cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Give and get support around quitting

Ready2quitnow
Member

If it is socially acceptable, why is it so hard to quit?

There are posters to show that society supports smoking, vaping, dip and chew, they may not be billboards anymore, but they are still there. For something that is so socially acceptable, am I missing the cues and signs that show that it really isn't? I want to be better, but everywhere I go, it is in my face and running from it is not the answer, how do you face the Kraken Jason?

17 Replies
dsprague
Member

Everyone does it and it’s an addiction, a lot of money to be made from sales. But my life is worth more than putting money in someone else’s pocket and the health ramifications.

maryfreecig
Member

It's an addiction. That's why I found it so hard to quit. I had to change my behavior from smoking every 20- 40 minutes 10 -11 inhales each time to maintain a level of nicotine. When I quit, all that stopped and I felt alone and powerless. But not smoking is what got me free. Still the same today. 

YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

Perhaps you are having difficulty when you see others vaping because you know you SHOULD quit, but you still believe you like it?  When you start to understand your addiction, I think you will come to the realization that they don't want to smoke/vape; they HAVE to.  When you educate yourself a bit on nicotine addiction, you will see why this is so.

 

 Congratulations on your decision to quit vaping.  It's common sense that anything you put in your lungs that isn't clean air can't be good for you!  You will need to substitute “vape” or “device” as you do the reading I will recommend. Research suggests nicotine may be as addictive as heroin and cocaine. Because vaping is available to you most anywhere, anytime, I believe it might be more difficult from which to break free than regular tobacco products - but it CAN be done!  Here is a blog written by one of our success stories that you might find informative: https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/people/AnnetteMM/blog/2019/09/08/how-to-quit-juul-or-vaping-in-ge.... If you would like to use a quit aid and would like information on the various ones, let me know.

I recommend that you educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind To that end, I suggest Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” . which can be found 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 vaping associations are reduced.  Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from where you vaped. Maybe switch to tea for a bit.  If you always had that first puff 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 vape so the view is different. Take a different route when you are out and about so you aren't driving by your vaping supply shop.


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 from which to sip. Don't let that vaping thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged.  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 vape 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 to vape" 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

This is interesting Ready2quitnow I have found smoking not to be socially acceptable...and the reason it is hard to quit is because of the addictive powers from all the chemicals...it takes time to feel comfortable in your quit skin...Hang thought....Colleen 820 DOF 

JACKIE1-25-15
Member

Quitting smoking may be appear to be one of the hardest things to do.  However it is doable by educating yourself about addiction.  Yes addiction. Read the suggest material. Education is the key to debunk the brainwashing. 

AnnetteMM
Member

I know what you mean! It's not like we ever saw posters or ads for heroin, right?

It boggles the mind that a substance so addictive, some say even more addictive than cocaine, is still legal and advertised. 

Barbscloud
Member

I don't know that it's socially acceptable anymore.  The fact it's all most impossible to find a place to smoke, says something about how it's frowned upon.  It's just that major corporations are still making lots of money off of cigarettes.  It's the same thing as the drug companies advertising pain meds so people got addicted to opioids.  You don't see those commercials now either.  

That being said, you certainly see lots of people smoking in movies.  To me the difference is, I notice it more.  Before it was just natural.

Barb
 

elvan
Member

I guess l am blind, l did not see advertising for smoking or vaping unless l looked away so fast that l missed it.  I was so touchy at the beginning of my quit that l could not stand to even see a coupon, l could not SAY the word cigarette, seriously. This is a very powerful addiction, it takes over our thoughts, our feelings, our very lives, physically & emotionally. Think about all of the anti smoking ads, the pictures of people who have been ravaged by smoking. Somehow, those seemed easy to dismiss but an ad FOR nicotine is HARD to dismiss? Addiction makes no sense, it is an overwhelming disease no matter what the substance might be. Quitting is one day at a time, in the beginning, it is often one MOMENT at a time. Choose to look away, to be selective in what you look at. Ads have no power that you don’t give them. Hold on to your power, it belongs to you.

Ellen

Bonnie
Member

I'm not sure where you live but it definitely isn't socially acceptable here. There is even a nearby city where you can't smoke in public. In the city where I live no smoking anywhere on hospital grounds & businesses may have signs that say no smoking within 100 feet of entrances/exits. People don't walk down the street smoking like in the past. The only people that accept breathing secondhand smoke are other smokers. It's an addiction that Big Nic makes a lot of $ on..teens in the hospital with critical lung damage from vaping is so sad...it is so addictive your brain is telling you it's socially acceptable to keep you addicted. I hope you follow Nancy's suggestions and begin your journey to freedom...