoking triggers can help you beat the urge to smoke.</h3>What are your smoking triggers? Certain feelings, places or situations can trigger cravings for a cigarette, so understanding why they’re happening can give you the power to resist them. Here are some common triggers and how you can help manage them.Alcohol For some people, alcohol both triggers cravings and reduces their ability to resist them. When you’ve had a drink, you’re much more likely to think it’s a good idea to light up, and a lot less likely to listen to the little voice in your head that reminds you why you quit.If you can, try to avoid alcohol or drink less at the beginning of your quit attempt to manage cravings, which can be particularly intense when you first give up. When you’re socialising, do all you can to resist joining friends who smoke outside or in smoking areas.Stress Stress is an inevitable part of life. You might feel that smoking is a good way to cope with stress, but discovering healthy ways to manage stress will help you remain smoke free.A few ways of managing stress include talking to friends and family, learning how to manage your time better and remembering to take time for yourself. Find more ways to combat stress with our stress busting tips.Your morning routine We often hear that it’s difficult to resist having a cigarette when it’s just something you do as part of your everyday life. Smoking is often associated with doing other daily activities, like having a morning coffee. If you’re used to lighting up after pouring yourself a coffee, your craving will kick in as soon as you fill up the kettle, and you’ll probably find it hard to resist.One way of beating this trigger is to change your routine. Exercise is a great way to start the day and will distract you from smoking. Pour that coffee into a travel mug and go for a walk.Socialising Tell your friends and family you’re quitting. If they’re in the loop, they can support you by not smoking around you or offering you cigarettes.Try to avoid smoking environments like the smoking area in social venues and at work. If you usually go outside for a cigarette break, go for a wander around the block or stay indoors to avoid being tempted.Smoking when bored Some people smoke to relieve feelings of boredom. If this rings true, keep your brain stimulated with activities like reading or solving a puzzle. Keeping your hands busy will also help to manage your cravings, so keep a stress ball or a fidget toy around to play with the next time you get the urge to smoke.Need help to stop smoking? It’s quick, easy and free to sign up for our support. Just <a data-mce-href="https://smokefreehampshire.co.uk/sign-up" href="https://smokefreehampshire.co.uk/sign-up">click here</a> or text QUIT to 80011. Let’s quit smoking together!

Understanding your smoking triggers

<h3>Cigarette cravings are intense and can feel impossible to overcome. The best thing to do is to distract yourself, but what exactly does that look like?</h3>The nicotine in cigarettes is what makes it so hard to quit as it’s incredibly addictive. When you smoke, the nicotine releases feel-good chemicals in your brain, so it’s no wonder that you end up wanting more.Breaking this cycle is difficult because cravings are strong, and unless you have a will of steel you need to be prepared for when you experience them. The best way to overcome a craving is to distract yourself, so here are a few ways of doing that.Get outside If you’re able to, going for a walk is a great way of distracting yourself. A change of scenery can stop you from obsessing about cravings, and the gentle exercise and fresh air will do wonders for your wellbeing too.Do something with your hands Some smokers find it difficult to get used to suddenly having empty hands. Try picking up a pen and doodling, hold a coin, or play with a fidget toy. You can get discreet jewellery that doubles up as a fidget toy if you don’t want anyone to see you playing with a bright piece of plastic.Eat or drink something sugar-free Replacing cigarettes with food is one reason some people gain weight when they quit smoking. But when you’re craving a cigarette, you could try drinking a few glasses of water (the colder the better), chewing sugar-free gum, or sucking on a sugar-free lollipop. This way, you’ll have something to do with your mouth, and in the case of the lollipop you’ll be mimicking the hand-to-mouth action of cigarettes.Find a new hobby When you’re quitting smoking, time can drag and it can feel like there’s something missing without the cigarettes you’re used to smoking. Use this time to try something new and teach yourself how to do something – is there anything you’ve always wanted to try?Drawing or colouring gives you something to do with your hands. You could learn a language (Duolingo is a good free app for language learning), teach yourself how to play the ukulele or guitar, take up model painting, play board games, try your hand at gardening – anything that immerses you in what you’re doing will take your attention away from your cravings.Exercise Getting active is a fantastic way of beating cravings. It’ll distract you and often make smoking impossible (can’t smoke if you’re in the swimming pool, right?), but researchers have also found that physical activity reduces cravings for up to 50 minutes after exercising too.Not much of a fitness fanatic? That’s ok, you don’t have to be. Even short periods of activity are better than nothing. Walking, cycling, swimming, going to the gym and playing a team sport like football are all good ways of getting active, but there are plenty of things you can do at home too. Try dancing, yoga, or even housework or gardening – if it gets your heart rate up and you’re up off the sofa it counts.You might even find yourself enjoying the new things you do to distract yourself from smoking that you keep them up long after you’re smokefree!

