triggers: Learn your triggers and how to cope... - No Smoking Day

No Smoking Day

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triggers

nsd_user663_60839 profile image
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Learn your triggers and how to cope around those times.

When you know you are about to have a trigger change your situation slightly and take your mind off smoking.

Heres some of my triggers:-

Driving or being a passenger

After dinner

Wake up

Lunch break

morning and afternoon break at work

After an arguement

People at work that annoy me

I have had a blip or 2 in my quits and I find them a learning curve as I wasnt prepared for my triggers. I didnt know that one of my major triggers is going to see my friends. I get nervous or excited, must be anxiety? Anyway now I know this is one of my flaws I can prepare for it next time.

I will make sure I have my NRT and a conversation with the driver or if Im driving to listen to music and sing my heart out

What are your triggers and how do you cope with them?

*Princess*

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nsd_user663_60839
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7 Replies
austinlegro profile image
austinlegro11 Years Smoke Free

You’re far from alone.

Most of us wore the rose-tinted smoking goggles and made cigarettes such a major part of our day to day existence that any life without them seemed unpleasant and pretty pointless.

When I reviewed my own smoking habit some glaring facts appeared, I smoked ‘cos I was bored, hungry, alone or because it’s that time of day when I always smoked.

My typical routine was sort of:

Wake up, downstairs, kitchen, kettle, coffee – FAG.

Shower, dressed, feed dogs – FAG

Drop boy at school then drive to work – FAG

Arrive at work, kettle, outside – FAG

2nd coffee – FAG

Mid morning, coffee – FAG

Late morning, coffee – FAG

Drive home for lunch – FAG

Finish lunch – FAG

Drive Back to Work – FAG

Afternoon coffee – FAG

Drive home - FAG

etc etc

If I sat in front of the PC in an evening I’d light one fag off the other.

If I watched TV I’d go outside for a fag at every commercial break.

If I was driving a distance with the family in the car I’d smoke when we stopped.

If I was driving alone I’d smoke continually.

Everyone has a different pattern but usually it’s blindingly obvious that most cigarettes are smoked because that’s when they’re always smoked or the opportunity is there to smoke them. Each of us perfects their own habit to their own style and similarly we all have to learn the way to break our own habit.

Once I realised that I wasn't smoking just to get nicotine my quit determination went ballistic but the after effects of years of poison in my bloodstream also needed to be dealt with.

Some need a little help to combat the after-effects of the cessation of the poison we've willingly consumed in each and every smoke but that’s the easy bit of quitting. The hard bit is convincing yourself that you don’t want to smoke now you've just got off the bus for example. The brain says it’s fag time and you need to persuade it that it isn't.

;)

nsd_user663_42390 profile image
nsd_user663_42390

Holidays

Well my triggers are all the usual ones Princess, but my main one has been holidays. I just dreaded going on holiday a non smoker and it was in the fore front of my mind but now I have had a few holidays I hope that trigger has now been banished.

nsd_user663_60839 profile image
nsd_user663_60839

The brain says it’s fag time and you need to persuade it that it isn't.

;)

This last sentence really hit me. Persuade is such a good word to use.

I need to persuade myself that it is not needed :D

It is all about what is drilled into your brain and un-doing the habit/ daily routine

nsd_user663_59642 profile image
nsd_user663_59642

My triggers were Fridays (bad work day, is Friday :mad:) and other people doing stuff that annoyed me! :o

Now, I am prepared for grotty Fridays........I accept that they will be horrible (it was on a Friday that my first quit failed :rolleyes:). As for people doing annnoying things........I just take a deep breath and get on with what I was doing. The thing is, if I let it get to me I might be tempted to have a fag and that cannot happen.

I went out for a walk, locally, the other day and as I was nearing home I thought "cup of tea and a fag when I get in" :eek:. Then I thought "no" and that was it........the thought was batted away in literally one second.

So not really triggers any more.......I've learned lots of lessons during my quit and I apply them as I go along. :) Seems to be doing the trick so far!

Val

xxx

nsd_user663_2681 profile image
nsd_user663_2681

Hi Princess

My main trigger is the evenings that's when I am most vulnerable to giving in.

nsd_user663_60839 profile image
nsd_user663_60839

I found a new trigger for myself is being on my own.

I start thinking oh no one is around, im bored I fancy a fag. I never have these thoughts when Im at home with the parents or with my boyfriend.

I might have to try and avoid being by myself for a bit!

austinlegro profile image
austinlegro11 Years Smoke Free

...It is all about what is drilled into your brain and un-doing the habit/ daily routine

Sometimes the road to enlightenment has rather large signs.

Sometimes we choose to ignore them.

Very few of us stopped to think how we smoked, we let others tell us and just gobbled it all down.

I remember deliberately throwing away a perfectly good quit after 6 months or so 'cos I was very stressed and wanted a fag to calm me down.

The calming abilities of a fag only work for smokers though, not non-smokers.

Smokers can stick a fag in every orifice and never be as calm as a non-smoker.

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