I feel like that’s all I think about

Discussion created by dudley87 on Jan 10, 2021
Latest reply on Jan 16, 2021 by anaussiemom

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My mind is consumed about constantly trying to quit smoking. I’m heading into day 5. I’m thinking about it too much right? My body is ridding the toxins out as we speak so my body feels so strange! Is this normal? Haha. I was at target this evening and literally could feel myself sweating all those nasty chemicals out! Now I’m wide awake... still thinking about my journey. Grrrr. But I also feel so amazing at the same time. Is that possible? Today was really rough for me. Not necessarily the cravings... but my body just getting rid of everything. I’m literally in detox mode and I don’t know what to do with myself to occupy the mind. Advice would be great fellow exes. And congratulations to everyone. We GOT this.

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36 Replies

sweetplt Jan 10, 2021 8:33 AM
Hi and Welcome to Ex’s dudley87
Glad you found our site...Congratulations on 5 days of Freedom...Actually, we call this first week hell week. It is all about just keeping the quit...as far as you feeling odd that is normal, be sure to be drinking lots of water. I suggest you read at My EX Plan | BecomeAnEX , also, keep close to the support site to educate yourself on addiction and quitting. This doable, but takes hard work and commitment to make quitting your number one priority. Remember we smoked through everything in our life, it takes time to feel good in our non smoking skin. Keep busy .. here is a list to get you started....100 Things to do instead of smoking! For me, I came to Ex’s and helped encourage others, I prayed, I walked, exercised, knitted, did jigsaw puzzles, cleaned every inch of my house, etc., We are here for you, keep close...Colleen 769 DOF
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- dudley87 @ sweetplt on Jan 10, 2021 9:19 AM
  Hey! Thank you so much for your sweet reply! I typed that in the middle of the night wide awake fighting off these terrible symptoms. I’m glad I’m not alone and running to this page for support has been a god send omg!!!! It HELPS me
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  - maryfreecig @ dudley87 on Jan 10, 2021 10:01 AM
    You are definitely normal dudley87!!! The stuff you are feeling...well that is why Ex says things like one day at a time so often, one hour if need be. Welcome to the Ex community. Keep up the good work. (
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Barbscloud Jan 10, 2021 9:30 AM
Good morning dudley87 This is so normal right now so try to find activities to distract yourself. Deep breathing, video games, exercise, etc. Walking really helped me a lot. Even just a short walk helped me to refocus my thinking.
Remind yourself "I don't do that anymore" when you have those thoughts.
Keep moving forward one day at a time. Big congrats on 5 days smoke free.
Barb
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- dudley87 @ Barbscloud on Jan 10, 2021 11:17 AM
  Thanks barb! That’s what I keep telling myself. I feel great today thus far lol. The sweating out toxins is what has me! I think I grossed myself out to the point I have no desire to touch one EVER again. We’ve recently just started eating better so this is also helpful thru my journey. Thanks for words of encouragement and of course congrats in your journey as well!
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Youngatheart.7.4.12 Jan 10, 2021 9:48 AM
Welcome to our community!

Everything you are feeling is perfectly normal. Here is a blog which outlines the symptoms: Early Withdrawal Symptoms. This quit thing is a journey, not an event, and you will get through the process taking it one day at a time. You are doing GREAT to be almost 5 days quit. The nicotine was out of your body in three days; then it's a few weeks for it to adjust to life without the drug. THEN it's the associations and triggers you will be left to deal with and that timeline depends on how well you change up your routines and distract yourself. Learning to change your mind's direction and to not argue with yourself about smoking are two important skills that will serve you well.

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.” You can search for it online or at your local library. Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.

