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Give and get support around quitting

Diannnnn
Member

Deluding Myself?

Greetings.

I am new to the site and have been reading some posts and blogs.  I immediately got the feeling that maybe I don't belong because I am not using the cold turkey method for my first attempt.  I have reasons, but now I wonder if they are just excuses.  I am taking some prescriptions which include fairly high dose steroids which have me wound a little tightly.  Ok, that's my wording.  Those around me would probably say I am bouncing off the walls.

I have changed my diet, am using the patch and drinking tons of water, juice and green tea.  Haven't had a diet coke in a couple of weeks and play, "distract and delay" games before I allow myself to slip.

I'm wondering if there isn't a pretty good chance I am fooling myself thinking I can quit "gently".  Opinions?

Thank you,

Dian

36 Replies
YoungAtHeart
Member

I would first talk to your doctor about the effect of steroids and use of the patches.  I am not sure how they might interact.  I am glad you have reduced the caffeine in your diet.  It is more potent when you quit smoking.  Cold turkey is FAR from a requirement on this site.  We have people here using NRTS, Rx drugs like Chantix or Welbutrin, and yes, going what we call "Smart Turkey."  The method you think is best for you IS the best method for YOU!  Also keep in mind we have an overarching philosophy here:  take what you need and leave the rest!

The most 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. Here is a link to a free PDF version of it:

http://media.wix.com/ugd/74fa87_2010cc5496521431188f905b7234a829.pdf

 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, quitsmokingonline.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. You should also do the tracking and separation exercises suggested in My Quit Plan http://www.becomeanex.org/my-quit-plan.php

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.  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.  I do not recommend the e-cigarette for three 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, and 3) the batteries can spontaneously catch on fire. . But – any method that you think will work well for you will be best for you.

The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced.  Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand. 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.  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

Diannnnn
Member

Thank you Nancy! As I type this, I am playing my, "I am craving a cigarette, but do I really want it, let's see how long I can make it without one" game. 

Thanks for mentioning the steroid and possible interactions. Everything, even how much I exercise, is with his guidance and ok. I got very lucky and have a Dr I trust implicitly. 

I appreciate the link to the book as well. It's on my to do list for today.

Nice to meet you,

Dian

0 Kudos

I just told myself to wait a little longer when I got the urge to smoke. I didn't track the time between or ever deny myself in my preparation. Getting off autopilot is the key. You will find you are smoking less without consciously thinking about smoking or not smoking.

I used the patch for most of my first two weeks.

When I forgot two days in a row, I stopped using them, but, I put one in my wallet with a promise to use it rather than smoke.

It stayed there my first year.

Diannnnn
Member

Thank you for your words of support!

Dian

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Giulia
Member

You BELONG!  Doubt not.  Whatever method you are using to quit - we are all quitters here and embrace all methods that are known to work.  Smart Turkey Smart Turkey  is better than cold turkey, however.  And let me emphasize we embrace all methods "that are known to work."  Some don't.  And anything with an excuse to smoke is one of them.  NRTs work just swell for many people so don't think you're deluding yourself on that score.  

Not having used them myself, but having done a lot of reading about them, they seem to lessen the impact of the cravings.  They take the edge off.   Is that what you mean by "gentle?"  If so, then you can quit gently.  If you mean, will they relieve cravings entirely?  No, not usually.   Because cravings (once the nicotine is out of your body in about 3 or 4 days), are mostly triggered by behavior and emotional connections.  That takes time to un-learn.  Everybody has to go through what I call a 'rite of passage' when we quit.  That rite of passage can only be accomplished by the going through it.  You can't short circuit it.  Your attitude about your quit is the thing that has the most influence on whether you will go gentle or ungentle "into that good night"...  Learn and find that right attitude and your quit will be defined by it.

Diannnnn
Member

Thank you Giulia! One of my fears is that the 'steroid high' is making this way too easy and when I am done with my taper on Friday I will wake up with the 'me' from a month ago. I feel compelled to rush around putting healthier choices into play hoping they have time to put down roots. I have a lot of motivators, so between being mindful of them and reminding myself of all the good things about not smoking....well I hope this works. Finding this site and you cool folks is a really good thing. Not surprisingly, there was a spot in my arsenal where EX fit just perfect!

Nice to 'meet' you,

Dian

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c2q
Member

there must be 50 ways to leave your addiction ... they're all the right way if they work.

drop off the key, Lee, and get yourself free ... be good to yourself, trust yourself. You are doing this.

Diannnnn
Member

Wish I had the video of my 4yo nephew singing this song....it was priceless!  

Thanks!

Dian

0 Kudos

you definitely belong.  I used the patch for around 2 1/2 months to quit.  Basically you have a month from hell and then you have to deal with the emotional garbage for around six months or so.  That's quitting in a nutshell.  Not how bad it is, is up to your mind-set.  I'm a firm believer that once you come to terms that you'll always want to smoke, you just simply have to choose not to.  Once you quit, the thoughts of smoking just doesn't go away forever.  In the beginning smoking is consuming.  You think about it all the time.  as a few months go by, you notice that there are days that you don't even think about it anymore.  It will pop up when you're mad, bored, frustrated about something, but that's what tracking your cigarettes is for in the very beginning when you first joined the site.  hopefully you followed the steps they have on here.  If not, then go back and fill that section out.  Recognize when you do most of your smoking and why.  Fill out that section about what you will do in place of.......  Print that out and slap it on your refrigerator.  Be consistent with what you're replacing smoking with.   That was my go-to piece of paper for a good six months.  It made me stop and look and take a moment before the impulse of just simply lighting up struck me and took hold.  if you're serious about quitting, want to dig your heels in, be committing, yes, you certainly, positively belong here