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Give and get support around quitting

LKevinl
Member

Coping

It’s the evening that’s hardest. TV watching is impossible. I can’t sleep. It’s been three days. Using zyban and a nicotine inhaler. Terrified of Covid and possible outcome .

60 years old. 30 year smoker.

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10 Replies
YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to the community!

 

Congratulations on your decision to quit smoking and your first three days!  Hang in there!  I will give you some fresh ideas of things you can do to keep your mind off smoking a bit later in this message.  The reading I l will link or recommend for you will aid in your success, and it makes a great evening diversion, too!

 

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 easy and entertaining read provided a world of good information about nicotine addiction, most of which I was not aware.  I credit it in large part with my success at quitting.   You can search for it online or at your local library.


 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.

 

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

LKevinl
Member

Please tell me about this book. Everyone mentions it. I have never had much interest, success, in self help books. Is there information that is truly available? I am spending so much money on quitting tools. Yes, less than cigarettes. Thanks 

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YoungAtHeart
Member

I give credit to the Carr book and this site for my success.  I think when you read it you will be amazed at what you didn't know about your addiction.  The anxiety you feel when you "want" a cigarette is actually CAUSED by the last cigarette you smoked.  The part of your brain sensitized to nicotine starts to need another hit almost as soon as you put a cigarette out - and that anxiety just builds until you feed it again,and again, and...................

I highly recommend you read it - a LOT of people here who have been successful give it credit, too.  It's worth the small investment!

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maryfreecig
Member

Well, then you can hang out at Ex in the evening. Read, comment, hit the like button if you feel like it, or the helpful button, write another blog, browse around. 

Quitting isn't easy for most of us, but you made a decision for yourself and you meant it. Don't let cravings, history get you down, come to Ex. Learn to live smober. Yes you can, one day at a time.

elvan
Member

I came here first thing every morning & last thing at night when l first quit. Sometimes, l came here in between if l needed a boost. I read everything that was recommended, l read blogs, l commented, l asked questions & when advice was given, l followed it. I believed what l was told that quitting was NOT an event but a one day at a time journey! I believed it when l was told that it would get easier with time!  It DID & now l have over 6 1/2 years of freedom.

Congratulations on your quit & welcome to EX!

Ellen

sweetplt
Member

Hi and Welcome to Ex’s LKevinl 

You can do this, it takes hard work...many of us smoked for 30 years and more ... so much of this journey is keeping busy...watch tv and do a jigsaw puzzle, or just the jigsaw puzzle ... learn a language at Duolingo...you can download and learn for free...so many things to do then smoke...come here and read the posts and help others along this journey and/or get help.  One good thing is learning breathing exercises that will help

 you to relax...

pastedImage_2.gifIt can feel like awful moments when you crave, but hang tough and don’t feed your addiction.  Sending some good vibes your way ~ Colleen 656 DOF 

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Welcome! I struggled too with the evenings, as I think that's when I smoked more, and it filled the time. Try reading a book or playing a game. I also am on Zyban. Do you take it early in the day? It has affected my sleep too, but so was the smoking so I've just kept going with the medicine and the quit. Come here often and reach out when you need it. 

LKevinl
Member

The zyban started to make me jittery but that ended quickly. My doctor told me to take it as soon as I wake up. It has an “up” quality to it. So , if taken after noon, sleep might be a problem. I have discovered the Nicorette mini lozenges ( 4 mg). They help a lot. I buy the generic brand.

Today I woke up and thought, “How am I going to do this today?” It’s 3:30 pm. No smoking. Kevin 

I was dizzy the first few days on it, but that went away. I also used the mini lozenges. The first 3 weeks or so I just used them as needed, then stepped down to 2mg. It's day 76 for me and I'm working on stopping them all together, I'm down to 1 or 2 a day. Today might actually be my first day with none, as I'm just having a really good day. Keep going 1 day at a time - it does get better! You're more than half way thru hell week! 

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