Quit Support

• Weekend or weekday, when do you tend to smoke the most? If it is during the week, pick the weekend to quit or vice versa. Do what might make it a bit easier.
• Do you like to start at the beginning of the week or like the idea of starting out by not smoking or vaping for one day a week?
• Do you need to keep busy on your quit day, or is it better you have nothing to do so you can rest?

Triggers are the things that make you want to smoke or vape. Different people have different triggers. Common triggers include: your morning coffee, drinking alcohol, social gatherings, being around other people smoking or vaping, breaks at work, driving in your car, and of course stress, worry and emotional or physical discomfort. 

Sometimes people use tobacco in order to find relief from present and past painful memories, grief, trauma, or injustice. While using commercial tobacco in this way is understandable, in these cases smoking or vaping contributes to a cycle of harm, where it is used to relieve pain in the short term while only causing even more damage in the long term.

There is no simple solution to breaking this cycle, but by being aware of the way commercial tobacco use is tied to these kinds of triggers can help lead you toward a more holistic way of healing.

Knowing your triggers and understanding the best way to deal with them is a good place to start.

Here are some types of triggers you might encounter:

Once you better understand your triggers, identify the ones that will be a challenge for you and make a plan to manage them. Here are some strategies to keep in mind:

Not all people who smoke or vape experience withdrawal. Withdrawal is the body adjusting to being without the nicotine in cigarettes and vape products. Symptoms can start a few hours after you stop and may peak in 48-72 hours.

It gets better after that!

Withdrawal symptoms mean that your mind and body are repairing themselves. Common symptoms of withdrawal are: 

Think about what you will do to get through a craving 

Keep a list of your reasons for quitting and benefits of being smoke/vape-free posted on your fridge or in your wallet, etc. Most cravings pass after a few minutes

Here are some suggestions for how to distract yourself during a craving:

A Talk Tobacco Quit Coach is there to support you with your list of how to deal with your cravings and withdrawals.

So, what can you learn when you slip? 

As long as you learn from it, a slip can actually be a valuable experience and support you move on stronger and more confident than before.