You need to change up your morning routine to reduce the associations. As a last resort, try a frozen Hershey Kiss...worked for me!
The most 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 is an easy and entertaining read. Here is a link to a free PDF version of it:
As well, read the sections on this site, and read the blogs, responses and pages of folks you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com and quitsmokingonline.com for the good information contained there. You should also do the tracking and separation exercises suggested on this site
After you have completed the recommended reading, it will be time to make an informed choice of the quit aid, if any, you will use. If you go that route, I personally recommend the aids that don't let the addict control the dose such as the available prescription drugs or the patch. If used properly, gum, lozenges and inhalers are fine, but they need to be used only as a last resort. I have seen folks become addicted to them if they substitute them for every cigarette they used to smoke - just trading one addiction for another. I do not recommend the e-cigarette for three reasons: 1) the vapor has been compared to the polluted air in Bejing on a bad day, 2) they just provide another nicotine delivery system while continuing the hand to mouth smoking motion, and 3) the batteries can spontaneously catch on fire. . But – any method that you think will work well for you will be best for you.
The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced. Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand. 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.
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. 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. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around your head alone. Get busy! Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:
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!
Plan your morning, change your routine, get out of bed on the opposite side, if you drink coffee use the opposite hand. If you think about it, just keep telling yourself "I don't do that any more". Remind yourself you arent giving anything up, you are gaining your freedom and that's a good thing. Have your toolbox handy with all of tools, including your list of reasons you quit, a water bottle (drink lots of water), whatever you've decided will be helpful for you and if you can, stay close to this site. Love your blog, you're planning for a successful quit. You can do this!
Yes...don't smoke one. Get rid of any cigarettes, butts, ashtrays & lighters. Soak any smokes & butts under the faucet before you put them in the trash. Take out the trash & look around for anything that may tempt you. this requires a sincere commitment on your part. We've promised to help in any wau we can but you must do the work. We can't quit for you. We'll be here. Just call out.
Hi, bhzbarton, welcome to EX. I can't add anything to what's been said already, but I did take all the advice you've been given and it works! I did all the reading, made a plan, assembled a quit kit, changed my morning routine, logged in here everyday to be supported, got rid of all cigarettes and lighters, and have been doing all these things and more for 45 days....
But Mike said it best: I had to say to myself - and I will keep saying it until it's automatic - Just Don't Smoke, No Matter What!!!
Howdy and welcome! As we learned to make smoking part of our "routines" we have to unlearn it. My first week I drank tea instead and did not immediaely go to my computer. Since not smoking is going to take you out of your comfort zone anyway, changing all the "routines" is not a bad idea in the beginning. We have to find the new 'us.' Activities, of all kinds (physical and mental), will help get you up and out and focused onto something other than the elephant in the corner. Wallowing in the tarry tarn of smoking thoughts will swamp you so you have to be very proactive in this journey. Chin up and have heart!
Welcome. Lots of good advice already given here. The morning smokes is all about catching up on the nicotine fix after not having the stuff overnight, so I advise you get moving, busy with chores or what have you. It takes time to undo the addiction...but not forever! Glad you are here.
There's a price you have to pay SO take it eazy with yourself and I want you to know after period of time not too long I hop so you will doing fine every morning .
The most important thing for me is to get plenty of sleep. I don't make the best decisions when drowsy. If I wake up super tired, it is harder to fight the urge to smoke.
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