Just posted my day one quit blog. Just a heads up for those of you thinking about using NRT. If you think it's going to be a replace all. It's not. Get your quit kit together and do your research on this addiction because you are definitely going to need it. The nicotine patch did keep the edge off the cravings. But they were still there and I still needed to grab for a way around/through them. So don't ruin your quit by thinking NRT is going to do it all for you. THEY'RE NOT!!! Learned that my very first day. Thought I"d pass it on .
You can change up your routines so the associations and triggers are reduced. Keep a cold bottle of water handy from which to sip. Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand. Find new routes to drive to your usual places. Move the furniture around in the place you used to smoke - face it in a different direction. Stay busy! Clean out a drawer, or a closet. Play a computer game. Here are some other ideas:
https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instead-of-smoke
This takes effort and planning in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.
You are absolutely correct! NRT's are not going to quit FOR you. They allow you to concentrate on the associations/triggers and put off the nicotine withdrawal until later. If you use the patch correctly, you will gradually reduce the amount of nicotine so the withdrawal from it totally is not so onerous.
Great blog!
Nancy