Getting Ready to Quit!!!

[juliebrereton]

I am ready to quit.  My quit date is April 30, 2016.  I tried to quit a week early and failed and I am very disappointed and scared that I won't be able to.  I made myself a list of 10 reasons why I want to quit and plan on hanging it my kitchen.  I have told my family and I'm wondering what types of things I can suggest that they can do to help me with with this journey?

Any advice will be much appreciated.

Thank you!

Julie

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome to our community!

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:

http://media.wix.com/ugd/74fa87_2010cc5496521431188f905b7234a829.pdf

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. 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:

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

[Niebauer7]

Welcome Julie, what a great name, it happens to be mine also :^)  I’m still new at this quit thing, but I can tell you what helped me, and what didn’t.  For me cigarettes = relaxation and comfort.  I understand now what total BS that thinking was, but in the moment it was so genuine and real.  It’s like turning your back one of your oldest friends.  I made a list not only of why I wanted to quit, but of other ways to comfort or relax me.  The first week I took a lot of long hot tub baths, I read a good mystery book, I burnt a lot of scented candles, I did only tasks that didn’t frustrate me too much because I had such a short fuse and was just ITCHING to find a reason cave in and smoke again.  But I didn’t cave in, and today is day 50 for me.  You get to a point where you don’t think you can take it any more, but remember this; it is always darkest just before the light.  You’ll have good days and bad days, and the longer you go the good will outweigh the bad.  But be prepared because the bad days can be just as bad as in the beginning, tough them out and grow stronger with every bad day you get through.  As for what to tell your family, I saw this letter on here not long after I quit and I could relate to it so much, so print it out if you can and give a copy of it to your family, it is true in so many ways.  Good luck to you my friend!

Dear______,

I am about to try and change my life for the better. I am going to quit smoking. I just wanted to write this letter to you so you know what to expect for the next couple of weeks, since the process of withdrawal can be very challenging for me, and for those around me. (Most people do not realize it, but nicotine addiction is literally one of the hardest drugs to kick, even harder than heroin).

Everyone reacts to the withdrawal symptoms differently, but in general, during the first two weeks (Hell Week and Heck Week), don't expect much from me. I will most likely not be my normal self. All of my attention will literally be taken up with fighting the physical and mental urges to smoke. I may cry, I may yell, I may ignore you. Worst of all, I may say very hurtful things to you, but I want you to know that this 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 let it roll off your back.

You need to know that when a smoker quits, the body and the mind will try almost anything to trick the user into taking another puff. I may rationalize that "now is not a good time". I may question the worth of my existence. 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 the pain I am experiencing is all your fault.

But be aware that 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. So you must not feel responsible for my discomfort and depression. Even if you feel you can't stand to see me this way, whatever you do, do NOT tell me it's OK to smoke, just to stop the pain. You have to be strong when I am weak, so do not agree with any "junkie thinking" I may come up with.

Here are 10 things you CAN do to help:

  
• Be there when I need a hug, but don't be hurt when I push you away.
  
• If I tell you to leave me alone, give me space, but don't go too far...I need to know you are near no matter what the nicotine says.
  
• Don't try to argue with me when I start to rationalize...silence is a more powerful message.
  
• Avoid the topic of cigarettes (because I'm trying to get them off my mind), unless I bring it up first.
  
• Do the best you can to act as if everything is normal. The more "normal" you act, the faster I will get there.
  
• Consciously avoid putting me into situations where I will be in the presence of smokers. This may mean avoiding favorite restaurants or bars, or hanging out with certain friends for awhile.
  
• Consciously avoid letting me get into stressful situations...if something stressful can be put off for a couple of weeks, please try to do so. If not, please try to cushion me.
  
• Help me avoid "trigger" situations...places or activities where I usually light up. (For example, don't plan long road trips for the next couple of weeks if I usually smoke in the car).
  
• Just keep telling me it will get better, that the emptiness and pain will fade, that you love me, and that this effort is worth it.
  
• Tell me I am strong. Tell me you are proud of me. But also, tell me you will be there no matter what I say or do.

I just wanted to prepare you because the first two weeks are usually the worst, but be aware that it doesn't suddenly get better...it will be a gradual process. Also, please be aware that while I am doing this quit for me, you and those around me will benefit as well. I will be free from the shackles of needing to know where the closest cigarette store is. I will be free of the smell and stains. I will be free of an early death. And I will be free to spend more quality time with those I love.

