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I am looking for some support I was on QuitNet a few years ago for my quit that was about a year long. The support really helped me along. I went there today to learn they are closing the doors so I came here Looking for support. Not really sure how to navigate this site yet and don’t know if I am posting correctly. Any help would be appreciated I have set my quit date as January 10th. Thanks in advance
Welcome! You are off to a great start reading the postings in the Get Quit & Stay Quit and Musings groups "elsewhere" to educate yourself.
I encourage you to click on the "My Quit Plan" in the upper right corner and go through the modules there to continue your preparation. Others will be along to give you their "usual" spiels to help you. Best Wishes.
Welcome. LOVE your scooterbutt name! And your avatar for that matter. So who's the scooterbutt you or doggie? Suggest you create posts (unless they're questions) by clicking on the pencil icon (upper right), then selecting Blog or Discussion. Might get more eyeballs upon it. Glad you've joined us. If I can help steer you around the place, just send me a PM (click on my avatar or name), then find Actions upper right, and select Send Direct Message. You can get to anyone's page that way.
Time to get that Quit back again. We're here to journey with you. Chin up!
Welcome Scooterbutt great decision. you have landed at a very helpful site! You can do this!
Blessings,
Nancy
To life
Welcome and CONGRATS on set date - yahooooooo
Welcome to our community!
You have posted in exactly the right place to introduce yourself. Here is something that you might find helpful in navigating around: EX to EX INSTRUCTIONS.
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 easy and entertaining read provided a world of good information about nicotine addiction, most of which I was not aware. I credit it in large part with my success at quitting. You can search for it online or at your local library.
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.
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. If used properly, gum, lozenges and inhalers are fine, but they need to be used only as a last resort after you have tried to delay and distract. 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. You need to start out with a plan to reduce use of them over time - which the patch does by decreasing the dose contained in them.. For the gum, you can start by cutting each piece in half, then in quarters, then sub regular gum of the same flavor in between, adding more and more regular gum. For the lozenge, you need to start subbing a mint in between to begin, increasing the number of them over time. I do not recommend the e-cigarette for five 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, 3) the batteries can spontaneously catch on fire 4) you can easily become addicted to that and 5) it has not yet been proven safe .
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-instead-of-smoke
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
Welcome to the Ex and congrats on your decision. You did it right! Use this time to educate yourself about nicotine addiction and preparing your quit plan. I also signed up for daily text messages from the Ex the really helped me get excited about my quit. We're here for you, so just reach out if you need help. Stay close. We'll be here celebrating with you on the 10th.
Barb
Hi and Welcome to Ex’s...Scooterbutt
Whoo Hoo...Cheers to a New Year and Quitting smoking on the 10th...please prepare for that day like no other...follow the advice above me...especially YoungAtHeart and you will be off to a good start. Keep close to the support site to get help and encourage others in this journey...Happy Tuesday ~ Colleen 393 DOF
As the posters have said, you've landed in a fantastic place.
I just got here myself a day or so ago....I am also a Quitnet refugee.
Welcome aboard!!!!
Welcome to Ex! Glad you found this wonderful community. Take this time before your date to explore and read and learn. Much support here, as we are all family here
Welcome to Ex. Stay tuned into Ex--read, learn, blog (and yes you got it right), comment. Becoming smober is a part of quitting--not just staying away from cigarettes and Ex has plenty of experience and wisdom to offer. And as a member of the community you get to give it back.
Welcome. Read everything you can get your hands on. Make a plan and stick to it. Decide how U want to Quit. Cold Turkey or Nicotine Replacement. One is not better than the other. Do what works for you. It's not a one size fits all situation with Addiction. I used patches, prayer. NOPE really is the only way.
Yes you are doing this correctly. I am from the quitnet, i have been smoke free for six months There are more from the quitnet on here on the main page there is an announcement for quitnet friends Giulia Barbscloud can help you with navigating the site. Cousin-Itt ClearColors