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Give and get support around quitting

Wanttostopnow
Member

Anyone trying to give up smoking E cigs?

I started smoking E cigs 4 years ago during my divorce , just to keep from going back to real cigs. I'm more addicted to this thing than I ever was real cigs.

this is my 10th time trying to quit .

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6 Replies
YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

Stopping an e-cig is no different than quitting smoking ---- it's just a different nicotine delivery system.  You are still doing the same hand to mouth motion, the same inhale, using it as a response to stress, loneliness, boredom, etc.  You will still have the physical withdrawal from nicotine and the same psychological relearning process.

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

They are insidious as are the people who tell others to use them. They encourage people to remain addicts.

All in a push to make them as socially acceptable as possible in order to give themselves permission for their own addiction.

/blogs/jonescarp.aka.dale.Jan_2007-blog/2011/06/26/what-to-expect-in-the-first-four-months 

elvan
Member

Welcome to EX, you have come to the right place to quit nicotine...addiction is addiction.  Please pay attention to what YoungAtHeart‌ and JonesCarpeDiem‌ wrote.  

Ellen

bonniebee
Member

   sayings welcome we are glad you are here.jpgI used the e-cigs at the very beginning of my quit along with the partch but I used it as an NRT and not to switch from the smokes. I was very careful only to use it as a last alternative and I had no trouble getting off of them .

   I am sorry you got hooked on them but You can get off the same way people quit the sickerettes . Stick with this great group and you will have so much support choose a quit date now and then make a plan just do not use the E-cig as part of it since you are already addicted to it . 

JACKIE1-25-15
Member

You have come to the right place for a new day and a rebirth. This is all about you and what you are willing to do to be smoke free. Quitting smoking requires hard work.  It can be challenging at times but you will learn that it is doable if you adhere to NOPE not one puff ever no matter what. 

Start first, by educating yourself about nicotine addiction.  

Education is the key to a successful quit.

Read: Freedom from Nicotine My Journey Home and Nicotine Addiction 101         

Here are the links: http://whyquit.com/whyquit/LinksAAddiction.html   and http://whyquit.com/ffn/

I also encourage you to read. Allen Carr’s book, “Easy Easier Way to Quit Smoking”.       

The link is here:  http://media.wix.com/ugd/74fa87_2010cc5496521431188f905b7234a829.pdf

 Go to http://www.becomeanex.org/how-to-quit-smoking.php#thl and get started. 

We will support you. You are on your journey to freedom

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maryfreecig
Member

I had all but lost my will to quit when I quit in 2013--had smoked for most of the 37 years since starting at age 17. So I think the starting point is quitting, not quitting E-cigs verses cigarettes (filtered cigarettes and non filtered cigarettes are concoctions, too--they are not rolled up tobacco leaf with filter, instead, they are engineered...including how much nicotine is in them). 

Quitting is on your mind, so it seems, so why not work from there. Make a plan, set a date, consider your weak points and what you might do to keep your quit on track. Participating here can help chase the blues or spooks away. 

Got to say, that I have had to learn to not run away from pain, anger and anxiety in order to stay smober. I've come to appreciate my feelings without having to run away with them. I also have saved 11,000 bucks over the past few years!!! I'm not complaining about that! And I'm proud of myself for seeing the tough times through. 

Please stick around: check out pages, blogs, links...and keep participating!