APPROACHING QUIT DATE-Nervous

[Lescoo]

My quit date is a week off (June 19) based on having begun Zyban on June 5.  I am stunned that at this point I don't want to smoke (in my mind) but the urges are relentless (in my brain). I get literally nervous and scattered when I try to resist lighting up in an effort to simply scale down prior to next weeks quit. I currently smoke 2 pks a day. Many thoughts have crossed my mind on how I can best cope with nicotine withdrawal, including the possibility of using a patch as well come my quit date. Although it has been said that nicotine cravings last only a couple of minutes, mine do not. They go on and on.  I am also considering begining the patch now in place of cigarettes, reasoning that if I really don't want to physcally smoke, I can at least lay to rest the "going thru the motions" aspects of smoking so I have only the nicotine withdrawal aspect to deal with next week. At the moment, I feel like I am in some kind of smoking purgatory. I feel quite desperate to put an end to the smoking, and don't know if I can make it a week being neither here nor there. As I write, I am seeing that i may be more ready than I thought to move my quit up. Waiting a week seems to be prolonging the inevitable, because I AM going to QUIT! Thoughts?

[elvan]

Welcome to EX...you have gotten the best possible advice already...read, prepare, have a plan, know that this is a journey and not an event.  I get that feeling that craves seem to last a lot longer than a couple of minutes...they are running together and you have not really had time to allow them to stop.  No crave ever killed anyone...no one can say that about smoking.  This journey is one day at a time, one experience at a time, one feeling at a time.  We are here to help you in any way that we can.  I suggest that you stay close to the site, read blogs, see what is working for others and know that everyone here has either been where you are now or is headed there.  There are no shortcuts on this journey, we all have to go through this one day, one step at a time.  My mantra when I first started here was NOPE...Not One Puff Ever.  I said it over and over and over again, I said it softly, silently, out loud, over and over again.  I came here every morning and every evening and I read blogs and commented and asked for advice and took it.  This is an addiction and we are in recovery...it really sounds like your recovery is already beginning.

Again, welcome.

Ellen

[Lescoo]

Thank you all for your kind, supportive responses. I'm feeling much

stronger today! All things considered I have concluded that I do need the

coming week to digest and prepare for my new lifestyle.

Warmest regards to All!

[elvan]

That's perfectly fine...stick with that date and spend the next week really preparing and know that you are not alone on this journey...EVER!

[maryfreecig]

A decision made! That's good. Yes you can, one day at a time.

[MarilynH]

Welcome to the community, please do the recommended reading above me because it'll strengthen your resolve to kick the nicotine poison to the curb and start living a life of Freedom, you've made the best decision that you'll ever make in your lifetime by quitting smoking you are giving yourself the gift of LIFE. 

[freeneasy]

When you learn about quitting and nicotine addiction, you'll build confidence. You may even be more afraid of continuing to smoke than quitting. You are not giving smoking up you are reclaiming your freedom from addiction. You can quit and in time thank yourself you did..

How to Quit Smoking for Good