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Give and get support around quitting

I passed my original quit date and I'm still smoking, but very little. Should I continue with my Chantix and try to set another date

It almost feels like I'm depriving myself of something good. I know, sounds weird!

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21 Replies
marciem
Member

Hi... keep on your chantix and do not TRY to set another quit date, just DO it, soon as you can.  You don't have to think about it, you've already taken your preliminary steps and had a plan.

You ARE depriving yourself of something good... life without addiction and without cigarettes and smelling bad and coughing and missing time with friends/family who don't want to be around smokers and so many things I can't even list them.  The price is a few short weeks of feeling crummy, for even with the Chantix there is work to be done on your part, but the rewards SO outweigh the difficulties.  The difficulties are TEMPORARY.... the benefits/joys/advantages/good stuff are all PERMANENT and ever-growing.  I quit 7 years ago and still find new things to appreciate about not smoking!!

So... get rid of all smoking materials in your work/living space, and get down to business.  The only 100% guaranteed sure-fire way to quit smoking is to QUIT SMOKING.  Period end of discussion   .

sweetplt
Member

You need to talk to the Doctor who prescribed you the Chantix.  Yes you should choose another quit date...because you aren’t quit until you stop smoking.  Make sure you read at My EX Plan | BecomeAnEX and plan for that quit date.  Come here to get help and support and to encourage others on this journey.  Trust me, we all felt like we were depriving ourselves in the beginning, but you have to start somewhere in order to quit.  You can do this, and we are here to help you...~ Colleen 397 DOF 

YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

Absolutely set a new quit date - SOON!  You are supposed to keep smoking while you start the Chantix, and it might just be the reason you have been able to cut down successfully.

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.
 

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

JACKIE1-25-15
Member

Congratulations on making the decision to quit smoking.  Chantix is a quit smoking tool to help you wean from smoking.  It will cause you to taper off if you continue to use it.  I would focus on not smoking and then you can set a date.  NOPE no matter what day it is.  Commit to quitting. 

How do I navigate this website to change my quit date?

On Sat, Jan 4, 2020, 6:06 PM JACKIE1-25-15 <communityadmin@becomeanex.org>

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Barbscloud
Member

How long have you been taking the Chantix?  You're supposed to take it for awhile while you're still smoking.   Of course pick another and spend the time planning your quit.  

Barb

I keep feeling like I'm depriving myself instead of doing something good

for me! Help me change my mindset!

On Sun, Jan 5, 2020, 9:10 AM Barbscloud <communityadmin@becomeanex.org>

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Barbscloud
Member

How have you been using the Chantix?

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