Yet, I still smoke

[lewald]

I am new to this site. I came across it while google "Quit Smoking Motivation." I quit a few years ago, which lasted two years (smoke free). Now I have been at it again for about four years. I am feeling defeated because I am finding it harder to quit now. I am trying to slow down my smoking as I approach my quit date (4/19). I fear once it comes I will just give in again. Its hard to breathe (I have asthma) and I am constantly worrying about lung cancer. Yet, I still smoke. 

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome to our community!

This is a tough addiction from which to break free.  Education, planning, preparation, commitment and support can help!  We can help with all but the commitment.  You must make a decision that you will not smoke another cigarette no matter what, and commit to it a day, sometimes a minute,  at a time in the early days.

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.  Keep a cold bottle of water with you from which to sip. 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

[anaussiemom]

One day at a time.   Prayers of blessings sent your way. 

Hugs Kim

[babymonster]

Hi Mate, I quitted for almost for 1 year ( 8 years ago ) and started smoking again after that ( heavily ).. and today in am into my 8 days of smoke-free. As we speak, I am having a craving ( always after a meal, dinner especially). 

I also have the same kind of fear when nearing to my quit date ( 1st April  19 ) .. fear that i cannot make it and fail... nevertheless, I still tried. I must say that since you have quit before and this will be your second attempt.. the chance of succeeding is very high.. because we already know what to expect and yet you are still thinking of quitting. So is the Want overpower the need to smoke.  Is not easy really ( the craving is very uncomfortable ) but in my mind, i know it will go away eventually ( matters of time ). I will be patient and wait for this day to come.

I am very sure you can do it. Setting a quit date is already a BIG STEP.  

[JACKIE1-25-15]

Welcome to Ex You have come to the right place for support to quit smoking. Education is the main key to a successful quit.  Start first by educating yourself on the addiction to nicotine.  It is advisable to read Allen Carr's Easyway to Quit Smoking which can be found on pdf on the web.  Another good site to get info is www.whyquit.com.  There are several articles to read.  Nicotine 101 and Freedom From Nicotine My Journey Home.  Quitting takes planning and preparation go to EX Plan | BecomeAnEX  to decide how you are going to go about quitting. To get help on navigating the site go to. Community He My lp‌.  Again Welcome, there is more to come.  If you have any questions you can do a search with the magnifying glass and type any keywords for research on a topic.  If you have any questions just ask and give us the opportunity to respond.  We are here for you. 

[SimplySheri]

Quitting is definitely a challenge but totally do-able, as you already know.  Much of quitting is in your mind set...if you believe you can, you can   You are capable of anything you set your mind to.  So glad you found us and happy you are quitting!!

[Ralph1955]

My friend, I smoked for 50 years and tried quitting many times.  My 4th attempt was the one that stuck.  It's all about ones mindset. My past fails were because I wasn't ready and my previous quits were to silence the people around me.  When "I" made the decision to quit July 15, 2018 I felt in my gut that This Was My Time and I am so proud to say that I'm going on 9 months.

Will you have days you think you'll give in? Yes.  Will you feel the nicotine demon will play with your emotions? Yes.  YOU have to be the one in control and stand up to all urges.  I know you can do it but, You have to want to come out a winner.

  This place is a gold mine and to me a Godsend. The people here, as well as the quit coaches, are amazing and will become Family.  Lets us all help you; all  you have to do is, Reach Out your hand.

[Daniela2016]

Hello lewald‌, and welcome to this site!  Please read everything is being recommended to you. This site has helped so many of us work on our forever quit and will do the same for you.  Prepare for the day you'll quit, accept smoking is an addiction, and in order to break free, you have lots of help here.  But the most important is your mindset.  You have to think of yourself as an EX-smoker, and the rest will follow.

No one says it is easy, yet, so many of us were able to quit with the support of this site.  You've done it on your own in the past, now, by being here, blogging, asking for help, and having a helping hand whenever you need it, it will exponentially increase your chances of success!

[AnnetteMM]

As you can see, there's plenty of support and reading material! My 2 cents: the fear is real, but it's not about failure. It's about withdrawal. There's a fear that it will overwhelm you and conquer you. You absolutely DO have it in you to reverse that! The physical and emotional symptoms of nicotine withdrawal only last a short time, and then the rest of your life is FREEDOM. You can do this!

[lqsi12]

Sounds like your fearful, of what ?  Smoking is an addiction, quitting is a path to better health and wellness.  You know all this.  So make it a challenge, but become prepared for the day, so you have the tools you need. 

All the tools you need are here, on this site, as long as you can read or listen you've got this !

I'm sure you remember when you stopped b4, follow your path from then, come here and read, ask, post, we're behind you for as much or as long as we're needed !

