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Give and get support around quitting

GLQuinn1509
Member

Prep work

I brought my gum & got my patches from the doc all 3 steps this time . And I’ve gotten rid of all the ash treys in my room . I also brought an air purifier. And threw away the ash trey in the car . Is there anything else I can do to “prep” for my quit date . Tips welcome . 

4 Replies
YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

Can I ever give you tips!  Read on to help understand this addiction, to plan and prepare for this quit (more than just slapping on a patch!).  If you do the work, you can be successful.  You can ALSO be successful if you don't take this seriously, but it won't be as easy, and your chances of being successful will be diminished.

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. If you do nothing else to get ready for your quit, please do give this a read.  It helped me (and lots of others) think about smoking differently and ultimately led, I believe, to our success at this.


 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. Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be

It will be informative if you do the tracking and separation exercises recommended here on the site. As you track each cigarette smoked, note its importance, and what you might do instead. Put each one off just a little to prove that you don't NEED a cigarette just because you think you do.
 

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

sweetplt
Member

Hi and Welcome to Ex’s GLQuinn1509 

Glad you decided to quit smoking...so happy you threw away all smoking paraphernalia... that is a biggie...do the readings suggested by YoungAtHeart above me...my extra tips...keep busy, and drink lots of water...and delay the urge ... keep close to the support site and keep us posted...Hoping Day 1 is Day Won...~ Colleen 334 DOF 

Barbscloud
Member

Welcome to the Ex.  Congrats on your decision to quit.  Good to see your preparing.  Understanding this addiction and preparation really help to achieve a successful quit.  Keeping busy really helped me a lot.  I would walk, chew on straws and use sour hard candy to help with my craves.  Remember it's one day at a time.

Barb

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Giulia
Member

Welcome to da family!  You're starting out on the right foot!  One of the things that I found helpful was to write little notes and stick THEM up around my house where my eyes would catch them.  Things like YES YOU CAN! - ATTITUDE STUPID! - GET UP, GET OUT, DON'T SIT AND DWELL - WHAT DO I NEED TO LEARN TODAY?  Whatever thoughts or phrases that help promote a positive or a happy challenge for you.  And don't forget to bring along your sense of humor.  Humor really helps during this out-of-mind, out-of-body discomfort zone.  Don't take yourself nor your moods too seriously.  Glad you've joined us!  And come here every day in the beginning and READ everything you can get your eyeballs on.