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Give and get support around quitting

Blue_Skies
Member

Can I quit just for 10 minutes?

I feel like I've tried 1000 things to quit, but I keep caving. I'm the type of person that keeps thinking to myself "I'll quit tomorrow" or "I'll just smoke right now and not again." This thought process keeps going on every single day and I'm never able to fully quit. I'll quit briefly, but then I'll cave to the thought that I'll "just smoke this once."

Has anyone had success by trying to do just the opposite? By saying something along the lines of "I just won't smoke for the next 10 minutes" every time you have an urge to smoke, and by starting over with the 10 minutes with every new urge? Is it possible to turn this into a permanent habit and then continue it forever?

I've been telling myself this for the last hour (have needed to do it at least 20 times), but so far it's been a success. Does anyone know if this can turn into a permanent success?

Thank you to those who respond!

25 Replies
YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

Wow - you should be VERY proud of yourself.  Ten minutes at a time is EXACTLY what you may have to do when you first start a quit.  Good thinking!  This isn't easy, but it IS doable.  Read all you can, be sure to have your distraction activities lined up to keep your mind (and hands) busy in the early days.

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. 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 didn't say if you are using a quit aid.  If you are,  I hope you have chosen one that doesn'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

Blue_Skies
Member

I've read a lot of Allen Carr's book and it has been a fantastic motivation for me to quit. I'm using nicotine patches but am slightly using my own method because the instructed method has failed for me many times in the past. When I used a 21mg patch, it worked great in the mornings, but the cravings returned in the afternoon and I many times caved to them. Now I cut a piece for the morning and then add a smaller piece in the afternoon and that has worked every time. I'm still going to follow the instructed timing for usage and weaning off them.

Thank you so much for the resources and support. I think going through these resources help me through every day!

DonnaMarie
Member

Patches help a  lot of people! Good for you for doing something instead of smoking. The book is a huge help. It's saved my life and helped me change the way I think. I painted myself a no smoking rock and on the back I have the saying "there is no reason to smoke" from Carr's book. You're doing great. 

Donna

elvan
Member

Welcome to EX, pay attention to YoungAtHeart‌ and the way she has so generously advised you.  I do believe that JonesCarpeDiem‌ did something very similar to what you are talking about.  He did use the patch for a while...I am sure he will jump in here either tonight or early tomorrow.  

You can do this...I cannot count the number of times I tried and failed...the difference between those quits and this quit was EX and preparation for my quit, reading, education about this addiction, staying close to the site and getting support from others, and making a serious commitment to quit.  

Best to you,

Ellen

indingrl
Member

WELCOME BLUE _SKIES ! YES YOU WILL- break it down to 3 minutes at a time . Just try for 3 minutes - victory and take another 3 minutes- WAY TO GO!

marciem
Member

I can only add my encouragement here, and congratulate you on your terrific decision to quit smoking!!

There are mantras of One Day at a Time, and NOPE (Not One Puff Ever) that we use, but believe me when I tell you for me it was One Crave (or minute, or five minutes, or ten) At a Time for the first while, and "Not One Puff Ever ( for now)" .  Forever was just to large a leap for me.  It really still is, after six years.  I can pretty much say I won't smoke in 2019 and am comfortable with that.  But with all the previous quits where I was so (over) confident that I'd "made it" only to fall off the wagon, I keep it simple now cuz I was stupid.

I suggest you do rid your space of all smoking materials, so that you have to make a real effort to get a cigarette, not have them there staring at you and telling you "It's time for another".  Your body will do a fine job of that until you defeat the physical addiction part.  Remember, your body has told you "Light one now" approx. every 20 minutes for the last however long you smoked.  It's going to keep doing that, and isn't really clear on the definition of N.O. ... but each craving WILL go away whether you smoke or not, so keep that in mind.

As advised above, read and learn all you can about this addiction and tips and tricks on making it to the other side of addiction, that of freedom from ever having to smoke again.  It is work, and can suck big eggs at times, but it is doable and so very very very VERY worth the effort you put in!!

Best to you... 10 minutes at a time!

Bonnie
Member

Thanks, marciem for the reminder...I've had a couple "urges" this month; becoming an "Elder" doesn't mean the game is over.  I told a friend of mine who's a former smoker that I made a year and she said simply, "The second year will be easier."  I thought that was a wise thing to say.  

Before you've quit

If you're still smoking say "I'm going to wait a little bit longer.

After you've quit

Say "I don't do that anymore" every time you think of smoking.

Giulia
Member

First - welcome

You say:  "I'll quit tomorrow" or "I'll just smoke right now and not again."   I said that too.  I think most of us here said that too.  But that was before we became educated about this addiction.  

When you quit, you're gonna crave.  FACT.  So you need to learn how to deal with the cravings./blogs/Giulia-blog/2018/03/01/quitting-is-a-skill-that-can-be-learned 

Yes, it can turn into a permanent success.  How much do you want it?