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Give and get support around quitting

yano.hrndz
Member

Anybody out there?

New EX member, card-carrying queerdo. Hope this group isn't all dust and tumbleweeds!

Marco?

14 Replies
sweetplt
Member

HI and Welcome to Ex’s Marco yano.hrndz 

I am glad you found our site...

New EX member, card-carrying queerdo. Hope this group isn't all dust and tumbleweeds!#

Not sure what this means.   We are a quit site and I assume you are here to quit smoking.  If you haven’t already, please read at My EX Plan | BecomeAnEX ... here you will plan your quit day and plan for this day like no other.  Listing those healthy items you will do instead of smoking.  Then read the posts about quitting/addiction.  Rid all smoking paraphernalia the night before you quit.  Be sure to come here for support and to encourage others on this journey.  This site is doable, but takes hard work.  We are here for you...Colleen 590 DOF 

CommunityAdmin
Community Manager
Community Manager

sweetpltBarbscloud‌ and RoseH

I'm guessing that yano.hrndz‌ wondered if the LGBTQ‌ group was vacant like a deserted wild west town due to recency of last post. Understandable concern.  There are others here in the community I know who are interested in this group being more active. I think between those who identify as LGBTQ+ and those who are LGBTQ+ adjacent (myself included) that there is opportunity for this group to be more vibrant and active. It just takes people checking in more often.  I'm sure there are others who come to the community as guests or find us through Google who would get involved if there was more activity here. I'm excited for this to happen.

Glad you posted yano.hrndz‌!

Mark
EX Community Manager

EX Community Admin Team
Barbscloud
Member

Welcome to Ex and congrats on your decision to quit.  I don't know what that means either about dust and tumbleweeds?

Barb

YoungAtHeart
Member

Polo!

RoseH
Member

Me too does not understand your post.  However, I do truly believe all humans are the same in many ways regarding the steps we must all take to quit smoking...  I sent you a Quit Kit in a private message and it may help you to Keep a quit!  Welcome!

YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to the community!

We are a diverse community site hosted by the Mayo Clinic, populated with young and old who have successfully quit smoking who want to help others do the same, and by people just starting and those on the journey to conquer nicotine addiction from any source.  Our advice comes from our own experiences in quitting, and by reading about what worked for others.  Rarely are we a ghost town, unless you venture into a group that s not active.  Check the dates of last reply when you visit one of them.

 

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

indingrl
Member

 and CONGRATS on YOUR NEW non smoker life style - WAY TO GO 

maryfreecig
Member

We are a come as you are community. If you want to quit, you've landed in the right place. Welcome to Ex.

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/docs/DOC-1820-helpful-blogs-discussions-comments-videos-links-inf... 

Welcome! Blog away!