Time For A Change

[hellokittyfreak86]

After 12-13 years of smoking i think its time for a change. I have never had support from anyone so im trying this out and seeing if it helps any. I know im the only one that can make it work but maybe if i had support it would be so much easier. im doing this for myself no one else. I dont know where to begin or what to do....can anyone offer advice?!

[ldukes26]

Just starting out myself again, stop 5 or maybe 6 years ago and pick them up again. Using this site has help but like you say you gotta do it for you, good luck kitty

[hellokittyfreak86]

what made you pick them up? i feel like mine is stress and boredom

[jojo_2-24-11]

Hello Hello, Welcome to the site. Support is great here. There's also a ton of quit smoking experience here. I suggest you read as much as you can on nicotine addiction. There's a few sites that I suggest. whyquit.com and quitsmoking.com. there's a free download of Allen Carr's The Easy Way to Quit or you can purchase it in book form. Take lots of deep breaths, drink plenty of water, laugh a lot at everything, come here and blog, comment on others blogs, ask questions about what you are feeling or just chat. Also, go through the steps that the site has to offer. This really is a great place.

[hellokittyfreak86]

thanks jojo!

[jojo_2-24-11]

Jim is absolutely right! Educate yourself.

[hellokittyfreak86]

i have read alot of stuff about quitting and nicotine and quitting and i just dont know where to begin

[joyeuxencore]

Welcome! Congrats on your decision to quit! We all have read the following to quit and stay quit:

Do some reading and stay with us here…blog for help and you will get it…we can’t quit for you but we can be here for you…trying to do it alone is folly…

Allan Carr’s book… http://media.wix.com/ugd/74fa87_2010cc5496521431188f905b7234a829.pdf             

http://quitsmokingonline.com/          

www.whyquit.com              

http://whyquit.com/whyquit/LinksAAddiction.html         

http://whyquit.com/joel/Joel_03_21_blood_sugar.html

[YoungAtHeart]

For now, just start with the reading.  I highly recomend Allen Carr's book.  It is an easy, entertaining read.  Although I never really could wrap my mind around it being "easy" to stop smoking, there is a wealth of information in there about what nicotine does to our minds and bodies.

After the reading - come on back here and we can help you make your plan to quit.  One step at a time is how the race is run!!!!!

We will be with you every step of the way!  This is not easy, but it IS doable!

Nancy

Quit 7/4/12

[Jordan-11-1-12]

Welcome!!  You've gotten some good advice above... I would definitely agree that education is a huge part of it. joy gave you all the best links...read, read, read!!  

Quitting really is a commitment. Smoking is a choice and we need to make the decision to never smoke again no matter what, and then stick to that decision. Coming onto this site for support can help us to keep that promise, reading the suggested material and the blogs, being prepared with distractions for when craves hit..... Dwelling on a craving only makes it stronger. We need to kick the smoking thoughts out right away, and then distract ourselves.  You can do it, and we're all here to help!!

[hellokittyfreak86]

thanks everyone!!!! (:

[Nyima_1.6.13]

"Can anyone offer some advice".... Obviously you came to the right site with that question! I have done everything suggested on this site and it seems to be working pretty well! Having everyone here providing ideas, information and support really does make a huge difference! Welcome

[hellokittyfreak86]

i also have 3 little reasons to quit as well i really dont want them picking that up from me at all

[YoungAtHeart]

OM Gosh - I just noticed your username.  Are you REALLY a Hello Kitty Freak????  I have a friend who is one, as well.  It never ceases to amaze me that she is still around!!!!!!

Nancy

[hellokittyfreak86]

YES I AM!!! she is all over my room and car and house and oh yeah on my shoulder (:

[mhassing28]

Support makes a big difference! I hit 16 days today, and what's made it easy for me is: Having this site and the wonderful people here to support me, lots of distractions (tv, music, excersize, etc) and most importantly you have to want it. If you're quitting for any reason other than yourself and your health, you're already on shaky ground.

You can do it! We are all here for you! Blog tons-- vent, rant,whatever, we will still be here no matter what!

[tiffanyann2]

Here's what you can do. Go to WWW.why quit.com, educate yourself about the addiction. Call your local quit smoking program for help with quiting. Also get quit smoking medication that will work best for you. And stay with becoming an ex program. Also pray to the lord to help you quit. You also have to try to stay away from other smokers when they are smoking for a few weeks as much as possible. Stay away from alcohol until you can handle it without smoking. Stay strong, you can beat the power of the cigarette. Good luck, we will help you.

[Buddy12]

I've been smoke free 6 months now and was just like you.....wondering  what to do.....I logged onto this site and learned from everyone here how to quit......you can do it, too. Good luck to you and let us know how you are doing.

[joyeuxencore]

You MUST quit smoking! It is SO much easier than you think! xo

[Nyima_1.6.13]

Check out Lisa Denise Ely in members. I think her avatar is a hello kitty! 

[SkyGirl]

Hi, Jenn, and welcome to EX!  I am so glad that you have made the decision to quit smoking. 

There is a lot of information that will be coming your way over the next few days so be sure to keep blogging regularly.

Like all the good advice above, I also believe that educating yourself about nicotine addiction is key.  When you understand nicotine addiction and the way nicotine actually changes the way your brain works, it makes a huge difference in the way you approach quitting.

The way you think about quitting is also extremely important.  Reading Allen Carr's book, "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking" will change the way you view quitting cigarettes. 

Right now, you are most likely thinking that quitting will be "giving up" something you enjoy, right?  And that you will be "doing without", "sacrificing" and "depriving yourself", right? 

Allen Carr's book will actually flip your thinking around.  You will begin to see quitting as "gaining" health, self-esteem, more time to do other things, more money to spend among other things.  You will no longer feel like a slave to your need for cigarettes.  You won't have to worry about having enough cigarettes until you can get to a store, or finding a place where you are allowed to smoke, or making sure you have a lighter, or worrying about people smelling it on your clothes and your hair, feeling ashamed to admit that you smoke, etc. Jenn, you will be GAINING so many good things by quitting!!

I would heartily recommend that you go to whyquit.com and read an article called, "Nicotine Addiction 101".

The other thing that you can do right away is to set a Quit Date.  Most people set their Quit Dates about two weeks in the future.  This gives them time to do a lot of reading, getting their thinking in order, do the preparation exercises of "Tracking" and "Separating", and prepare their lists and quit kits.  We will give you an explanation of all that stuff as you prepare for your Quit Date, but I don't want to overload you right now. 

So set your Quit Date and start the reading.  And don't hide your quitting plans from everyone "just in case you fail".  Tell the world!  Ask for their support.  Real world support is just as important as support here on EX. 

And speaking of "just in case you fail"...banish all those thoughts.  You are not "trying" to quit.  You are not "attempting" to quit.  You don't need "good luck" to quit.  You have made a DECISION to quit and you must decide to HONOR that decision every single day by being COMMITTED to quitting and KNOWING in your heart that you will be successful. 

Because, if all of us are doing it, then YOU can do it, too.  It's not as hard as you might be thinking, Jenn.  And we are all here to help you every step of the way.

[nursemama23]

[hellokittyfreak86]

thanks everyone for the support!!!!!!!!!! (((((: