Often this is because smokers are choosing to quit cold turkey, without a plan in place to manage withdrawal symptoms and cravings. So let’s talk about ways of quitting, to help you quit for good.
Four ways to help you quit vaping
It can be hard to quit vaping and break your dependence, but with determination and an exit strategy in place, you’ll be able to kick the addiction to the curb. It can be helpful to speak openly and honestly with your family and friends about your desire to quit. Make it known that you wish to leave vaping in the past. This can help to keep you accountable and reduce the number of lapses you may experience.
You may also wish to work with a healthcare professional to support you along the way.
1. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)
If your vapes contain nicotine, it’s likely that you may experience withdrawal symptoms. NRT works by giving your body a regulated and therapeutic dose of nicotine to keep your cravings manageable. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you decide which type of NRT is the right fit for you, as well as the deciding on the dosage.
NRT comes in the following forms:
Transdermal patches
Gum
Lozenges
Spays
Inhalators
NRT is an effective and safe way to manage nicotine cravings, however, there are a few uncomfortable side effects that may be experienced. Some of these include heart palpitations, nausea and/or vomiting, abdominal pain, hiccups, coughing, dizziness, insomnia, and muscle aches and pains.
It might be helpful to have non-NRT tools available to manage the cravings until they pass, such as:
keep your mouth moving by chewing gum
go for a walk or do some sort of exercise
make a cup of tea
call a friend or family member
practice deep breathing
Nicotine cravings can be quite intense, but remember that it will get easier in time. Your body is just adjusting to its new normal state.
If you’re experiencing symptoms that become unmanageable, please make an appointment with your healthcare provider.
2. Hypnotherapy for nicotine addiction
If you’re new to the world of hypnotherapy, it may surprise you that hypnosis is commonly used by professionals for smoking cessation. It addresses the underlying impulses in an attempt to weaken the desire to smoke.
Hypnotherapy can be done in person with a professional, or, can be accessed via an app on your mobile device. Finito is one such hypnosis app designed to help users strengthen their desire to quit and remain a non-smoker. The program was designed by Dr. Gary Elkins, a world-leading neuroscientist, and director of the Mind-Body Medicine Research Laboratory at Baylor University.
3. Avoid triggering scenarios
Being in an environment that is as temptation-free as possible is important for your success.
Speak to friends and family about your desire to quit vaping. It can be a little bit more difficult if your friends or family vape, but remember that it’s okay to remove yourself from a situation if necessary. Be as honest as possible and explain why you may need to make some changes to social interactions for a while.
Stressful situations can be a reason why we reach for a vape or cigarette. If you’re dealing with stress or anxiety, try other ways to calm yourself. Exercise can be a great way to get the endorphins flowing, so how about experimenting with a yoga or meditation class?
4. Quit vaping cold turkey
Going cold turkey is a common way that people attempt to quit vaping, but it can be challenging to uphold. Firstly, you’re throwing yourself into the deep end of nicotine withdrawal and not necessarily addressing the reasons why you vape in the first place.
If you plan to go cold turkey, your healthcare provider can be a great support through the withdrawal process. Be open and honest with them about your situation and symptoms, and use their professional guidance to your advantage. You don’t need to quit alone!
The Wrap Up
Vaping, the act of inhaling flavored aerosols through a battery-operated device, has risen in popularity over recent years. While many consider it a ‘healthier’ version of cigarette smoking, it can still be dangerously addictive and invite a range of health concerns. EVALI, a vaping-related illness, causes an inflammatory response in the lungs with symptoms similar to pneumonia. To prevent developing an illness like EVALI, or other long-term side effects from vaping that are still not yet properly understood, there are several strategies that can be explored including NRT (nicotine replacement therapy), trigger avoidance, going cold turkey, and hypnotherapy for smoking cessation.
References
Chaiton M, Diemert L, Cohen JE, et alEstimating the number of quit attempts it takes to quit smoking successfully in a longitudinal cohort of smokersBMJ Open 2016;6:e011045. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011045
NIDA. Vaping Devices (Electronic Cigarettes) DrugFacts. National Institute on Drug Abuse website. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/vaping-devices-electronic-cigarettes. January 8, 2020 Accessed October 11, 2022.
Laucks P, Salzman GA. The Dangers of Vaping. Mo Med. 2020;117(2):159-164.
Wolf M, Rock L. EVALI: New information on vaping-induced lung injury - Harvard Health. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/evali-new-information-on-vaping-induced-lung-injury-2020040319359. Published 2020. Accessed October 11, 2022.
E-cigarette, or Vaping Product, Use Associated Lung Injury (EVALI). Yale Medicine. https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/evali. Published 2022. Accessed October 11, 2022.
Mills EJ, Wu P, Lockhart I, Wilson K, Ebbert JO. Adverse events associated with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for smoking cessation. A systematic review and meta-analysis of one hundred and twenty studies involving 177,390 individuals. Tob Induc Dis. 2010;8(1):8. Published 2010 Jul 13. doi:10.1186/1617-9625-8-8
Barnes J, McRobbie H, Dong CY, Walker N, Hartmann-Boyce J. Hypnotherapy for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;6(6):CD001008. Published 2019 Jun 14. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001008.pub3
