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Hi am on day 2 of my life as a ex-smoker... STRESS is a major trigger point for me Any time I go thru something I reach for a cigarette I am using the lozenges and the patch does anyone have any other options or suggestions for me to utilize what works for you when you are triggered
Thank you
Helen Y
Welcome to the community!
Once you do the reading I will recommend, you will come to understand that a good bit of the stress you feel is caused by the last cigarette you smoked. Read on to understand the truth to this! There are lots of relaxation techniques that will help, too. Slow/deep breaths, going slower and deeper with each for 2-5 minutes will help, as will marching in place, or going for a walk, or doing a few sets of stairs or a few jumping jacks. Counting backwards from 1,000 also reduces it.
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 four 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) it maintains the addiction to nicotine, and 4) they are proving to be unsafe.
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
Deep breathing exercises were and still are my go-to for stress. there are lots of youtubes showing the basics. I use the 4x4.... in deep thru the nose count of 4, hold for count of 4, out thru pursed lips count of 4 (or more, esp. if you have COPD), hold again for 4. Concentrate on your breathing only, not on what's stressing you. Repeat 5 or more times. It can be very calming. So can getting up and walking away from the stressful situation, breathing all the while.
More and more you hear on various tv shows & movies, when someone is going off... someone will say "take a breath". I notice it because they never used to, and it is really a game changer for anger and stressful situations and of course great for quitting smoking as it gives your lungs something to do and makes you conscious of your lung action (and also gives a little head buzz sometimes)
Hi hyhy6474
Now remember what worked for me may not work for you since quits will vary. I survived on music, suckers and frozen grapes. I always played music and still do from my younger years in my truck and at home I found you can't have a crave and sing at the same time. I started out using suckers all the time Than I was told about frozen grapes which I might add are awesome in my opinion for the hand and mouth. So at home I ate frozen grapes and I kept dum dums in my truck My bank also had suckers out for customer and the tellers always gave me a handful
Find what works for you. flavored tooth picks, plastic straws gum etc.... Just take a day or minute at a time
Carl
I'm not the punctuation police by any means. But I'm laughing at my own self because I was ready to ask you where you bought "music suckers" and what exactly they were... ....until I read further and figured it out myself. (we did used to have "whistle pops" (suckers that were whistles until you ate most of them down) when I was a kid... maybe that's where my mind went)
so maybe you did mean music suckers and not music, suckers and frozen grapes which I decided you meant.
oh... edit to add they do still have those whistle pops! Called Chupa Chups ..
I should read what I write lol
Deep breathing and chewing straws....just ride out the 3 minute crave and take it day by day....you got this!!!!
Deep breathing, music, blowing bubbles, long relaxing baths, spend time in places where smoking is not allowed, there are a LOT of them.
Pay attention to Youngatheart.7.4.12 and know that what she and others have shared with you is golden.
Ellen
Whoo hoo ... Welcome to Day 3 of your quit....you have received good advice above me...do the work...
I found what helped me when triggered was taking a walk, praying, drinking lots of water, cleaned the house, etc.,
come up with a “go to” list...keep close to our support group, we are here to help you...Happy Friday ~ Colleen 452 DOF
Welcome and congrats on day 3 smoke free. I kept busy, walked, used Sour Patch Kids, chewed on straws and most importantly spent time on the Ex reading and posting. Support plays a big role for many successful quits. Reach out if you need help.
Barb
Day 4 and I am doing so so. My family members so negative like oh you're going to go back you're going to pick up again you're full of poop you're going to smoke anyway I guess cuz I quit so many times and I pick back up that people don't believe that I'm going to stay quit but I'm determined no matter what.
Talk to Text does not have punctuation. LOL I'm deep breathing I'm sucking on mints and nicotine lozenge using the patch. Doing whatever it takes to make sure that I keep not smoking. I'm drinking more water. I feel more alive more energetic believe it or not I have more energy more I could breathe
Congrats on getting through the first four days. That's HUGE!
I want to lend some caution to your use of both the patch and lozenges. Be careful you are not ingesting more nicotine than when you smoked. Each cigarette had about 1 mg in it - so if you are using a 21 mg patch, that's equal to a pack-a day without adding in a bunch of lozenges. It will help if you keep busy, keep distracted and limit use of them, if you can, to the times where it's either a lozenge or a cigarette. Be careful you aren't subbing a lozenge for every cigarette you used to smoke. It's easy to just trade one addiction for another.
You'll get the hang of this - just keep at it!!!
Keep going!
Nancy
I agree which is why I bought some breath mints instead of using the lozenges. I also developed a sore in my mouth from them so I am not going to risk hurting my mouth or getting nicotine poisoning the mints are fine. And I bought sugar free ones. Thank you however for the advice I appreciate it
A good deep breathing exercise. I often hold two fingers to my lips on the inhalation part--like I'm smoking-- then remove my fingers for the exhale. It works well for me. Also, what great tips have been given in the above posts. Try them out and see what ones work for you and discard the rest. Your main goal is Not One Puff Ever (NOPE) No matter what (NMW)! Congrats on the work you've done so far, and remember: once you had that last cigarette you became a non-smoker :-)
Big congrats on day 4. You're on your way to a successful quit. Follow the instructions on your NRT and you'll be fine. You'll wean yourself off of them as you move forward. Chewing on straws has also been helpful for many. I would destroy them!
Don't let your family bring you down. Many of us have multiple attempts, so I guess it's understandable those close to us would be skeptical. Prove them wrong this time and I'm sure they'll be celebrating with you. It's important to remember it's your quit, no one else's. I'm sure it's been said already, but we're going to have stress in our lives whether we smoke or not. It's learning new ways to deal with it. You can do it.
Remember we believe in you and are here to support you. That's what this site is all about. We enjoy sharing in your celebrations. Stay close.
Barb
What great news Hyhy6474... lean in to us for positive vibes abd support..your family will come along in time. Hang tight. Keep on keeping on. We are here for you.
I use a Quitgo! Check it out. Helps me a lot. I also still suck on my Juul (w/ an EMPTY POD of course) just for comfort. Suckers, too!