Quitting

[gracie21]

This is my first week without smoking.  I am doing it cold turkey so each day that goes by I can tell myself-I don't want to have to start over and go through the withdrawls again. Does that make sense.  I smoked for about 38 yrs.  I quit once before and went back to smoking.  It is truly a nasty habit.  I have to now work through the triggers and change how I deal with life smoke free.  I am 60 and need to stay smoke free.  Each day is a victory.

[JonesCarpeDiem]

Congrats on your forst week.

the nicotine is out of your system.

I think you've got it all right.

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome to our community!

Please keep in mind that smoking is not a habit; it's an addiction - which makes your success thus far totally AWESOME!

It might help your long term success 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.

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

[gracie21]

Thank you so much for the advice and help.  When I quit before I didn't have a support system in place. I feel so good about finding this site and all the wonderful people here.  I know now I don't have to go it alone.  Thank you again, Gracie

[sharon198]

Hello Gracie Im also new to this site.  Im 55 and have tried soooooo many times to quit.I will make this site my support system also.Sharon

[JulieSw]

Hi Gracie, welcome ! 

We have a LOT in common. I have smoked for over 40 years ( maybe a little more than you), I am 60 and quit cold turkey. 

I had some rough patches, as everyone does, but held on tight, you can see it in some of my past posts.

i can proudly say I am 390 days smoke free so it is possible. 

Good luck and when you feel like throwing in the towel, think about it long and hard and come here.

julie 🙂

[bonnie-12-28-14]

Hi Gracie,  I was at 37 years and it's been 91 beautiful days of freedom now.  Read get educated and come here as much as you can.  These people here is what made this my forever quit.

[Strudel]

Congrats on your quit! You have come to the right place - the support here is great! You can do this! I came here at age 59 with 40 years as a smoker.....and I quit! (I am now 64!)

Stick around! Do the reading!m

[lois2]

welcome and congrats on the first week. there is great support here.

[djmurray]

Hi, Gracie -- This is the very best place to be to help you through your quit.  Everyone's quit is different, but I do believe that educating yourself about this addiction and what smoking is and isn't, and developing a positive attitude and a willingness to accept that there will be tough moments is key to a happy and successful quit.  I'm 88 days into this quit and I would say I've had about 10 bad hours in 88 days.  If I have a crave that lasts ten minutes I don't think of it as a bad day or a bad hour -- It's 10 minutes and that's all.  The rest of the day I'm fine..  So when you distill it down like that, the hard moments are a small price to pay to be so happily smoke free.

Keep coming back here and you will find great support.

[gracie21]

Wow! I am truly happy for all the encouragement I am getting. I woke up and got a cup of coffee and then decided I would check my e-mails and there was so many nice and helpful e-mails.  It truly put a smile on my face.  Yesterday was hard and I was feeling down, well, I went for a walk and that really helped.  I just have to remember that smokers are becoming the minority and how awful it looks for a 60 yr. old woman with a cig hanging out her mouth!  My family and grandkids, great-grandkids deserve a smoke free grandma.  One day at a time, I will come here daily to get help and support.  Thanks for such a wonderful place! Gracie