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Give and get support around quitting

C.m.patt28
Member

Fed up

Well I want this more than ever, I'm living with a physical illness and I need to quit smoking, who can I call to give me a brighter tommorow. I know I can fight but between my anxiety and sad feelings I would like to talk with someone to feel the faith I need for tommorow 

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4 Replies
YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

You can "talk" to us - just like you just did.  Sometimes just writing down how you are feeling helps.  Lots of us who volunteer here have been through this process and, while not professional "experts" we have been successful and know how difficult it can be.  We CAN help; you CAN do this.  Do the reading, prep and planning work, stay active here on the site and commit to not smoking another cigarette NO MATTER WHAT. and you will beat this thing!

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.

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 after you have tried to delay and distract.   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.  You need to start out with a plan to reduce use of them over time - which the patch does by decreasing the dose contained in them..  For the gum, you can start by cutting each piece in half, then in quarters, then sub regular gum of the same flavor in between, adding more and more regular gum.  For the lozenge, you need to start subbing a mint in between to begin, increasing the number of them over time. I do not recommend the e-cigarette for four 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,  3) the batteries can spontaneously catch on fire and 4) you can become addicted to that and it has not yet been proven safe .
 

It will be informative if you do the tracking and separation exercises recommended here on the site. As you track each cigarette smoked, note its importance, and what you might do instead. Put each one off just a little to prove that you don't NEED a cigarette just because you think you do.
 

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

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Barbscloud
Member

Welcome to the Ex.  You can post and we will respond.  That way you have many supporters, not just one.   Have you made the decision to quit?  It helps to educate yourself about nicotine addiction and create a quit plan.   Understanding this addiction and preparation can really help you be successful.   We're here to support you on your journey.

Barb

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Gwenivere
Member

This place is great for support, but if you need to talk voice there are options too.

Each state has a quit support number.  You should be able to find it by googling where you are for smoking help.  

If this is something more emotional regarding th sadness and depression, you may also want to consider the nation crisis support line.  

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maryfreecig
Member

Ex is going to be here for you 365 days a year. Please use the crowd wisdom here--as there are so many quitters who have learned to get on with there lives right here. And there are newcomers--maybe their quit is coming up--just like you. or they are early in their quit--no need to feel alone. Blog as often as you wish. Please keep reading and learning.

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