[MarilynH]

Welcome to the community please read the links suggested and keep reading everything you can about quitting smoking and remaining quit because there's a wealth of information right here on this site to strengthen your resolve to kick the nicotine poison to the curb permanently it's not easy by any stretch of the imagination BUT it's absolutely Doable and totally worth it so prepare yourself for April 19th which is your day ONE so when it arrives you'll be ready to make it through then at bedtime you'll be able to say YAY for Day WON with many more to come you can do this upcoming quit believe it deep breaths and know that we're all here to help you in any way we can..... lewald

[sweetplt]

Hello and Welcome to Ex’s 

So glad you found our site.  After 2 failed like no quits, I am 126 days Free from all nicotine, smoking etc.,  if you haven’t already, read and prepare at My EX Plan | BecomeAnEX ... I see you have a quit date which is great.  Now plan for this day like no other...list what you are going to do in place of smoking.  Keep close to the site to give help and get help. I have asthma too.   Now start working hard for that quit date. We are in this journey together ~ Colleen 126 DOF 

[Barbscloud]

Welcome to the Ex.  After numerous attempts and being a smoker for 50 years, I celebrate 1 year on March 13th.  You can do.  It's important to think about one day at a time, not forever.  We're here for you if you need help.

Barb

[Mike.n.Atlanta]

Ralph1955‌ is right. You can not do this for anyone but lewald‌. This has to be for you. When that time comes you will make a real commitment to do whatever needs doing to keep your quit. I buried many family & friends due to lung cancer & other smoking related diseases. I smoked on. When I was ready I knew it. You only need be willing to change & that's what really scares most people. They think they'll become this other person. Truth is you will become a different person. You'll become the person you didn't know you wanted to be.

[DonnaMarie]

I am you. I have a lot of multi-month and multi-year quits under my belt and yet, I would smoke and break them all. I stopped December 17, 2018, and have no intention of smoking ever again, not cigarettes, not pot, not e-cigarettes, not anything. I'm done. Kaput. The end. 

Now, if I could tell you how I did that, I would. What I can tell you is that I knew, I just knew I was done. And I was. I stopped. I bought cinnamon sticks, cinnamon toothpicks, hard candy type items, Alan Carr's Easyway book, and kept one or all near me at all times. I didn't hesitate to reach for a cinnamon stick and pretend smoke. It had the right shape, the right feel, and I could draw air through it. I went through a lot of cinnamon sticks  

I'm 112 days in now and still maintain that smoking is not an option, I don't do that anymore, and not one puff ever (NOPE). I don't use cinnamon sticks anymore, but I do keep honey drops (hard candy) around because I grew to like them! 

The people here helped me in a big way because of tough love, nonjudgmental commentary and friendship, and gentle nudging. I've learned to question my motives and if I really want that cigarette (no). Everyone here has been through or is going through what you and I are going through. We're all wounded healers. 

I implore you to just plain stop and not look back. Or quit in some other way. If not now, we'll be here when you get back.

Donna

Day 112

[elvan]

You have gotten amazing advice already and I don't think I can really add anything.  I can tell you that I had many, many failed quits in the past.  I smoked for 47 years and I can't even give you an estimated count of the quits I lost.  WHY?  I didn't have this site, I didn't have the support and the love and the advice that I had the moment I came here.  Like you, I found this site by googling.  I paid very close attention to the advice given and I did what people told me worked for them.  I even bought lemons to have on hand in case I got a crave that I did not think I could survive.  I was prepared to bite into a lemon, rind and all to change my focus.  As it happens, I never had to do that.  I came here every morning and every evening, I read, I commented, I asked for help when I felt like I needed it most.  I did not fight my craves...I RODE them...waaaaaaay up and then back down.   I paid attention to when they were strongest and I paid attention to how long they lasted.  I already had tracked them before I quit and I had planned what to do INSTEAD of smoking.  It really helped me.  I had it written down and I didn't even have to refer to my "notes."  I changed things up when I needed to, I accepted that craves would come and go and that I did not have to smoke.  I paid attention to the damage I had done to my lungs by smoking...irreversible damage that I have no choice but to recognize.  I have been quit for over five years, this site is amazing.  The people and the support are amazing.  I suggest reading a couple blogs by JonesCarpeDiem‌ in addition to all of the reading already recommended.../blogs/jonescarp.aka.dale.Jan_2007-blog/2011/06/26/what-to-expect-in-the-first-four-months and https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/thread/6040-my-welcome-to-new-members-12-years-of-watching   Remember that this is a journey and not an event.  You have quit before, this can be your LAST quit, your "Forever" Quit, one day at a time.

Welcome to EX.

Ellen

[maryfreecig]

Wow, lots of support above. And that is what Ex is all about. If you are ready to quit, Ex is here to listen, to cheer you on, one day at a time. Pre quit is a good time to land at Ex. Lots of get ready reading here.  Yes you can, one day at a time.