Mayo Clinic Blog

cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Mayo Clinic Blog

Dr_Ebbert
Mayo Clinic
Mood And Medication for Smoking Cessation

Several weeks ago, we talked about how mood impacted tobacco use behavior such that smokers experiencing higher-than-average positive moods had lower smoking urges later in the day. We have also talked about how mood can change with quitting smoking.

But h

... more
3 7 136
MollyLeis
Mayo Clinic
The Importance of Setting Attainable Goals

In my last blog post, Empowering Your Quit: Building Self-Efficacy for Tobacco Cessation, I wrote about self-efficacy, which is having confidence in being able to accomplish a task, such as quitting tobacco. Part of having higher self-efficacy is meeting

... more
5 6 181
TimMilbrandt
Mayo Clinic
What are the Reasons for Your Reason?

When choosing to make a significant behavior change like quitting smoking, vaping, dipping/chewing, or using nicotine pouches, we generally have a reason for doing so. If we had no reason, we would not be looking at making the change, right? 

There are man

... more
4 18 304
DhivyaaManickam
Mayo Clinic
Ways to manage triggers that come from boredom

Boredom is a trigger for many smokers and other tobacco users. Smoking and other forms of tobacco use help ease the “pain” of boredom and pass the time because of the good feelings that feed the addiction to tobacco use. 

This can also be a barrier when

... more
4 5 220
BarbDallavalle
Mayo Clinic
Grieving While Quitting

Grieving a loss in life is always difficult. Whether you are grieving the death of a friend or family member, the loss of an important relationship through estrangement, separation or divorce, the incarceration of a loved one, losing a job, or suffering a

... more
8 18 379
Dr_Ebbert
Mayo Clinic
Managing Anger Around Quitting Smoking

Dear Ex Community, 

Today, I would like to offer a column from the “mailbag.” Some of you asked about anger: “How can people better manage anger as a trigger? How can people better manage anger as a symptom of nicotine withdrawal?

This is a simple question

... more
5 13 373
HeatherKraling
Mayo Clinic
Good or Bad:  You Get Your Feelings Back

I have been working with a patient who has experienced several losses over the last 2 years. Approximately 6 months ago, she went through a medical scare, and it was the impetus that started her on a journey of quitting tobacco. 

Lately, she has been exper

... more
6 5 219
TimMilbrandt
Mayo Clinic
Combatting Loneliness While Quitting Tobacco

If you struggle with loneliness and are trying to quit tobacco, developing some strategies for coping will be very important. Loneliness can take many forms, and there are several ways to manage it. I will outline some options, but you likely know best wh

... more
3 3 115
MollyLeis
Mayo Clinic
Strengthening Your Self-Efficacy for Quitting Tobacco

Self-efficacy means belief or confidence in being able to perform or succeed at a certain task. One way of thinking about self-efficacy is, if you think you can do something, you will most likely succeed; if you don’t think you can do something, you will

... more
7 10 469
BarbDallavalle
Mayo Clinic
How to support someone quitting smoking

There are many ways to provide support for those quitting smoking. The best way, however, is to find out what the person quitting feels would be most helpful. Your idea of what is helpful or “best” for them, may not be what they think is “best” for them. 

... more
1 2 87
Dr_Ebbert
Mayo Clinic
How Mood (and Sleep!) Affects Smoking

 

Smoking cessation is the most effective way to reduce the risks of smoking-related harms, but quitting is challenging for many smokers. One of the factors that influences smoking and quitting behavior is mood. 

Mood is a complex and dynamic psychological

... more
9 9 413
DhivyaaManickam
Mayo Clinic
Something is missing, something is different

 

 

I was having a conversation with a patient today who mentioned “I am happy and have been tobacco-free for 12 weeks now, but I just feel like there is something missing sometimes.” A lot of ex-tobacco users have described this feeling in various ways, an

... more
6 16 525
TimMilbrandt
Mayo Clinic
New Year’s Resolutions:  Making and Maintaining Effective Behavior Change

As the sun's angle decreases and the hours of daylight continue to reduce, it’s the time of year when we plan celebrations, hang holiday lights and decorations, put up trees, eat way too many sweet treats, and contemplate resolutions for the coming year. 

... more
2 8 361
Dr_Ebbert
Mayo Clinic
Effect of Walking on Cigarette Cravings

When we smoke cigarettes, nicotine reaches the brain in 10 to 20 seconds, resulting in the release of neurotransmitters that reinforce the behavior. Upon quitting, the reward system triggers strong cravings for cigarettes, accompanied by withdrawal sympto

... more
5 8 458
HeatherKraling
Mayo Clinic
Staying Tobacco-Free During the Holidays

For those of you using tobacco, the holiday season can be filled with stressors and triggers. If you are in the process of quitting or reducing your tobacco use during the holiday season, it can be difficult to remain committed, but not impossible. Stayin

... more
2 10 380
MollyLeis
Mayo Clinic
What do I do with the extra time now that I am not smoking?