Practical things to do when the urge to smoke strikes

<h3>The physical impacts smoking can have on your body are well known but have you ever stopped to think how it affects your mind?</h3>Did you know that nicotine reaches the brain within roughly ten seconds of your first puff?Here’s a few ways nicotine impacts your body.· Improves your mood and concentration.· Relaxes your muscles.· Reduces your appetite.These might seem like positives, but regular doses of nicotine eventually lead to changes in the brain.As the nicotine supply goes down, withdrawal symptoms develop leading you to want to smoke again to temporarily take away the symptoms. This reinforces the habit and makes you even more dependent on nicotine.Smoking and stress Stress is a common reason for people to smoke, many turn to cigarettes to ease feelings of stress. However, research has shown that smoking actually increases anxiety and tension. Nicotine creates an immediate sense of relaxation, so it’s easy to see why people smoke in the belief it reduces stress and anxiety. This feeling, however, is temporary, and soon gives way to withdrawal symptoms and more cravings. Smoking reduces the withdrawal symptoms but doesn’t reduce anxiety or deal with the reasons someone may feel that way.Smoking and depression Public Health England published a report showing that adults with depression are nearly twice as likely to smoke as adults without depression. Most people start to smoke before showing signs of depression, so it’s unclear whether smoking leads to depression or depression encourages people to start smoking.Nicotine stimulates the release of dopamine in the brain, a chemical that triggers positive feelings. It’s often found to be low in people with depression so it may be that they use cigarettes as a way of temporarily increasing their dopamine supply.Smoking encourages the brain to switch off its own mechanism for making dopamine so in the long term the supply decreases, which in turn prompts people to smoke more.People with depression can have a tough time when quitting and can experience more severe withdrawal symptoms.Prepare to succeed Heard the saying before? Works here too. The best thing you can do is to prepare for your quit. That way you’ll be less likely to have a failed attempt, which can knock your confidence.We’re here to help you quit and we’ll set you up with all the tools you need to succeed. Just keep on showing up and putting in the effort and a happier and healthier life are waiting.

Smoking and your mental health

<h3>Quit aids, like nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and nicotine-free medicines can help you to quit. Find out more about them and what we offer.</h3>Using stop smoking products, sometimes known as nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) and nicotine-free medicines, isn’t cheating as some people may think. Your body has become dependent on nicotine, whether you realise it or not, and nicotine is an addictive substance. This means you’re likely to crave it at various points while you quit. The idea behind using stop smoking products is that you can gradually wean yourself off the nicotine dependency over a matter of weeks, giving you the highest chance of becoming smokefree.What are nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs)? NRTs are commonly used stop smoking products that offer your body low amounts of nicotine, without the harmful chemicals found in cigarettes.    Some common NRTs include lozenges, patches and gums. Some forms of NRT are slow-acting, like patches, slowly releasing nicotine into your body over time, while others are fast-acting, like sprays and gum, which act fast to combat cravings. Research shows that combining types can give you the greatest chance of successfully quitting.Nicotine-free medicines Nicotine-free medicines work by blocking the effect of nicotine on your brain. There are three main medications proven to help you quit, which we provide. They are:<ul><li>Varenicline – formerly available as Champix;</li><li>Cytisine – a plant-based medicine that’s new to the UK but has been used for many years in some countries; and</li><li>Bupropion (or Zyban) – works by changing chemicals in your brain to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms. &nbsp;</li></ul>Woah woah woah, I don’t want it. Whether you’re unsure of the idea from the outset or whether you reach a point along the road to being smokefree and decide you no longer need it, we really encourage you to use stop smoking products as prescribed. These guidelines are in place to give you the greatest chance of success and make sure you quit smoking once and for all. We encourage you discuss the options that will work best for you with you stop smoking mentor.Okay so what’s best for me? In your first appointment with one of our stop smoking mentors, you’ll be asked a variety of questions. These might cover things such as your triggers and your thoughts on certain stop smoking products. We usually provide stop smoking products in two forms that can be used alongside each other. We will give you a voucher, which you can show at a local pharmacy to collect them for free.We offer the following forms of nicotine replacement therapy:  <ul><li>Patches</li><li>Gum</li><li>Lozenges</li><li>Nasal spray</li><li>Mouthspray</li><li>Inhalator</li><li>Microtab &nbsp;</li></ul>We offer the following forms of nicotine-free medicines:<ul><li>Varenicline</li><li>Cytisine</li><li>Zyban &nbsp;</li></ul>Some may prove to be more effective than others, but your mentor will help you to find a combination that works best for you. If you want to change, you can mention it at your next session and discuss the options available.Stop smoking aids are there to help you curb the withdrawals and with each day that passes without smoking you’ll be one step closer to reducing the dose and going smokefree all on your own.

