Quitting yet again

[avjets]

Hello All,

I am a vet of this site, well if you count several attempts and fails at quitting.  I am starting again today.  I want this so bad but lately, after quit attempts, I come back smoking more than ever.  I am 44 and it is time to quit messing around and quit for good.  As many people I hav tried all types of methods but come back to the devils weed.  I am educated on the ills of smoking and the mechanisms of nicotine addition but I am looking for any other advice or suggestions that may help.

Thanks and I will do this!

Sean

[YoungAtHeart]

It's really pretty simple.  You need to make a decision that you will not smoke another cigarette NO MATTER WHAT!  This takes commitment and effort on your part (in the early days), but it IS doable.

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.

Just do it!  You are young enough that you might negate the bad effects of smoking by quitting NOW......please don't keep fooling around like a lot of us did until a health crisis forces you to quit.  Let us know how we can help.

Nancy

[TerrieQuit]

Hello, and Welcome to EX Sean! We are so glad you are here! This is a great place to quit smoking. You have been given links to great information and good advice above. Please do the readings and listen to the Elder's (folks with 1 year + quit) They know a lot about this addiction. Education, willingness to do whatever it takes not to smoke, determination and commitment are the keys to a successful quit!

I would like to recommend a group called The Daily Pledge Group. It's fun and will help reinforce your commitment not to smoke!

Just click on the link below and scroll down and take the person's hand before you and promise not to smoke! We are on page 5 right now. I will be posting and blog with a direct link to the July blog on the 1rst. You can state your # of days, post a picture or whatever you want! This is your quit be proud of it! Please join us!

http://community.becomeanex.org/pg/forum/topic/8397504/jump-into-june/

This link is also on my page and is also a featured group on our home page!

Hope to see you there!    Terrie

I Won't Quit on my Quit!

If you would like to join the group, use the link below, and look to the left, there is a place that says join group, just click it!

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/daily-pledge

[Giulia]

Sean, you know what to do and how to do it.  You just have to commit to it.  My suggestion would be to spend as much time as you possibly can reading blogs on here.  Eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  That's what a great many of us did during the early stages.  But also as a maintenance tool. Quits take a great deal of attention.  Constant attention in the beginning.  It must become a priority.  It can't take second place to anything.  And certain sacrifices may need to be made.  If you're willing to make those sacrifices (like, if you drink - don't go hang out with party goers for a couple of months), and if you're willing to be uncomfortable until you become comfortable in your new smoke-free skin, you'll be more likely to make it. 

Quitting is the easier part.  It's remaining quit that's the problem.  I'm going to say it again:  long-term quits take a lot of maintenance.  You're back here because you know what smoking does to us.  So let it go, Sean.  Just let it go.  There is no need to have to keep going through Day One's over and over.  Close the door on the option to smoke.  Close the door on the possibillity of smoking in your head.  Lock it and embed the key in cement.  Think:  "cigarettes no longer exist in my world."  That thought will get you through the process much faster and with less struggle.  Give up the thought of smoking. 

And keep a sense of humor about you!  It helps if you can laugh at the insanity of it all.  Have heart.

[JonesCarpeDiem]

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/jonescarp.aka.dale.Jan_2007-blog/2011/06/26/what-to-expect-...

[MarilynH]

Welcome back,you can succeed in this your upcoming quit, be willing, determined and totally committed to succeed and you can and will be successful, one day at a time or if need be one second at a time but you can do this! 

[JACKIE1-25-15]

Quitting is like having a vintage collectible car.  You always have to work on it to maintain it and keep it running.  Learn from your mistakes.  Recognize what your triggers are and be prepared.  Always protect your quit. Keep i simple.  If you drink and have to smoke don't drink.  If being around smokers causes to smoke don't be around smokers.  

[avjets]

Thank you all so much for the encouragement and helpful links.  Day one in the tank and it was a bit rough but nothing exploded and the sun came up so onward.  Cravings were really tough this morning but instead of giving in I sat with the anxiety, also an adventure in itself.  I am going to succeed this time and will continue to value your support.

[crazymama_Lori]

this time come here and blog on a daily basis.  Join Terrie's page for the daily pledge.  I know some people are not comfortable with blogging, either they're shy or they just feel like they're a bother to people.  the cool thing here is that no one knows you but everyone is here to help you.  State your feelings on a daily basis.  Blog the heck out of them.  Then in 30 days, look back at those entries and see how far you've come.  then in 90 days, take a look back and so on.  Sometimes that reminder and the encouragement that comes after is the key.  Sometimes seeing it in writing helps a person to figure out what's going on or what is making them turn back to smoking to cradle some feeling or emotion or life event.  Sometimes we can't figure it out on our own.  Let us help you with that this time around.........