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Give and get support around quitting

JOconnor
Member

Needing help

I smoke for so long. Now on limit income I need to stop. How everyone doing it?

11 Replies
YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

The 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. Here's a link to a video here on the site which describes nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.
 
 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, quitsmoking.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 recommended here on the site.
 
 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.  1-800 Quit-Now can supply you with free patches, as probably can your County or State Health Department.   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

MarilynH
Member

You can do this JOconnor please read the links suggested above me and keep reading everything you can about quitting smoking and remaining quit because there's a wealth of information right here on this site to strengthen your resolve to kick the nicotine poison to the curb and start living a Smokefree Life it's definetly difficult to say the least but it's also very Doable it'll be great for your wallet but it'll also be great for your health ...... 

Giulia
Member

We did it by educating ourselves about the addiction.  I found the following "cartoon" very helpful.

You'll save a lot of money when you quit, but more importantly - you'll save you life.

dwills
Member

Love that cartoon!

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elvan
Member

PLEASE pay attention to the advice you have been given, stay close to this site, let us know how you are doing and know that we have all been where you are.  We all had to start at the beginning and there are no shortcuts in this recovery.  It is a journey, not an event, one day at a time.  Education, support, and commitment will get you over the rough spots.

We are here for you.

Ellen

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jconfusion
Member

I quit smoking for my cat chaos.  I used Nicorette to cover my craving nicotine for 3 months last month was to ween myself off the gum. and ive been smoke free for 7 years.   and im the last person a lot of ppl thought I would quit smoking but you don't now how string you are until you try, good luck!  read all you can on this site and we are all one giant quitting smoking family! this sites really helps!

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elvan
Member

You need to do this one day at a time...read blogs others have written, pay attention to advice given...you are not in this alone, just look at the people reaching out to you.  Be open to their suggestions, I remember coming here and reading blogs people wrote about this being their "Forever" quit...I wondered how on earth they KNEW that...I wondered if there was any chance that I would ever feel like I could say that...I had many failed quits on my own.  Coming here and quitting with this support was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life.

Believe in yourself and believe that you can take the first step in this journey...you can make your environment smoke free and into a healthy place for you to grow stronger every day.

Ellen

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Barbscloud
Member

We're doing it so many different ways.  None of them are easy.  Cold Turkey or with NRT.  What  works for you is the best choice.  I smoked for 50 years, so it's possible for anyone, including you.  There will be hard times, but get excited about your quit.  And know, that the best part is that there are some amazing people here that will help you make it possible if your truly want it.

Barb

297 DOF

JACKIE1-25-15
Member

Welcome to EX Having the right attitude plays a major part in being successful. Also, educate yourself about nicotine addiction.  NOPE (Not One puff ever) will keep you free.  

Start First, by educating yourself about nicotine addiction.  Education is the key to a successful quit.

Understand the law of addiction."

Law of Addiction 

Administration of a drug to an addict will cause re-establishment of chemical dependence upon the addictive substance."

Quick Reads: 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/  

Also Read   Allen Carr’s book, “Easy Easier Way to Quit Smoking”.  Which can be purchased of found pdf format on the internet. You can start here My EX Plan | BecomeAnEX  Help Community to learn how to navigate around the site. 

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