Give and get support around quitting
well 3 hours in and I had a cigarette...mostly feel upset over my other destructive habit, picking at myself. My boyfriend commented last night about this bad habit and how I needed help for it. He always has my best interest at heart and wants to help, but I (extremely capitalized I) fell into my same routine of "why do I do this to myself" and "how can I possibly stop". Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep last night; just overly thinking about what terrible things I do. Does anyone else out there have problems regressing as fast as I do?
kmongoose- I have had a terrible time quitting, until this time. I tried for months to quit and ended up smoking immediately after saying I was quitting. You seriously have to want to and be ready to. I havent really had the want to, okay I wanted to but didnt really want to quit. I knew I should but didnt really want to quit. I seriously cant afford to smoke anymore, we ended up spending money on cigarettes that really should have went for other things and I knew I had a serious addiction when I would forgo getting milk to buy a pack of cigarettes. How dumb is that? So I have went for 2 days now without a cigarette and I am so proud of myself! I have never went this long without and it is way easier than I thought it would be. I would freak out because I was out of cigarettes before and go straight out and buy some more, telling myself I would stretch them out and make them last. Haha ya right! Never happened. So I have been without a cigarette for 48 1/2 hrs now and feel real good. Im not having panic attacks because I dont have any cigarettes and my husband actually quit with me! Didnt see that happening and we are not ready to kill each other! Every so often I have a sudden pang of I want a cigarette, but it only lasts a minute or so and it goes away. Only happening every few hours, so Im doing way better than I thought! I think we make ourselves believe it will be way harder than it is. Not saying its not hard, because it is, but not as hard as I had it in my head that it would be. I thought it would be the end of the world but its not.
Stacie- wow that has been my problem every time I have tried to quit "do I want to"! This time is different and feels different. Although I haven't completey cut out cigarettes, the small steps I am taking now has definitely made me think that I CAN and WANT to. I can even get a decent sleep at night now!
One thing I have re-learned, besides life without cigarettes, is that you need to be honest with yourself and be truthful even though it may be hard. We can all do it!!!!
Hello,
My name Shea and I put down my cigs an hour ago. Today is my quit day. I am trying take things hour by hour......
I have been cigarette free for 5 days now!!! I am really proud of myself. I feel pretty good, but today I seem to have more anxiety feelings than I have for a couple days. It feels almost like the second day to me. But I am holding out!
kmongoose- It took me about 2 to 3 weeks of what you seem to be doing before I finally stopped all together. I kept going out and getting more, kidding myself that I could have them here and not smoke them. You are better off than I was though because I smoked a pack a day. No matter how many you smoke a day though it is really hard to get over the initial jump into quitting.
monkeyandgrapes- Welcome and hope you are doing good! I also wanted to say I have a son named Shea. This group seems to be a little slow, but I try to check in at least once a day. Hopefully it will get more active so we can support each other quitting:) I guess I figure if I start talking maybe everyone else will start too.
I had my last cigarette Friday night, day 4. There are a lot of expressions and exercises in the AA program that help with smoking. "Move a muscle, change a thought" is helping me. Everytime I think about smoking I find something to do, I am married with 4 kids, there is always something to do! Work is the hardest for me, I smoked like a furnace here. Chantix seems to be working pretty good. I just try to stay busy and kep a lid on "The Rage". I tried explaining the rage to my wife, it is like there is anger just lingering, I have quit before, it will pass. I just have to pray and stay busy. Good luck everyone, it is worth it. I will have saved $32 at the end of the day today. Philip Morris can kiss my butt, I have severed my slavery to their cigs!!
I am back to stop- I had quit for about 7 months and started up again. I am sick of smoking and want to quit once and for all!
I was helped alot before from this forum and look forward to getting this done again.
Thanks
I promised my boyfriend I would quit for his birthday, I have not smoked for 2 full days... Really can't wait until it starts getting easier. It's not even 10 am yet and I have consumed over 60 mini tootsie rolls, and I have about 60 left in the bag I brought to work.
I tried the niccotine gum and I HATE it. It irritates my stomach and my throat...and makes my jaw hurt from chewing it all day. Definitely hope the Tootsie Rolls work. 😞 So cranky and grouchy today.
UGGG! I really blew it! I ended up smoking on the 14th (my quit date, and I have been smoking ever since. I am reschedualing my day to Saturday the 19th. I will be relaxing on vacation, and maybe I can get some days under my belt in a new environment.
I pose this question to all of you who have managed to quit so far (even if you have only been nic-free for a few days: What are the most effective strategies in warding off cravings?
Thanks in advance for your replies...
Shea
Shea- What has worked for me is 2 things, I am taking Bupropion and also sucking on alot of hard candy. I was a menthol smoker so I have alot of peppermint, spearmint. I swear I have a huge bowl full of candy on top of the two flavors I have I also have cinnomon, jolly ranchers, butterscotch and lifesavers. Lots of candy! I figure its better than eating all the time which is what Im sure I would have been doing. Also if you like to read it helps alot to get your mind off of not smoking. Keep busy!
Today is my 1 wk anniversary of being cigarette free!!!!!!