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! . 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), 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. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. You might visit “Games”: https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/games. The active ones are at the top of the list going down the left side of the homepage. 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
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- dudley87 @ Youngatheart.7.4.12 on Jan 10, 2021 11:22 AM
  Wow Nancy! Thanks for all that info! Very very helpful! I have some nicorette gum on hand I use here and there but that’s very infrequent. You are totally right on distracting for 3 Minutes! Super helpful and I try to tell myself it’s temporary and I got this! I’ve read about cigarettes and totally just freaked myself out so I’m so done. I don’t want that crap in my body
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dudley87 Jan 10, 2021 11:32 AM
Switching the routine is SO helpful
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- Hannahkim12345 @ dudley87 on Jan 10, 2021 12:29 PM
  You have a great attitude! Sometimes that’s what makes the difference. You are in control! Congratulations!
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  - dudley87 @ Hannahkim12345 on Jan 10, 2021 3:01 PM
    Thanks Hannah! I am making it a positive experience not miserable or else I’ll be miserable
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    - Hannahkim12345 @ dudley87 on Jan 10, 2021 3:16 PM
      See, you do have a great attitude! That makes such a difference in everything!
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elvan Jan 10, 2021 4:01 PM
It WILL get easier, remember that. Drink lots of.water to keep that detox going & to replace all that sweating, LOL!
Coming here was my break from the craves. I knew l was not alone. Congratulations on day 5.
i remember feeling like all l thought about was smoking or rather, NOT smoking. It does pass. Youngatheart.7.4.12 has given you great advice & resources.
Ellen
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- dudley87 @ elvan on Jan 10, 2021 4:40 PM
  Thanks Ellen!!! Oh man today is sooo much better than yesterday.
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  - elvan @ dudley87 on Jan 10, 2021 4:46 PM
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Sootie Jan 10, 2021 5:35 PM
A great attitude like yours is 50% of the battle! The support on this site is the other 50%!!!! You are doing great! Everything you have mentioned is very normal and we all went through it too. You probably are thinking about smoking a lot in these first days.......but just remember how much you wanted to quit............AND YOU ARE!!!! So hang in because believe me, you are going to love being a non smoker. It is one decision in your life you will never regret. Is it hard to quit? Sure. But it's not impossible. We all did it and we are no different from you.
WELCOME TO EX! We are all here for each other.
Stay strong.
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Linn2331 Jan 10, 2021 6:06 PM
Read, see the 100 things to do list, do WHATEVER it takes. If you want to eat. Eat. If you want to sleep and can, sleep. If you want to laugh, cry whatever. I kept my mind off days 5 and 6 by taking walks and also well, just trying to get through by listening to calm affirmations over and over on youtube. I hope this helps. I am on day 9.
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- dudley87 @ Linn2331 on Jan 10, 2021 6:49 PM
  Great job linn and thanks sootie!!! I’m just trying to get the hang of this site as well! So much valuable information and tools to utilize! Yeah today has been amazing and I’m thankful. Looking forward to work tomorrow as that is very helpful. My symptoms have lightened up tremendously and I feel like I got thru the worst... or am I wrong?LOL
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Thesegoto11 Jan 10, 2021 7:26 PM
Can't really embellish on the great advice above, so will simply leave you with a link to my Quit Journal post, which chronicles the fist two weeks of my successful cold-turkey Quit many years ago. Hope it helps.
What it was Like
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- dudley87 @ Thesegoto11 on Jan 10, 2021 10:02 PM
  Thank you for sharing! I read that and was like yuuuuck. I am right here lol. But today has been a great day! I’ll keep reading and staying positive
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Giulia Jan 11, 2021 1:37 AM
Welcome to the funny farm where quitters are crazy all day long! It's Gonna Be Okay I had so much craving energy when I first quit my mind was on FIRE! I wrote a lot during the first months. The creative energy was wonderful and wild. Trust us when we say you won't be nuts forever and you won't be consumed with thinking about it every minute of the day. The more you learn to turn your focus onto other things, the easier it will become to do so. Here's a little trick that works quite well: Craving Buster Technique Glad you've joined us on this incredible journey. You will never regret it.

