It’s time to say farewell!! You have been hanging around to long and it’s time to say goodbye for good. You made your way back in my life after I quite for 13 years now, so adios.
WOW! 13 YEARS? Let's get you back on that road again. Good start with your good-bye. I hope you will now do some reading and prep work to help insure a forever one!
Understanding the addiction and having a PLAN going forward will reduce the anxiety of quitting. Get busy learning and preparing, and I think you may actually start to look forward to this journey! You will do this one day at a time, so don't be looking further ahead than that.
An important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. I was amazed when I learned that the stress reduction you feel when you ingest nicotine is caused by the brain receptors calming that have gradually built in volume jonesing for their next fix! I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking” that brings light two other things you might not know. You can purchase a digital version online or borrow it at your local library. Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction: Nicotine and Your Brain.
I quit many years ago , and I base my overall recommendations on my experience and that of others here over the years. If you decide to use a quit aid, I recommend those that don't let the addict control the dose such as Rx drugs and the patch. Lozenges and gum are fine, but don't sub them for every cigarette you used to smoke. That will simply be substituting one addiction for another. Have a plan to reduce use over time. Each cigarette you smoked contained about 1 mg of nicotine. If you use more than one form of NRT, be sure you aren't getting more than when you smoked.
To better deal with the habit part of the addiction, change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced. Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from when you smoked. Maybe switch to tea for a bit. If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your walking shoes on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! . Take a different route to work. Take a quick walk at break time where the smokers AREN'T.
After you have eliminated as many associations as you can, you need to distract yourself through any craves. You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game. Keep a cold bottle of water with you. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. You might visit Games: The active ones are at the top of the list going down the left side of the page.
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.
You might want to join other site members by taking the daily pledge when you quit. It helps to hold yourself accountable and also accountable to others here. Find it at Home (top left), then first box titled Take the Daily Pledge.
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, @MsPj! My name is Danielle and I'm one of the EX Community Managers. I'd like to welcome you to the community personally and also share some resources that I think could be helpful:
@MsPj Welcome to the Ex and congrats on your quit day tomorrow. It's not to late to educate yourself about nicotine addiction and put a quit plan in place. You won't regret having that knowledge and preparation. . After smoking for 50 years if made the difference for my six year quit. This link has some great information to get started on the right track
You found a great group of quitters here to support you on the best decision you could make for your physical and mental health. Reach out anytime we can help.
Reinforce your quit by joining many of us on the Daily Pledge to stay on track one day at a time.
Stay busy and stay close.
Barb
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