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Give and get support around quitting

Miss-Glo
Member

Cessation Journey Since COVID

I lost my grandma November 2020. She had lung cancer from smoking cigarettes, but she beat that. By 2020, she was 5 years in remission, but @ 78 her lungs couldn't stand COVID. I've ready leading studies that suggest, smoking is still high ranked for being a major result of lung cancer in the United States. However, during everything which is NOT an excuse, I started smoking again. It's a struggle, I've been smoking 20 years and I am 43. My grandma said before she died; "we'll (I have other family members that smoke) all wish we had stopped smoking." My grandma's struggles should be the example I need to quit and I know I want to quit (the dedication to cessation is not there). So, I've been a member of the ExTeam since 2013, I've been gone for a few years, but I know this is a supportive community and I like to reach out to the community to hear others stories. Quitting is not easy, it's a day by day journey, but the ExTeam is like coming back home when you're ready to quit, need support, have questions, need answers, or need smoking cessation resources. Thanks ExTeam! 

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11 Replies
JACKIE1-25-15
Member

Welcome Back.  I am very sorry for the loss of your mother.  We are EXperiencing a lot of death globally.  You have my condolences. You have come to the right place if you are willing to do what is necessary to be smoke-free. Foremost NOPE (not one puff ever.)   Education is the key to a successful quit. Read the suggested material it is an important step of the journey.  Here we dispel the myths and brainwashing we have learned about smoking.  You will gain tools and skills to unlearn some of the behavior smoking has created  There are Daily Pledge groups, affirmation groups you can join to help strengthen your quit.  The action is in the blogs, front and center so introduce yourself and let all of us get to know you.  If you have a question, please feel free to ask.  Someone will help.  If you have a problem with your quit type help in the blog and let us know how we can help. I suggest that you stay as close as possible until your quit grows.  Be mindful of what is going on with your quit. Know HALT Hungry Angry Lonely Tired can be confused with triggers.  Don’t give up.  We are here to support you.

Below is a little info to help you get started

Read: If you have already Allan Carr;s Easy Way to Quit Smoking that can be found on the web in pdf .  Also suggested Freedom from Nicotine My Journey Home and Nicotine Addiction 101  was very helpful to me.            http://whyquit.com/whyquit/LinksAAddiction.html   and  http://whyquit.com/ffn/

 

elvan
Member

Welcome BACK to EX.  You are so right that this is a one day at a time journey, it is not easy but it GETS easier as you stack up the days.  I am so sorry for the loss of your grandmother.  I am proud of you for coming here and for remembering this as the helpful and loving site that it is.  I am going to tag YoungAtHeart and ask her to give you her usual welcome.  It includes reading Allen Carr and has some tips that really are helpful. 

Ellen‌

Welcome, MissGlow! I’m so sorry about your grandmother. I know that we should listen especially after what’s happened to your grandmother and her saying we shouldn’t have smoked but if only addiction listens to logic! Addiction to nicotine is a powerful foe! It takes everything in us to fight it but you know it can be done. I’m new here, over three months. I guess if you’re in day one or week one, three months is huge. I certainly thought so and I’m still amazed that I have over three months of not smoking. I didn’t think I can do it. But I did it. At least for now and I’m hopeful and I will fight everyday to keep my quit!! You can do it too. Read what’s offered and really it will inspire you. Good luck!

YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome back!

My sympathy on the loss of your mother.  You really don't have to want to quit; you just need to be willing to quit.  There is a difference!

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.

 

Let me know if you decide to use a quit aid and I will give you my thoughts on them.

 

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! .  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. We have a weekly Trivia Contest you might like to try, too: https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/games/blog/2021/02/23/trivia-tuesday-02232021  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

Yahooooo - I am SOOOOOOO glad YOUR a non smoker - just sharing a GOOD read and HELPED ME over 10 YEARS AGO

Never Take Another Puff by Joel Spitzer 

CrazyQuitter
Member

Many condolences to you and your family! I totaly can relate having lost my grandmother in 2016. It still hurts because I miss her. Grief with a losing a loved one especially family is the kind of grief that doesn't go away. But we learn how to cope by remembering the good times we had. 

May I suggest my blog post called Message to newbies? Maybe this might help you in some way even though you may or may not have relapsed. Link below:

 /blogs/CrazyQuitter-blog/2020/08/25/message-to-our-newbies 

Welcome back! And Thank You for Coming back! Coming here is a huge step to getting you on the path to be completely smoke free!

Barbscloud
Member

Welcome back home and glad you came back to the Ex for support.  My condolences on the loss of your grandmother--it's been a sad time for many.   Go back and review the information here and come up with a new quit plan.  You already know how instrumental the support here can be for a successful quit.

Get back on track!

Barb

sweetplt
Member

HI and Welcome Back

I am sorry for the loss of your grandma...time to honor her memory and take the journey....we are here for you...and want to help you succeed at quitting...keep close to the support site...~ Colleen 818 DOF 

green1611
Member

Sorry to hear loss of your mother...!

Welcome back to this site. I am member of this site since 2013. I learned a lot from Ex team how to quit smoking.

I am sure, you would realise as you stay connected.

Quit as early as possible, and stay connected here !

Experience from others teach us how to cope up with quitting issues initially, and hold on to the quit.

All the best !