Help! Can’t take the first step.

[Slownsteady]

Hello everyone! I have been lurking here for a bit just trying to get advice and hear others experiences. I badly want to quit but can’t seem to take that first step. I am considering the patch but am a little nervous about any side effects. How did you all wake up in the morning and somehow avoided lighting up? I can delay during the day but morning is next to impossible!

[MarilynH]

Welcome to the community @Slownsteady you've made the best decision you'll ever make in your lifetime and it's definitely the best gift that any of us for giving ourselves the Gift of life! Please read everything you can 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 definitely NOT easy at times BUT it is absolutely doable AND totally worth it to be Free! Once you pick a quit date and your day one arrives keep your mind as well as your hands occupied so at the end of the day you'll be able to say YAY for another day WON! I drank a lot of water and still do I also chomped on carrots and celery sticks and I kept a bag of sugar free mints around in case of any unforseen cravings stay close and reach out whenever you need to or just want to vent we're all here to help you in any way we can, you can do this! Believe it! 

[Barbscloud]

@Slownsteady  Welcome to the Ex and congrats on your decision to quit.

 Anxiety about quitting is normal. Many describe it as losing their best friend, We've smoked our way through every event and emotion, so it's only normal that were apprehensive. Approaching your quit one day at a time can help t alleviate the fear. Don't think about forever right now. You'll see those one days will turn into multiple days.

Right now, you're working through the process of your desire to quit and the addiction wanting you to keep it up. You can win that internal battle by educating yourself about nicotine addiction and putting a plan in place with how you'll deal with cravings, identifying your triggers and creating the new associations you'll create instead of smoking.

I used Welbutrin and nicotrol inhalers and had little if any physical withdrawal symptoms.  An aid is an  aid and we still have to do the work.  So read lots of material on sited. Here are accouple of post from the Mayo Clinic to help with you decision.

Trying to decide on a short-acting nicotine replac... - EX Community

To NRT or Not to NRT – That is the Question - EX Community

Are Nicotine Replacement Safe? - EX Community

And you just found an amazing group of quitters the are here to support you on this journey to becoming an Ex. There will be ups and downs, but that is part of the journey. We're here for you, so just reach out anytime we can help or want to share your experience.

This link is a great place to get you started on the right track. https://www.becomeanex.org/guides/?cid=footer_community_linktobex

We're here for you, so reach out anytime we can help. 

Barb

[biscuit9]

I had to mentally prepare for my quit.  In the beginning, I had no strong desire to quit, but I had opportunity (sore mouth that would heal quicker if I quit for a few days).  In my case, I had to pray for the desire to quit smoking, something I had never done before.  That began a path to learning about nicotine addiction.  I loaded up mentally by watching smoking videos (whyquit.net has many), the ones that you don't allow yourself to watch because they show and tell the horror stories from smoking.  I watched all of them and began to naturally cut back on my smokes and when I got down to 3 per day (about 2 weeks later) I naturally set a quit date.  Nicotine addiction is evil and it will not walk away from most of us without a fight.  That is what you are dealing with.  I was terrified but I knew I had to do it.  If I continued to smoke it was going to take my breath and eventually my life.  Weigh your options and quitting is the best thing you will ever do for YOU.  Quit day 283

[CommunityAdmin]

@Slownsteady, glad you reached out as a "longtime listener, first-time caller," so to speak.

Setting a quit date is one step that may give you something concrete to work toward. You can read more about it here: https://www.becomeanex.org/why-set-your-quit-date-on-ex/ Once you set your quit date, you'll start getting recommendations on your EX Plan about things to do to get ready to quit.

Of course, the EX Community is also an amazing resource to connect and learn about what has worked for others! Glad to have you here. Keep us posted on how it's going.

- Megan, EX Team

[Slownsteady]

I woke up this morning, popped a lozenge and stayed in bed until the craving went away…..thennnnn smoked about an hour later. What the heck?? I really am terrified of the withdrawls! Has anyone found they aren’t as bad as we believe they will be? Saying I won’t smoke EVER is so big!

[biscuit9]

"Saying I won't smoke EVER is so big!"  EVER is a huge word to an addict.  In your addiction, you cannot see any way out.  Nicotine was designed to keep you coming back for more.  I firmly believed I would smoke all my life, I liked that crutch and that monkey on my back....until one day I didn't.  I just got mad at myself for this continuing self harm and me not being able to put them down.  Have you read Allen Carr's book, Easyway to quit Smoking?  When the cravings come, you have to replace nicotine with something else...hard candy, straws, your choice.  I'm on quit day 282 and I don't regret the choice I made and the freedom I have and I don't miss the guilt I used to feel.  It has been a journey of self discovery and I wouldn't have it any other way.  I wish you all the best.  

[Slownsteady]

I did read Allen Carr and much of it made sense and stuck with me. Someone here recommended Quitsmokingonline.com. Very much like Allen Carr but in a more “to the point” way. Oh how I wish it was the magic bullet!🤣

[nica79]

Yes, I can relate. I quit for 15 years but started again a couple years ago and am now hoping to quit again, but the mornings are what scare me the most. I want to "practice" by at least putting off the morning cigarette for 5 minutes, but I end up making such a big deal out of it in my head and it becomes such an internal fight for me and I smoke, can't even wait 5 minutes. So the fact that you made it an hour seems huge to me! You can try to figure out why you smoked an hour later and then figure out how to deal with that the next time. Jordan 

[Slownsteady]

I was on a streak for a few weeks where I pushed off the first one for about 45mins to an hour. The trick was to literally dash into the shower. After that it was a matter of telling myself to wait until xx time. My problem is promising myself I can smoke if I wait a certain amount of time. How far does that get anyone?? Not far at all! Have you tried getting some lozenges to pop in your mouth before you even get out of bed? I’m going to make that my new routine and see how it goes. I have also decided to get the patches but take them off at night so I don’t have nightmares!