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Give and get support around quitting

MichelleDiane
Member

Increased unwanted thoughts

Hello All.

I'm into my fourth day and am very glad, but I am unsettled by increased thoughts of smoking.  I'm using everything I can think of including staying close to this site.  I redirect my thoughts to good memories as well as envisioning my body healing and saying "thank you Michelle".  Any words of wisdom and suggestions are appreciated at this time.  I know I sound insane, but I'm glad we are having a snow storm.  It will help me to stay quit as I do not want to venture out in this, but I think that is not good thinking.  Thanks in advance for the help.

Regards,

Michelle

33 Replies
Deb-EX
Member

Hi!! You took one of the most important steps and that is reaching out to the group!!! Your thoughts are NOT insane at all, they are completely normal. I am new myself 53 Days today. I do use the patch, but those thoughts were there. My suggestions and what helped me would be to keep busy....read, read and read some more.. all the blogs/comments on this site really helped me in my first week and still up until today. Since your in a snow storm, take a nice hot bath or shower! Play MUSIC, dance. I guess the idea is to replace the thoughts, for me music really helped and before I knew it the thoughts / craving passed. 

Stay close to the sight.. You will have so many great people comment back to you soon.. The experts!! Hang in there and be proud of yourself. 

JACKIE1-25-15
Member

You will have thoughts of smoking.  How many years have you been telling yourself that you needed a cigarette?  Those thoughts do not go away in 4 days.  It takes time.  The best thought is to know that those thoughts will not be there forever.  So tell yourself.  No I do not need a cigarette.  "I don't do that anymore", I am a non smoker, I do not need a cigarette.  It is a matter of reprogramming the brain.  You can do this. Just because I think of something does not mean I have to act upon it. It can be very annoying but know that it will pass.  Hold on to that thought...."this too shall pass" and it will.   You have to go through it in order to get to.  It is not easy but doable.  Hang tough, stay close, be mindful do not give up on your quit. 

MarilynH
Member

You can and are doing this quit one precious Smokefree Day at a time or hour, minute or even one second at a time as long as you keep moving then you'll continue stacking up your precious Days WON, deep breaths and chin up because you can get through the rough patches and we're all here to help you through and congratulations on your your three days WON already when this evening arrives and you're getting ready for bed you can look yourself in the mirror and smile and say yay for another Day WON.....

You are relearning life as a nonsmoker.  I know in my case it amazed me how automatic it had become just lighting up.  My ah-ah moment, well, I had many of them and still do, is when I was about 2 months into my quit and I was stressed over something and just automatically reached for the phantom pack and stopped and said out loud whoa, I don't do that anymore.  but it being such a conditioned response, made me stop and make notice of the times when the "thought" swirled around and did a specific act in place of smoking.  So when I'm stressed, I roll carmex between my fingers or simply rub my fingers together until it passes and it does.  Deep breathing helps a great deal.  there's a boatload of videos on YouTube about that.  But you'll notice those craves come in hard, but they do eventually pass.  They always told me it would be easier.  I was skeptical two years ago.  Now, I'm living proof that it can be done.  You are living proof that it can be done !!!!!

ampan75
Member

thoughts will come and go. so need not bother about them. all thoughts do not realise. so don't fear them. just laugh at such thoughts. they will vanish soon.

Roller831
Member

You did one of the best things which is come here and let us know what is going on so we can help.  I agree with Jackie...these thoughts will not leave in 4 days.  You need to give yourself time.  Thinking about smoking or not smoking is not a bad thing per se, but acting on a smoking thought is a poor choice in my opinion.  Besides...who wants to do Day One all over again!  

One step and then another will get you to where you want to be - Larry, the Caravan Master OldBones-Larry‌  

Practice square breathing - take a breath in for a count of 4, hold it or 4, and let it out for a count of 2.  Repeat a few times.  That helped me a lot in those first few weeks.

You are on your way to stacking those days and before you know it, you will git the double digit club and then the triple digit club and then look back and be in amazement at how many DOF you really have.

I know you have extra time since you are not smoking.  Do something with that extra time!  Is there something you said you can't do because you have no time?  Now you do!  Pick up a book and read!  Alan Carr's Easy Way to Quit Smoking is a great choice!  Read blogs on this site!  Pick an /blogs/Giulia-blog/2017/06/18/elders-list-ao-december-7-2016?sr=search&searchId=025c80b9-2508-47f3-9...‌ and go read blogs!

You've got this!

MichelleDiane
Member

Thank you Deb-EX, Jackie 1-25-15, Marilyn.H.July 14,14., Crazymama_Lori, Ampan 75, rollercoaster831, and everyone else who has helped me.  I have spent this morning resting, taking a shower, giving my teeth a good brushing, knitting, coming to the site, drying my hair, coming to the site, coming to the site, coming to the site, and am now getting ready to take down my holiday decorations (inside of course due to the blizzard).  Doing all I can do even talking to myself.  I am sure I will be coming back to the ex-community often throughout today and the day after, and the day after that, etc.

Warm wishes,

Michelle

maryfreecig
Member

    I'm in NH and on storm watch too! Drama in real time.

    The smoking thoughts fade away so keep doing everything that has already worked for you, and collect some new tools too. (If you are able to zone out on TV, nothing wrong with that)

    Yes you can, one day at a time.

YoungAtHeart
Member

Of COURSE you are thinking abut smoking.  Everything you did for a very long time involved it.  Finish a task?  Have a cigarette!  Finish a meal?  Have a cigarette!  Have an upsetting conversation/phone call?  Have a cigarette!  Celebrate?  Have a cigarette!  Sad?  Have a cigarette!  Lonesome?  Have a cigarette!  Angry?  Have a cigarette!

The psychological part of this addiction is more entrenched than the physical, and takes the most time and effort to overcome. 

So - how do you do that?  You change your mind's direction.  You find new things to do in those moments.  You can take slow/deep breaths.  You can go for a quick walk, or do a few jumping jacks, or march in place.  Eat your meals and drink your coffee in different places.  Play a computer game when you re bored.  Find a new hobby - you have extra time and money now that you aren't smoking!   Keep a book handy.  Call a friend.

A thought of smoking never killed anyone - you can't say that about smoking!

Nancy