Explore EFT by language and region

  • Login


  • signup now | forgot password?

EFT International

A global nonprofit supporting learning, practice and professional standards for Emotional Freedom Techniques.

On 7th November, 2026 join us for the EFTi Symposium EFT with Children and Young People Early Bird Registration now open
Honouring Trustee Craig WeinerVisit Our Memorial Page
  • Home
  • Discover EFT
    • What is EFT?
    • Find a Practitioner or Trainer
    • EFT Research Database
    • Articles Library
    • EFTi Resources
  • EFT Training
    • EFT Trainings & Events
    • Training Overview
    • Getting Started
    • Training Levels
    • Accredited Certification
  • Membership Info
    • Join EFT International
    • Membership Levels & Fees
    • FAQs
    • Keeping EFTi Credentials Valid
    • About Accreditation
  • About Us
    • About EFT International™
    • Media Resources
    • Meet the Teams
    • Policies & Procedures
    • Contact EFTi
  • Search
  • Contact

Using EFT to Eliminate the Urge to Smoke

By: Ted Robinson | 13 March, 2011
Categories: Addictions, Cravings, EFT Strategies

Most smokers know they light up a cigarette when they are under stress. Many more are unaware that many other emotions lead to smoking as well, such as, anger, worry, fear, hunger, sadness and a host of others.

It appears that those negative emotions trigger something within each person that leads them back into their old habit of ameliorating it by lighting up a cigarette and taking a few drags to calm down.

What if you could eliminate that trigger? Can you imagine what it would be like to deal with your anger or stress using EFT instead of using a cigarette? It would be freeing and release you from your addiction to cigarettes. So how do you do it? Here's how:

First, it takes a little bit of conscious noticing of when you're feeling like you are so stressed that you find yourself wanting a cigarette. When that happens, its very important that instead of reaching for a cigarette, you instead start using EFT to tap away the negative thoughts and feelings. For instance, if you're feeling stressed, you can simply do a Setup like this:

Even though I'm feeling so stressed that now I want a cigarette, I love and accept myself nonetheless.

Even though I don't believe I can stop this urge to have a cigarette because of all this stress I'm under, I accept myself anyway.

Then go on to the reminder statements as you tap on each meridian access point as follows:

Eyebrow (EB): "I'm under so much stress."
Side of Eye (SE): "I really want a cigarette."
Under Eye (UE) :"Whenever I'm under stress, the only thing that helps is a cigarette."
Under Nose (UN): "I really want that cigarette right now."
Under Mouth (Ch): "Actually, I don't really want a cigarette, I just don't know what else to do."
Collar Bone (CB)"Actually, I do know what to do and I'm doing it right now. I'm tapping my urge away."
Under Arm (UA): "I'm under so much stress."
Top of Head (TH): "All this stress I'm under. I let it go."

Drop your hands and take a deep breath to integrate and process the tapping and then check in on your SUDS (emotional intensity) level to see how much the urge for a cigarette has changed. If it has gone down somewhat, continue along the same lines as before, only add a phrase that acknowledges that some of the urge has gone away.

Before you finish 2-3 rounds, your stress may be gone along with the urge for a cigarette. If another urge arises, treat it the same way.


Ted Robinson
Long Island, New York, US
www.tedrobinson.com

From the EFTfree Archives, which are now a part of EFT International .
Originally published on March 13, 2011.

Share Your Comments & Feedback Cancel reply

EFTi Comment Policy
Comments represent the views of the individual; posting of a comment on EFTi's website does not indicate the organisation's endorsement of the opinions expressed. While we welcome healthy debate, we encourage commenters to use a respectful tone. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, offensive, or demonstrably false; that engage in blatant self-promotion without adding meaningfully to the discussion; or that do not relate to the topic of the article on which they were posted. Comments will not appear immediately, but the team of volunteers that reviews them makes every effort to post them in a timely manner.

Search EFT Articles

Browse Articles by Category:

  • Community News (28)
  • The Science Behind EFT (29)
  • Areas of EFT Practice (471)
    • Abundance (14)
    • Abuse (7)
    • Addictions (17)
    • ADHD (1)
    • Aging (7)
    • Ancestral issues (6)
    • Anger (19)
    • Animals (21)
    • Anxiety (59)
    • Business Success (20)
    • Caregiving (2)
    • Children (36)
    • Dentistry (2)
    • Emotional Intelligence (10)
    • Ethics (6)
    • Exhaustion (2)
    • Families & Parenting (33)
    • Fear (37)
    • Grief and Loss (28)
    • Insomnia (2)
    • Law of Attraction (15)
    • LGBTQ+ Issues (1)
    • Motivation (14)
    • Natural Disasters (7)
    • Peak Performance (23)
    • Phobias (22)
    • Physical Issues (116)
      • Accidents (5)
      • Allergies (6)
      • Cravings (17)
      • Infertility (1)
      • Pain (21)
      • Serious Disease (23)
      • Skin (5)
      • Weight and Fitness (39)
    • Procrastination (9)
    • Racial issues (2)
    • Relationships (46)
    • Self Care (38)
    • Self-Acceptance (52)
    • Self-Sabotage (24)
    • Sexual issues (2)
    • Spirituality & Metaphysics (14)
    • Stress (43)
    • Suicide (1)
    • Trauma (93)
  • EFT Training Resources (320)
    • All Tutorials (7)
    • Borrowing Benefits (8)
    • Complex Issues (41)
    • Core EFT Skills (129)
    • Core Issues (39)
    • EFT Strategies (141)
    • Geo-Specific EFT (4)
    • Inner Child EFT (35)
    • Inner Visuals (21)
    • Mentoring (4)
    • Reversals (30)
    • Surrogate Tapping (26)
  • Integrated EFT (84)
    • Acupuncture (3)
    • Affirmations (16)
    • Emergency EFT (6)
    • Matrix ReImprinting (15)
    • Spanish Language (8)
  • EFTfree Archives (0)
Join Our Community Newsletter

Contact, Help & Support

Please use the Contact EFTi page to select which department you would like to reach.

EFT International
66 Paul Street
London EC2A 4NA
United Kingdom

EFT International (EFTi) is a not-for-profit Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), registered in England and Wales, Charity number 1176538.

Our Mission

EFT International is dedicated to advancing and upholding exemplary standards for education, training, professional development, and the skillful and ethical application of EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques or "Tapping").

We are committed to supporting the growing body of evidence-based research into the efficacy of EFT, and are actively working to integrate EFT into the mainstream.

Quick Links

  • Discover EFT
  • EFT International Policies & Procedures
  • EFT Practitioner Directory
  • EFT International Volunteers
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
  • Privacy Policy

Languages & Regions:

  • AR
  • AU
  • CA
  • DE
  • ES
  • FA
  • FR
  • HK
  • IN
  • IT
  • NL
  • NZ
  • SP
  • UK
  • US

© 2026 · EFT International Registered in England and Wales, Charity number 1176538