Feeling less resilient this week

[Twinklemom]

It’s been 17 days since I quit. I am proud of that number, but it doesn’t feel like it has been more than a week at most.  My cravings may be less frequent, but they are strong. I’m feeling the urge to just have one. I know that I cannot ever just have one!! My husband smokes so I know that a cigarette is always accessible. Sigh, scream, breathe.... That is how I am feeling in this moment. Good thing this moment will only last for approx 3 minutes according to the experts on cravings. It’s a battle, but it’s  worth it?!!  

[JonesCarpeDiem]

The only way out is through!

[elvan]

It WILL get easier, I can't tell you when but I can tell you that if you stick with it, it WILL get easier.  You will get through a time that would normally have been when you smoked and you will recognize that you never even thought about smoking...then you will get through a day and another day...it isn't easy and I won't tell you that it is but I WILL tell you that it is WORTH it.  You will feel better about yourself in so many ways.  My son was living with us when I quit and I knew he always had cigarettes but I also knew it would be my CHOICE to ask for one.  I DO hope that you insist that he not smoke inside of your home...you have a right to clean air.  Stick with your quit and know that we are never far away.

Deep breaths in...exhale slowly...blow bubbles, watch the bubbles float in the air.  Rearrange a room, make it the healthiest space you can...plants, pillows, soft blankets, access to anything and everything you need to curl up with a good book or watch a movie.  Make that YOUR space!  You earned it.

Ellen

[karenjones]

17 days is something to be proud of , believe it you have got through the hardest part of your quit. it would be a real real shame to lose that work. you are so right you cannot take one puff ever ever again because you will be addicted and in chains in an instant. that is a strong drug that nicotine, and you are free of it now. Congrats.keep up the good work. Read read look at youtube, come here often, learn everything you can about this horrid addiction and how to overcome it.  have you seen this?  it is of monoamine oxidase inhibitors.  interesting isn;t it not?

[SaraPeach]

17 days is great! If you give in to that "junkie thinking" and try to have "just one," you will be back to day 1 and have to go through hell week all over again. You do NOT want to do that. You do not want to reintroduce nicotine into your system. Keep going one day at a time and it WILL continue to get easier. There is no such thing as "just one" cigarette, unfortunately. That is a lie that our addict brains try to sell us to get that nicotine fix. Keep moving forward. You've got this!

[elvan]

I looked back on some of your activity and content and I am not sure if you were ever welcomed by YoungAtHeart‌ she does an amazing job of spelling things out and she is out of town right now but she gave me permission to copy and paste her welcome for new people.  I realize you have 17 days and I congratulate you on that but you might want to read her welcome and go over the suggestions she offered.  You can never know too much about this addiction or this journey.  The following is Nancy's welcome:

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 highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This is an easy and entertaining read. You can search for it  or at your local library. Here's a link to a video here on the site which describes nicotine addiction:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.
 
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-exhas lots of blogs written by members of this site with their experiences and guidance.  You should also do the tracking and separation exercises recommended here on the 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 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

[virgomama]

I think having a smoking partner makes things harder.  But it is doable.  I have a smoking partner too.  At the suggestion of an elder on this site I did talk to him about making our house smoke free and him keeping the cigs out of my sight for a while.  He did agree and it has made it easier.  But only willpower can push you past those head demons that  tell you where he keeps them.  I took elvan suggestion and bought myself some bubbles to blow.  Best investment towards my quit I've made.  It works great.  During those times when I wanted to smoke, i.e. after dinner, or I know my partner is smoking, I take my jar of bubbles and go blow away.  It sounds silly but I'm telling you it really helps.  It relaxes me, to blow, and then watch where they go.  You get to breathe deep.  It passes the time until the crave passes.  Try it.

[elvan]

virgomama‌ I am SO HAPPY to hear that you love the bubbles too.  I do have to tell you though that quitting is not about will power...it is about willingness to go through whatever you need to to stay quit.  You are doing GREAT!

Ellen

[Twinklemom]

Thank you. We have never smoked inside, thank goodness! It would be even harder to quit if we had. I did not give into any temptations and looking forward to saying that I have been smoke free for all of October. Just 6 days to go and I will be through the first month!

[Twinklemom]

Very interesting picture. You are right. I need to focus on all the damage that smoking can cause. It is a great motivator. Thank you. 

[Twinklemom]

I did not get that welcome message. It is so helpful. I’ve been nicotine free for 25 days now but those ideas can still be useful when a trigger happens upon me. I feel better today than I did at 17 days.  

[Twinklemom]

I will. Thank you. 

[elvan]

You are doing a GREAT JOB!  I could not be happier for you!  Keep stacking your days, stay close to the site...know that you can never learn too much about this addiction and that every moment you are free...you are growing, you are learning about yourself.  Congratulations on a beautiful start.  Pretty soon, you will get to your first month and then you will enter No Man's Land.  It's not as scary as it sounds, you can do this, look at how far you have come!

Ellen

[virgomama]

How are you doing today Twinklemom ?