This is the hardest thing I have ever tried doing. I have 4 children that need me to be here for a long time. My mom and father in law both died at age 49 from smoking. I want to be here for my kids,
Hi Ladawnakay and welcome! Someone will be along shortly to give you great links to much needed reading. Be sure to read the Allen Carr book. Never thought a book would help. Happy Halloween!
Welcome Ladawnakay. You have come to the right place if you are making a decision to commit to quit smoking. . At EX our resolve is to never smoke again. NOPE “Not one puff ever.” I suggest that you follow the steps on the web page along with reading, writing, studying, researching and blogging if you like. This is all about you and what you are willing to do to be a nonsmoker. If you haven’t read it, here is a link to Allen Carr’s book , Easy Way to Quit Smoking. It is a very easy read which is quite helpful and suggested by the elders (those with 1+ yrs quit) .If you take the time to do the work you will have success.
Also check out www.whyquit.com. There is a lot of beneficial information. Look for Freedom From Nicotine My Journey Home and Nicotine Addiction 101. Stay close to the site and learn, ask questions. Read the blogs enjoy your commitment to quit smoking. If you should need something to do here is a link that will help https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instea...
The good news is that you can stop! You simply have to be wiling and determined. The best step in that direction is to educate yourself about your addiction and how your brain has been altered to think that you actually want to smoke. Except for possibly those first few cigarettes you forced yourself to smoke because you wanted to be cool, you really don't enjoy smoking. What you love is the brain-tickle you get from nicotine.
What was re-wired can be un-re-wired. That's the good news. The bad news: you have to be willing to bear some discomfort and a lot of whining from you brain to your body. But heck, you do that all the time when you don't have a choice, such as when you have a cold. Do you die, or do you just bear it until you are over it. It's essentially the same thing with quitting smoking, except you have to make the choice to bear it.
Definately read Allen Carr's book online, "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking." He explains it all much better than I. Then go through the prep. steps on this site, read and realize that many others have done what you want to do, that it can be done, and then just do it.
Well all be here to support, encourage, and pick on you along the way. Drop in anytime to moan, groan, whine, encourage, support, inform, cry for HELP or otherwise distract yourself and keep busy so as to not smoke.
Do it before it's too late. You can see what it has already done to Jackie, Kristen, and me. I too have to young kids who are counting on me to be dad for as long as I can. If not for myself, I owe it to them to quit. You do to.
It looks like you've already accomplished the hardest part of deciding you're going to quit. With everyone here supporting each other the rest should be easy 🙂
doing it for the kids is a great way to give u encouragement. so true u do want to be around for the children..i never thought i could quit,, 51 plus years smoking..i want to see my great grand grow up...20 great smoke free days today...
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 also highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This is an easy and entertaining read. H
As well, read the sections on this site, and read the blogs, responses and pages of folks you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com and quitsmokingonline.com for the good information contained there. You should also do the tracking and separation exercises suggested on this 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. 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. 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.
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. 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. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around your head alone. Get busy!
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!
Keeping busy sure helped me a lot. I had a ton of things to do instead of smoking that helped me. Stay positive and make a commitment to stay smoke free.
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