Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.
Skip to main content
Home

Header Top Menu

  • Careers
  • Investors
  • News
    • Press Release Archive
    • Press Statements
    • Podcasts
      • The Antigen Podcast
      • Get Science Podcast
      • Diverse Perspectives Podcast
      • menopause: unmuted
      • Hemcast
    • Contact Media Relations
    • Press Kits & Downloads
      • Company Press Kit
      • Pfizer Oncology Press Kit
      • PSA Narrative
      • RA NarRAtive
      • Rare Disease Gene Therapy Press Kit
      • ATTR-Amyloidosis Press Kit
      • UC Narrative
      • Eczema Inside Out Press Kit
  • Partners
    • Discovery to Pre-candidate
      • Focus Areas
        • Therapeutic Areas
          • Internal Medicine
          • Inflammation and Immunology
          • Oncology
          • Rare Disease
          • Vaccines
        • Therapeutic Modalities and Technology Platforms
          • Drug Safety
          • Gene Therapy
          • Target Sciences
          • Precision Medicine
          • Medicinal Sciences
            • Biologics Product & Process Development
            • Biotherapeutics Discovery
            • Medicine Design
            • Small Molecule Product & Process Development
        • Emerging Science
          • DNA Damage Response
          • Microsatellite Repeat Expansions
          • Senescence
      • Partnering Models
    • Candidate Through Commercialization
      • Focus Areas
        • Internal Medicine
        • Inflammation and Immunology
        • Oncology
        • Rare Disease
        • Vaccines
        • Hospital
    • Pfizer CentreOne
    • Pfizer Ventures
      • Our portfolio

Healthcare Professionals

  • Healthcare Professionals

Connect with Us

  • Connect with Us
    • Email
    • FAQ
    • Privacy Policy (NEW)
    • YouTube
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Instagram
  • Your Health

    • Healthy Living
      • Brain & Nervous System
      • Cardiovascular Health
      • Cold & Flu
      • Digestive Health
      • Healthier Aging
      • Living Tobacco Free
      • Men’s Health
      • Mental Health
      • Nutrition & Fitness
      • Pediatric Health
      • Respiratory Health
      • Skin Health
      • Vaccines & Prevention
      • Women’s Health

    • Disease & Condition
      • Cancer
      • Cardiovascular Diseases & Conditions
      • Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders
      • Immune System Diseases & Conditions
      • Infections & Infectious Diseases
      • Neurological Diseases & Conditions
      • Menopause
      • Rare Disease
      • Vaccine-Related Conditions
      • Skin Diseases & Conditions
      • Atopic Dermatitis

    • Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

    • Managing your health
      • Caregiving
      • Evaluating Health Information
      • Tracking Your Health
      • Your Medicines
      • Health Literacy

    • Wellness
    Hot Topics

    Maintaining Emotional Well-Being During COVID-19

    Emotional Well-Being Tips for People Living with Chronic Inflammatory Conditions During COVID-19
  • Our Science

    • Driven to Discover the cure

    • Focus Areas
      • Internal Medicine
      • Inflammation & Immunology
      • Oncology
      • Rare Disease
      • Vaccines
      • Anti Infectives

    • Product Pipeline

    • Clinical Trials
      • Guide to Clinical Trials
      • Find a Trial
      • Expanded Access & Compassionate Use
      • Clinical Trials in Children
      • Partnering with Pfizer
      • Trial Data & Results
      • Research Integrity & Transparency
      • Diversity in Clinical Trials

    • R&D Platforms
      • Biosimilars
      • Gene Therapy
      • Medicinal Sciences
      • Precision Medicine
      • Maternal Immunization

    • Collaboration
      • Partner with Pfizer

    • Research sites

    • Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Scientific Resources
    HOT TOPICS

    MRNA VS. CONVENTIONAL VACCINES

    What Makes an RNA Vaccine Different From a Conventional Vaccine?
  • Our People

    • Meet The Experts
      • Scientists
      • Internal Medicine – Metabolic Disease
      • Inflammation & Immunology
      • Oncology
      • Rare Disease
      • Vaccines
      • Medical Professionals

    • The Journey

    • Leadership
      • Executives
      • Board Members
      • Company Fact Sheet

    • Diverse Perspectives
      • Diversity & Inclusion
      • Supplier Diversity
    HOT TOPICS

    Meet our new Chief Patient Officer, Dr. Dara Richardson-Heron

    dr_richardson_300x170.jpg

    Working Together to Empower Women

    VizagWomen_300x170.jpg

    • Hot Topics
  • Our Purpose

    • Commitment to Global Health
      • Expanding Access
      • Strengthening Health Systems
      • Providing Disaster & Humanitarian Relief
      • Unleashing the Power of Our Colleagues
      • Highlighting Individual Voices

