I am having difficulty in quitting; I've quit for three years then started back again. I don't think I'm ready or want to quit, yet I want to let this vice go.
you don't have to want to quit or be ready, you do have to decide and be willing to give it the time it takes to unlearn the memories and emotions that keep you coming back.
Same here. I quit for two years and started again. If you did it once, you can do it again! You just have to keep trying. I do believe you have to have the right mindset. Have you read the Allen Carr book?
Welcome Tracey. You have come to the right place to quit forever, if, as Dale says- you are willing to do some reading and give yourself the time it takes to learn how to be a nonsmoker. This is a wonderful website, and lots of people here are very supportive and able to give advice that can really make all the difference in the world for your success. If you have not already done so, you can read through the information on this site about picking a quit date, and doing exercises that will prepare you to take the plunge and toss away your smokes forever. And others will be along shortly to give you links to all sorts of reading- and this will be crucial in getting yourself mentally prepared. The first will be a book by Allen Carr called "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking". I think many of us will agree- this book totally changed the way we thought about smoking. And for some of us- quitting still was not "easy" necessarily, but was and is possible for anyone. I also highly recommend whyquit.com-read Freedom From Nicotine, and The Journey Home. Others will be along shortly to give you links to all of this information. The idea is to first read all you can about the nature of addiction. And then, keep coming back to these blogs-where you can receive understanding of what you go through as you quit, and all the support you need to stick with it. So, stick around. I think you'll like this.
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. 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!
Quitting smoking is not easy because you are dealing with addiction. You know, though, that it is possible because you have done it before. You have to keep in mind that you have chemically altered your brain to anticipate greater and more frequent dopamine rushes that nicotine provides. Fortunately, that alteration can be un-altered, given time, as Dale points out above. But you have to understand and remember the Law of Addiction: "Administration of a drug to an addict will cause re-establishment of dependence upon the addictive substance." At some point along the way, you either gave up, or thought you could control your addiction. No way! That is against the law.
If you haven't read Allen Carr's The Easy Way To Quit Smoking, click the link to get the free online pdf version. It provides a lot of insight into addiction in a light, easy read. It also exposes many of the false notions we have programmed ourselves to accept in order to justify irrational behavior.
I think you do want to quit and I think you are ready. You wouldn't be here otherwise. You just don't want to bear the discomfort of parting with your addiction. Unfortunately, that is the price of freedom. It really is a pitance when you consider all that you will gain.
Welcome to our EX Community! This is a great place to quit smoking! If you are willing and make the commitment not to smoke no matter what happens. You will succeed! Stay close and come here as often as you can! I am glad you are here!
