In the quitting smoking process, very often, your body will crave that dose of nicotine with which it has been used. But it is a normal part of the process.
Your brain’s association can generate this desire in an unconscious process, which it sees and learns to use together.
This can be a particular situation, feelings, places, or people. These little psychic explosions are called smoking triggers and can happen when you least expect them.
In Yoga, the concept of Samskara (mental impressions, memories, psychological imprints) is represented by an association of actions, usually performed and which have been strongly impregnated in your mind.
The same concept applies in the case of smokers, who see smoking as associated with different actions.
Every action triggers a reaction. – C.G. Watson –
When you get triggered, you need to find the root source, pay close attention to it, dive deep, and see why and what set your “red alert.”
These triggers can be classified into four categories.
TRIGGER’S CATEGORIES
PATTERN TRIGGERS
- You get used to the fact that whenever you drink coffee or alcohol, you associate this action with smoking.
- Many people, after a meal, prefer to smoke to “help digest.”
- When you watch TV.
- A break at work will constantly stimulate you to smoke;
- At a different time of day.
- When you are driving or talking on the phone.
- After a sex match, the brain associates the physical exertion with calming it with a cigarette.
You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret to your success is found in your daily routine.
– John C. Maxwell –
EMOTIONAL TRIGGERS
- When you are in the power of intense emotions or negative feelings, you associate smoking with eliminating stress, depression, anxiety, sadness, boredom, loneliness, anger, or feeling down.
- Cooling after a fight and the elimination of tension will be associated with smoking. All this is because nicotine gives the brain that false sense of “feel good,” which is precisely the opposite. The sensation is just temporary, and all these feelings will be even more intense, after that “feel good” effect will pass. That is why the number of cigarettes consumed will increase significantly.
- It can also manifest when you are in a good mood when you feel excited or happy about something.
Every smoker has a story, and when you tell them smoking kills, you should know that something is already killing them.
SOCIAL TRIGGERS
- An outing with smoker friends over a drink in bars, nightclubs, or concerts will always be associated with the desire to smoke. Your body can do it. It is time to convince your mind.
WITHDRAWAL TRIGGERS
- If you are in the process of quitting smoking, your body will crave nicotine. So, every action of smelling cigarette smoke or seeing somebody smoking lighters or matches will bring you that “alert” in your brain.
- Due to the movement of the hand to bring the cigarette to your mouth, this reflex remains stuck in your mind even after you quit smoking. That is why you will always have the sensation of keeping your hands busy.
Getting through nicotine withdrawal is EASY. The battle in your mind is not.
Quitting smoking means replacing all these feelings and associations with different and healthier ways.
12 TIPS TO OVERCOME SMOKING TRIGGERS
1. Replace a cigarette with a sugar-free chewing gum.
2. Change the routine and make things different: drink coffee at another hour or replace it with a cup of tea.
3. If you smoke when you drink alcohol, then order a non-alcoholic drink.
4. If you smoke after the meal, replace the desire to smoke with fruit, nuts, sunflower seeds, and raw carrots, or brush your teeth immediately after your dinner.
5. Play with a stress ball, exercise to relieve stress and anxiety and improve your mood.
6. Find healthier ways to deal with your feelings: talk with somebody about your emotions, get professional support from a therapist, or connect with a counselor.
7. Do relaxation techniques, deep breathing techniques, Yoga, meditation, and listening to calming music.
8. Avoid social triggers for a while. It will help you to make the process easier.
9. Distract yourself from cravings.
10. Throw away your cigarettes and anything related to smoking.
11. Drink in places where smoking is not allowed.
12. Clean the house, at work, and in the car. Wash your clothes, remove the smell of smoke, and refresh them.
FINAL THOUGHTS…
Avoiding these triggers helps you reduce the desire to smoke. I am not saying it is an easy process but worth it.
Well, I hope I gave you an idea on how to identify and overcome smoking triggers, and I would like to know which are your triggers and how you deal with them.