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Rachy2283 Jan 11, 2021 10:33 AM
Great job Dudley!! Keep it up and the people and info here is so wonderful. I'm on day 6 and the ex community is a game-changer!! I feel like an ex cheerleader because the advice, tips and support you receive here are the missing links to make your quit a successful one!! The only thing I can say is telling myself I am a non smoker now as I am doing all of my new non smoker habbits that I learned here( drinking water, breathing, going for a walk, etc.) Is funny so it. Makes me laugh but also is positive and keeps me upbeat in the battle. Have a wonderful smoke free day!! And congrats on day 6!!
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- dudley87 @ Rachy2283 on Jan 11, 2021 11:37 AM
  Thank you!!! Cheers to our day 6!!! I’m feeling pretty crummy at work this morning. Bobble head lol. But reminding myself it’s temporary
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  - Hannahkim12345 @ dudley87 on Jan 11, 2021 12:15 PM
    It feels like it’ll never go away, right. I felt the same. Today is my day 68 and it’s 12:15pm but didn’t think about smoking at all this far. It can happen!
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    - elvan @ Hannahkim12345 on Jan 11, 2021 10:19 PM
      Hannahkim12345 CONGRATULATIONS! There will come a time when the time since you thought about smoking will be days, then weeks, & longer, good for you!
      Ellen
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      - dudley87 @ elvan on Jan 13, 2021 7:27 AM
        Thanks everyone! Haven’t been able to log on the last few days. Busy with work and chasing my 3 year old around. We got this! Cheers to a new day! Morning 8 right here and yesterday I felt great! Only thing new is I keep trying to eat unhealthy after I have been dieting. Up early to exercise. Have a great day today my exes! Xo
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        elvan @ dudley87 on Jan 13, 2021 4:27 PM
        Don’t worry too much about the diet. Take care of the quit & chase that 3 year old more! Good for you.
        Ellen
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        dudley87 @ elvan on Jan 14, 2021 8:42 PM
        Thanks elvan! He’s definitely my main focus. I don’t want him having a smoking momma
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        dudley87 @ dudley87 on Jan 14, 2021 8:43 PM
        Main motivator to power thru***
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        Rachy2283 @ dudley87 on Jan 14, 2021 11:34 PM
        Yep. Do it for the littles. They need us. The world is getting crazy . Seriously. Good job on deciding to quit. And keep up the hard work. Continue to meet the challenge day by day Dudley!! I'm looking at that 6%ers club. That's my first goal because any thing less is not long enough
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        dudley87 @ Rachy2283 on Jan 15, 2021 7:44 AM
        Absolutely rachy! We got this! I knew smoking was bad but I thought meh cos I loved it so much. Started getting tired of it and finally said enough. All the nastyness of it is what keeps me from wanting to go back. I’m on a health kick and have been educating myself. Im Confident in saying I won’t ever smoke again. I stick to everything I say so keep reading about all the bad and you’ll gross yourself out enough to never touch it again!
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        elvan @ dudley87 on Jan 15, 2021 8:30 PM
        dudley87 GOOD FOR YOU!
        Ellen
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        dudley87 @ elvan on Jan 15, 2021 8:47 PM
        Thank you!
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        elvan @ dudley87 on Jan 15, 2021 11:08 PM
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  - Rachy2283 @ dudley87 on Jan 11, 2021 2:12 PM
    Cheers!! Sorry you are feeling crummy. Hang in there ... This to shall pass and you will be glad u did. Plenty of water and breathe. I got this Dudley
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Linn2331 Jan 11, 2021 2:39 PM
Hang in there! Day 10 and I had a bad morning! But came here. We can do it. It is hard but dang. I have gone this long so I hope to keep hanging in there!
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anaussiemom Jan 16, 2021 6:45 PM
This one of a few quits. I can say after a bit it becomes less and sometimes a whole day or more without it. <3
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I feel like that’s all I think about

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