Found this site through my employer wellness center. Decided to stop smoking (yet set my date far ahead in June). I have previously attempted to quit, but failed. Hopefully this time will work, since my partner is doing it with me.
Welcome! Glad you found us. Congratulations on setting your quit date and committing to your quit, that's a huge step, you should be proud of yourself! I suggest you continue to read, educate yourself on this addiction and take the steps necessary to prepare yourself for a successful quit. Keep things in the day and give yourself credit for all you are doing to prepare yourself. Again welcome and congrats on setting your quit date...if at any point you choose to change your quit date you can (I did). For today be proud of your commitment!!! WTG
Thank you dotgirl.... I'm also going to try using the nicotine gum while I'm at work. When you get used to doing something day in and day out, you feel awkward doing something different.
Congratulations on your decision to quit smoking. You have some work to do to get ready - so let's get started!
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. You should use the gum as a very last resort, after perhaps sipping some water, doing some slow, deep breathing, perhaps going for a quick walk. Please don't use it as soon as you start with a craving - of you may become addicted to IT. 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!
Welcome!!! I am a newbie here too. Everyone abve suggested some great reading to help understand the addiction cycleand what to expect while quitting. I have been plunging away at reading reading and reading and educate and educate. Last night reading Carrs easy quit, I couldn't quit reading and found myself going 3 hours without a cigarette. Wow haven't went that long before. Starting to feel empowerment instead of defeat.
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