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Give and get support around quitting

Struggling in Texas

I just turned 50 and have been thinking a lot about my smoking.  I have been smoking for over half my life. My memories revolve around smoking. My daily routine revolves around smoking. I desperately want to quit and have tried numerous times. I am unable to take medication that would ease the cravings. I’ve tried with serious side effects. So I’m left with will power and nicotine replacement. I had decided that since I was off today on New Years it would be easier to start my quit at home. Wrong. I gave in twice and felt so ashamed. Any advice out there to help me just reach 1 week??

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7 Replies

You have an addiction,

We've all been where you are at!!!

Don't beat yourself up!!!!

What worked for me was to sit down and take a fierce/honest look within myself.

Write down all the various triggers during any given day that would have be reach for that smoke.

I wrote out my entire Quit Plan based on what my smoking was about.

Stock up a healthy Quit Kit based on your Plan.

(carrot/celery sticks, hard candies, chewing gums, walking shoes, bubble bath, music, books, magazines, mini-project list, water to sip on, playing cards, coloring books, crayons, etc etc etc..)

Try the Patch perhaps?  (I did....slapped one on 4-14-2006 and never looked back.)

Call all the people you  know and tell them you are quitting for good!!

(This helps keep you on the Straight and Narrow!!)

Set min-goals!!!!!  Reward yourself when achieved!! (Ice cream cone, perhaps!!)

Above ALL else, you must bring yourself to FULLY Embrace NOPE!!! (Not One Puff Ever!!)

(Nothing more will ever be required of you, Nothing less will work for you!!)

Nikidemon going to come after you with everything It's got to try to get you to let it back in!!!

DON'T!!!!!

Roll up the old sleeves, dig deep into your Resolve and lets's get 'er done!!!!!!!

Yes YOU can!!!

One Day at a Time!!!

Thank you for the advice 

Giulia
Member

Welcome back!  You reach one week by getting through one day at a time.  Get through one day before you worry about getting through a week.  So, how do you get through one day?  First I'd suggest you re-read the responses on the blog you wrote 2 years ago:  Does this program work?   " I have tried several times in the past and just didn't have the will power to follow thru.  I am praying for more will power this time."  "Will power" per se may help someone quit, but it usually isn't enough to keep them quit for long.  Let's change that word to "self discipline" instead.  Self discipline  takes a lot of self work, dedication and commitment.  Especially when dealing with addiction.

If you haven't worked the plan here, I suggest you do.   Click on My Quit Plan (upper right) and go through the suggestions.  Our addict brains will constantly present us with excuses to indulge in our addiction.  Learn about your own addict brain.  I found that when I understood WHY I was addicted and HOW the addiction works, I began to then be able to change my thinking and behavior.  And we must change both in order to change our lives.  And quitting really IS a change of life.  

You have to accept the choice to quit.  Nobody's making you quit, it's all your decision.  And what accepting that choice means is accepting ALL that comes with that choice.  The good, the bad and ugly.  You have to agree to go through whatever it takes in order to be free from the addiction.  Until you can emotionally say YES to that, you will be in a constant battle.  You must not only accept the choice you've made, but you must close the emotional door on the option to reverse your decision.  And that means taking smoking off the table.  When you take smoking off the table, then no matter WHAT happens, you won't put a cigarette in your mouth.  Smoking must no longer exist in your world.

"Yes, but how do I do that," you might ask?   You do it by constant education and constant reinforcement.  Quitting has to become a priority.  It has to consume you, it must become your new passion.  /blogs/Giulia-blog/2018/11/20/make-quitting-your-passion   Many of us spent a good portion of our waking time reading everything we could about this addiction when we first began.  Reading the blogs of those who succeeded, and the blogs of those who didn't.  Absorbing as much as we could and applying that knowledge to our own journeys.  And many a long-term successful quitter here continues their education by reading.  I think it helps preserve quits.

Sit back, read, make a plan and follow it through.  If certain things don't work, find the ones that do.  You can do this.  But you have to really apply yourself.

sweetplt
Member

Hello and Welcome to Ex’s ButterflyKeller 

You can do this...it takes planning, knowledge and hard work.  Be sure to read at My EX Plan | BecomeAnEX there you will set a quit date and plan for that day like no other.  You will then identify your triggers.  Much of this journey is replacing smoking with a healthy activity, here is a list to get you started /blogs/Maggie_quit_8-1-2010-blog/2012/03/19/100-things-to-do-instead-of-smoking?sr=search&searchId=a... 

Then, you read everything you can here about addiction.  Lastly, keep close to the support site to get help and encourage others on their journey.  We are in this together...and oh I forgot...the night before your quit date rid all your smoking paraphernalia.  Now get working ~ Colleen 394 DOF 

maryfreecig
Member

Stay close to the group and develop a plan, then choose your quit day or quit time. Jumping in and hoping I'd make it is something I tried in 2009. I lasted 9 hours. I finally quit in 2013. I had a plan, prepped for 2.5 weeks. 

Ex is here for you 365. Quitters get what you are going through. Loads to read here, learn from, and blog as much as you care to. Stop for a moment, take a breath, walk don't run.

/blogs/Marilyn.H.July.14.14.-blog/2019/09/30/its-bound-to-take-time-to-relearn-life 

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/newbie-quitters/blog/2019/01/27/one-of-the-greatest-tools-... 

/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2019/08/05/give-this-the-time-it-takes 

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/thread/6753-dopamine-the-double-edged-blade 

JACKIE1-25-15
Member

Quitting smoking is doable if you make quitting smoking your number one priority and make up your mind that you ca but it is not by willpower but by the willingness to let it go and be done with it.  Quitting takes the willingness to relearn your thinking that you do not have to smoke.  You hae to be willing to make a commitment to never ever take another puff.  NOPE. and stand by the vow you made to yourself.  Realize that your life depends on it.  It is the willingness to  take smoking off the table as an option and do something different. 101 Things to Do Instead of Smoke SINAO smoking is not an option.  That is NOPE concept, not one puff ever. It is not by will power but your willingness to let it go forever.   Quitting is the easy part.  Staying quit takes work.   Learning to protect your quit will keep on your journey forever freedom. 

 Education is the key to successfully quit. Read, Study, Blog and be willing to do the work.  With the support of the EX Community, you can have a forever quit.  Start by educating yourself about the addiction to nicotine. Know the LAW!  For suggestions on how to go about quitting Go to My EX Plan | BecomeAnEX and review the videos and learn more about your triggers and how to prepare when the urges come.  Figure out how you are going to do it.  You are the one to decide.   I was advised to read Allen Carr's Easyway to Quit Smoking which can be found on pdf on the web.  Another good site to get more info that was very helpful to me is  www.whyquit.com.  There are several articles to read.  Nicotine 101 and FreedomFrom Nicotine My Journey Home.  To get help on navigating this site go to. Community Help‌This journey is one day at a time.  Never give up, never give in. Hang tough Stay Close.

 Welcome to EX.  Here is a link of things to do 101 Things to Do Instead of SmokeCraving Buster Technique.  One day at a time will get you to one week then a month and on and on

Swanbird
Member

I found while working is easier because I was more busy. It’s when my job ended I started again.  Try again and don’t bring any cigs to work!  I am 14 days in and am finding my way and am not working.  You will find your way too!  It’s like a big experiment!