GMU Health Education: Quit Smoking

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7th Inning Tip:
Second week off - DEALING WITH TRIGGERS

Write down some of your triggers. And write what you'll do instead of dip or chew. It may be as simple as reaching for gum or seeds, walking away, or thinking about how far you've come.

What are your personal Cues/Triggers?

You've made it through the hardest part, the first week. If you can stay off 1 week, then you can stay off 2. Use the same strategies and willpower that have gotten you this far. Cravings may be just as strong this week but they will be less often and they will go away sooner.
Other signs of progress:

  • Your circulation and skin color have improved.
  • Withdrawal symptoms ease up.
  • Food tastes better, your sense of smell sharpens, and your breath is fresher.
  • You become more confident.
  • You can breath easier with less coughing.

Be prepared for temptation
Tobacco thoughts and urges will probably bother you for a while. They will be strongest in the places you dipped or chewed the most. The more time you spend in these places without dipping or chewing, the weaker the urges will become. Know what events and places will be triggers for you and plan ahead for them. A few players describe their triggers:

  • 'I get the urge when I smell the stuff or see someone doing it. I find myself reaching into my back pocket'
  • 'Spring training: I go without a dip all winter, and once I come into the park I want a dip'
  • 'Boredom, sitting in the dugout, fishing in a pond, hitting a golf ball'
  • 'Putting my cleats on'

Some players that have quit describe how they coped with triggers:

  • 'Smelling it still triggers urges, I counter them by thinking how harmful dip can be'
  • 'I still get urges from time to time when I see someone dipping, so I get up, walk off, and have a piece of gum or coffee. Out of sight, out of mind'
  • 'The best thing I did to cope was to go for a run. Any physical activity helped'


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