When people stop smoking or using tobacco, they may find that they have extra time in their day. While this can be very useful, it can also be quite stressful if the extra time is unaccounted for in the planning of your day. 

Boredom or lack of structure c

... more
6 14 511
DhivyaaManickam
Mayo Clinic
Setting Guidelines for this Holiday Season

With the holidays drawing near, this time of year can become quite busy for many of us — whether it be with family engagements, holiday preparations or even with work as we are trying to cover extra shifts while others take vacation. 

Emotions can run the

... more
4 0 124
MollyLeis
Mayo Clinic
Chronic Pain and Quitting Smoking

There are important links between tobacco use and chronic pain. The nicotine acetylcholine receptors play a pivotal role in pain management. When individuals experience chronic pain and smoke, these behavioral cues intertwine.

Additionally, environmental

... more
5 5 336
Dr_Ebbert
Mayo Clinic
Smoking in Pregnancy

A pregnant woman engaging in a positive coping activity.

Smoking is linked to adverse outcomes for everyone engaging in this behavior. However, few groups of smokers generate as much urgency and anxiety around treatment on the provider side as pregnant wom

... more
1 1 209
TimMilbrandt
Mayo Clinic
Change Your Surroundings and Change Your Life

 

 

Quitting tobacco is hard. If it were easy, you wouldn’t be reading this blog. But it’s not easy, so you are reading it! There are many things that are very difficult to control in the process of quitting including:

  • Our body’s response to quitting tobacco
... more
5 12 566
HeatherKraling
Mayo Clinic
Right Track for Success

Fall is the time of year that I appreciate the most. I enjoy the cool crispness of the air and the leaves changing color on the trees. Also, it is the time of year where I am more susceptible to falling back to what is familiar and ending up off track. Do

... more
5 9 356
DhivyaaManickam
Mayo Clinic
Tackling the silent to-do list: Transitioning to a tobacco free lifestyle

We all have those things that we “silently” put off. I like to call it the “silent to-do list.”

These are things that we keep tabs on - and frequently think about - but never quite get to. Maybe it’s an activity we yearn to do like learning a new sport, a

... more
7 8 440
BarbDallavalle
Mayo Clinic
Keeping it simple: The 4 D’s

Behavior change is hard! And while it is hard enough to muster up the energy, motivation, and, frankly, the courage to make such a change, it can be so overwhelming when you try to sift through all the information out there to find what will both work for

... more
5 13 580
HeatherKraling
Mayo Clinic
On the Path to Success

We all want to change things about ourselves and that is very normal, but sometimes those changes can be very hard.

Have you tried to quit smoking, started making a plan, and then thought, "This is taking forever and it's harder than I expected"? This sel

... more
4 8 425
DhivyaaManickam
Mayo Clinic
Behavior “hacking”:  Creating new habits on your quitting journey

Tobacco cessation involves making many changes in your lifestyle and habits to work towards a new identity: that of a nonsmoker. The journey of making a change can indeed be tough; it might even feel overwhelming at times. So, what can we do to lighten t

... more
6 4 297
MollyLeis
Mayo Clinic
Dear Tobacco, We Need to Break Up.

The dreaded breakup letter. We've all felt the sting of letting go of something familiar, even if it's not good for us.

For many, tobacco has been a constant companion for years. Even when we realize it's time to part ways, it's tough. Quitting tobacco fee

... more
2 1 240
Dr_Ebbert
Mayo Clinic
E-cigarettes and Varenicline: A Guide to Quitting

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 4.5% of U.S. adults used electronic cigarettes (“e-cigarettes”) in 2021. E-cigarette sales surged 46.6% from January 2020 to December 2022.

In my clinical practice, I often get questions about helping peo

... more
2 0 178
BarbDallavalle
Mayo Clinic
What Is a Stress Inventory, Anyway?

I often see patients who tell me their biggest barrier to quitting smoking is their stress! However, many of them admit that stress is a constant in life, and then realize that if they go by that, there may never be a good time for quitting smoking.

While

... more
2 0 239
TimMilbrandt
Mayo Clinic
Making a list (not checking it twice!), but using it to help with quitting tobacco

I met with a patient this morning whom I'll refer to as Bob. Bob is a retired man from the Midwest with significant tobacco-related health concerns, including lung function and circulation issues. As we were getting to know each other, he mentioned that h

... more
6 3 495
DhivyaaManickam
Mayo Clinic
Finding Replacement Behaviors for Smoking

We are creatures of habit by nature, enjoying the comfort of daily routines.

These routines might include waking up and having a cigarette, making coffee, doing the Sunday crossword puzzle, having a soda with lunch, watching TV late at night, enjoying dess

... more
5 22 567

Featured Author

Supporting Authors