Community
Community
ERRRRRR.....No, just I thought a funny pic from work.
So are you new to the Ex?
Today actually. Thanks! you?
No, I've been here for a little over two years. This is my first successful quit. I was teasing because I hadn't seen your name before.
Have you quit smoking or still in the planning stage?
I've quit several times, and the 30th is my final final day. You done or still out a bit? Sorry for delay in Skype meeting.
If you're asking if I've quit already, yes. I celebrated two years in March. After numerous attempts, I was finally successful. I used some aids (Welbutrin and nicotrol inhalers), but the support from the Ex really made the difference. I educated myself about nicotine addition and created a quit plan. Two things I've never done in the past. There is so much information here that can help you with your quit and the support is priceless.
I happy to see you've picked a date. Use the time to read everything you can on this site about triggers, stress, new associations and behaviors, etc. Knowing what to expect on this journey (and it is a journey), makes it doable.
And if you need support, just reach out. We're here for you.
You should be hearing from others in the community!
Barb
Congratulations and thank you!
I've been digging thru the site today and this time will be it for me. I no longer "want" to, whereas every time before I still liked them.
Welcome to the Ex james.carlton Barb has given you some great information above to help you get started on your quit. I'll add just 2 things:
It helps to participate in the daily pledge to not smoke; that will come to you by email.
Also by e-mail is a thread called Shout Your Stats : It shows the progress you are making. An example are my stats:
Days quit 141 / Cigarettes not smoked 2115. So I haven't smoked in 141 days and if I had kept smoking I would have smoked 2115. So, I've saved myself from the health affects of over 2000 cigarettes!!
So tomorrow your days quit will be one and the cigarettes not smoked will be what you would have smoked for a day had you not quit. Make sense??
Hang in there and be a winner by not smoking for one whole day and you will be on your way!
~Suzy
Thank you!
Welcome to our quit family. Do not cut with knife, huh? What're you supposed to use Magic?
There's no magic in quitting, just hard work and persistence. Quitting is a Skill that CAN be Learned Fourteen years ago I finally got tired enough of "Day Ones" that I decided to never have another. And so far so good! Sounds like you might be at that point yourself. Prepare well. A strong prep goes a long way toward success. Cheers! Glad you've joined us.
Welcome to the community james.carlton when May 30th rolls around you can and will turn your DAY ONE INTO DAY WON with many more to come stay close because we're all here to help you in any way we can you can do this quit believe and read everything you can because there's a wealth of information right here on this site to strengthen your resolve to kick the nicotine poison to the curb permanently it's not easy by any stretch of the imagination but it's definetly doable and so very worth it to be Free....
Hi and Welcome to Ex’s james.carlton ... glad you found our site...keep close for support to quit smoking. Be sure to read at My EX Plan | BecomeAnEX ... to work on a plan, then read here to learn more about addiction ... You can do this...we are here to help you...Colleen 541 DOF
Welcome to the community!
Funny picture. I LOVE the way packages are being labeled as they roll in these days, but I am glad they ARE rolling in!!
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 obvious reasons.
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
Hugs and prayers to you!
I give up. Is that a carton of cigarettes?