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Give and get support around quitting

cig_poet
Member

Looking for wise words of advice for this cig poet.

I have quit several time but not in over 1.5 years.  I have decided I would use Chantix as an aid (as it did well before), but I'm doing more research, etc. and have joined this community to get started.  The pills start Monday the 13th and my 100% quit day is Monday the 20th (FEB).  Any words of advice on using the Ex Community to the best of its ability (we are all needing different things) and advice about personal coaching (which hotline?).  This is pretty important to me because I have a triple love for my habit but am also approaching mid-life and facing the potential blowback later on if I don't act now.  Been a lot of concerned people encouraging me of late.  ~ Michelle, cig_poet
 

I am a poet and one of my first poems over 10 years ago was about cigarettes and quitting.  Looks like I need something else to make my "infatuation" end. Cig_poem LINK - poetry-infatuation - free mind books.

Bests!

cig_poet

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9 Replies
JACKIE1-25-15
Member

pastedImage_1.jpgWelcome to EX.  Poet, You have come to the right place. 

Start First, by educating yourself about nicotine addiction.  Education is the key to a successful quit.

Read: Freedom from Nicotine My Journey Home and Nicotine Addiction 101         

Here are the links      http://whyquit.com/whyquit/LinksAAddiction.html   and http://whyquit.com/ffn/

Also Read   Allen Carr’s book, “Easy Easier Way to Quit Smoking”.       

The link is here:  http://media.wix.com/ugd/74fa87_2010cc5496521431188f905b7234a829.pdf

 Go to  Home click on Community Help (top right corner) and get started. We will support you. You are in your journey for freedom

YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

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 also highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This is an easy and entertaining read. Here is a link to a free PDF version of it:

http://media.wix.com/ugd/74fa87_2010cc5496521431188f905b7234a829.pdf

 

As well, read the sections on this site, and read the blogs, responses and pages of folks you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com and quitsmokingonline.com for the good information contained there. You should also do the tracking and separation exercises suggested on this 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. 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.

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.  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.  Don't let that smoking thought rattle around your head alone.  Get busy!  Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:

http://community.becomeanex.org/pg/blog/read/5711492/100-things-to-do-instead-of-smoke

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

JustSharon
Member

Welcome Michelle, My friends above have said it all! Have a great day and please stay with us

, we're a great bunch

Giulia
Member

The best way to use this Community is to simply participate.... by blogging, by conversing, by reading the blogs of the Elders /blogs/Giulia-blog/2014/07/15/elders-list-ao-december-7-2016?sr=search&searchId=6a3b6c1f-25b1-4ed0-b...‌ and the newbies who are at the same stage as you.  By doing so you take an active part in your quit.  You have to, because quitting is not a passive experience.  And you set the journey by the paths you choose.  And write LOTS of poetry.  It's a good diversion for a craving mind. 

elvan
Member

Welcome to EX, please take all of the advice above, do the reading, prepare yourself, be ready for the journey you are about to begin. Be willing to have some discomfort but keep in mind that it will get easier and easier as you add up days.  Remember that the people on EX are here to help as much as possible and certainly and will offer you great advice.

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MarilynH
Member

Welcome, you can and will be successful one precious day at a time, you have lots of wonderful advice above me and lots of links to read to help strengthen your resolve to quit and remain quit. 

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TerrieQuit
Member

Hello, and welcome to EX. You may already have these links so if you do "take what you need and leave the rest"

/blogs/ShawnP-blog/2017/01/28/welcome-to-our-community?sr=search&searchId=8613a55d-b34f-478b-b744-85...  and

My Welcome To New Members (10 Years Of Watching) 

I am glad you are here! Look around on the site there is some wonderful information here! Congratulations on setting a quit date!

You might want to stop by The EX Cafe. Many EXers with a lot of experience go there, it's a hangout place.Hope to see you there! https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/message/70965-welcome-to-the-ex-café-tue-020717?sr=search&searchI... 

~Terrie~

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