Today is Day One

[cin7]

So day one and I gave in and ended up smoking. You know its bad when you are picking through already smoked cigs just to get in a puff or two.  I have read a bunch of articles about when cravings start and for me it starts the moment I don't have a pack on me. How on earth do I overcome this? The little monster in my head keeps nagging at me until I get a pack. So since I was disappointed in myself for give in I broke out the nicotine gum in hopes that tomorrow will be better.  I have had this habit for 32 years and want to overcome it so badly. Any suggestions would be great and appreciated. 

[JonesCarpeDiem]

Get a little lockbox with a key that you can wear around your neck and throw the key in the ocean?

[JonesCarpeDiem]

its an addiction. the physical is one part, the psychological is the other.

It's more about unlearning smoking and not becoming dependent on something else nearly as bad.

[Breakinchains]

Please read up on nicotine addiction and what it is doing to your brain. There is some very helpful information on whyquit.com.

Also, click on the link below and watch this video, it will teach you that in fact cigarettes aren't doing anything for you. The reasons you think you have to smoke are all lies of nicotine addiction. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TL2Vh7goJc

[hwc]

Spend an hour tonight watchng this Allen Carr program:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDJo1vfEqlo

Then, starting tomorrow when you are no longer smoking, start watching these short ten minute videos. They are grouped by day, so videos for Day 1, videos for Day 2, etc. It's like having your own personal quit counselor:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDJo1vfEqlo

BTW, you are hardly the first nicotine junky to dig around in the trash can for cigarette butts to smoke. We have all done that. That's part of the "enjoyment" of beng a drug addict.

[JACKIE1-25-15]

You have to have a plan.

[ihateit]

I did the same thing on my original quit day. The thing was that I wasnt fully committed yet because I still had a pack "just in case". I didnt realize that was stupid, I thought it made sense. 

I came on this site, renewed my passion to quit and righted my illogical thoughts by reading and educating myself. I admitted I was still holding on to smoking. I threw out my "emergency" smokes, ashtrays, lighters, and extra super secret "emergency" cigarettes and said no. I dont do that anymore. I hate smoking. I dont want to smoke. I dont have to smoke. I wrote down why I hate it, taped it on my wall. Also included some great quotes from this site like:

Never doubt your decision to be a happy exsmoker.

Dont try not to think about smoking. Think a lot about smoking. Think how wonderful it is to have broken free.

You haven't given up smoking, you have gotten rid of it.

Balls to the wall, just done with smoking. Twenty days going strong. Good luck, keep going. Listen to the other people here, they want to help you help youself.

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome to our community!

Your mistake (and reason for failing) is that you have  not educated yourself, nor planned for this journey.  You CAN do this - but you must go about it the best way.  You might want to set a new quit date a little in the future....or do the education and planning your first day of your quit right now.

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 (in case you don't want to do it on YouTube):

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. 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. 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:

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

[Terri103]

Well, pat yourself on the back!!  Congrats!!  First, you did try to quit.  yay!

And then you came here and posted your "failure".  I believe that you really Want to quit....otherwise why embarrass yourself.  What the other people say...it really does work if you have a plan.   Some choose to cold turkey quit, some do Chantix, some do the patch, some the gum.  Most of us think the e-cig is just replacing one expensive habit for another.  

So, decide if you need a nicotine substituate...and then accept that is what you want to use.  Don't quit in secret...tell everyone.  I started telling people right away, I wanted to be held accountable.  

The Allen Carr stuff.....some of his writing is weird...BUT....he will open your eyes to how we have basically become mindwashed by smoking.  You will understand better how your mind works after reading his book.  

This place is totally here for you, on the good days, the bad days, and even when your brain is screaming at you to smoke.  You CAN do it!!!  

[JonesCarpeDiem]

click on my cat Hoggie and he will take you to my page. it explains the process.

[Thomas3.20.2010]

Be a Smart Turkey!

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/SkyGirl-blog/2013/07/20/a-smart-turkey

[selmccal]

I did the same thing on my quit day! I also got as far as buying a pack and pulling one out. I ended up going through a mini ritual of breaking all the cigarettes in the BRAND NEW pack I just bought THEN just to ensure I wouldn't find a way, I soaked them all. It felt pretty good actually to get that close and still be able to throw them all out. I wouldn't recommend putting yourself that close to cigs if you are still in the first month, I was lucky enough to have someone standing there and say, are you sure you want this because for one puff you're wasting the last week of struggling. 

Just keep coming on this site everytime you hit a craving, remember that it's not forever and you will get through it 

[MarilynH]

You have the best advice above me, check out the links suggested because it will better prepare you for your quit. You should drink lots of water and keep your mind as well as your hands occupied and stay close to this site .

Marilyn 

[sparky26]

 LoL , I remember doing that , problem was tho ,I always smoked down to the filter , so lost cause . So glad that's not me anymore.

Cin, welcome , go to jonescarp aka Dale s page and links from the other elders on this site . You do need a plan ,and you need to prepare. Get rid of all cigarettes and reminders of smoking , reset your quit day . Give yourself a few days to get your get ready if you need it .  We are all nicotine addicts, just like you we just don't smoke. You can do it .

[cin7]

Thank you for all of the comments. Today is day two and still I was not prepared as I should have been. I am going to try this without using replacement therapy since it has not helped me in the past. I tried e cigs and failed, gum and failed., etc. And what was said above is correct - I had no plan in place. This morning I made a poster to read every moring listing reasons to quit and this afternoon I am writing down all of my triggers and a gameplan for when they hit. I had to admit to myself that I can not have a pack as a safety net because this in itself is a lie to myself, I cant just smoke one! I am serious about quitting, 32 years of smoking and enough is enough. Any other suggestions will help.......when that craving hits, what has worked for you to get through it? Thanks all 😃