Smoking is a routine

What makes you want to smoke? For most people, smoking becomes a routine part of daily life. Certain people, places, feelings, events, and even moods, called "triggers," are linked with smoking. For instance, a trigger can be drinking a cup of coffee, talking on the phone, or seeing a friend who smokes.

Please select the trigger that matches your craving

The first step in changing your smoking routines is to know your own personal triggers. Below you'll find a list of common triggers. Identify which ones make you feel the urge to smoke. And when you're done, you can print out a list of your smoking triggers along with some tips on how to manage those situations.

  When I drink coffee

  When I drink wine or beer

  After lunch or dinner

  When I talk on the phone

  When I'm driving

  When I'm with other smokers

  When I'm watching TV

  When I'm waiting for a bus or train

  After an argument

  When I feel anxious or stressed

This information is just for you. It will not be captured or stored.

           

 

Right now, my smoking triggers are:

Instead of smoking in these situations, try to:

• Take a deep breath
• Drink plenty of water
• Call a friend
• Have a healthy snack
• Spend time in a public place where smoking is not allowed

Smoking routines become smoking triggers

Do you smoke a cigarette because you have a cup of coffee? Or do you have a cup of coffee so you can smoke a cigarette? For most people, it's hard to know. That's why a smoking routine may become a smoking trigger.

Smoking routines may be automatic

Everything you do creates pathways or connections in the brain. Let's say you routinely smoke in the kitchen. You're actually training your brain to know that the kitchen is a place to smoke. Eventually, if you walk into the kitchen, your brain will have an automatic response light up.

Unlearn old behavior

Because nicotine addiction and smoking routines can have a physical and behavioral effect on the body, trying to change your behavior may feel beyond your control. That's why it's important to be aware of when, where, and what makes you want to have a cigarette. It can help to talk to your doctor about your smoking triggers. And see if treatments and quit-smoking support plans can help get cigarettes out of your life.