    • Protecting People and the Environment
      • Pfizer's Green Journey
      • Product Stewardship
      • EHS Governance
      • EHS Supply Chain
      • Key Performance Indicators
      • Health & Safety
      • Human Rights

    • Positions on Health Policies
      • Ready for Cures
      • How does Pfizer price medicines?
      • Value of Medicines
      • Policy Positions
      • Creating Cures Through Facility Investments

    • Transparency
      • Working with Health Care Professionals
      • Transparency in Grants
      • Code of Conduct
      • Corporate Compliance
      • Sales and Marketing Compliance

    • Independent Grants
      • Competitive Grants Program
      • Independent Medical Education
      • Investigator Sponsored Research
      • Quality Improvement
      • COVID-19 Vaccine Grants

    • Contributions & Partnerships
      • Healthcare Charitable Contributions
      • Lobbying & Political Contributions
    HOT TOPICS

    Pfizer Women’s Resource Group

    Media Name: IWD_Pull_up_Banner_300x170.jpg

    • Hot Topics
  • Our Products

    • Product listing

    • How drugs are made
      • Branded vs. Generic
      • Biologics & Biosimilars
      • Commitment to Quality

    • Distributors
      • Pfizer Distributors
      • Greenstone Distributors

    • Medicine Safety
      • Reporting Adverse Events
      • Making Good Treatment Choices
      • Partnering With Patients
      • Health Literacy
      • Medicine Safety Tips for Patients
      • Counterfeiting
      • Unused Medicines

    • Safety Data Sheets

    • Medical Information Contacts

    • Pfizer Global Supply
    HOT TOPICS

    Universal vs. Single Payer Healthcare

    Media Name: universal_healthcare300x170.jpg
  • Careers

    • Working Here
      • Mission & Purpose
      • Culture
      • Diversity & Inclusion
      • Career Growth & Colleague Development
      • Compensation & Benefits
      • Ensuring Corporate Responsibility
    • Search Jobs
    • Student & Early Career
      • Postdoctoral Program
      • US Summer Student Worker Program
      • Opportunities for Veterans
    • Pfizer365.com
    • Our Hiring & Recruiting Process
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Tips for Interviewing at Pfizer
    • Connect With Us
  • Investors

    • Investors Overview
      • Why Invest / Our Story
      • Prospective Investors
      • Fact Sheet
    • Events & Presentations
    • Financials
      • Quarterly Reports
      • Annual Reports
      • SEC Filings
      • Interactive Data Filings
    • Investor News
    • Stock Information
      • Historical Price Lookup
      • Investment Calculator
      • Historical Stock Chart & Data
      • Dividend & Split History
      • Stock FAQs
    • Governance
      • Board Committees and Charters
      • The Pfizer Board Policies
      • Corporate Governance FAQs
      • Contact Our Directors
    • Shareholder Services
      • Stock FAQs
      • Advisory Information
      • Cost Basis Calculator
  • News

    • Contact Media Relations
    • Podcasts
    • Press Kits & Downloads
    • Press Release Archive
    • Press Statements
  • Partners
  • Footer links

    • Footer Aside Section1
      • CAREER-SEEKERS
      • INVESTORS
      • News & Media
      • Partners
    • Footer Aside Section 2
      • Healthcare Professionals
      • Business To Business
      • Change Region
      • Sitemap
    • Footer Aside Section3
      • Twitter
      • Facebook
      • Linkedin
      • Instagram
      • Youtube
    • Footer Aside Section4
      • Contact Us
      • Terms of Use
      • Privacy Policy

Quitting Smoking: Identifying and Dealing With Smoking Triggers

Quitting Smoking: Identifying and Dealing With Smoking Triggers
YOUR HEALTH/ Quitting Smoking: Identifying and Dealing With Smoking Triggers
May 30, 2018

By Deborah Ng

Smoking triggers refer to the situations in which a smoker who is trying to quit wants to smoke.1 For example, if someone has a cigarette with their morning coffee, coffee can trigger the urge to smoke. To make it easier to quit smoking, it’s a good idea to identify the circumstances that trigger cigarette cravings and learn how to cope with those situations without lighting up.

Pattern Triggers

Most people who smoke, do it during specific times or activities. Someone who lights up after eating or while having a glass of wine is following a pattern. When they try to quit smoking, doing something routine like having a cup of coffee can trigger the urge to smoke. Other examples of pattern triggers include, among others, having sex, talking on the phone, taking smoke breaks at work, and watching television.

To cope with pattern triggers, try to forge different patterns. If you sit down and have a cigarette with a cup of coffee, try doing something different. Have your morning coffee during a time when you can't smoke. For example, when you're on the train for your daily commute or sitting at your desk at work or school. If the urge to smoke with coffee is too strong, eliminate morning coffee, at least temporarily.

