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Give and get support around quitting

MNVikes1
Member

2 Days until Quit Day

Hello everyone, I am new to these chats and I am very nervous about my quit date in 2 days. I turned 40 not long ago and I want to be done FOREVER with smoking; I want to live a long life for my kids. With recent GI issues, I also am hoping quitting smoking will help calm my stomach issues. Thanks in advance for any support as I am not one to reach out for help. This will be one of the hardest things in my life and I wish I never had started this filthy habit. Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy.

15 Replies
YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to the community!

If your quit date is in two days, you need to get BUSY!

 

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-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

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MNVikes1
Member

You're the best, THANK YOU Nancy! All of this information is very, very helpful. I am going to do some research as we speak .

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Barbscloud
Member

Welcome to the Ex.  Congrats on your upcoming quit in 2 days.  Nervous is OK.  We've all been there.  But, it's also exciting knowing that you're ready to quit and  like the rest of us, that you can do it one day at at time.  

We're here to support you on this journey.   Just reach out anytime you need encouragement or just want to share your progress.  

I'm so excited for you.

Barb

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MNVikes1
Member

Thank you Barb for the kind words. I appreciate the support so much!

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Welcome! You are making the best decision of your life!

MNVikes1
Member

Yes, it is a great decision and a hard one. I appreciate your support!

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Cousin-Itt
Member

Welcome MNVikes1  We all have been there Asking for help was hard for me also but when it came down to it Asking for help was the best thing I could have done   I wanted to live longer, heathier and enjoy life while I still can.

Read and learn as much as you can in the next 2 days.  Nancy gave you a nice list above.  

Carl 

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MNVikes1
Member

I will do that reading. Thank you so much for the support, much appreciated.

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sweetplt
Member

Hello and Welcome to Ex’s MNVikes1 , I am so happy you found our site.  Honestly, this journey takes hard work, but is doable.  Be sure to do the readings suggested above me.  Have everything ready for your Quit day...and make it Day 1, Day won.  Keep close to us...it will help keep you busy and we are here to support you thorough cravings, triggers, etc., You go...Gotcha in my thoughts ~ Colleen 585 DOF 

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