Thank you in advance for being strong enough to love me, and help me through this.

Love, _______

[Thomas3.20.2010]

Hi, Julie!

Please do the reading that YoungatHeart suggested! It will make a World of difference!

Here is a Letter that has been floating around here for various Years because it's so appropriate to your Question:

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/SkyGirl-blog/2013/11/06/dear-friends-family-heres-what-to-e...

I hope this helps!

Check out whyquit.com/Day 1

There's also a good mental prep on quitsmokingonline.com

Be here, read and blog! You CAN do this!

[ShawnP]

Welcome!!

   E-books to read

  

   Freedom from Nicotine  

  

   The Journey Home 

  

   by John R. Polito 

  

    http://whyquit.com/ffn.pdf

  

  Never Take Another Puff

  By Joel Spitzer

   http://whyquit.com/NTAP_large_print_212_pages.pdf

   6 D's (when you get a craving, urge, thought)

   DELAY

   DISTRACT

   DIAL A FRIEND

   DEEP BREATHE

   DO EXERCISE

   DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT

  

[juliebrereton]

Thank you all for the great information, I better get started as I have a lot of reading and mental preparation to do to get ready.  You are all great, I know I can do this and I can't wait to feel better.

Thank you All!

[crazymama_Lori]

Never stop trying.  If you fail, dust yourself off and try again.  It will stick.  I smoked for 43 years and am now at 3 months.  It can be done.  We all were where you are right now.  When in doubt, you just shout NOPE, NOPE, NOPE (not one puff ever).  Trust me, it can be done and it does get easier.  When I first started and they used to drill that in my head, I thought they were nuts.  but you know what, they were exactly right.  It's a process.  Blog the heck out of it.  You'd be amazed the steps you have to go through and we all go through them at a different pace.  there is no set timeline.  Be kind to yourself and stay close to these people.  we all here to help you !!!!!

[Giulia]

Hi Julie.  Welcome to you!  The reasources mentioned above are great tools to help you on this journey.  You cannot know too much about this addiciton.  Also helpful will be to read the experiences of the Elder's here.  I have an Elder List link on my page.  Click on it, then just click on one of the red links next to a name, then on Blogs under their avatar and start reading from the beginning of their blogs.  One of the things you'll discover is that we're saying the same things over and over..  Our journeys have certain similarities.   And hopefully the wisdom of Truth will eventually free you. 

If any of your family or friends smoke, one things they can do is to smoke away from your presence.  And most definitely not give you a cigarette should you ask for one.  No matter what! 

A list of your 10 reasons not to smoke is good.  And here's an idea:  how 'bout starting on day 1 and every day for the first week, you add a new reason daily.  It's easy to become enured seeing the same list every day.  Adding a new reason each day will promote more thought and positive reinforcement. 

Chin up and have heart!

[TerrieQuit]

Hello, Julie, There is a lot of information above for you  to read through, please do the reading, it will help your Quit so much! Also, there is great advice above from Elders (these are folks with 1 year + quit) Their experience will help you a lot! Being determined and having a sense of humor won't hurt either! We have a pledge group that is featured on our homepage and there is a link to it on my page when your quit date gets closer, I will send you the link! It is a great way to reinforce your commitment not to smoke! Stay close to the site we are here for you!

Terrie

I Won't Quit on my Quit!

[Strudel]

Welcome to the site! You have gotten the best of the best advice above! Please - do the reading! It helped me so much! Plus - please stick close to the site! If you feel you are in trouble - come here right away and write a blog. Some folks commit to blog each day - as a way to stay connected here and keep your commitment. No matter what - don't go anywhere! Congrats on your great decision! 

[Luvbug4]

Hi Julie,  first several weeks will be difficult, not going to lie, but just remember you do not need cigarettes, the addiction tricks you into believing so.  You have lived without them in the past and will will be much better off without them in your future.  Keep your list of reasons to quit close by and on the back of that list write a barrage of things you must do when the cravings get tough (go for a walk, clean, read, shop, nap).  When the cravings hit, implement your distraction list.   Do whatever it takes to never,ever have one more puff.  In a few short months you will be over the hump and literally a new person, just take it hour by hour and day by day.

[juliebrereton]

Thank you Luvbug, I appreaciate your advice and encouragement.  I am ready to quit and be free of these nasty things.  I know I can do this, I just need to take it one day at a time or one hour at a time if needed.  I can't wait to start feeling better.

Thank you again for your support!

Julie