My Nicotine Map: A Free CBT Functional Analysis Worksheet for Smoking and Vaping

Behavioural Addiction · CBT · Practice-informed

A page to fill in together at Session 1. It records recent times of use, the jobs nicotine does and the habits it is paired with, such as the first coffee or a meal. It picks one link in each chain to change and records the client's reasons for quitting and the support being lined up.

Underlying mechanism: CBT-Informed Functional Analysis and Habit-Chain Mapping for Nicotine and Vaping

What it helps with

Showing the job nicotine does for the client, so the replacement can do the same job without nicotine.
Finding the pairings that keep a habit chain going, such as coffee, meals, phone calls and alcohol.
Choosing one small link in each chain to change, instead of trying to remove everything at once.
Linking the plan to medication and stop smoking support before the quit date.

How clinicians use it

Use it at Session 1 with a real recent day, and keep the client's own words.
Ask what each use did for the client, then find a kinder way to do the same job.
Map two or three pairings and choose one link to change in each.
Say that the pairings idea comes from clinical practice and has not been tested alone.

Clinical Implementation Guide

Map two or three recent times of use and the job nicotine did each time.
Tick the pairings and choose one link in each chain that could change.
Confirm medication and stop smoking support before the quit date.

What the worksheet looks like

My Nicotine Map — worked example
When and where	What was going on	What I felt and thought	What I did	What it did for me
Tue, 3pm, desk	Email from my manager	Tense. "I cannot handle this."	Vaped for 5 minutes outside	Calmed me down for a bit

Clinical cautions

The jobs and pairings are a formulation aid and not an assessment of dependence. Do not use the map to suggest the client is to blame. Use a recognised dependence measure where available. Medication and nicotine replacement decisions belong to the client with their GP, pharmacist or stop smoking service. If the client reports hopelessness, self-harm or suicidal thoughts, follow local risk procedures. Take complex cases, pregnancy, serious mental illness and under-18s to supervision.

References

Chang, J., Kim, J., Lee, E. S., et al. (2025). The effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for smoking cessation: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 48(6), 941-954. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-025-00609-3
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2021). Tobacco: Preventing uptake, promoting quitting and treating dependence (NG209). https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng209
Marlatt, G. A., & Gordon, J. R. (Eds.). (1985). Relapse prevention: Maintenance strategies in the treatment of addictive behaviors. Guilford Press.
McWilliams, L., Bellhouse, S., Yorke, J., Lloyd, K., & Armitage, C. J. (2019). Beyond "planning": A meta-analysis of implementation intentions to support smoking cessation. Health Psychology, 38(12), 1059-1068. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000768

Copyright and use in research

Suggested citation (APA 7th edition): Pomfret, R. (2026). Quit Without the Fight: A third-wave protocol for stopping nicotine and vaping (Version 1.0) [Therapist guide and worksheets]. Third Wave Therapy Tools. https://thirdwavetherapytools.com/

Part of

Quit Without the Fight

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