Smoke-Free Holiday Survival Tips

If you’ve recently stopped using tobacco, the upcoming holiday season, with its many festivities, may seem like a treacherous obstacle course waiting to sabotage all of your hard work to stay quit. As Thanksgiving comes and goes and Christmas approaches, opportunities to overindulge might challenge your resolve to stay tobacco-free. But, by planning ahead and arming yourself with an arsenal of stay-quit strategies, you can successfully navigate the season’s social landmines and fight the urge to use tobacco. Try these helpful suggestions to avoid triggers and remain tobacco-free as you celebrate over the next several weeks, and throughout the entire new-year:

Stay Away from Alcohol and Caffeine

Alcohol and caffeine are triggers to tobacco use for many. Opt for alcohol-free refreshments like cranberry juice with club soda or sparkling water with lemon. This will not only help you resist the urge for tobacco, but it will also prevent weight gain from calorie-filled alcohol drinks.

Don’t Overeat

Many smokers often immediately smoke a cigarette after a filling meal, and they make an unhealthy habit of continuously doing this. If you don’t eat as much, you won’t be as tempted to smoke—and you’ll probably shed a couple pounds in the process.

Occupy Your Hands or Mouth

If you miss the feeling of having a cigarette in your hand and mouth, use a straw, toothpick, or swizzle stick instead. You’d be surprised at how well chewing gum can take your mind off of food and the urge to smoke as well.

Reward Yourself

Keep a healthy reward in mind if you get through events without smoking. It might cost you a few extra bucks but quitting tobacco will be your best gift in the end.

Plan an Escape

Don’t be afraid to excuse yourself to go to the bathroom, or even lie your way out of a smoker’s circle. The lie will be worth it.

Most importantly, stay positive and continue to remind yourself that you can do it. Quitting tobacco is a very difficult habit to kick, but if your will power is strong and you stick to your plan, the rewarding feeling you’ll get once you’ve kicked tobacco for good will be extremely satisfying. If you or a loved one needs help quitting tobacco, help is readily available. At Seabrook, we are committed to providing quality addiction treatment for the physical, emotional and spiritual illness of chemical dependency. We structure individual based programs to fit your specific needs for treatment. No problem is too big or too small for the professionals at Seabrook to handle. If you have any questions about quitting tobacco or you need professional help, don’t wait—contact Seabrook today to get on the road to recovery!