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Share your quitting journey

Day 4 for the 50th time it seems, but the last time!

MDR_BDel
Member
2 14 193

So I have been struggling to quit again since I lost my quit of almost two years last October.  I have been on and off smoking since and went all of January without a smoke.  I go 1 week here, 2 weeks there and currently I am on day 4 for what seems like the 50th time quiting this year and need to keep off smoking for good.  With sooooo much experience in going through the first 3-5 days of quiting it really is not that bad for the people here ready to start their quit.  Definitely have some mental debates with the nicodemon trying to convince me to go get a pack, but doesn't last long and a little aggravated at everything as well.  The hardest part is staying quit when you have that mental debate and you think you can have "just one". I do not get much in the form of physical withdrawal other than the digestive track learning how to deal with no tobacco which doesn't last more than 1-2 days.  

Posting on here for a little accountability from the group so I see this one through for good.  I am really over smoking and do not enjoy anything about it.  I come to the site and read other blogs/posts but rarely post myself.  My dad is coming in town this weekend to see my kids, and I do not smoke in front of him, so I 100% will be good through the 1st week. Funny how I am in my late 30's, but still feel ashamed to smoke in front of my parents.  Good thing though for this weekend as it will assist me early in my quit.  

I will check in every once in a while to give updates.  One last thing - with my vast experience in quiting I have found that exercising every day early in my quit has helped cope with not smoking.  

14 Comments
YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

Congratulations on your decision to quit smoking and your first four days.    What will you do differently THIS  time to make this one stick?  I hope your answer is education and planning ahead of time to handle those triggers that have been your downfall in the past.  Figure out NOW how you will handle those roadblocks that got you in the past.  You absolutely must accept that there NEVER will be "just one" to an addict.  It will inevitably - maybe not quickly but inevitably - lead you back to being a full time smoker.  Exercise is one of the absolute best quitting tools, so use it early, often and continue even when you feel like the battle is won.  There will still be skirmishes to get past!

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 is an easy and entertaining read. You can search for it online or at your local library. If you do nothing else to get ready for your quit, please do give this a read.


 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.

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 after you have tried to delay and distract.   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.  You need to start out with a plan to reduce use of them over time - which the patch does by decreasing the dose contained in them..  For the gum, you can start by cutting each piece in half, then in quarters, then sub regular gum of the same flavor in between, adding more and more regular gum.  For the lozenge, you need to start subbing a mint in between to begin, increasing the number of them over time.  I do not recommend the e-cigarette for four 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,  3) the batteries can spontaneously catch on fire and 4) you can become addicted to that and it has not yet been proven safe .
 

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

MarilynH
Member

I'm so glad that you are here and I'm even more glad that you are on day 4 of your precious quit journey, you are doing this quit and you're doing it one precious Smokefree Day at a time or hour minute or even a second at a time BUT you must stick with N.O.P.E - Not One Puff and vigilance N.M.W - N.M.W  so you can live a life of Freedom I know that it's not easy by any stretch of the imagination BUT it's absolutely Doable and totally worth it so hang on tight and know that we're all here to help you in any way we can......MDR_BDel stay close and keep moving forward stacking up those precious DOF so each evening you can say YAY for another Day WON....

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Thomas3.20.2010

Smoking Cessation is not an event or you would have succeeded!

Making it your #1 priority for at least 4 Months is required for success. I suggest that the time you wasted smoking can be used here to read, write, and comment on the blogs day and night!

Best Wishes!

PastTense
Member

I think it was Mark Twain who said "Quitting smoking is easy - I do it every day".

You're right; staying quit is the challenge.

I start my 5 millionth quit tomorrow and like you, need help staying accountable.

Good luck and Keep the Quit

MDR_BDel
Member

Good luck to you as well!  This will be our last time.  I don't want to give smoking any more of my time or health.  

sweetplt
Member

Hello and Welcome to Ex’s

It seems like you need to take the step towards “forever quit”...by telling yourself NOPE (Not One Puff Ever)...I am saying this because this is my third and last quit...when I lost my last quit, I smoked for 4 years until I got back on the journey.  I did the same as you...in those 4 years I didn’t smoke everyday and sometimes not even a week...almost like it made it ok...and it wasn’t...it was starting to effect me health wise and I was listening to the lies of nico...I finally thought I really didn’t like smoking anymore...it was a habit...I was an Addict...and now 204 Days quit....I no longer ever want to go back to smoking...ever...I can never pick up “just one...”...make it your last...

Also, this post today from one of our other members might help you...really makes you think what you have to gain by never smoking...https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/celebrating-milestones/blog/2019/07/30/the-focus?sr=search... ~ Colleen 204 DOF 

Barbscloud
Member

Welcome to the Ex.   Congrats on your decision to quit.  I would recommend checking in daily and taking the Daily Pledge each day.  The support here is priceless, especially early in you quit.  If you need help, reach out.  We're here for you.

maryfreecig
Member

Giving updates is good. Quite a few quitters do exactly that. But have you thought about joining this group of Exers for the long term. In my opinion, there is quitting and there is smobriety. Ex has a lot to offer regarding keeping your head straight and you did mention that that is where you are having trouble. 

You can get over the dependency one day at a time. Yes you can.

Strudel
Member

Welcome! I like the fact that you have said that this is the “last time”! That is the kind of determination you need. Plus getting the support here is vital! Congrats on your forever quit! 

elvan
Member

Quitting is a one day at a time journey and the word NOPE which stands for Not One Puff Ever needs to be your mantra and I strongly suggest that you make coming to EX first thing in the morning and last thing at the end of the day part of your daily routine.  This site CAN help and we have all been where you are, it doesn't take luck to quit, it takes commitment.  Education, Support, and Commitment and you can't go wrong.  We all want you to succeed, we will help in any way that we can.

Welcome to EX,

Ellen

indingrl
Member

CONGRATS on 4 NICOTINE FREE DAYS! GOOD JOB - yahooooooooo - WAY TO GO! please take what HELPS and let go of the rest - to be HELPFUL is MY only aim - thank you - SUGGESTION made to ME - blog - BEFORE YOU take that FIRST puff over YOU - just sharing - I stayed on this site and at whyquit.com - for MY first 90 DAYS- blogging about missing MY DRUG NICOTINE  and they also SUGGESTED - I write a divorce letter - to MY lover NICOTINE- I took these SUGGESTIONS - and only by God's grace - I am NICOTINE FREE TODAY - gentle hug❤

Pawr
Member

In my opinion, that little voice that tells us it's probably not a big deal to just have a puff or two here and there is a lying little demon. I know it is for myself.

YoungAtHeart
Member

It is true for ALL, Pawr.  For an addict, there is never again going to be such a thing as "just one."  Maybe not right away, but it will ALWAYS lead to another, and then another, until you are right back to full addiction.  Just the way addiction works.

Good to see you!

Nancy

JACKIE1-25-15
Member