Triggers suck

[mtbjay]

I can't even enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning!!! I know these triggers disappear eventually, (and honestly, i don't need the coffee anymore. I shoot out of bed like a rocket since I quit smoking), but I grabbed a cup this morning and as soon as I took a sip i got a craving. Pity, cause I really used to enjoy my morning coffee. Guess I should probably put it down for a while. 

 

 

[Nancy]

Jay, it does suck...we just have to learn how to do so many things without a cigarette.  If it makes you too uncomfortable, I guess you will need to pass on the coffee for a little while.   I promise you it will get better.  And, has anyone mentioned that as a non-smoker, you will be much more sensitive to caffeine?

[jimmy]

triggers do suck but hang in there you can do this     1 day  1 thing at a time   :D

[REZ]

     Jay, what helped me big time with the coffee is to have it in a different setting, drink it in a different room, different time in the morning or even a different cup. This time of year maybe you can have it outside in some fresh air on the porch or deck being summer time. As long as you can switch up your old normal routine it will help you forget about the old triggers of the past! The new you requires new routines!

[Tink]

Jay in the first few weeks do what ever it takes, I stayed away from booze as I knew this would be major

 

It's only temporary. It don't take long to switch the habits which are the triggers and then you. An enjoy the coffee etc again and even better because you Can taste better

[action]

Jay, coffee affects you differently when you don't smoke... firstly, it tastes much stronger.  Secondly, the caffine affects you more.

 

I can honestly say that I enjoy coffee way better now I don't smoke, but I can't have it after mid-day!

 

That said, if you don't feel comfortable at the moment, then just don't drink it.

 

MQ is a great example of enjoying your morning coffee without smoking, so hopefully he will be here soon ;)

[...]

Jay,

 

This is the time to reinforce your non smoking brain. Read about what cigarettes do to you, watch you tube videos. Go for a run. Do whatever you can to try and not think about what you think your missing. Its all a lie. It's a lie that we have trained ourselves to believe.

 

I look at it as a bad relationship. You have to go through the break up and not go back.

 

It does suck. But your worth every nail biting, teeth clenching minute of it !!!! Keep on going. Your doing great. And the only way to ensure that you NEVER have to go through this again is to NOT give in to the triggers.

[El Bandito]

Hey Jay

 

No big deal. I love my coffee even more - now that I can taste it.

 

I started off saying - "OK - Im going to have a beautiful freshly brewed espresso now - and taste it and savour it properly - like I never could when I smoked"

 

BANG!

 

Trigger gone.

 

Its a process Jay, you just keep your head down and keep going. Beat these triggers one by one and suddenly you wake up and there are none left.

 

You are doing great. Keep going!

[Doreensfree]

First thing of a morning,cig and coffee went together before I opened both eyes.....

When I quit,I knew I had to change routine.....

I open my eyes now to a lovely fresh glass of pure orange juice.....mmmmmm

What your feeling is normal jay......

[Still winning]

Agreed Jay, but try a different room and logging on here with your morning brew.

 

That said a number of us had to change those bigger trigger routines. My morning one was a biggie too but now it's fine. 

 

So maybe try drinking it in a different room, or drink it as you do something (make lunch, load dishwasher etc) and make yourself a new routine.

 

xx

[Susana]

Triggers suck!

 

No, they don´t. Triggers are great.

 

I was a compulsive smoker. I would light up first thing in the morning and smoke one after another through the day. When I quit I had no triggers. Waking up called for a cigarette, going downstairs called for a cigarette, putting the kettle on called for a cigarette, make up = cigarette, leave the house = cigarettte, open the front gate = cigarette, walk down main road = cigarette, walk up side road= cigarette, arrive in office = cigarette... you get an idea of what my life was as a smoker?

 

I never had any triggers. My life was a 24 hour non-stop trigger.

 

If you have... let´s call them "identifiable" or "separate" triggers, you are in a much better position.

- You can identify them

- You can separate them

- You can foresee them

- You can avoid them

- If you can´t avoid them, you can organise your quit around them

- You can beat them. One after another after another. Bang, bang, bang!

 

You are already onto a winner here.

 

Doing great! Keep it up!

 

:-)

[BAT]

NOPE !!!!

[mtbjay]

Thanks for all the suggestions and support! I never did finish that cup, I dumped it out and grabbed water instead. There's a few times during the day that I get a strong craving. After food and in the morning. Also, Thanks for the perspective Susana! And yes, caffeine seems a bit stronger now as I wean off of nicotine. I don't drink it late in the day anymore.

[ChRiSpY]

Gotta retrain your brain to enjoy life without your cigs.  It is hard at first...but it gets easier and easier and easier...until you don't even think about it anymore. 

 

Life is soooo much sweeter without... keep pushing forwards.

 

Keep on keepin on.

[Paul723]

After food is now clean dishes for me.

[beacon]

For me as time went on, each trigger faded one by one and I was able to get back to my old routine. I coped anyway I could: eating, exercise, reading, going out, meditation, deep breathing, crying, etc. Right now I have one trigger left, the car. I did try to chew gum in the car but I was up to about 10 pieces of bubble gum per day so now I just do breathing instead.

[Nicole Diver]

This is why I think soo much of this addiction is mental.

Coffee is like the only thing that gets me through.   I used, and continue to use it, as a substitute.

But I never smoked when I drank coffee. 

 

There are so many things that were big time triggers for me though, and you are right, they do fade.  They fade away quietly, but they fade.

[sgt.barney]

The Sarge has gotten to the point where he doesn't even really remember what it was like to be triggered.

 

That day is coming for you, too ... and sooner than you think.

 

Sooner than you think.

 

 

 

Easy Peasy

[Still winning]

Shame you had to ditch your coffee for now, but this too will pass.

 

Those strong craves will start to ease and quicker than you think, they change from a crave, to a thought... ie I would have smoked here rather than I want to smoke here from one part of your brain versus the other part saying but I don't want to smoke. 

 

That said you are totally owning this quit Jay!!  xx

[mtbjay]

Yeah, its ok though. I just wait until i get to work to have coffee now, cause I can't smoke there, and I don't have access to cigarettes. Plus its a different place, different cup, etc per the suggestions of the wisemen / wisewomen of this forum! lol!

 

Thanks again for the support everyone! Gotta love this place!