PLEASE don't wait until you are diagnosed with COPD. or you have to quit for an upcoming surgery. I thought I was going to be the last smoker standing until continuing was shown to perhaps become a medial catastrophe. Don't be like me!
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.” You can search for it online or at your local library. Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction: https://www.becomeanex.org/nicotine-addiction_nicotine-and-your-brain/
I quit almost ten years ago on my first and only attempt at it, and I base my overall recommendations on my experience and that of others over the years. if you decide to use a quit aid, I recommend those that don't let the addict control the dose such as Rx drugs and the patch. Each cigarette you smoked contained about 1 mg of nicotine. If you use more than one form of NRT, be sure you aren't getting more than when you smoked.
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! . 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), 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. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. You might visit “Games”: The active ones are at the top of the list going down the left side of the page.
Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:
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!
@fhallsutton Welcome to the Ex. Being on the fence doesn't mean we don't want to quit. It means we don't believe it's possible. But it is. It's easy to push it to the back of our minds. We know we should quit, but think we don't really want to. That's the addiction talking. Learning that it is addiction and not a habit has been eye opening to many of us. When you understand the addiction you have power over it. Read material on the site about this addiction and how to create quit plan. Knowledge and preparation has been the key to success for many of us.
@fhallsutton All that is needed is to change your mindset. There is plenty of good reading and advice above from the elders (those quit for more than one year.)
I came here and just set a quit date in 2 days, to see if I could do it. I did, with more than 100 days quit now. Read, read, read. Search the search bar for the "nope song". Maybe these things will get you off the fence. Once you do it, you will be very glad you did.❤️
I am so glad you are debating the quit. You have nothing to lose by trying to quit smoking.
Please read at https://www.becomeanex.org/my-ex-plan/ there you will set a quit date (usually in two weeks), you will choose the plan that will work for you and you will plan for that day like no other. I suggest you keep close to the support site. Come and get help, information, and/or to encourage others on this journey.
See below a good breathing exercise to keep you from getting overwhelmed as you plan for your quit.
We are here for you. You can do this, it takes hard work and commitment. Honestly, you won’t regret quitting.
Welcome to the community @fhallsutton please read the links suggested above and keep reading everything you can because there's a wealth of information right here on this site to strengthen your resolve to kick the nicotine poison to the curb permanently it's not easy by any stretch of the imagination BUT with commitment and perseverance you will perservere through whatever comes your way and you'll do one precious at a time or hour minute or even a second at time, our lives are worth so much more than the damned Nicotine Poison.
So, I read all of the posts from the EX Community above and it's all good advice. Maybe you could write a bit more on your feelings on being on the fence. It is very true that no one really "wants" to smoke....I mean, when you analyze it who would want to pay so much money for something that makes them smell bad, rots teeth and destroys our health not to mention the social stigma now. The problem is....we "need" to smoke....we are addicts. We are addicted...no way around the truth. We all have great little tips and suggestion on how we did it.....but, maybe you could let us know what more you need. There is lots of good information here in past posts by members as well as other sites where you can read and educate yourself. @YoungAtHeart gave many great suggestions.....I personally liked whyquit.com. I see you've set a quit date of May 9...so best to prepare. Reach out and let us know how we can help.
You CAN do this.....we all did and we are no different from you.
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