“BESOCHEMPS”
BE-havioral Triggers
The first of the 5 heads of the dragon represents the behavioral triggers that have become associated with our using. For a smoker, some common behavioral triggers are pouring a coffee, starting the car, answering the phone, and finishing a meal. We use the letters BE to represent that connection between wanting to use and the BE-havioral that triggered it.
It’s important to note that replacement medication (nicotine patches, gum, etc., for the smoker) will not make your coffee cup stop reminding you that you smoked while you drank coffee in the past. A chemical (medicine) won’t resolve a behavioral trigger. When all is said and done, we need to change our habits, and perhaps more importantly, change our minds.
To use the example of smoking again, that coffee cup we’re holding may have a dozen or more tiny, but distinct chemical rewards “attached” to it – one chemical reward for each puff we took while having that coffee. You can certainly see how some of these behavioral triggers become to persistent.
Identify your behavioral triggers – those things you do while you use. Recognizing them and being willing to change some routines will really help you regain your freedom.
TO DO TODAY: Let’s agree that a behavior can’t “make” us use. Let’s be bigger than the trigger.
PLEASE COMMENT: What are your most noticeable behavioral triggers – things you do while you use? How might you be able to rearrange some of those habits and routines to make the association weaker?
#BEsochemps http://ow.ly/i/tSQGm
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DIVIDE before you CONQUER:
I’ll again use smoking as an example. Starting as soon as possible – before Quit Day – decide that you’re going to keep the coffee at the kitchen table WITHOUT smoking. Enjoy your coffee (acknowledge that it will feel awkward, but it won’t kill you) and when you really, really want a cigarette, go outside and smoke one. Ideally, you will smoke standing up and you will NOT take the phone, dog, newspaper, or any other “good” thing with you. Suck your soot and get it over with and then go back inside to where the “good things” are. Over time, drinking coffee without a cigarette will start to feel more normal.
DIVIDE before you CONQUER:
I’ll again use smoking as an example. Starting as soon as possible – before Quit Day – decide that you’re going to keep the coffee at the kitchen table WITHOUT smoking. Enjoy your coffee (acknowledge that it will feel awkward, but it won’t kill you) and when you really, really want a cigarette, go outside and smoke one. Ideally, you will smoke standing up and you will NOT take the phone, dog, newspaper, or any other “good” thing with you. Suck your soot and get it over with and then go back inside to where the “good things” are. Over time, drinking coffee without a cigarette will start to feel more normal.
My biggest trigger was my morning coffee and a cigarette before work. I could go all day at work with a smoke break but as soon as I got in the car to drive home for the day, I would have a cigarette. Upon arriving home, my s/o would have an iced coffee waiting for me and we would both sit outside, discussing our day, while smoking. On my first quit day, I decided to forego the usual morning cup of coffee and have a cold brew peach tea. This was one week ago today.
Nice work, Casey! Being willing to change and sometimes sacrifice rituals and routines is essential. Sometimes I ask my Quit-Buddies to consider such sacrifice as the ‘ransom’ we must pay in order to secure our freedom. Tobacco, like other addictions, has grabbed us and holds us hostage. Pay the ransom – you’re worth it!
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