FIRST DAY AS AN EX MEMBER - GOT ALL THE TRIGGERS TOO!

[alicia-starr]

Sometimes, I light a cigarette and have one burning out in the ash tray. I could give many reasons why I smoke, i.e., sold my condo, new job, broke up with a five year relationship ... but the real truth is that I use all of that to keep smoking. I am now going to track and separate. Need your help! Thanks

[lyrikal-dreamer]

Hey girl, I feel you on all that. I have found that I smoke when Im at work but when I get home, I dont need a cigarette unless I start thinking about work or I get bugged about work. I think work is my main and major trigger. And when i go out to the bar with my friends.
But hey, I got your back if you got mine. Support all the way!

[alicia-starr]

You got it going on! If you only smoke at work - you can kick this with not much problem. I smoke on breaks/lunch, driving to and from work and at home. I got it bad! I was really pumped up at first about this venue but I am feeling sorry for myself as though I can't stop. I know I can - I just have to fight the urges/cravings. I am praying for you - and you have more than half the battle won. Please know that I do have your back? Keep me in your thoughts as well. Thanks for responding.

[lyrikal-dreamer]

Try this to help kick start things Alicia. I did. Buy a TON of chewing gum. A friend of mine said mostly people just have an oral fixation or need to have somthing in their hand or mouth. So I bought some gum. Yesterday as I was walking out the front door I popped gum in my mouth. I didnt have an urge to smoke on the way to work. I turned up the radio and sang along too. Well to my own mix cds. Try that. See if that helps. One step at a time girl. And baby steps before we run. We can do it.
Try the gum and singing on the way to work and home and when ever you are in the car. Try that first. You can do it Alicia, I know you can. Get some fun out of it too. Everytime you dont have a cig when you want one, congratulate yourself and treat yourself to a snickers or something. Or shout out HUZZAH!!!!! and then laugh because thats such an awesome sounding word.

HUZZAH!

[barb12]

yeah work is terrible for me too. i used to work as a paramedic on the ambualance, which smoking and paramedic were two words joined at the hip. now im a nurse, and smoked all the time. soo yes work is a big trigger for me too. im not sure what im suppost to do when i figure out what i connect smoking to besides be aware of it. it may sound silly but sometimes when im on this website (i just joined) i find myself craving a cigarette. i dont know if its becasue im reading about others craving or what. maybe its because i had a slight relapse last week and im still trying to get back on track. anyways april 19th was my last cig until last week, but now im getting my stuff together (even though i have no idea what im doing) and i didnt smoke at all today. yay for me i guess. sooo support is good and i like raeding when people respond to what i have to say so keep it up!!!! use your good days to prepare for the bad. ttyl!

[barb12]

okay also for driving, i found that at first i could not go near coffee, but i could drink tea. so instead of holding a cig in my hand on the way to work i hold my cup of coffee, tea, or soda (esp. in the morning.. need caffiene!) try that. gum hurts my jaw and im not a hard candy person... so im outta luck there i dont know what else to do. maybe ill try flavored tooth picks. i just dont know where to buy them.. ill figure it out. anyways wow im having a craving right now. breath. in and out. okay im gonna go play that word game that keeps popping up here. it helped last time. im keeping track of ya all, so keep up the good work!! i started a blog on my page if ur interested.. maybe some of my feelings are what your going through and you can relate!??? ttyl