- This is a big trigger for most of us. Find healthy outlets for your feelings of frustration - if at all possible, try to deal with the situation that is bothering you head on, and be done with it. Talk to friends and family about your feelings or write in your journal. The important thing is not to let anger simmer and get the upper hand. Reaching for a cigarette can seem like a quick fix, but it's always a false fix. Smoking will put you back to square one and you'll be disappointed in yourself as well.
We may not always be able to choose the events that happen around us, but we will always have the choice of how we let external situations affect us emotionally. This is important! If you're mad, you have the power to change that negative feeling in an instant. Try some of these stress busters the next time you need a boost. Positive self-talk is another way to pull yourself out of the doldrums. Use affirmations to help you create the reality you want for yourself. We have a way of taking actions which are in line with our beliefs, so what you tell yourself matters - a lot. Make affirmations empowering and keep them in the here and now. Instead of saying: "I will be a healthy nonsmoker", say it this way: "I AM a healthy nonsmoker." Rather than saying "I have to quit smoking", tell yourself, "I get to quit smoking". Minor shifts in attitude can make a world of difference.
Education is also a powerful ally - the more you learn about the effects of tobacco, the less value cigarettes will have for you. Learn to hate the habit, and you'll have leverage to help you become smoke free and stay that way for good.
- Another word to describe this could be bored. Take a look at 101 Things to Do Instead of Smoking. This list comes from forum members who are all in the process of quitting themselves. Early on in cessation, distraction is a useful tool. If you're bored, try redirecting your attention, and see if it helps.
Depression also falls under this category, and can affect anyone. People quitting tobacco are especially susceptible, at least early on, because leaving cigarettes behind can feel like the loss of a friend. My Darling... was one quitter's way of saying goodbye to the habit that was killing her. Ten Healthy Actions to get Yourself out of a Funk is a great article from About Guide to Holistic Healing, Phylameana lila Deasy. If you feel yourself slipping into a depressed state, take action. Change your environment and it will usually change your attitude.
- Fatigue can be a huge trigger. Instead of lighting up, give yourself time to slow down and relax a little, or even go to bed early if you need to. Sounds so simple, yet people often push themselves too far with all of the demands of life these days. Be aware. Don't let yourself get rundown. Protect your quit by protecting your health, both physically, and mentally.
It may feel like you'll never be free of cigarettes and thoughts of smoking will always plague you, but have some faith in yourself, and please be patient. We taught ourselves to smoke, and we can teach ourselves to forget it too. Give yourself time to retrain and get some practice at living your life smoke free. Soon enough, it will seem the most natural thing in the world. You'll get to the point where you'll wonder why you didn't quit sooner, because life without cigarettes has become so easy for you. In the meantime, remember H.A.L.T.
