cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Give and get support around quitting

NannaD
Member

cigarette substitutes

any tips on replacing a cigarette? I plan to use licorice sticks or candy, water and use a stress ball.  any other ideas?

Nana D

0 Kudos
9 Replies

I chewed on a plastic straw

bacardigirl
Member

Sugar-free gum, mints or candy, carrot sticks, apple slices, jello, frozen grapes, ice cubes, Crystal Light (frozen in ice cubes or popsicles)..try to keep the calories low and you'll be fine.

Get an app on your phone that tell you your progress so you can look at that whenever you have a crave - this will hopefully keep you motivated to stay quit. For the car, get an audio book to distract your cravings (your library will have these available for checkout (free is good:))

Take a walk, take deep breaths or play a short game on your phone or computer.

Good luck to you!

NannaD
Member

I think a short game on my phone or kindle will help replace the bedtime cigarette..I'll try it, thanks.

Nana D 

0 Kudos
YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

Good suggestions, above.  Also keep a cold bottle of water to sip from at all times, and maybe cinnamon sticks to suck on.  You might also try a rubber band around your wrist to serve as a reminder that you are NOT smoking a cigarette, no matter what your mind is telling you that you need.

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

0 Kudos
NannaD
Member

I've printed Allen Carr's book to read and praying that this helps me.  Also looked over the list things to do instead of smoke...great ideas.  I feel so much more hope now.  Thank you so very much!

Nana D.

0 Kudos

I can't do sugar free products. They give me an aftertaste for hours. They sell little individual jellos that are 25 calories for 20 cents. Or you can buy a 12 pack. Great portion control.  🙂

I also used wint o green lifesavers to keep my mouth fresh.

0 Kudos

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

Long term success is more about simply allowing enough time without smoking to unlearn smoking.

0 Kudos
elvan
Member

Welcome to EX...I sucked on sour candies and always had frozen cherries in the freezer at home.  I would put some in a bowl and sit here and read blogs and eat cherries...I recommend a spoon because they stain pretty brightly.

Stay close to the site, come as often as you can, read, comment, blog, read some more...see how others are handling their journeys.  We are all in this together.

Ellen

0 Kudos
Fee33
Member

I'm on day 4 on quitting and I just stay busy busy so I don't crave anything an read my Bible an now since I'm a new member on here I come here for answers as well. Reading an Praying is what I do most on this journey of a healthy life wo smokes. Hope this helps.

0 Kudos