Community
I have quit day tomorrow, have so many major life challenges, separation a month ago, new puppy Saturday, juggling running a business in this crisis. Tempted to say F it there’s too many challenges to quit on top of all that. Anyone out there having success with similar any similar situations?
That thought crossed my mind. Got so many things to focus on, might even help. Fortunately got bright sides. New puppy coming something I’ve been wanting for a long time
Deep breaths and believe in yourself, pick your quit date and when your day ONE arrives keep your mind as well as your hands occupied and at the end of the day you'll be able to say YAY for Day WON with many more to come stay close because we're all here to help you in any way we can.....
Life is always going to happen. What you will find out pretty quickly is that smoking causes stress. I was able to navigate my challenges much more calmly after I quit smoking. You can do this.
Welcome to the community!
There is NEVER a good reason to smoke; there are only excuses. While your current situation is challenging, it is also super busy, which actually might help you navigate the process! I like Slowonder 's take - you are relearning lots of aspects of your life; what's one more? Do some reading, make a plan and get prepared. Then COMMIT not to smoke another cigarette NO MATTER WHAT. This quote from Henry Ford speaks to our quit journeys so well: "If you think you can or think you can't, you are right."
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.
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
There is never a good time to quit in the mind of an addict. But in the mind of one who is determined to overcome the addiction, good times or bad times make no difference.
Hello and Welcome to Ex’s Rootskij75
All of us quit under stress...Life is that and it is why we convinced ourselves to continue smoking...Until we realize we are addicts and smoking never helped we our stress...so yes we were under many life things and quit...remember as smokers we can always find an excuse to keep smoking, until we had enough. Sounds like you are there and what a gift you will be giving yourself...You have some great advice above me...do the work and keep close to us at this support site for help, questions, and/or to get rid of an urge...You can do this...Make Day 1 ... Day Won...keep us posted on how you are doing..~ Colleen 494 DOF
Welcome to the Ex. Congrats on your first day smoke free. You've already gotten great advice. Stay close now and reach out if you need encouragement and want to share your journey. A new puppy is exciting-please share a photo.
Barb
I'm in a similar situation. I quit 32 days ago in the middle of a bunch of other life changes (including the end of a long relationship and a disasterous rebound, it was a mess). I figured everything is changing so why not relearn this too? Just my take.