Some people chew gum, some use nicotine patches and others go cold turkey.
But in Netflix’s Adolescence, DI Luke Bascombe ― who picked quite a tense time to quit smoking ― says crunching on an apple helps with his cigarette cravings.
Most smokers (58.4%) want to quit, Action On Smoking For Health (ASH) report. The trouble is, of course, that letting go of the habit can be incredibly tricky.
So, HuffPost UK spoke to NHS doctor (and TikTok sensation) Dr Emeka Okorocha about whether or not the TV show’s trick could actually work for those struggling to quit smoking, and what else might do the trick.
Yep, chewing an apple might really work
“The technique used by Luke Bascombe... is a really simple technique, yet can be very effective,” Dr Emeka told us.
He explained that it helps to “distract you from the cravings by altering your sensory experience – you can do this with something sweet and crunchy like an apple, or even something spicy or salty” (big day for fellow Tajin lovers).
“It’s basically going to trick your brain into focusing on the taste on your tongue rather than the craving itself,” he added.
That’s not the only unorthodox method the doctor swears by.
Dr Emeka mentioned aversion therapy, which is “simply a method where every time you smoke, you do something unpleasant that the brain and body don’t like such as giving a friend £1”.
Your brain learns to associate smoking with the undesirable result, he said.
“Other unconventional methods that have been explored include hypnotherapy,” he adds, “or olfactory nerve training, also known as smell training, which involves tricking your nose to experience bad smells [like rotten eggs or vinegar] if you think about smoking”.
“Even cold showers when you get cravings can jolt the vagus nerve thus shocking the nervous system to try and break the urge,” he suggested.
What’s been proven to help you quit smoking?
Of course, that’s not the only method the GP says works.
“I would always recommend those looking to quit smoking to use multiple tools to help them quit for good,” Dr Emeka told us.
“These include nicotine replacement therapies such as patches, gums or inhalators, nicotine-free medication or by using apps such as the NHS Quit Smoking app.”
Combining anti-nicotine medications with nicotine replacement therapies has given the best results in studies, the doctor added.
He asks us to “remember stopping smoking is easier when you have a plan – you don’t have to do it alone.”