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 almost ten years ago on my first and only attempt at it, 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. 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
