Day 5

[paulh]

Hi everyone and thanks for your support. Today is day 5 and the cravings are a bit more today that the past 4 days. In the past I have fallen off on Sundays. My girlfriend typically stays at my place Friday-Sunday afternoon. After she leaves i typically get together with friends and have a few drivnks and on my way home have been stopping to buy a pack and sit in my back yard alone and consume half the pack alone, wake up Monday and feel like shit. My girlfriend has no clue and would not be happy with this. My therapist wants me to "come out" with her and maybe that would help. I know if I abstain from drinking it will not lead to buying smokes. Anyway, I have found this amazing community and it has been a big help all week. I am feeling very confident that i can put this behind me once and for all.

thank you all.

[YoungAtHeart]

Drinking alcohol is a proven quit killer.  We have witnessed many a relapse here as a result of that one thing.

At this stage in your quit, I think I would forego the drinks with friends.  Do they smoke?  If  not, you might handle one - but no more.  Find something ELSE to do when you get home from taking her home.  Maybe sing out loud to your favorite music, take a quick walk, come on here and read blogs, find a good movie, play a computer game.  Whatever you do, DON'T go in your backyard!

Right now your quit needs to be your #1 priority! 

Nancy

[Giulia]

You know exactly how to prevent yourself from same old, same old relapsing.  Now you just need to listen to yourself.  Shake up your routine.  Don't do the typical behavior that triggers you.  After you're more secure in your quit you can go back to your old routines, but with warning bells on.  Drinking is the quickest way to relapse we know.  So that's one to ALWAYS be wary of. 

Kudos on the 5 days.  And yes, day 5 can be harder than day 1.  And Day 25 can be too.  We don't call it a rollercoaster ride for nothin'!

[Barbara145]

Welcome.  I am glad you found us!  You are doing this!  Congratulations on quitting smoking!  Come here and read blogs often.  Reading about this addiction helped me alot.  It takes work but it is so worth it.

[prjimm01]

go for a walk or something, do not stay home alone and try not to drink!  Come here.

[smorgy8513]

When you drop off your girlfriend....go home and make a newspaper hat.     Put it on your head.....grab your kazoo (you do have a kazoo, don't you?),    

 and go sit on the back porch, playing all your favorite songs that you have.

 In between songs stand up and do the Happy Dance......

Then do a few bubbles.

Done with that....yell as loud as your can 

Then start all over again.....

Congrats on 5 days.....let's work towards getting through Hell Week!

Sharon

[paulh]

Thanks Smorgy, that is great advice. lol.I think I might have a kazoo somewhear and I do have my late wife's piano that I have been meaning to learn to play.

[TerrieQuit]

All very good advice above and Sharon cracks me up! But in all seriousness try to abstain from alcohol until you get your feet planted more firmly in your quit!! Congratulations on 5 days! If your tempted Sunday eve. just hop on here and give us a shout, someone will come! You are doing great! Hang in there!

Terrie  81  DOF

[MarilynH]

You can do this but abstain from drinking so you can protect your precious quit. 

Marilyn 

[Junior7]

Hang in there!  You know what you need to avoid.  We believe in you!

[JonesCarpeDiem]

Playing the piano could be a fanastic adventure!

[SkyGirl]

Sharon's post cracked me up, too, but the truth is that she is right on target with her advice.  The best way to get through cravings in these early days is to find some way to distract yourself for a while.  

Like everyone has said, skip the alcohol and don't go sit in your back yard when you get home.  Find something else to do; rake the yard, go pick apples at an orchard, do a jigsaw puzzle, write postcards, clean the junk drawer, rearrange your desktop.  The key is to keep your hands busy for a while.

If you need to keep your mouth distracted, chew on a straw, a hard candy, a cinnamon stick, or best yet---a KAZOO! 

Sky

[JACKIE1-25-15]

Congrats on day 5 they have said it all.

[carolynt]

I did actually buy a jigsaw puzzle and it has been a great help to me.  Especially in the mornings when I have my coffee (which normally would be accompanied with a cigarette) I just sit down and start to work on the puzzle.  It definitely helps to have something to do with your hands!