Nervous

[samillervzw]

My quit day is approaching (Oct1) and I am more anxious than ever. It’s really making me nervous. I want to succeed but I can’t imagine not smoking. All I can see right now is me freaking out and being angry all the time. I’m not generally an angry person and I don’t like the thought. But I have to do this. I’ve been trying to put my focus elsewhere but it never fails that a thought of smoking comes up quickly. So I start over. Why am I so dang scared to quit? I always thought no one likes a quitter... but I know in this situation it’s ok to be a quitter. 

[beazel]

It is indeed scary. Thinking about it too long can sometimes make a person back down.

I tried to look at it like this - there are lots of smoking related illnesses that are pretty scary too.

Yes, I realize that quitting doesn't guarantee that I'll never get sick (especially after 46+ years of smoking), however...

my health did improve for now & I try to live in the now.

I was just at the beginning of developing a smoker's cough...now.....GONE.

I don't cough, I don't lose my breath...it's pretty amazing.

I have some smokers in my life that hack so bad it's sad. And listening to them breath...Yikes!

Don't think about never smoking forever - just think about not smoking for today.

One day at a time............

You can do it.

[samillervzw]

Thank you for the encouragement!! As an ex smoker I am sure you understand how much I appreciate the support! I have the type of get it done personality. But this subject has me hanging like a big worm on a little hook. But you are right when you said one day at a time and not looking at forever. I bought my last pack of cigarettes and I am hoping to get a jump start on quitting before my quit date. 

Again, thank you for the inspiring words and your support.

[sweetplt]

We each felt nervous about smoking...it is the unknown...preparing helps a lot, but is not the end all...a lot is in our heads to turn things around and say...”I want this...”...”I need to quit...”...”I don’t want to continue to me an addict”...etc., Honestly, quitting is a bit like losing someone...we go through all the same steps...anger is one...and in order to eventually get to acceptance we must have anger.  Don’t let the anger towards anyone or anything, but the smokes...it is them that put you in this situation...Every time you feel anger....come here and write....Don’t look at forever...but look at quitting just for today....You got this...keep telling yourself...and keep preparing and reading about quitting....Happy Thursday ~ Colleen 297 DOF 

[YoungAtHeart]

Please don't try to quit before your quit date!  Getting down to less than 5 cigarettes a day will keep you in constant withdrawal and make you uncomfortable for no good reason  When you quit, you get THROUGH the withdrawals and move on from them. 

It is natural to fear the unknown..that's where having a plan of what you can do when you feel like you need a smoke is important.  Look at the list of things you can do instead below and maybe even write the ones down that will work for you.  Plan to have a cold bottle of water from which to sip handy, also your list of reasons for quitting and what you hope to gain, perhaps some sugar free mints, some frozen grapes, maybe Fireballs or Sour Patch Kids.  Some people have cut up straws to get air through and to fidget with their fingers.

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 .
 

It will be informative if you do the tracking and separation exercises recommended here on the site. As you track each cigarette smoked, note its importance, and what you might do instead. Put each one off just a little to prove that you don't NEED a cigarette just because you think you do.
 

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. 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

[JACKIE1-25-15]

It is normal to be nervous but you are in control of your thoughts and your visions you have to reverse what your addictive brain is feeding you.  How I Became a "Happy Quitter!"‌

[AnnetteMM]

Won't YOU be surprised when in fact you DON'T freak out at all. It won't be easy, but you'll amazed at how much fortitude you actually have. 

[maryfreecig]

I can't imagine not smoking.

But you can quit anyway. Ex will be here to offer support every day of your quit(and pre-quit) --whether you read or blog, there will be a community here to support you in your goal to get past your addiction. There are lots of quitters here who also began their quit by wondering how on earth they were going to make it...me too. One day at a time, one step at a time, one hour at a time is said a lot around here. And it's worth remembering. 

In time, you relearn how to live without smoking. And if you stick with it one day at a time, the day will come when you can't imagine smoking. 

Welcome to Ex.