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Chris Price

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Dealing with Smoking Triggers

“Triggers” are actions or events that make you crave a cigarette. They’re the moments that you associate most closely with smoking – and whether it’s drinking a cup of coffee, finishing a meal, or drinking alcohol, most smokers have them.

Learning to recognise your triggers is an important step on the road to becoming smoke-free. Once you start to notice and understand your own personal triggers, you can start to come up with strategies to beat them.

Young woman on phone at a bus stop.

Habits and Routines

Smokers often have lots of activities that they associate with smoking. These are generally parts of your daily routine, and in some cases may need to be changed or even stopped for a while.

Some of the most common “pattern triggers” include:

• Drinking alcohol or coffee

• Finishing a meal

• Watching TV

• Driving

• Talking on the phone

When attempting to quit, it can be helpful to avoid your triggers when getting through the initial stages of nicotine withdrawal. For instance, in the first few weeks after quitting, it can be helpful to avoid places where people tend to smoke. Similarly, if coffee is a major trigger, consider drinking tea or decaf as an alternative.

Of course, you can’t avoid every common trigger. For triggers like finishing a meal or driving, the key is to break the association between the event and smoking. Helpful strategies for this include finding a physical replacement for smoking, like chewing gum or sucking on a lozenge or mint. For others, it can be beneficial to go for a walk or distract yourself by doodling or squeezing a stress ball to keep your hands busy.

Emotional Triggers

Some triggers are easier to plan for than others. Often, the most difficult triggers to sidestep are emotional in nature, and can range from experiencing stress and anxiety to feeling happy and satisfied.

When faced with an intense emotion that would normally cause you to smoke, you can try one of a number of other techniques for relaxation. One such strategy is to simply take slow, deep breaths. Another is to talk through your emotions with a friend or family member. Exercise can also help with emotional triggers in much the same way as it can with pattern triggers.

Smoking Withdrawal Symptoms

Another group of triggers are those related to the nicotine withdrawal process. These can take the form of craving a cigarette, increased appetite, or simply feeling anxious and irritable.

If you are struggling with triggers like these, it could be worth trying Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). NRT releases small amounts of nicotine into the bloodstream, helping to satisfy cravings and ease other unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. To learn more, read our guide to NRT and other quitting methods here.

How to Quit Smoking at your Own Pace

Want to Quit Smoking Gradually?

Things to Consider About Quitting Gradually

If you're thinking about quitting smoking gradually, you may want to think about these things:

  • Reducing the number of cigarettes you smoke is a positive step towards quitting smoking.
  • As you are still smoking cigarettes, you may find it harder to quit smoking completely in the long run.
  • You continue to damage your health and spend money on smoking until you quit for good.

When you quit gradually, you gain the flexibility to reduce your habit bit by bit.

How Reduce to Quit Works

Reduce to Quit is when you gradually reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke while managing your nicotine cravings and withdrawal symptoms with a NICORETTE® Gum or NICORETTE® Lozenge (NICORETTE ® FRUIT Lozenge or NICORETTE ® COOLS Lozenge) until you’re ready to quit for good.

Why don't you aim to give up smoking completely in six months? However, each quit journey is unique so set a goal that achievable to you.

Woman running with headphones in and smiling to music.

Want to Quit Smoking Abruptly?

Family sat together watching TV.

The health benefits of being smoke-free start from day 1. There are many great benefits you can feel when you quit smoking abruptly like your sense of taste may improve after just 2 days and after 3, you’ll likely have more energy. However, stopping abruptly will test your willpower to the max…that’s why we are here to help!

Kick Start Your Journey by Taking Part in the Nicorette First Week Challenge

If you’re successful at staying smoke-free for the first week, then you’re 9x more likely to quit for good (versus those not abstinent at week one of an abrupt quitting attempt).

Take the First Week Challenge

Find Useful Tips to Help You Conquer Cigarette Cravings

Quitting smoking is tough and it’s perfectly normal that you’ll feel irritable and frustrated whilst you quit, especially at the start. Don’t worry – Nicorette product(s) can help you manage these withdrawal symptoms so those feelings may soon lessen.

As well as managing your cravings and withdrawal symptoms with a Nicorette product, learn about what may trigger your cravings so you can avoid them or be prepared for when they strike.

Discover How to Conquer Cravings



Further advice and information available from content source: https://www.nicorette.co.uk/

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