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

Responses: 19

Smoking Triggers

• 5 Minute Craving Busters

Smoking Triggers - Your Tips

Driving in the Car

I've only been smoke free for 2 days now after 10 years of smoking. It's not that hard for me, except when I drive to work. I miss my 2 cigarettes in the car while driving.

—Guest Zeeshan

Smoking For Over 45 Years.....

One day, I just got up and said that was it, I went to my doctor, she prescribed Wellbutrin and nicotine patches. I took the Wellbutrin for 2 months, but never got the patches, I told my wife to start taking the Wellbutrin out of my pill box without telling me when. It's been a little over 5 months that I have been smoke free.

—Guest vince

Alcohol

I am by no means an alcoholic, but as a 23 year old young woman there have been a few occasions such as birthdays and holidays where I will indulge in a beer or a glass of wine, or a mixed drink and I used to smoke much more heavily when I was feeling tipsy. So I really have to minimize my alcohol intake and who I'm around, The last time I quit I was successful for several months and then started due to me drinking too much one careless night. I ended up smoking a whole pack to myself.

—cmanklam

My Garage

...is where I smoked. I never smoked in my home -- didn't want everything stinky and discolored. Actually I hated and loathed everything about cigarettes. The smell, stained fingers, coughing and wheezing, spitting up mucus, black junk in your nose, I am on my 11th day, and feel good. I know there will be hard times, but I am determined to be rid of this killer.

—caminoreel

Garage/Patio

Like most, I had/have many triggers icluding the after eating trigger, the with coffee trigger, the first thing in the morning trigger, etc. But one that helped me lose a couple quits before was a 'location' trigger. I never smoked in the house out of respect for the rest of the family. So, I hung out in the garage a lot of the time. I did a lot of projects out there, but also, just hung out. On the weekends, I'd open the garage door to read the morning paper and the door would rarely be closed before bedtime. During late evening TV watching, I'd hit the back patio for the commercial breaks. The first few times I would come to these locations after quitting smoking, I was immediately looking around for my smokes and something to light them with. I've lost some quits in the past because I tried to visit these places too soon.

—streittk

Reward

I use to reward myself after a long day at work or after doing my housework.The hardest time for me is 4 or 5 o'clock in the afternoon.

—Dory07

Stress

My main trigger is stress. When I feel stress mounting, I do something that requires me to focus on the project--like sewing or listening to spiritual music like Native American wood flute.

—anena

Cheap Carnival Tricks

The best, true thought is this: It is not a matter of if we will go to war with quitting smoking, but a matter of when we will go to war...will we go while we are healthy and in control, or when we are dying? Triggers to smoke are cheap carnival tricks.They try to trick me every morning. Let's be strong.

—Guest stuart

Down Time At Work

The worst for me has been down time at work. I used to go outside four or five times through my shift to have a cigarette. My solution has been to keep taking five minutes to go outside every couple of hours. Take a few deep breaths, maybe with a cup of coffee or water (particularly if coffee is a trigger)and just enjoy being outside for five minutes...WITHOUT a cigarette. it's actually a much better way to relax. It's helped me a lot.

—Guest Nick

Trigger Relief

I quit three months ago and have become a plastic straw/coffee stirrer expert. I cut it in thirds, and chew on one. I like the thick kind the best. I hope to give it up eventually, but for now, they really satisfy!

—Guest loudsinger

Saturday Mornings

I used to get up on Saturday morning, grab a cup of coffee, my cigarettes, and call my sister for a marathon telephone call. I still have the coffee and the marathon phone call with her, but I do it a bit later. It helped for me to change the order of things on Saturday morning and now I do some housework first. I'm certainly not going to give up talking to my sister, Or the coffee!!!

—cathtom

Let Urges Run Their Course

Almost anything for me can be a trigger. A slight increase in stress levels used to prompt me to smoke, but I found a way to handle it. It's an advice for panic attack victims - Be Aware of Your Feelings. If you feel like smoking, be aware of that feeling and let it run its course. It's like being a third person, an observer in your own life. That way it's easier to control the feeling and not let the feeling control you.

—Guest Syed

The Smell

Cigarette smoke smells so good to me still, I miss it like a person so now I keep myself away from smokers and keep a scent spritzer on me at all times.

—queenruth64

Coffee

With my coffee I would smoke, Also, after smoking for a while I wasn't hungry. Smoking took away my desire to eat. Now I eat something healthy first thing in the morning.

—Guest jim

After meals

It seems the meal isn't quite complete until I light up. I guess it's a form of relaxation along with habit.

—Guest Gigi