I need a lot of help.

[sherry121]

Hi, my name is Sherry and I have been trying to quit smoking for a very long time. I have used patches, gum, medicine, cold turkey, you name it I have tried it.  I believe my problem with quitting is the emotional part.  If I wear the patch, I do not feel the physical need to smoke at all. However, after 2-3 days with the patch, I feel lost and don't know how to handle not picking up a cigarette, I have tried talking to myself, writing - everything.

I can't have someone with me all the time to reassure me that it will be OK. I have been told by my doctor to quit because of high cholesterol, and I have breathing problems.  I have heard all of the warnings, and problems I will have with my health if I don't stop, however I ignore these things when I need to smoke.

I am at my wits end with this and am asking for support from others that understand what this is like.

[JonesCarpeDiem]

my page explains the quitting process and may be of help to you but not if you won't read it. 🙂

[Summer-Rain]

Hi Sherry.  Welcome to the site.  Quitting is so simple...WE make it hard.  You need to learn to live your life without smoking.  HABITS are hard to break but it can be done.  Instead of smoking, take deep breaths, drink water, exercise, suck on hard candy especially cinnamon candy, visit this site often and blog.  YOu will find that you have plenty of time on your hands so use that time to clear clutter from your home.  Remember you have to be WILLING not to smoke.  Accept the urges as they come but remember the urge will pass quickly.  Educate yourself.  There is helpful information on this site to help you remain smokefree.

The journey continues

[LouiseR]

Go to jonescarp aka dale's page and read.  It will really help!

[sprinkles104-2]

Hi Sherry, and welcome!  You've already taken a really important step by coming here, so congratulations 🙂  I found Allen Carr's EASYWAY book very helpful.  While I don't believe everything he says, he has some very powerful points in his book that have helped me tremendously.  Also this site is a jewel.  Just let me know if you need any help. 

[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. 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

[Terri103]

YOU will DO it!!  You can do it!!!  I've been quit now for 21 days and I know exactly what you are talking about.  It's a very empty restless "what do I do now" feeling.  I was irritable, paced, got anxious, etc. but I just gritted thru it, with the help of using the patch.  I drank and still drink a lot of water.  I make sure I have ice at all times so it is more of a treat....ice water.  And I gave myself a lot of wiggle room and passes on housework and to-do lists,  I tried to relax, and allowed myself to take naps, watched tv, read books.  You will find on this site some amazing wonderful people with great ideas, fun comments, kind suggestions and sometimes a gently said hard truth.  

For me, the key has been coming here.  I get my support here, my congrats, and I don't feel alone.  I realize there are a lot of us going thru this journey.  

Allen Carr's book, well it's like no other book out there.  it's that he makes sense with all the brainwashing that we have done to ourselves.

I'll be around to support you and so will many others.  YOU CAN do it.  

OH.....don't be a secret quitter or a secret smoker.  I've told anyone who will llisten, and even have posted updates on Facebook.  I am totally accountable.  It's like I would have to hide under a bush or live in a cave if I ever smoke again!!!  yikes.  

If you didn't already start your quit, do some reading, and do some more reading, read thru our old posts for ideas, and make a plan for how you want to quit.  and then.....DO IT!!!  QUIT!!!

[Thomas3.20.2010]

You didn't mention Smart Turkey so I have to guess that you may not have heard of it.

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/SkyGirl-blog/2013/07/20/a-smart-turkey

We know how to succeed whether you use NRTs, pharmaceuticals, or anything else such as acupuncture. If you decide to use e-cigs we can't do anything for you until you decide to stop that!

Here you will learn about how to build a quit smoking tool box. The best tool in that box is your very own Brain! We can show you how to get through the empty feeling and beyond as you grow into your Quit Journey.

I have 5 Years, 1 Month, 2 Weeks and 3 Days quit. You can, too!

[hwc]

"I believe my problem with quitting is the emotional part. "

That's what most of us believed. That we were just too weak to quit smoking. Couldn't live without the emotional crutch. Our little friend.

I believe that is the kind of brainwashing that the tobacco companies want us to believe. It ignores the only reason we smoke: we are nicotine drug addicts, junkies who go into drug withdrawal and crave another dose. The only real "emotional" boost we ever got was the relief of drug withdrawal cravings that start 20 minutes after the last cigarette.

There is a psychological side, to be sure. This is caused by the drug addiction and the way nicotine works on our brains. Nicotine hijacks the system in the brain that provides a feeling of reward or satisfaction like the feeling of contentment after a good meal. Because nicotine hijacks this system, it trains us to expect a reward from smoking, just like a dog starts salivating when it hears the can opener on the dog food can. We get trained to smoke, all day, every day. So, of course, there's a deep psychological trigger, The psychological side, however, is CAUSED by the junkie drug addiction.

IMO, it's very difficult, to quit smoking and stay off without understanding that it is fundamentally a drug addiction problem. The psychological aspects can't be broken while still living as a nicotine junkie.