If you smoke while watching TV, try finding something else to do with your hands. Take up a hobby or doodle on a drawing pad. Instead of smoking after a meal, wash dishes or tidy up the kitchen. 

If you find ways to keep active and busy, it can help you to break certain triggers.

Social Triggers

When people smoke when they're out with friends at a bar or a concert, they're following a social trigger. Joining other smokers for a cigarette break at work, or even talking to someone who is smoking outside is enough to set off a craving. Social triggers happen when an individual is in a setting where others are smoking and they want to smoke too.

To eliminate social triggers, avoid putting yourself in situations where you want a cigarette. Don't allow people to smoke in your home or car, and ask them not to smoke around you. Avoid the workplace smoking area, and only go out with non-smoking friends to non-smoking places until you're confident you won't smoke if the situation presents itself.

Emotional Triggers

Emotional triggers occur during a time when a cigarette is needed to help someone cope or calm down. A smoker might want to have a cigarette to calm down when they're angry or to help them feel more satisfied. Someone who is feeling sad or depressed might want to have a smoke in order to self-soothe. 

Instead of reaching for cigarettes, find other ways to soothe yourself during emotional times. Meditate, go for a walk, or ride your bike. Put on some headphones and listen to music that makes you happy or call a friend who makes you laugh. Do something that lifts your mood.

Withdrawal Triggers

The withdrawal symptoms associated with smoking cessation also trigger cravings.2 People who are quitting cigarettes find themselves with a strong desire to taste or hold a cigarette. Often the urge to smoke as a result of withdrawal is strong.

The urge to smoke doesn't last very long. Find ways to distract yourself from your cravings until the urge passes. Find people to talk to or chew some sugar-free gum. Drink some water or brush your teeth. 

Dealing with Smoking Triggers

Identifying and eliminating triggers can help with the quitting process. Smoking cessation may mean a change of routine and lifestyle. Ask friends and family to support you in your new routine, and they will help to talk you to forge new, healthier habits.

Cigarette cravings usually last for five minutes.3 Keep reminding yourself that it's temporary and you'll get through it!

 


References

1 “Know Your Smoking Triggers.” Smokefree.gov, smokefree.gov/challenges-when-quitting/cravings-triggers/know-your-smoking-triggers.

2 “Handling Withdrawal Symptoms & Triggers When You Decide to Quit.” National Cancer Institute, www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/tobacco/withdrawal-fact-sheet#q2.

3 “How to Manage Cravings” Smokefree.gov, https://smokefree.gov/challenges-when-quitting/cravings-triggers/how-man....

Learn more about living tobacco free.

If you find ways to keep active and busy, it can help you to break certain triggers.

Related Hot Topics
Why Your Family Health History Matters
Why Your Family Health History Matters
Why You Need Your Workout Now More Than Ever
Why You Need Your Workout Now More Than Ever
Chronic Stress and How to Manage It
Chronic Stress and How to Manage It
Shedding Light on Seasonal Affective Disorder
Shedding Light on Seasonal Affective Disorder
Understanding the Differences and Similarities Between the Flu and COVID-19
Understanding the Differences and Similarities Between the Flu and COVID-19
What is Ankylosing Spondylitis?
What is Ankylosing Spondylitis?
Moving at the Speed of Science
Moving at the Speed of Science
7 Myths About the Flu Vaccine
7 Myths About the Flu Vaccine
Tags
Cardiovascular Health
Health Info
Living Tobacco Free/Smoking
lung cancer
Show
Hide

Footer menu

  • Your Health
    • Healthy Living
    • Disease Conditions
    • Manage Your Health
  • Our Science
    • Therapeutic Areas
    • Product Pipeline
    • Clinical Trials
    • R&D Platforms
    • Collaboration
    • Research SItes
  • Our People
    • Meet the Experts
    • The Journey
    • Leadership
    • Diverse Perspectives
  • Our Purpose
    • Commitment To Global Health
    • Positions on Health Policies
    • Transparency
    • Contributions & Partnerships
  • Our Products
    • Product Listing
    • How Drugs are Made
    • Distributors
    • Global Product Information Contacts

Footer aside

  • Footer Aside Section1
    • CAREER-SEEKERS
    • INVESTORS
    • News & Media
    • Partners
  • Footer Aside Section 2
    • Healthcare Professionals
    • Business To Business
    • Change Region
    • Sitemap
  • Footer Aside Section3
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • Linkedin
    • Instagram
    • Youtube
  • Footer Aside Section4
    • Contact Us
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
Pfizer Logo Footer

Copyright © 2002-2021 Pfizer Inc. All rights reserved. This information—including product information—is intended only for residents of the United States.
The products discussed herein may have different labeling in different countries.