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Give and get support around quitting

MR_Pete
Member

48 year tobacco user

After 48 years of tobacco use, I finally came to a point in life when I know I need to quit. I began using skoal at age 12, then started smoking all through my teens and early 20's. I was 2-3 packs a day. Then at 21 I switched back to skoal at a rate of 1 can a day. I just turned 61 so you can see the bulk of my life has been on tobacco,. I took my last dip of skoal exactly 2 weeks ago and began using an herbal snuff and 14 mg patch. I know the road ahead will have challenges, but I know I will be quit from here on out, since my head is in the game to be off this stuff finally. I have 4 more weeks of NRT patches unless I stop sooner, but I'll probably stay with the herbal snuff since I enjoy having chew in all day long.

8 Replies
YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to the community!

TWO weeks quit is HUGE!  You have made it through H#ll and Heck Weeks.  You are doing great!

(I forgot to warn you that you will need to sub the word "chew" when I mention smoking or cigarettes....!   )

 

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.

My recommendation is that you go to a lower dose patch before stopping them entirely.  That way you get off it gradually and your body gets used to having less nicotine before you stop it entirely.

 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

sweetplt
Member

Hi and Welcome to Ex’s MR_Pete 

So glad you are quitting the chew...nicotine...you received some good advice and things to read above me...it does sound like you have a plan and committed to this quit, however, keep close to the support site for help...we are here for you...Congratulations on your journey...~ Colleen 640 DOF 

elvan
Member

Welcome to EX,  please pay attention to what YoungAtHeart‌ has shared with you. No matter what your delivery method for the nicotine is...it is a very addictive substance and recovery is a journey, not an event.  I smoked for 47 years, quit over 6 1/2 years ago after many, many short quits.  Once I found EX, everything changed.  I had support from people who knew EXACTLY what I was going through each step on my journey.  They listened to me when I asked for help, they offered help through their blogs and their comments on blogs.  I suggest, that you stay close to the site.  I have no experience with chew, only cigarettes but I know nicotine and its power.to pull us back in.  Two weeks is wonderful, you need to keep going.  I agree that it is probably best to follow the directions on the patch, cut down by the amounts instructed.  JonesCarpeDiem‌ knows more about the patches than I do...I did not use any nicotine replacement.  I am hoping he will read your blog and make suggestions.

Best,

Ellen

My advise would be to listen to your body.

Use the patch until you forget to put one on and see how you do.

This happened my 4th day.

The fifth day I felt I needed it so I put one on.

My second week I forgot two days in a row.

I put one in my wallet with the promise I would put it on rather than smoke.

You may be prolonging the addiction by continuing to use the herbal snuff.

The ritual in our daily life can be more compelling than the nicotine

Snuff was your ritual. Smoking was ours.

Eventually you need to unlearn the ritual or you'll likely risk adding back to the nicotine. 

elvan
Member

JonesCarpeDiem‌ Thanks.

Ellen

Barbscloud
Member

Welcome to the Ex and congrats on you two weeks nicotine free.  I would follow the directions for the nicotine patch.  One of the reasons NRT doesn't work for quitters is that they quit too soon.   If you didn't do so already I would review the material about having a quit plan.   It really helps for a successful quit.

So glad you joined us. Reach out if you need encouragement or to continue to share your journey.  Sharing your journey helps other new quitters.

Barb

beazel
Member

Great job! 2 weeks is awesome!!

Lots of long-time smokers here, so we understand.

Please stick around, read lots, post often.

indingrl
Member

 MR_Pete