Step 3: Discover your smoking triggers

Once you can see what events and situations make you crave a cigarette more strongly, you are in a position to supress those urges.

04:53 05 November 2013

It has been proven that most smokers do not continue to smoke out of choice, but because they are addicted to nicotine. (Royal College of Physicians, Feb 2000).

Smoking addiction is half physical and half psychological. So when you quit, you not only have to fight your body's craving for nicotine, you also have to break a powerful habit.

Because of this, it is important for you to understand what sparks your urge for a cigarette. If you can pin point this, then you can learn to control your habit.

One of the most useful ways of understanding your 'triggers' - what makes you crave a cigarette - is by writing it down every time you feel the urge. It may be a time of day, it may be nerves, it may even be a pint of beer. Whatever it is, you will find it useful to write it down.

Do this over the course of a day for a week. By the end of the week you will have a comprehensive list of all the things that make you crave a cigarette and you will be once step closer to coming to terms with your habit.

Consider these points when compiling your list:

• You may only smoke in the morning - so ask yourself when you smoke
• You may only smoke at the pub - so ask yourself where you smoke
• You may only smoke with friends - so ask yourself who you smoke with
• You may only smoke when you're nervous - so ask yourself how you fee