Cutting back tomorrow

[rrrich7]

I know this pretty much goes against what people recommend here - a total quit.  But I don't feel ready for that.  Mostly what I want to get over is smoking first thing in the morning before coffee and after.  And spending the morning around the house, smoking. 

So I've set a goal for tomorrow to not smoke before 12 noon.  I know people will respond saying "you need to just quit permanently" but, after a lot of consideration, don't feel ready for that yet, and so, i ask respectfully to not get a lot of "you're doing it wrong, you need to quit permanently tomorrow" messages.

Thank you.

[YoungAtHeart]

How's it going this morning? 

Nancy

[elvan]

We are trying to help...please remember that.

[rrrich7]

Elvan and Nancy, thanks for your support.  I guess I am way off from a total quit.  I just want my life to not be so surrounded with cigarettes.  I made it to 11:15 today before I gave in to smoking.  That is a big switch from probably smoking 10 cigarettes in the morning.

I realize I need to have more things to do and need to get out of the house more.  If I stick around I just wind up smoking.  I will be thinking about that today (having things to do and getting out more).

i had treats for myself (food) to get through the hours when i was not smoking.  i also slept quite a bit.  but long term i can't just go to sleep when i am feeling like smoking.  another thing to think about today.

talk to you soon!

[maryfreecig]

 but long term i can't just go to sleep when i am feeling like smoking.  another thing to think about today.

       This is why quitting is looked at as a one day at a time effort. To look ahead while one is still steady in smoking and ask, 'how am I going to stop smoking for the rest of my life,'  is too much to ask. It's just one day at a time. Deal with delaying or cutting back and quitting one day at a time. The brain adjusts in time, not in a second. High five for testing the waters on morning cig delay.

[kristen-9-7-15]

Hi Rich.  Early in my quit I slept A LOT!.  Nothing wrong with that to get past a crave

[maryfreecig]

      OK, I checked your personal home page at Ex to refresh my memory on where you are at. I see that you have said that you are pretty desperate to quit, and that your smoking habit is  a matter of smoking one after another. Boy can I appreciate that. I smoked a pack to a pack and a half a day...20 minutes in between and up to an hour at times. Out of bed, smoke first. Middle of the night, smoke. My mind was always on smoking---or a good deal of the time it was.

      When it came to quitting in 2013, I'd made the decision to quit, but planned for three weeks. I felt like a dual personality--on the one hand I made plans, on the other I saw myself as a smoker for life and worried that I would'nt follow through on my quit. I even figured for lung cancer-- 'well I'm going to die anyway, so I'll have lung cancer for a year and a half--guess that's how it will be.' Now is this nutty or not? It certainly was thinking under the influence of nicotine. 

      Most of us fear that we will not ever stop wanting a cigarette, that it will be a matter of longing and pining and just feeling something is missing. That's addiction. Once you quit, no matter your course (the patch or some other NRT, cut back and plan, set a date, cold turkey, lots of support) the attachment fades--the addiction fades. Recovery takes root. You don't have to be a super hero to quit--you just need to follow your own desire to quit. That is what brought you to Ex isn't it? 

      One day at a time, you can get over nicotine/smoking.

[xjamarkx]

OP: I talked with my counselor about quitting and she said your mind has to be made up that you are fed up and done with cigs, else there is too big of a chance of going back to smoking. She quit smoking last year. Just in my opinion, if you do not feel ready to quit, and attempt it, there's a chance it won't last long before you light up again.

Something I done was write out and memorized what I hated the most about smoking. I tried to write out what I liked about it, but the list wasn't very long.

I bought tons of doublemint and big red chewing gum. I also tried Nicorette gum. Works pretty decent.

Nothing is like having a cigarette, and it feels like you've lost something. I still find myself at times when I'm not paying attention, looking for my cigarettes until I realize I don't do that anymore. It takes a while to sink in, especially when you're working and a craving hits and your body goes into Search Mode.

Good luck with the tapering. 🙂

[pir8fan]

I would submit to you that there is no TRY, only DO!

When you make up your mind to TRY you have no commitment! You have left the back door open to the possibility of failure! 

When you make make up your mind to DO, there are NO options! Just DO IT! 

Live Free! Live Smoke Free!        Tommy

[JonesCarpeDiem]

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/message/70402-where-does-it-come-from?sr=search&searchId=b9fae43f... 

[Tra119]

rrrich7, Just wanted to check in and see how the cutting down is going with you. Hope you are still working your way to the last one. keep it going!!!