How to survive to holidays celebrations without smoking?

Going prepared

The first step to pass a good end of year is to go for this parties being psychologically prepared to the difficulty you will face, even more if you count smokers in your circle.

Before every event, you must mentalized your refusal. Indeed if someone propose you a cigarette during the party, you must be prepared to say no.
By explaining why you are saying no, your loved-ones will be benevolent and will support you during the night.
 You can also tell them in advance so they won’t propose you any cigarette during the night and this will represent a temptation less!

The second thing to do before leaving for the party is to feel ready to face this tobacco-free night. By stepping out the door, if you feel you can not do it, take a moment to state the reasons why you stopped smoking in the first place.

Once you are in this spirit, you can go!

Deal with your cravings once in the party

The first to know is that a cigarette craving only last for 3 to 5 minutes.
 This information made the challenge less insurmountable when we know the little time it will last.
Here are some tips to make your cravings go away:

• Take a candy cane, indeed because this candy is hard, consume it will take you time.

• Eat an orange (or an other fruit) because fruits make the tobacco taste unpleasant.

• Talk / joke with someone.

• Make a game with all the people present.

• Count the presents under the Christmas tree.

• Enumerate the reasons why you quit smoking and what are the benefits you already noted.

Overcome the alcohol-tobacco association

Smoking cravings are frequent and more intense in a festive contexte because you were used to smoke a lot when you consumed alcohol. After the withdrawal, your brain have to learn how to dissociate tobacco from alcohol.

If you were use to a unique drink during your parties, for example beer, you can try a change of alcohol. This way, the brain might have trouble making the link between both elements if one of them have a different taste. Hence the cigarette cravings are limited even will not exist anymore.

In the opposite case, you will need all your willing power to distract yourself during these few minutes of need thanks to the tips we gave you earlier and thanks to your loved-ones.

And do not forget to reward yourself!

Once the party is over, when you go to bed or the next day, CON-GRA-TU-LA-TE YOURSELF!!! You deserve it. Give yourself a moment at home or go to a restaurant, make yourself a gift, go to a place you enjoy …

The fight against the tobacco addiction is enough difficult in general, so after a moment particularly intense as Holidays celebrations, you must make your efforts worth it.

If you went off the rails during these Holidays celebrations, don’t get mad.
 Small breakdowns are totally normal when you see the complexity of the challenge you decided to take and they are indeed a full part of the smoking cessation process.
You efforts are not vain! Take back your good habits without tobacco right after and don’t blame yourself :)

And surviving the holiday season without alcohol, is it possible? To learn more about your alcohol consumption, take this test!