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Give and get support around quitting

Swilliams1
Member

Can I please get someone who is an "ex" tell me. How?

I keep trying and I am starting to feel like ...no words a real weak person...they smell & I know I must stop but., How do I begin? Apologize if I sound silly. My 1st post How to Begin?

21 Replies
Roller831
Member

Welcome!  Usually Youngatheart.7.4.12 Nancy will post a wonderful welcome message, but since I saw this first, I can post some information for you!

 

There is a great blog out there for our new quitters.  For Our New Years' Quitters (and community members, too) .  You may also want to check out posts in Best of EX.  We are here to help you on this journey to freedom!  

 

Welcome!  I know when I first found this site, many Elders told me to read read read….and I did.  Elders are those with one or more years of being quit.  If you like what someone has to say, then you may want to read their blogs.  I have some listed below.

 

A list of our Elders  ELDER'S LIST 

 

So here's the thing.....and you may not like what I am about to say....and that's ok.  I get it.  You need to accept that this is an addiction.  Before you do that, it will be much more difficult to quit and stay quit. 

 

Read read read.  Do the steps to PREPARE yourself to quit.  Do the steps so you are PREPARED on quit day and for the days AFTER quit day.  

 

Some of the things I read in my first few days that helped me:

Dale’s Welcome to New Members My Welcome To New Members (10 Years Of Watching) 

 

Nancy’s Blog 101 Things to Do Instead of Smoke 

 

jonescarp.aka.dale.Jan_2007  Dale’s Blog What To Expect In The First Four Months 

 

 

JACKIE1-25-15  gave me the link to Alan Carr’s book, “Easy Way to Quit Smoking”.  I actually didn’t read the online PDF, but purchased a book on CD from Amazon and listened to it in my car over and over again for the first two weeks of my quit. 

 

Keep this site close and keep posting and asking for help.  You will get it.  You will get things you like and things you don't like, but don't give up!!!  We have been through similar experiences and can share our strength and hope.  We are here to support you!

Swilliams1
Member

Thank you so much for responding. I am off today & will start reading ALL

the blogs. Thanks have a great day❤

On Thu, Sep 20, 2018, 9:15 AM rollercoaster831 <

Sandy-9-17-17
Member

Welcome to EX Swilliams1‌!  We are all happy to see you here, and will all be happy to help you in any way we can!  You will meet many newbie's like yourself, as well as Elder's who have been here a year or longer! If you need help, just post a blog, and subject line it "HELP"  Believe me, someone will get with you soon!  Congrats on making the best choice you can make by quitting smoking!  You are giving yourself the gift of life! So get started reading and you'll be on your way to becoming a quitter! 

Sandy

do lots and lots of reading in Newbie Quitters‌, Wisdom and Motivation‌, Relapse Prevention‌.  Go through the steps that they have outlined in the beginning under My Quit Plan, start tracking your cigarettes to learn when and why you smoke.  Most importantly fill out the section of How I Plan to Beat my Tobacco Triggers.  Here you develop your own personalized tailored plan on how you are going to essentially retrain your brain.  I smoked for 43 years at 2 to 3 pack a day habit.  I'm close to 3 years quit now.  It's not that hard and only as hard as you make it to be.  Welcome to a brand-new way of life !!!!!!

Barbscloud
Member

You have already gotten lots of great advice.  Just want to emphasize that preparing makes such a difference to being successful.  Knowing what you're going to do in advance when you have a craving or are in a situation where you normally smoke, is the the key.  And, educating yourself about this addiction helps you to understand the journey your about to begin.  You can do it

191 DOF

First: There are no silly questions here. Any question is valid if you are seeking an answer for it.

Second: You have to find the plan that works for you. Candies, lemons, toothpicks, straws, whatever works for you.

Third: Find support for your quit. You are in a great place for that right here.

Finally: Quit as soon as you possibly can. Each day you smoke causes damage. I wish I had quit many years before I did.

Ask for help when you need it. We are all here to help as best we can. 

Larry

YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

The problem with your past quit attempts was that you probably didn't have pertinent information to educate yourself, plan and prepare.  We can help with ALL that - but you must provide the commitment not to smoke another cigarette NO MATTER WHAT.

(and btw - there are no silly questions or comments here )

The most important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. To that end, I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This is an easy and entertaining read. You can search for it  or at your local library. Here's a link to a video here on the site which describes nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.
 
 You should also read the posts here and perhaps go to the pages of folks who you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com, quitsmoking.com and livewell.com for the good information contained there. @https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/best-of-ex has lots of blogs written by members of this site with their experiences and guidance. You should also do the tracking and separation exercises recommended here on the site.
 
 After you have completed the recommended reading, it will be time to make an informed choice of the quit aid, if any, you will use. If you go that route, I personally recommend the aids that don't let the addict control the dose such as the available prescription drugs or the patch. If used properly, gum, lozenges and inhalers are fine, but they need to be used only as a last resort.  I have seen folks become addicted to them if they substitute them for every cigarette they used to smoke - just trading one addiction for another.  I do not recommend the e-cigarette for three reasons: 1) the vapor has been compared to the polluted air in Bejing on a bad day, 2) they just provide another nicotine delivery system while continuing the hand to mouth smoking motion, and 3) the batteries can spontaneously catch on fire. . But – any method that you think will work well for you will be best for you.
 
The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced.  Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from when you smoked. Maybe switch to tea for a bit.  If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your tennies on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! Rearrange the furniture in the areas you used to smoke so the view is different. Buy your gas at a different station. Take a different route to work. Take a quick walk at break time where the smokers AREN'T.
 
You need to distract yourself through any craves.  You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), put your head in the freezer and take a deep breath of cold air, do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game.  Keep a cold bottle of water with you from which to sip. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. Sometimes you need to quit a minute or an hour at a time.  You will need to be disciplined in the early days to distract yourself when a crave hits.    Get busy!  Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:
 https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instea...


The conversation in your head in response to the "I want a cigarette" thought needs to be, "Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?"  Then DO it.  You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.
 
Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!


 Nancy

Drummerwoman
Member

Just got to refuse to give into the urges. Know in one week all you are fighting is habit, I'm on 11 days and I feel much better, smell great and and proud of my self. Eat tons of Cheerios,  lol