We are so glad you are here!
We believe there are certain things that are necessary for you to become successful quitters. The first is for you to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your mind and body. To that end, I l recommend an Allen Carr book. Here is a link to a free PDF version of it:
http://media.wix.com/ugd/74fa87_2010cc5496521431188f905b7234a829.pdf
Your education should also include what quit aid, if any, you will use. Read all you can about each, and talk to your doctor about what might work best for you. We believe those that don't let the addict control the dose (lozenges, e-cigs, gum) are the least favored – but whatever you decide will work for you is what is most important. Just be sure to make an informed decision about it!
The second part of a successful quit is preparation. It is a good idea to make a list of the reasons you want to quit smoking and keep it with you to review when the going gets rough. As well, keep a list of distractions you can use to get past craves.
The third (and most important) part of your quit is your commitment. Hint: if you keep cigarettes around just in case, you aren't committed. If your first thought when you have a crave is to light a cigarette, you are not committed. You just have to make a decision that NO MATTER WHAT, you are not going to smoke. You will do jumping jacks, take deep breaths, go for a walk, bite into a lemon, march in place ---- but you are NOT going to smoke!! If you start to think about smoking, that IS what you will do. Distract!
We want to help – but you have to do the work. It isn't easy, but it IS doable!
Nancy