All about stop smoking products

<h3>How we look is one of the most obvious signs of how smoking affects our health. So how does smoking affect the way you look?</h3>It’s hard to consider smoking’s effect on our lungs, for example, because we can’t see them and unless we’re in pain we tend not to think about them. What we can see though is yellow teeth and dull looking skin, and it can be a shock to see clear signs of the damage we do by smoking.One study found that 13% of men and 21% of women said that their appearance was one of the main factors that motivated them to quit smoking. Let’s take a closer look at what smoking does to the way we look.Smoking and teeth Smoking stains our teeth and increases the risk of our teeth falling out due to inflammation of the gums. Smoking also leads to bad breath as chemicals found in tobacco stick around in the mouth, encouraging bacteria to grow.Not only does smoking cause aesthetic changes, but it also makes it more likely that you’ll develop potentially life-threatening cancers of the throat, tongue, soft palate and tonsils. The good news? People who quit half their risk of cancers of the mouth, throat and oesophagus within five years.Smoking and eyes Smoking disrupts your sleep patterns and starves your skin of vitamins like vitamin C, which works to repair and regenerate skin cells. This is bad news for the delicate skin around your eyes and eyelids, and makes it more likely you’ll have dark circles around your eyes and under-eye bags.Smoking doubles your chances of losing your sight, and research has found that smoking can restrict blood flow to the eyes. Tobacco smoke also irritates the eyes, making them drier and redder.Smoking and your body type Smoking can change how fat is distributed across the body, with smokers typically storing fat around the waist and upper torso. This makes it more likely that you’ll have a higher waist-to-hip ratio than someone who doesn’t smoke.A higher waist-to-hip ratio is linked to a higher risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and other health complications.Smoking and skin As smoking restricts blood flow, it deprives the skin of oxygen and essential nutrients, making it dry and giving it a grey, dull appearance.The more you smoke, the more likely it is that you’ll get wrinkles. This is because smoking produces an enzyme that breaks down collagen in skin. Collagen is a type of protein that helps skin cells renew, keeping your skin from sagging and giving your skin smoothness and elasticity. Without collagen, wrinkles are likely to be deeper and happen earlier in life.I’ve already smoked, the damage is done! One of the main concerns we hear is that it’s too late to quit, but the truth is it’s never too late to go smoke free. Your body begins to heal itself as little as 20 minutes after you have your last cigarette and the health benefits continue the longer you stay smoke free.Get started on your journey to a healthier, smokefree future. We’re here to help you quit for good. Just <a data-mce-href="https://smokefreehampshire.co.uk/sign-up" href="https://smokefreehampshire.co.uk/sign-up">click here</a> or text QUIT to 80011 to join for free.

How smoking affects your appearance

Portrait, asking or man with question in home as creative freelancer or house interior designer. Doubt, why or confused remote worker with dont know gesture for renovation choice, shrug or decision

<h3>The 5 whys technique is a handy trick to help you dig deeper into your motivation to quit smoking and supercharge your chances at success.</h3>What’s a ‘why’? Put simply, your ‘why’ is your motivation to quit. It’s why you’re here, putting in the time and effort to change your life and go smoke free for good. Knowing your ‘why’ can help motivate you and even keep you on track when you hit hard times.Motivations like, ‘I want to feel fitter so I can play with the grandkids’ or ‘I want to breathe easier and stop coughing so much’ are great but it’s likely there’s more going on under the surface and we can use the 5 whys technique to really find out what’s motivating us.The 5 whys technique It’s a technique developed by the founder of Toyota industries in the 1930’s as a problem-solving tool. It’s now used across the globe in all sorts of ways to help bring sharper focus and more clarity to an issue.Here’s an example of how one smoker we helped put the technique into action. You can see how the questions and answers helped them find their ‘why’.1. I want to stop smoking. WHY do you want to stop smoking? 2. I want to feel fitter. WHY do you want to feel fitter? 3. I want to be less out of breath when being active. WHY do you want to be less out of breath? 4. I want being active to feel easier. WHY do you want being active to feel easier? 5. I want to be able to play with my grandkids. WHY do you want to be able to play with your grandkids? &nbsp;Because I want to enjoy life to the full.After asking WHY 5 times, you can see how they really got to the crux of why they want to stop smoking. More than just to feel fitter, they want to enjoy life without any limits.The 5 whys technique can really help you understand your true values and underlying wants and needs. You’ll also be much more likely to make long term change if you truly understand why you’re doing it and can remind yourself of this when things are feeling tough.What are your 5 whys? Ready to quit for good?&nbsp;It's quick and easy to sign up for our free support. Just text&nbsp;QUIT&nbsp;to&nbsp;80011&nbsp;or <a data-mce-href="https://smokefreehampshire.co.uk/sign-up" href="https://smokefreehampshire.co.uk/sign-up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.&nbsp;

Blog

Understanding your smoking triggers

Practical things to do when the urge to smoke strikes

Smoking and your mental health

All about stop smoking products

How smoking affects your appearance

How the 5 whys can help you quit