Chantix

[Victoria90186]

So my cigs taste nasty as hell and make me queasy and yet I still try. Physically I am ready but now it's a mental thing anyone with tips on how to reprogram my mind that this isnt worth it please let me know...what has helped for you..

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome to our community!

You are still "trying" to smoke because you are an addict and your brain sensors need their fix!  Read on to understand what is going on!

The 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 online or at your local library. If you do nothing else to get ready for your quit, please do give this a read.
 

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. Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.  You should also do the tracking (to understand when and why you smoke each cigarette so you can make a plan what to do instead) and separation exercises (to help you gradually cut back over time) recommended here on the site.

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

[Beck37]

Not thinking about it.... quitting is nothing but a mind game. If you don’t block it from your mind you will not get far at all.  Your quit is all about willpower and attitude. It truly does require stubbornness. I refuse to fail so I will not ever smoke again. It’s crazy that it taste disgusting to you but you still aren’t willing to give it up. What are you afraid of?  Can you truthly find any positives to smoking or is your addict just messing with you?

When you are ready we are so here for you. This site is full of success stories.  

Beck

[elvan]

Taking it one day at a time...sometimes, one FEELING at a time, one MOMENT at a time, when we smoke, we stuff down our feelings.  Identify what your triggers are and plan for what you will do when you experience them...there will always be triggers but there are always ways to distract yourself...I used the mantra, NOPE, Not One Puff Ever which I got from this site.  I tried many times to quit smoking and it was always the psychological addiction that pulled me back.  The difference THIS time is EX, I came here every morning and every evening, I learned to take deep breaths in and hold them and exhale very slowly through pursed lips.  I learned to FEEL my feelings and to accept that it is okay to feel sad or angry...they are feelings and if you smoke, they are still going to be there but you will have satisfied that crave and that's it.  No crave ever killed anyone but no one can say that about cigarettes.  Please pay attention to what YoungAtHeart‌ has shared with you...consider having a plan.  You can get suggestions here My EX Plan | BecomeAnEX 

We are here and we want you to be successful, stay close to the site and let us help.

Welcome to EX,

Ellen

[Sootie]

The CHANTIX is "helping" by making the cigarettes taste crappy.......but all NRT's can only "help". You are the one who must put them down and never look back. It will be difficult in the beginning no matter what "helps" you use. But you will never regret the decision to quit.

[Barbscloud]

Can't find anything about Chantix making cigarettes taste nasty? Chantix can upset your stomach.

Chantix works on two levels. First, it partially activates sites in the brain known as nicotinic acetylcholine receptors that are affected by nicotine. This gives new ex-smokers mild nicotine-like effects and eases symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Second, Chantix has the unique ability to stop nicotine from attaching to those nicotine receptors if you smoke while using it.

And there are varying opinions about quitting be about will power.  Why WILLPOWER Can NEVER Work! It is a physical and psychological addiction.

Lots of information out there.  Have to decipher what works for you.

If you're ready, you can do it.  There are people here to support you on your journey.

Barb

[Giulia]

How to re-program the mind.... mmmm.  I think first we have to catch ourselves in "stinkin' thinkin' mode.  And every time it happens, stop, take a look at it then turn 180 degrees and march our brain in a different direction.  Support (both giving and receiving) is an excellent reinforcement tool.  When we give it, our words echo back to us and we reinforce our own positives.  So don't be shy about encouraging others, even though you may not have quit yet.  Eventually we start practicing what we preach.

You know what has helped me the most?  Getting to know people on here and seeing the reality of what cigarettes do to us.  Listening to the struggles of those with COPD.  One of our members just underwent lung surgery for cancer.  Others have had lung transplants and reduction surgeries.    And some have died because of it.  That is the reality of what smoking does.  It's no longer impersonal to me.  I've listened to those who can hardly breath and yet they can't stop smoking.  I've met some of the wonderful people here at an EX reunion.  The illnesses of smoking are no longer what happens "to someone else."  This is our family.  That reality has made a huge difference in my understanding of "is it worth it?"  

You may feel great right now.  I used to run three miles and get off the track and light up.  When I quit back in '06 I had no symptoms (that I was aware of).  And when I quit I didn't feel anything much different, except my sense of smell became like a dog's.  Was it worth it?  You don't want to wait until you DO feel the effects of smoking.  That much I know.  Then you would look back and say to yourself "If only I had quit.  It would have been worth it."  Is it worth it?  Is it worth the struggle to become free of this addiction so that you're not it's slave?  Is it worth it to give those who love you potentially more life with you?  Is it worth it to breath without having to carry an oxygen tank around with you? 

I guess ultimately you have to ask yourself is it worth the risk of not quitting?  I can tell you from my experience that it is most definitely worth it.  This quitting journey is so empowering.  IF you nurture it, if you want to grow as a human being.  If you're willing to learn and are excited about that learning.  You will learn not only about the addiction, but about yourself and about others.  You will also expand spiritually.  And you will discover you can do anything.  

Reprogramming the mind can happen in an instant, but more likely it happens with time.  And hard work.  Commitment and self-discipline.  And perseverance.  And especially willingness.  Are you willing?  Can you commit?  Questions you need to answer for yourself.  You've come to the right place to do so.   /blogs/Giulia-blog/2018/03/01/quitting-is-a-skill-that-can-be-learned?sr=search&searchId=63a713d1-08...‌.