Still thinking about cigarettes.....:(

[brenda128]

I am almost one week of smoke free. I just wish I would stop thinking about the cancer sticks.  I take naps, eat, take walks, watch movies and thought is still there.  I am very proud of myself BUT made at myself for the thoughts.  Someone mentioned to me about the e-cigs.  I don't know anything about them.  Anyone out there have any thoughts on these??  Thanks.

[Mrs.Rum]

I'm at almost 250 days and I still think about it every day at least a little.

The eCig won't help you break the habit.  You have to do that on your own.  Sit down and make a list of every thing in your house you need to do (all the down to cleaning baseboards!!)  When you want to smoke, do something on the list first.

Success is small steps.  5 minutes without the thought, 10 minutes etc.  Little by little.

Go back and do some of the Allan Carr reading if you haven't already - it will help.

Hang in there!

[brenda128]

Thanks, MrsRum.  Just needed some advice on the eCig.  I didn't think it would help but wanted to get some thoughts.  Back to reading Carr's book...

[Patty-cake]

If you've already gotten past 3 days of being smoke free, then you've already rid yourself of the nicotine. If you opt to take up smoking the e-cig, then you will re-addict yourself again. Smoking the e-cig is mocking regular smoking. Although, there are some folks who have had success in using the e-cig as a quit smoking aid, most just transfer their addiction from one device to another.  Also, there is not enough information on them to tell us if they are a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes.

In my opinion, e-cigs would not be my choice of a quit smoking aid. 

As far as you 'still thinking about cigarettes', take the time to redirect your thoughts every time you get a craving. It's all about relearning life without them. You are developing a new normal. With each hour and each day, your new routines become stronger and the old addiction weakens. Be patient and give it time. You are worth it. 

🙂

[Patty-cake]

Oh, and by the way, Congrats on almost 1 week.

[linda258]

You are doing great .... read all the stuff about smoking .. it is a process and does not end at the end of the first week.... it gets better .. it becomes different but you will have to plow through and it will be worth it in the end.

You now have the nicotine out of your system..... success.... now you are on stage 2 .. hang in there you can do this.

[jeannie2]

It's just a thought ...one to learn to forget and embrace your new freedom. Thoughts of a new you, fresh lungs, great health and the money....buy yourself a prize! Always reward ....forget it forever!

[cheyenne7]

I'm right with ya Brenda....I too think about them, like a lot.  I think that's ok as long as we don't smoke...

When I think of them...kindof always...I think of how much they stink, I mean...truly smell awful...

I think of how they burn my throat...make me cough...take my breathe...

Yes, sometimes it's hard...but it would be much, much harder to have to go back to square one...

You are doing great...your feelings and thoughts are totally normal, and one day you won't hardly think of them at all...as long as you hang in there!

We have quit around the same time...let's keep marching forward...we can do this...we are doing this...GREAT JOB!!!

Oh, and I've seen people try the e-cig at work...not one success story yet...you don't need that...there is no nicotine in your body...YAY!

[brenda128]

You all make me feel so much better.  Thank you so much for the encouragement.  I know I can do this!  Hugs to all of you!!!

[lois2]

when you think about cigg. chang your train of thought , congrats on 1 week. NOPE

[klv]

Hi Brenda, the ecig is still doing the hand to month habit. This is a smoking pattern or habit you are trying to re-learn via distraction. I've read others discuss how its still a nictoine transport system that is un-regulated. I vote to stay away from them and tough it out. You can do this. I believe in you.

Thinking about cigs is normal. Romancing a "good" cig is common. The problem is you have to take all the bad smokes/stuff along with that one sexy one. Its not a good trade off...they travel in packs. Hang in there you're doing great!

KLV d62

[promise_judy]

I think about cigarettes ever day. What I think is how dumb I was to smoke in the first place, how stuppied people look when they smoke, how they stink so bad if I am around someone smoking sometimes I get a sick stomach, how I have money to buy things that I couldn't before I stopped, how sorry I am that I smoked around my kids and even my grandkids.

I also try to encourage some smokers that I know to stop because I know that they would feel better about themselves if they did.

When I walk by a young person smoking I wish I had the nerve to say something to encourage them to stop.

Since I stopped smoking, I love life more and more.

I think a lot about them but I don't ever want one puff let alone a pack.

I have never had a real craving but at the first I knew when my body and mind were saying "you need a cigarette" I would laugh and say "I am a non-smoker". Only once did I ever think I was in troble and I needed help--"I said in a minute let me ask my friends if I can smoke" and went online and help was there.

But that is me cause I really hate cigarettes and I don't find anything good about them.

Cigarettes are just an illusion. You need to read as much as you can and see them for what they really are...a nightmare--not a dream.

So don't worry if you think about them, you will only make sure you see them for what they are.

Judy   129 days since I quit.

[GreenThumb3]

I went back to smoking real cigs to get off e cigs highly addicting and caused me problems better to be free of all of it I'm about to a month with nothing glad I'm not using anything some like the patch I vote for getting through it if you can with nothing but support and peice of mind your body is getting 0 nicotine and your going to be healthy and have no monkey on your back keep it up 

[Sootie]

: ) I had to smile Brenda when you asked  "Anyone out there have any thoughts on the e-cig?" EVERYONE out here has thoughts on the e-cig and they are mostly negative. The thing for you is though.......you've already  gone through a week. Just keep doing what you are doing....that is really how you do this...don't smoke for one whole day....and then repeat!!

An e-cig has a lot of draw backs and there are those on here who will give you the research etc.etc plus the actual dangers some have experienced with them. For me......the issue is simple.....one of the BIG benefits to quitting smoking is no longer putting out money to support a habit. You will see how much extra money you have very soon. So, why would we want to put money in an e-cig?

Don't worry about thinking about cigarettes. That will pass in time and one day you'll realize you sepnt a whole day and never even gave them a thought. But it does take some time. You smoked for quite awhile (I'm guessing) so the thoughts of smoking aren't going to go away in a week or even in a month. But they DO go away.

Stay Strong and congratulations on one week!!!!! GREAT!

[freeneasy]

Congrats on your quit- I am quit for a year and still think about them-Mostly like I am glad I don't smoke any more and as Sootie said you will notice that you have more money. Life is better without cigarettes and without e-cigs too. Just hang on to your quit and you will get the rewards.Keep blogging and come here often. You are doing it -one week already!