Till next time…
Keep Yourself SMOKE-FREE!
Founder of Dare & Be.
Contact: support@dareandbe.com
Many thanks to you for giving such a wonderful article, to have the opportunity to discuss a great topic. You have highlighted the harmful aspects of smoking through your article, and I totally agree with you. Because my brother was once addicted to a lot of cigarettes. Because he thought smoking would relieve him from anxiety. But I think smoking can relieve temporarily, but never completely relieve a person from anxiety.
Lastly, I hope that through your articles everyone gains a lot of knowledge and will definitely share their new experiences with you. Can I share your article on my social media? Because I think everyone should know this .
Hi Shanta, thank you for stopping by, and for your appreciation.
I am glad that you shared your brother’s experience with us, and I must say you are right. Smoking will never release from anxiety, just is giving the fake feeling of doing that.
Many thanks to you for sharing such an excellent article with us. Smoking is very harmful to the human body. I’ve been smoking for a long time and I can’t get out of it. Because it has become my daily habit. All of the triggers you mentioned in your register are so true. I need to face many of them in different aspects during a day. I will try the tips you have mentioned in the article. Will be a new exprience. Finger crossed.
Welcome Shariful to my website. Thank you for your time, and for your appreciation.
In my articles you can read the whole process in quitting smoking. I am sure that the information and the tips provided will help you.
Hello There! Thanks for sharing this tips. I totally agree with those facts you shared that triggers smoking, especially the ‘social triggers’ as it’s the reason why I’m presently smoking.
It will put an unending smile on my face if these steps written in this article will help me stop smoking. Thanks!
Hello to you, too. Good to see you back.
I am sure, if you will have a little faith in my work, and you will put your part in work, as well, you will succeed to be smoke free.
I wish my partner would give up smoking. I found your site in a search after, yet another “failed” “I´m definitely giving up smoking this time”. I´m going to share your page with her. I have also bookmarked your site. She likes yoga, so perhaps that might be the approach for her. & tell me how does smoke help food digest? Doesn´t a healthy walk do the same? Or better? The emotional triggers are certainly true in the case of my partner. She is highly emotional, but it can be as simple as when she has watched an emotional film and she somehow “relates” to what she has seen. I find that frustrating.
I think you have a good list of tips to help overcome. Are you aware of any statistics on which of these is the most effective? Is chewing gum the best? Since she joins me in the gym more regularly that has reduced her smoking too. Perhaps that is related to the endorphins exercise releases?
Hello Trevor, good to see you here, and thank you for your support for my work.
To answer your questions: smoking acts as an appetite suppressant, that is why for many smokers, it is a reason not to give up smoking.
I will soon create an article on how to prevent weight gain after quitting smoking and what other alternative therapies can support staying smoke free. So stay tuned!
But I will tell you a few tips in advance for your partner. She has to drink a lot of water, to be hydrated, so she will have that “full” feeling and keep her from eating.
I recommend her to eat bananas; This technique I use with my clients, and it gives very good results.
She needs to exercise, to eat healthy and to nurture her spirit to try yoga, meditation, breathing techniques and relaxation techniques.
Not personally a smoker myself but my other half is and having read this article I understand now some of the triggers that lead him to smoke, especially the pattern trigger that whenever he drinks alcohol, he associates this action with smoking One of your 12 tips to overcome smoking is to order a non-alcoholic drink so we will be trying this out over the next few days as well as a few of your other tips (I really like the one about cleaning the house – but I am not sure he will!) I shall also be sharing your site with my partner and hope that it encourages him to think about his smoking habits.
Hello there,
I am glad to see you on my website. Thank you very much for sharing your experience and for your funny points.
When I was a smoker, I had the same problem with my partner, but in my situation, the problem was me.When I quit smoking, I realized how annoying can be for a non-smoker.
So, I understand you perfectly.