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

Give and get support around quitting

Truztie11
Member

What other ways that can help with the craving

Is there any tips that would help me?

Tags (1)
11 Replies
YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

Understanding what is going on during a crave will help, and distraction is a powerful tool you can use.

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 it online or at your local library.

 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 in a place different from when you smoked. Maybe switch to tea for a bit.  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.  Keep a cold bottle of water with you from which to sip. 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

You've got the right idea! Searching for knowledge about addiction is exactly what you need to be doing in order to succeed!! You WILL crave a cigarette when you quit. It's just a fact that has to be faced. But you don't have to give in to what your addiction is telling you to do. This is where the knowledge comes in.

 Do you understand craves and triggers? Have you studied addiction? Do you have a solid quit plan in place to help you succeed? 

 Cigarettes are one of THE most addictive substances known to man, especially after big tobacco re-processes it to make it even more addictive. That's why it's so hard to quit and why understanding what's happening to you when  you quit is so important.

Please do all of the reading you can! We're here to help you or to vent to when you need us. You're not alone in this!! I look forward to hearing of your success!!

ONWARD TO FREEDOM!!!

Chuck

0 Kudos
Kimshine
Member

In time you will learn that the best way to beat a craving is learning that you can move on from them when it's difficult. It's a learning process and you are in the very beginning. Time will make this better. Meantime, just don't smoke, do any crave buster you can.

Ask for help here if needed.

Truztie11
Member

I just wanted to let you know that thank for the tips.    

0 Kudos
Kimshine
Member

You're welcome, it sounded like you may be hanging on by your fingernails and that is a horrible feeling!

0 Kudos
Truztie11
Member

Yea I am hanging in there. 

0 Kudos
elvan
Member

Bite into a lemon, rind and all.  Guaranteed to reset your brain.

Truztie11
Member

Elvan I'll try that thank you. 

Kimshine
Member

So how's it going? 

0 Kudos