So how do I minimize my cravings when I don't drink coffee I cannot eat anything minty like mints peppermints life savor mints because those make me want to smoke more I smoked menthol cigarettes so anything minty does not help my cravings it makes them worst any tips? And I don't want to use nictotine products for a substitute! Thanks in advance
Wow thanks so much!
I ate sour candies and frozen cherries and I kept ice water next to me all of the time. Glad you have met Youngatheart.7.4.12. Welcome to EX.
I'm gonna try the frozen grapes thanks
SUGGESTIONS THIS GROUP OF STAYING QUITTERS said to ME sprinkle Cinnamon on your applesauce and drink lots of water and eat oranges and stay on this site reading blogs and type blogs to vent your emotional thinking so help will help before you take that first puff over you....educate yourself on your nicotine addiction not anyone else... go to whyquit.com Joel has videos from
nicotine addictions... Bryon early death video broke MY denial that I am a nicotine addicted and powerless over nicotine... everyone here made all SUGGESTIONS to ME when I was a newcomer... thank you for helping to STAY quit TODAY with you and all here ... TOGETHER.... one breath at a time in Jesus name amen please take what HELPS and let go of the rest... thanks for letting ME share.
Thanks so much
Awe you are most welcome
Hi - As far as cravings go, try breathing through a straw or suck on non-minty hard candy or fruit flavored gum if mint tends to trigger you. Go for a walk. Suck on an ice cube. I like frozen grapes as well.
Usually JACKIE1-25-15 posts many of these links, but I would suggest you read read read.
101 Things to Do Instead of Smoke
What To Expect In The First Four Months
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.
Welcome to our community!
You can cut up straws to chew and to fiddle with in your fingers, get some cinnamon flavored toothpicks or cinnamon sticks to suck on (someone who used to be here flavored their own, soaking in things like orange juice, pineapple juice, etc. and then letting them dry) put a rubber band around your wrist and snap it when you get a craving to remind yourself you have quit and to move on, keep a cold bottle of water handy at ALL times from which to sip. Carry some tunes with you to listen to for a distraction - sing out loud to them (if you don't mind folks staring!!!!)
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.
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-instead-of-smoke
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