Oral coping is a form of crutch substitution. Imagine the possibility of oral substitution fostering conditioning which survives weeks, months, or years after nicotine use ends and challenge subsides.
While water provides a subtle and healthy "aaah" wanting relief sensation, what would happen if water had become your mind's primary crave coping response and it was suddenly unavailable when a crave arrived?
While water is healthy and calorie-free, be careful that it doesn't become your go-to crave defense.
Any oral coping strategy that imitates nicotine use, or the handling of any object that imitates your nicotine delivery device, should be avoided.
Imitating any addiction-related behavior helps maintain that behavior, may delay suppression of old use memories, invites use fixation, prolongs recovery, and thus elevates risk of relapse.
Research has found that using food or drinks for crave coping results in marginally higher post-coping urge levels.[1]
Reaching for food as an oral crutch can obviously add extra demoralizing pounds. If you find yourself headed for the kitchen, take aim at healthier foods. Can you eat an entire apple in 3 minutes? If so, that's 80 calories and 4 grams of fiber.
As for other healthy oral "aaah" substitutes, 5 asparagus spears are 20 calories, one medium-sized stalk of broccoli is 50, a seven-inch carrot is 40 calories, one-sixth of a medium head of cauliflower or two medium stalks of celery total 25 calories, a medium cucumber is 45 calories, a medium orange 80, one medium peach is 40 calories, seven radishes total 20, eight medium strawberries are 70, and one medium tomato is 35 calories.
More than half of all relapses associated with alcohol or use of "recreational 'drugs (52 percent),[2] the only oral crave coping technique worse is reaching for nicotine gum, nicotine lozenges, or any other substitute form of nicotine delivery.
Ask yourself this if feeling tempted by the "relief" lies peddled in the next Nicorette commercial you see. Where are they? The cornerstone of "science-based" smoking cessation since 1984, where are all the successful nicotine gum quitters?
While a 2013 Gallup Poll found that 1 percent of successful quitters credited nicotine gum for their success, what portion of that 1 percent had simply transferred their dependency and become permanent slaves to it?[3]
If you find yourself reaching for something more substantial than a toothpick or toothbrush, make sure it isn't fattening, that will always be available within seconds, and something you'd be able to do anywhere and anytime for years to come. As Joel suggests, about the only thing that meets that definition is slow deep breathing, which passes air through the mouth.[4]
References:
2. Brandon, TH, et al, Postcessation cigarette use: the process of relapse, Addictive Behaviors, 1990, Volume 15(2), Pages 105-114.
3. Gallup, Most U.S. Smokers Want to Quit, Have Tried Multiple Times, July 31, 2013, https://news.gallup.com/poll/163763/smokers-quit-tried-multiple-times.aspx
4. Spitzer J, Using deep breathing as a safe and effective quitting aid, March 20, 2018, https://youtu.be/BTm9LDFrvow
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