Starting the journey

[Bishops]

My first post. Smoked moderately for 40 years. That is awful to even write. What poisonous addiction!
Have a quit date in one week and excited for it. I have been cutting down the past week and am finding the cigarettes i do smoke are not enjoyable, making me nauseous from the smell. Lungs feel congested and weak. Plan to use gum and maybe patch. Have acupuncture scheduled. Have started telling a few close friends who i will lean on for support which is a huge step for me to expose my vulnerability and fear of failing. 
thanks for being here

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome!

Educating yourself on 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.

The 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.”    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 over ten years ago , and I base my overall recommendations on my experience and that of others 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. The gum is fine; just don't sub it for every cigarette you used to smoke.  Put each use off as long as possible.  This process is uncomfortable in the early going, but stick with it and it gets easier.  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.

It will be informative if you do the tracking and separation exercises recommended here on the site. As you track each cigarette smoked, note its importance, and what you might do instead. Put each one off just a little to prove that you don't NEED a cigarette just because you think you do.

The idea is to 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 tennies 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.

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:

101 Things to Do Instead of Smoke - EX Community

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 blue box.

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

[champsin97]

Congrats on you life changing decision.  It will be a fight but you sound like you want it.  You just have to work the system and use your tools.  You have all of us here to lean on also.  There's alot of wisdom and support here.  Take advantage.  Stay close and stay strong.

[Maki]

Good job @Bishops , welcome to Ex . 

[McMoney]

Welcome to the EX, @Bishops ! We'll all be rooting for you! Stay in touch as you near your quit date and keep us posted as you begin reaching exciting milestones on your journey!   

[Bishops]

Thank you all for your kindness. 
Today I spoke to a good friend who quit 5 years ago. She was so supportive but kind of threw a wrench in my plan….i was planning to use nrt gum but she said i should not…doing so only prolongs the addiction to nicotine and you end of having to quit twice - first the physical smoke habit, then the emotional nicotine addiction. For me it is so important to stop the smoking part - the smelly, socially frowned upon,  hard on my lungs part. 
what do you all think? 

[SaraSmile]

Hi @Bishops ,

I got a prescription for Chantix from my doctor and was doing well with my quit. On a follow up visit I told him that I'm just so angry, he suggested wearing a nicotine patch because it was withdrawals I was experiencing. I told him I had been nicotine free for 2 weeks, should I really introduce it back into my system? He told me that withdrawals can last up to 3 months. I filled the patch prescription, put one on and felt much better. I'm on day 68 and haven't had to put a patch on for weeks! I'm still on Chantix, have one refill left and I'm doing/feeling very well! Everyone will have/give advise and they all have the best intentions BUT you must do what works for you and if that's chewing nicotine gum, so be it! I'm no expert, believe me, I've been a member of EX for years and I'm back again seeking help and wisdom from this site and the people on it. To sum it up.....you do You!

Respectfully yours,

Sara 😊

[CommunityAdmin]

Hello!

Welcome @Bishops! My name is Quiana, and I am a part of the EX Team.  I wanted to reach out and personally welcome you to the EX Community! The community is very supportive so please reach out and let us know if you need anything. You may find our Daily Pledge page helpful to make a commitment not to smoke on a day-by-day basis. Posting there will also bring visibility to your journey to others who take the pledge daily. Please continue to reach out!

Here are some articles that might be helpful as you prepare for your quit date: 

https://www.becomeanex.org/ex-resources/about-quitting/get-ready-to-quit/right-before-you-quit/

https://www.becomeanex.org/ex-resources/about-quitting/get-ready-to-quit/3-ways-to-get-your-support-...

Quiana, EX Team

[maryfreecig]

@Bishops I'm responding to your friends possible influence over your decision. As quitters we love to say what we think will help, but all advice should be taken as a suggestion IMO. Only you can build a plan that you believe in. By your friends advice NRT of any kind isn't to be used, but studies say that NRTs do help (keyword help). They are not the end all, be all solution, but they are a part for some some quitters march forward to getting the kind of quit they want. 

As for any kind of NRT it is highly recommended that you use it as directed. Dosaging, not really chewing much at all--the directions are meant to be followed. There are plenty of non nicotine hand to mouth things you can do between dosages if you do decide to use the gum. It's your decision. A quit means using all the tools you've gathered,and it sounds like you've put in a lot of good work to prepare. One step, one day at a time you can do this!!!

We're all trying only to be helpful, but at Ex we often say, "take what you need, leave the rest"

Thanks for sharing. We're rooting for you!!!

You have everything you need to quit right inside you