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Give and get support around quitting

Soup
Member

Visualization Game?

Just read an Ex-blog from 2015 that got my attention because I am pursuing the same idea of making some sort of visual activity of nicotine receptors dying off in the brain (I am a very visually-oriented person). Seamac (person with 2015 blog) suggested setting up some sort of game that would visualize this. Anybody out there tried any sort of activity like this? (I also looked up research studies on NRT and  its effects on normalizing  number of nicotine receptors: if I understood studies correctly, NRT does not interfere with receptors dying off). I am a chronic relapser, and have tried every proven cessation practice out there, except group support. There are no local, face-to-face, cessation groups in my county (even tried starting a Nicanon group in past years) but never tried online support groups. The only thing I've got going for me is my desire to keep trying despite chronic failure. Anyone???

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14 Replies
YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

I think a visualization game sounds like a good idea for you.  Sorry I don't have any to offer. 

Not sure whether the process would actually lend itself since it's pretty passive - the receptors dying off.

We DO offer support here, and I credit it and the information here for my success.

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. You can search for a free pdf of it on the net (copyright enforcement won't allow me to post the link here).

 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

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Soup
Member

Thx, Nancy. The really sad thing is that I am an addictions counselor and health care educator, but cannot seem to 'heal' myself. It's like all the education in the world cannot make a difference to my nicotine addiction. I have been alcohol abstinent for 9 yrs., so know that 'recovery' from an addiction is possible. I will read your recommended sites, and recommit to trying the prep and quit date again. And I will stay close to this group.

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YoungAtHeart
Member

I think cigarette (nicotine)  addiction might be a bit tougher from which to break free.  We could smoke anytime, anywhere, and associated it with EVERY aspect of our lives and moods.  The withdrawal from the drug is the lesser of the processes.  Education and support are KEY - developing alternatives to the auto-pilot responses is key to success.

Happy to hear you are doing the reading and prep activities....they will make a difference, too!

Nancy

CommunityAdmin
Community Manager
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Soup

It's been a while since you logged in.  What's your quit date?

Mark
EX Community Manager

EX Community Admin Team
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Soup
Member

LOL--------LOVE the head in the freezer bit, but I do get it!

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I always say that you haven't lost until you give up trying. I too am a very visual person. I used visualization to ease the mind a bit. It's no magic answer, but for me it helped. My main vision was of Mt. Freedom. I saw this mountain as a journey and associated it with my quit. 

 I visualized the addict within. The face of my addiction and when the internal arguments started, I simply yelled at my addict, or in reality the addiction itself. There is no one way to quit. For me, my success was a combination of things. Personal strength, visualization, NRT's, online support, cigarette trackers and a solid understanding of my addiction helped me through the worst of it.

 When I quit, I was ready and I never relapsed this time. (I had in the past). But it's now been almost seven years since I quit. There's so much to be found at this site. Information to help is everywhere! And I found online support to be a monumental help in my quit.

 Take all the advice you get, sort through it and use it to develop a plan that will work for you. Have you set a quit date yet?

I wish you success!!

ONWARD TO FREEDOM!!!

Chuck

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Soup
Member

Thx, Chuck.  

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Daniela2016
Member

I believe in visualization as support in attaining an objective, don't know how much the nicotine receptors would react to that.  But before this group, I did not believe in support groups.  When using Weight watchers I attended one meeting then switch for the online version.  It seemed too much to me to open up to total strangers about my failures.  But believe it or not, from the first day I signed up with this group they made me part of the family.  Like many others I had many failed attempts to quit, this group lifted me up, guided me, taught me what I know, walked me to 709 days of freedom.

Welcome, please trust the process, trust what you are learning here, I am also a medical professional, but I could not shake the addiction on my own, until this group helped me do it.

Image result for roasting cigarettes in fire

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anaussiemom
Member

True Soup!  However nrts are used for other reasons, like finding things to do with your hands, hobbies, etc.
Basically it helps to slow down the craves, to change a persons triggers and make changes to behavior.

Receptor video
Nicotine and Your Brain - YouTube  Dr. Hurt.

How ever Dr. Hayes has some positives on NRTS

Are Nicotine Replacement Safe?


Blog Post created by Dr.Hays on Nov 1, 2017

Medications and Myths - F.A.Q.'s


Blog Post created by dr.hurt on Aug 13, 2010