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January 25, 2012 by Anacondahead
Sorry to the old timers out there - you've seen this letter many times but I want to put it up again for the newbies. I saw several posts today about smoking family members - what a pain! This letter may help.
Dear______,
I am about to make a huge change in my life for the better. I am going to quit smoking.
I have a quit plan that I am confident with and I want to let you know what to expect for the next couple of weeks. I also want to give you some ideas on how to help me. Most people do not realize it, but nicotine is one of the hardest drugs to stop, even harder than heroin and alcohol.
Everyone reacts to the withdrawal symptoms differently and during the first two weeks, don't expect much from me. I will not behave like my normal self. All of my energy will be focused on fighting the physical and mental cravings of smoking. I may cry, I may yell, I may ignore you. Worst of all, I may be hurtful to you, but I want you to know that is the nicotine talking, not my heart. I WILL apologize afterwards, once the poison has left my body and my mind has cleared, but for the moment, please, PLEASE remember that I love you, and do not hold my actions against me.
My mind will play some very cunning tricks on me to try to convince me to start smoking again. It’s a very nasty addiction. I may rationalize that "now is not a good time to quit". I may talk about feeling a sense of emptiness and loss. My body may develop aches and pains. I may not be able to sleep. I may act like it’s all your fault. If I do, I apologize now because I don’t really mean it.
I am doing this for me, not for you. In this one important way, I have to be selfish, so that I cannot give the nicotine a reason to put the blame on anyone else. You must not feel responsible for my discomfort or depression in any way. Even if you feel you can't stand to see me this way, whatever you do, do NOT tell me it's okay to smoke just to stop the pain. You need to be strong when I am weak, so please do not agree with any rationalizations I may come up with. I am counting on you.
Here are some things that will help me:
I hope you will find these suggestions helpful because I know that you are behind me 100%. No more second-hand smoke for my loved ones and pet(s). I will be free from the prison that smoking creates for us. I will be free of the smell of stale tobacco. I am looking forward to living my new smoke-free life. I will be around longer for those I love. Not smoking will begin to improve my health immediately.
Thank you for loving me and helping me through this.
Love, _______
Thank you so much for sharing this!!!!
Barb
I will NEVER get tired of reading this. In fact, I am going to print it out and give it to my daughter in law...my son is quitting and he makes the Big Bad Wolf look like a little puppy. He hasn't even quit yet...just taking Wellbutrin and it seems to be making him angrier than I have ever seen him...not sure it's such a good idea.
elvan hi Ellie. You mentioned your son-in- law taking the Welbutrin and that he was feeling very angry! Welbutrin is an anti-depressant that also helps some people stop smoking. Watch his ager levels and his agitation...those are side effects of the Wellbutrin. I was given Welbutrin years ago and ended up in the mental hospital with severe agitation and uncontrollable anger. They immediately took me off the Welbutrin and I went back to normal. Just something to be aware of.
Deborah
princessdeb It's my son...he has had issues with depression and anxiety since he was a teenager. Yesterday, he called me and said he was scared. I saw that anger and aggression are side effects of buproprion...Wellbutrin, I did not know that until I read it. He is also on gabapentin and it does not interact with that. He was on Wellbutrin for a short period of time when he was in high school but he felt that it made him shaky and more anxious so he was put on something else. I fought against medicating a kid for depression, I felt that there were better ways to deal with it but I was overruled by doctors, my husband, and my son. I felt that if he experienced the depression, he would LEARN from it. I don't like kids to be medicated with psychotropic drugs. I am a retired RN but I worked in acute care, ER and ICU and really had little experience with adolescents with mental illness.
Thank you for this heads up...I told him to stop taking it last night when he told me what he was feeling but I am not sure that he listened. Again, thanks.
Ellen
elvan Ellen...I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder 21 years ago and have been on every medication trying to find balance. Finally 6 years ago I went to a new psychiatrist and I told him the 3 medications that were the best for me...I was never on them together...so we tried the antidepressant Effexor...The mood stabilizer Lamictal and Geodon! Geodon saved my life. I've taken it for 18 years... I was in the hospital for severe depressive episode and it was new on the market...it's considered an anti-psychotic. I took it and the next day I felt wonderful. Ziprasidone is the generic! Tell your son to hang in there that it won't always be bad! He will find balance...it just takes time! Might ask his doctor about the ziprasidone.
I wish you the best!
Deborah
Love the letter. Think I will use it thank you
Good. It's a useful tool. Change it, personalize it, to make it YOUR letter to the person or people to whom you need to send it.
I shared this with family and friends last night. I so appreciate finding it. I am 4 days away from my quit date and with the tools I'm finding here I can't go wrong! Thanks again
Glad you found it and that you shared it with those who love you.
That is beautiful. Thanks for sharing it with me. Can you email it to me or tell me how to print it