@madison_ziesmer Hi again. Not sure what you mean? There is nothing wrong with using a quit aid and can actually be beneficial for a successful quit. I used Welbutrin and nicotrol inhalers and recently celebrated 6 years. You still have to do the work, but aids can make the journey easier.
Hoping will not make it so! Commit to doing whatever it takes to be free and you will be successful. How cool is it that it is TOTALLY within your control!! This isn't easy in the early days, but it gets easier as you get some time quit under your belt.
I am guessing you are quitting smoking. If it's another product, the same quit process is required, so just sub yours as you do the reading.
Understanding the addiction and having a PLAN going forward will reduce the anxiety of quitting. Get busy learning and preparing, and I think you may actually start to look forward to this journey! You will do this one day at a time, so don't be looking further ahead than that.
An important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. I was amazed when I learned that the stress reduction you feel when you ingest nicotine is caused by the brain receptors calming that have gradually built in volume jonesing for their next fix! I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking” that brings light two other things you might not know. You can purchase a digital version online or borrow it at your local library. Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction: Nicotine and Your Brain.
I quit many years ago , and I base my overall recommendations on my experience and that of others here 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. Lozenges and gum are fine, but don't sub them for every cigarette you used to smoke. That will simply be substituting one addiction for another. Have a plan to reduce use over time. 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.
To better deal with the habit part of the addiction, 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 walking shoes 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.
After you have eliminated as many associations as you can, 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.
You might want to join other site members by taking the daily pledge when you quit. It helps to hold yourself accountable and also accountable to others here. Find it at Home (top left), then first box titled Take the Daily Pledge.
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!
Cold turkey is one way to quit an addiction. When quitting nicotine, you have to decide what works best for YOU. You can use prescription drugs, nic gum, nic patches and there are probably others. Keep reading and learning what way will work for you. If you quit cold turkey, you will still need "tools" to help you bridge the gap, in the first few weeks of your quit. So, instead of reaching for vape/cig/dip, you may grab a straw or licorice and blow through it, mimicing smoking. Instead of smoking, you make a hot bath, you journal your feelings, you pour yourself an ice cold yummy drink, sip cold water, etc. etc. Your quit, so make it unique to you. You may have to think about the people/places/things that will trigger you to want nicotine. You may have to avoid certain people/places/things if possible for a short time. It is worth it, to take the time to figure this out.
My question to you is why do you think you can’t if that’s what you want ? It can be you . Just curious about your title . If it’s what you want , go for it .. there are also other options as mentioned above , go for that … what’s the most important here is to quit .
Lots of ways to quit ( a personal choice ) .
To me the most important question , was to ask myself before I started this journey after many attempts using NRT and CT was what will I do or not do this time to succeed . ( I made the decision to go CT this quit and that I was willing to never smoke again and do what it takes for however long it takes . I could have chosen NRT , no different . I would have needed to be in it for the long haul no matter how long it took .
I want to encourage you by telling you that quitting is worth it no matter what you choose . I want to tell you to be in it for the long haul , it’s worth it . I want to assure you that if you don’t give in and don’t give up that you will succeed . Suffering now with a few craves in order not to suffer later in life worth it . I want to promise you it gets easier as long as you don’t feed it and stick to it . That makes no difference Cold turkey or NRT and btw It’s so worth it .
Yes , like mentioned It is going to take work .. but working hard generally always gives us reward in life .. .. the effort you put in determines the success you will have . I am 13 years quit and still receiving rewards from my decision to quit . You will be pleasantly surprised .
From me to you … remember you are stronger than you think and you are not exempt from being successful …. you can quit .
Welcome @madison_ziesmer! My name is Quiana, and I am a part of the EX Team. Congratulations on your decision to quit! I wanted to reach out and personally welcome you to the EX Community! We are so excited you have joined us. This is a very supportive community so feel free to keep us all posted on your quit journey reach out and let us know if you need anything.
Here are some articles that might be helpful as you prepare for your quit date:
