My quit date is a week off (June 19) based on having begun Zyban on June 5. I am stunned that at this point I don't want to smoke (in my mind) but the urges are relentless (in my brain). I get literally nervous and scattered when I try to resist lighting up in an effort to simply scale down prior to next weeks quit. I currently smoke 2 pks a day. Many thoughts have crossed my mind on how I can best cope with nicotine withdrawal, including the possibility of using a patch as well come my quit date. Although it has been said that nicotine cravings last only a couple of minutes, mine do not. They go on and on. I am also considering begining the patch now in place of cigarettes, reasoning that if I really don't want to physcally smoke, I can at least lay to rest the "going thru the motions" aspects of smoking so I have only the nicotine withdrawal aspect to deal with next week. At the moment, I feel like I am in some kind of smoking purgatory. I feel quite desperate to put an end to the smoking, and don't know if I can make it a week being neither here nor there. As I write, I am seeing that i may be more ready than I thought to move my quit up. Waiting a week seems to be prolonging the inevitable, because I AM going to QUIT! Thoughts?
Good morning Lesco, Welcome to EX Congratulations on making the decision to quit smoking. You have come to the right place for support. If you stay around you will learn more about the addiction. You call it purgatory. It is best that you plan and prepare for your quit. You have set a date now you need to focus on educating yourself. Start by going My EX Plan | BecomeAnEX watch to videos, answer questions, learn about your triggers and track your cigarettes. You time to do that before you quit date if you haven't already. Come here as often as you get to read study to get the know the community and vice versa. Here are a few links to help you with the study part.
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”.