Hello, and Welcome to EX. Congratulations on 2 days free. I have some links on my page that will give you some reading material about nicotine addiction. Click the link below to check them out. Soon someone will be along to provide you with more links.
You have come to the right place if you are willing to commit to quitting smoking. This is all about youand what you are willing to do to be a nonsmoker.
*Education is the key to success even in quitting smoking.
Here are few pointers to help you get started on your journey
1. At EX our resolve is to never smoke again. NOPE “Not one puff ever. I suggest that you follow the steps on the website pages along with reading, writing, studying, researching and blogging if you like.
2. Here is a link to Allen Carr’s book, “Easy Way to Quit Smoking”. an easy read suggested by the “Elders” (those with 1+ yrs. quit).
If you take the time to do the work you will have success. Read, Study, Blog, Research Comment, Make friends, Hang Tough, Stay Close and most of all enjoy your commitment to quit smoking.
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 also highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This is an easy and entertaining read.
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:
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!
AWESOME!!! Good for you Gardening Grandma, you are doing great. Today makes it one week smoke free after smoking for 19 years. It feels wonderful and I feel wonderful. You got this, just stay busy and make a list to hang on your fridge with the reasons why you need to quit. This has helped me a lot. I also have been chewing a lot of ice which helps.
Congrats and welcome to the group! You are in a great place for support! I smoked 40 years and I am soon coming up on 6 years quit - thanks to this site and to do the reading mentioned above. (I really like the Carr book.) Be sure to stick around! Congrats again!
PLEASE do the reading and accept the fact that this is an addiction and you need to be patient with yourself. Your quit is brand new and very fragile, you CAN take care of it and you are the only one who can...we can and will support you in any way possible but just like you owned your smoking...you own NOT smoking!
I smoked for 47 years, I have been smoke free now for over two years thanks for this amazing site and the people here.
Welcome to EX, you are in the right spot!
Ellen
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