Readers Respond: What Triggers the Urge to Smoke for You?

Responses: 59

By Terry Martin, About.com Guide

Updated July 04, 2009

This content is not monitored by About.com's Medical Review Board.
Before acting on this information, check with your health provider.

See More About:

I'm only 16 and have been smoke free for like 12 minutes. The worst part about it is that I've been smoking for SIX years. For me, everything triggers the urges. one of the biggest things though is a stressful day of school. I sit in classes all day and the only thing i can concentrate on is getting that first cigarette after school. I'm so consumed in nicotine that I'm slipping up on my grades and moneys draining out of my pockets just as fast as I get it. iIalways have a pack of cigarettes on me and as least 2 lighters. It's gotten so bad that I've been smoking one cigarette every hour if that. I have the drive to quit but it's hard. This isn't my first try. I want to be smoke free.
—SoniaRay

I tired to quit smoking many a time. I could stay without smoking whole week, but at the weekend when i had a beer, could not stop from having 3 or 4 cigarettes. Without cigarettes, i could not enjoy drinking or it just felt bland and also when going to sleep. In the past 12 days I stopped drinking as well as smoking. I am an exercise freak and now have increased exercise as an alternative to smoking. When I feel the urge I drink a glass of hot water. iI went to a pub yesterday-- all my friends had drinks. I had hot soup and no cigarettes. I feel great for my control. Hope I can sustain it.
—Guest shrinivas

Whenever I have even half a drink I crave a cigarette...I also use cigarettes as a social crutch so I crave them when I'm around friends and people I don't know well.
—sweetleaf1

I, like others hate everything about smoking, the smell, how I look when smoking, and worse my dependence. I am a closet smoker and never smoke around others. Most folks don't know I am a smoker. What a joke, cancer doesn't care if you are in the closet or open about your habit.....The biggest trigger for me is when I am alone. I am determined to rid myself of this habit. When I am alone and the urges come, I drink a glass of water then go for a walk outside or on my treadmill. Sounds simple, but it really works for me. The urges pass quickly. I am determined and have been smoke free for 26 days.
—D_T

...is the only real trigger now. Ever get that when you were a smoker? On cold mornings, standing out on the porch was always the "best" smoke, as far as you could describe it that way. Most urges are gone. Remember, cravings are from the subconscious. It is a wild beast that needs to be tamed. The rational mind is the best weapon you'll ever have. And remember, the cravings really are only in the head. There is no pain, just anxiety, and it lasts only a few minutes. What I always did when I got cravings was continuously check the clock or my watch, to know when a few minutes would pass. Also, a trap I fell into on failed attempts was to fixate. Do not try to stop thinking about smoking. Acknowledge the thought of a cigarette. Do not try to run from it. Cherish the thought of that dopamine high, and ask yourself, is the buzz really worth it? It's awesome, and you feel better when you get it, but this is only because you are a drug addict. The cigarette did not cure the craving; it caused it. Over time, more cigarettes make this craving bigger. The longer you smoke, the harder it is to quit. A craving is a direct question. Answer it with logic and you are free. Do I really need this smoke? Or am I just being foolish? Kudos to all of you.
—Guest Barry

The triggers are everywhere if you allow them to be. I would reach for my smokes each and every time I got into my car. My coffee, sitting on the patio, whatever. Granted, I am on day 10, but, every day I learn how to change one tiny behavior to make another smoke free day. If I can spend minute after minute looking for a place to light up, I can surely take a minute to think about what I truly want....no more cigarettes.
—wegiggles

I am one day free of smoke. now my biggest problems will be while driving, after a 12hr night shift and the biggest of them all while drinking and out with friends. But I have to find ways to kill the nicotine monster inside me. Allen Carr's book helped a lot. Those who think about stopping should read this book.
—jonathanb83

Thinking I can't go without a smoke if there is a crisis. Made a firm decision that I will not smoke when life is out of control. I tell myself I can deal with it.
—Guest Margie

All of a sudden, it seems out of the blue, I'll get an intense craving for a cigarette. It lasts about 2 minutes, and then it goes away all on its own. It doesn't seem to be triggered by anything I'm specifically doing at the time, believe it or not. I can just be walking through the house, and it'll hit me. But I know that if I can get through one more day, one more day at a time, I'll be home free and addiction free in no time. God bless you all that are trying to quit like me. Good luck. Take it in baby steps.
—Guest Katie

Summer...my favorite time to smoke was in the summer. I never smoked in my house so smoking outside in the cold wasn't much fun; however, smoking outside in the summer (nice to get away from your desk) was like dying and going to Heaven! Haven't smoked for three months...summer's here and I miss it sooo much. I can't imagine how nasty a cig would taste and at this point. I'm too far to turn back!
—Guest Cindyquit

After I eat is when it is the hardest for me. I get on the computer at that time to get my mind off of the cigarettes. It helps.
—ValariaMurria

Everything seems to trigger the urge to smoke. Waking up, having coffee, driving to work, taking a break, eating and after eating, browsing the internet, talking with friends. For me, the saving grace was having my resolve to quit, firmly in place before I laid them down. I even have that little devil sitting on my shoulder who tells me that we could have a cigarette and nobody would ever know. Look at it this way folks. If you wouldn't remarry your ex-wife, why would you go back to a nasty habit? Live large - run free.
—Guest Howard

I quit smoking almost 4 months ago. I have many triggers, but one of the most interesting occurs after shopping. When I get in the car, the urge to smoke is almost overwhelming. I suppose, psychologically at least, smoking a cigarette was my reward for "a job well done" in the store. Now, instead of having a cigarette, I stop by McDonald's and get a sugar free vanilla iced coffee. It is a new and calorie free way to reward myself for shopping!
—Guest Jason

The biggest trigger for me is alcohol. If I go out and have a drink, the craving kicks in. I went out last Friday and only had two drinks and left. If I have more than that, my will dissolves. I know myself well enough and really have been avoiding that. I don't want to go back to smoking, no matter what and would never forgive myself. Some of my friends don't truly understand but others are very supportive. This quit is for me anyway, so I will do what I have to in order to stay smoke free. NOT ONE PUFF EVER!
—Guest Becky

Terry Martin
Smoking Cessation Guide

Also from About.com: