Count down to quit day!

[SaraSmile]

I think I'm as prepared as I'm going to get.  I've got 2 cases of water.  Going to the store later for juice, different kinds so I don't get bored.  I'm getting ready to clean out my car and get rid of the ashtrays.  I'm going to make sure there aren't any cigarettes laying around and get rid of any butts I find.  While I'm at the store, I'm going to get some healthy snacks.  I've been tracking my cigarettes and the one triger that worries me most is anger....  My plan is to take a walk.  What did you do w/the anger triger?  I'll take any and all suggestions!  I've already breathed my way through a few cravings and didn't smoke so I know it can be done, even by me!  I thank everyone that has welcomed me back, I truely feel like I've come home! 

I'm ready to break the hold these cigarettes have on me!

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[Francis]

Love that pic!! awesome!

When is your quitting day?

i would suggest to look ar the situations that are getting you angry in the first place - and maybe avoid that and try to control the anger before you explode instead of thinking what you'll do when you get angry - get it?

Write it down, look at it as if it were someone else's problem, that will give you a different perspective.

Hope it help! and you ROCK -!!! 🙂

[bella65]

im gonna set my quit date for tomorrow also.we can do this together:}i havent been able to figure out how to put them pictures up yet 

[SaraSmile]

Good idea Francis, thanks!  I have 2 teenagers and they're the cause of most of my anger, not them but the way they act!  I plan on going for a walk till I calm down.  They're back to school now so maybe it won't be as hard.  Tomorrow, 8-16-11, is my quit date!  Just found out that Bella is quitting tomorrow too!  There's another member, Mikecity, that's also quitting tomorrow! 

[Strudel]

I think that the walk plan is a great one. Deep breathing helps a lot too. Deep, slow breathing! Plus - you can always come here and VENT!!!

[flipdave]

i bought one of those hand squeezers it helped alot espeically during hell week. Also this picture rocks! I wish i could print it out and hang it in my bathroom

[Rick_M]

Walk away from what is making you angry and try some deep breathing. Worked for me......

[Alice23]

Breathing - deep breathing - and walking - LONG walks - to remove yourself from the situation.

Also - take a look at what is making you angry and ask yourself if it's really worth getting riled up about - or are you fueling it because you're pissed that you can't smoke and it's "something/someone's fault"?

When my daughter got me fired up a couple times during my quit - I pretty much laid it on the line with her and said "look - I have no filter, I don't have a coping mechanism, so just be WARNED"  I took a couple of walks - a few drives - and i ALMOST bought cigs early in my quit when I was so mad at her.  But I just kept on driving and decided that I wasn't going to let something little ( anger) break this quit.  It's all a matter of how badly YOU want to keep this quit.

NOTHING is going to blow this for me NOTHING!

[mandi68]

The best thing that helped me was this site and all the people on here! Just to have people that GENUINELY understand what you are going through and give you REAL SUPPORT! 

Our family and friends all give their support to start off with but I've found it does gradually slack off after a while and when you get to the first month of your quit and you sahre it with your loved ones, yes they are happy but it soon takes the shine off your quit when you get to say like 50 or 60 days and they've lost some interest, but you mention that you've been quit for that length of time to any-one here and they KNOW how wonderful that moment is and how hard you have worked to stay quit and their encouragement and support is so genuine and keeps you on track!

So my best advice to you is to come here as often as you can and share your highs and lows with us as we've all walked the same path you're about to embark upon!

Best of Luck

xxx

[sspahn49]

Do cardio exercise until breathless and sweat out the toxins and anger will subside, too darn tired to be mad!!!  Stay on the boards, blog and ask for help if needed. You can do this.

[SaraSmile]

WoW!  All I can say is WOW!  Thanks for all the different ways to cope!  I have goosebumps right now at the number of people that stepped up to help me!  I will definitely be back tomorrow!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

[JimTaddeo]

A natural reaction to pain or being hurt is anger. It’s part of the instinctive animal nature of any being. When we perceive a danger of being hurt, the fight or flight mechanism, part of which is indeed anger helps to ensure our protection. The misleading element is when our mind perceives the cause incorrectly and this is based in our own personal belief systems.

Without the nicotine or other chemical means I'd become accustomed to for calming effects my emotional reactions are wild. I am a very energetic and extroverted person so I don't care who or what is in front of me. I'm going for the throat! I find that my anger is triggered by my perceptions of loss of control and thus the perception of danger. So control is on my list as well. The only thing I REALLY need to control IS ME! 🙂 In fact the only thing I CAN CONTROL is in fact ME. 🙂 Most times.......... 🙂

Push-ups....military push-ups worked for me so the cardio exercise until breathless I can definitely speak to. It worked for me. Walking vigorously until tired is not only good for you but it allows the body to metabolize all of the crazy FIGHT or FLIGHT enzymes and hormones that were secreted in order to increase the chances of our survival. It really is essential to be rid of them from our systems but how many of us do? Stress invokes Fight or Flight! http://www.brelaxed.co.uk/page5a.htm for a interesting if not corny, (his music) viewpoint about fight or flight.   

Teenagers are of course looking to invoke such reactions, even if they aren't aware of it, as it confirms and displays their own powers of independence. What they lack of course is long term vision and understanding of the ramifications of such things. A prime example of this I can again relate from experience. I absolutely ABHOR'd authority as a teen. I mean HATE IT with a passion......so what did I do? Left home and joined the Army at 17............hahahahahahahahaha...........TEENAGERS!

Today I understand such things, then, I was invincible and did not care. But a wise old sage once asked me a question he said "Why do you give people or things that much power over you that you would loose your cool?" Which of course I protested at first, and then realized it just happened, and I GOT it! 🙂 It simply ain't worth it and you can't help anybody else unless you can help yourself. As a matter of fact you have to be taking care of yourself before you can take care of someone else unless you're a martyr.

I definitely find my best plan is to not allow things to anger me, and the way I did that was change my beliefs about what was allowed to anger me to life and death items only and even there only after the games are ended. Doesn’t mean I stick to it all the time at all but when I’m not I should be. Anger is an issue to be worked upon and a very good one to notice and attend to in the long term quitting plan. I applaud your vision specifically because I know of it from doing.

You got this SaraSmile!