Let's Quit Vaping, For Good This Time
Let's not beat around the bush here: vaping is a huge problem for young people. In fact, 20% of people ages 18-24 in the US vape. We’ve been taunted by sleek technology, fruity flavors, and all for what? That's right, addiction! Walking around campus you may not see people cheefing away on their addiction-sticks, but behind closed doors, and especially at social gatherings, vapes are lighting up like Christmas trees everywhere.
If the health concerns associated with vaping like lung disease and asthma aren’t enough for you to consider quitting, let us share the benefits of going nicotine-free. First off, you’re going to feel a lot healthier and more alive. This means no more sporadic coughing, sore throats, or stuffy noses. You’ll also experience a large increase in energy levels and exercise tolerance. Who said you can’t run three miles? You can now!
Additionally, food is going to taste a whole lot better. Nicotine affects the way we taste and smell things, so say goodbye to that side effect as well. Your personal life will improve as well. Nicotine causes erectile dysfunction and overall sexual dysfunction, so welcome back your libido, it’s missed you. On top of this, you’re going to save money big time. The annual cost of using four Juul pods each week crosses the $1,000 mark and can reach beyond $1,500. There’s a lot to gain here, and your well-being is a big part.
To Quit Cold Turkey or Not?
Quitting is daunting and we’re definitely not here to tell you that it’s easy. It’s not. Withdrawing from nicotine can be pretty uncomfortable and can affect your body and mental health in all types of ways. Here’s a timeline of what nicotine withdrawals are like:
You’ve taken your last hit of a vape:
30 minutes to 4 hours: The effects from the nicotine will wear off and you’ll start to crave another hit.
10 hours: You’ll be very restless, physically craving a hit, and wondering how to fill the time. You may feel sad and hopeless.
24 hours: Irritability kicks in and your appetite increases.
2 days: You’ll have headaches as the nicotine leaves your system.
3 days: The nicotine should be gone from your body now. Your cravings taper off but anxiety will start to rise.
1 week: You made it a week. Pat yourself on the back, you've made it through the worst. Keep avoiding those triggers.
2 to 4 weeks: You still won’t have much energy, but the brain fog will be clearing up and your appetite will settle down. Any cough, depression, and anxiety linked to nicotine use will also improve.
5 weeks and on: The challenge now is keeping a strong mental game.
Again, quitting is hard, so there is no reason to force yourself to quit cold turkey if you don’t think you’ll be able to handle the full force of withdrawals right away. That’s why we’re here to explain alternative methods to quitting and how you can quit and keep it that way.
1. Set a quit date and mark your calendar
Countless online resources such as the American Heart Association recommend picking a quit date. Even if it’s a month away, stick to it and plan for that day. Check your calendar to make sure you don’t have anything seriously major going on that week. Plan to not be on top of your game this week and refrain from making any social commitments for at least the first couple of days.
2. Create accountability for yourself
Once you’ve selected your quit date, share it with the people around you. Tell your friends or your family, even if you don’t want to disappoint anyone. This one detail is very important. It is very hard to hold yourself accountable when you’re the only one holding yourself accountable. Also by not telling anyone, the odds of falling back into your addiction are much higher. Having people around who know what you’re going through will help tremendously. You may also want to reach out to peers who use nicotine around you and ask that they not do so any longer. Don’t be afraid to ask that.
3. Prep your environment by getting rid of all paraphernalia
This might seem like an obvious step but it's easily overlooked. When you’re getting ready to quit, do not, we repeat, DO NOT put paraphernalia in the back of a drawer to forget about it. This is just an act of saving something for later. Throw away all of the juice, pods, devices, and chargers, and be sure they're gone from your living space. Soon enough your body is going to physically crave nicotine, and it’s a lot easier to say no if temptation isn’t staring you right in your face.
4. Consider nicotine replacement therapy
If withdrawals are something you’re too afraid to endure cold turkey, consider purchasing nicotine patches, gum, lozenges, sprays, or inhalers before your quit date. This is not considered cheating and in fact, they help many people with quitting. These products provide nicotine at a consistent dose, so you avoid the nicotine rush you get from vaping while still getting relief from withdrawal symptoms. The goal of using these products is to slowly cut back milligrams of your body’s nicotine intake step by step until you are no longer consuming nicotine. Using these products along with other behavioral techniques increases a person’s chance of quitting nicotine by about 55%.
5. Find creative ways to occupy your hands and mouth
Oral fixation is a huge part of the addiction to smoking, which is why it’s important to have something to chew or suck on while you're coping. Cinnamon toothpicks, hard candies, and water bottles with rubber straws are all great options to satisfy this fixation. It’s also recommended to find things to do with your hands to ease any sort of fidgeting. Rubix cubes, fidget spinners, pens, or fidget toys are great to keep your hands busy.
6. Learn what your triggers are, but don’t avoid them
Everything you’ll read online tells you to “avoid your triggers,” but the problem is triggers are everywhere, and to avoid them altogether is simply unrealistic. By acknowledging what triggers you to want to vape, you will develop a sense of self-awareness you’ve never really had before. The next step is to test your willpower. Go grab margaritas with your friends if you want to, don’t let addiction continue to run your life. In the beginning, your triggers will make you even more irritable, fidgety, and distracted, but don’t crack. The next day you’ll wake up knowing that if you can do it once you can do it again, and that feels pretty damn good.
7. Track your health and the money you save with an app
There are a ton of apps out there designed to help people quit their nicotine addiction, like Quit Smoking which has two great features.
One is a health tracker. In addition to tracking how long you’ve been vape-free, the app calculates various health impacts, depending on how long it’s been since your last vape hit. For example, the app tracks your blood circulation and heart rate over time and allows you to see how your body is changing from quitting. Even if the numbers aren’t completely accurate, it’s still a nice reminder that the damage done is reversible.
The other feature is a money tracker. Money is a huge motivating factor for college students, because we have none! When you download the app, it asks you around how much per week you spent money on nicotine and calculates how much money you’ve saved by not vaping over time. You’ll quickly see how much money you’re saving.
8. Reward Yourself and Celebrate (Even Small) Milestones
When you’re an addict, an hour without nicotine can feel like a day, and a day can feel like a year. That's why it’s important to try not to look too far into the future. It’s also why it’s important to reward yourself. Three days vape-free, buy yourself dinner from your favorite restaurant in town. A week in, go to that hot yoga class you never thought you could afford – because you can afford that now. No matter how little or how large the reward, treat yourself! You are doing something difficult and deserve to be rewarded for that.
The bottom line
The bottom line is that the negative effects of nicotine addiction are clear and very much real. Your choice to quit and when that happens is up to you, but it’s not an action you need to take alone. Choose your health, take back your life, and say no to nicotine.