Weekend worries

[ronibeach]

Facing my first smoke-freedom weekend and feeling anxious and worried. I had only been smoking 3/day on weekdays for the past 2 months, but the weekend was my free space to smoke more. I'm working out, staying busy, meditating and chanting, using my nicotine lozenges but I'm still freaking out a little that the wide-open weekend will make me slip. Suggestions? 

[tango77]

@ronibeach You will do this!  You've got your repertoire, and you may surprise yourself: that repertoire doesn't need to get you through every minute of the day - it only has to get you through that isolated trigger/craving.  Then rinse and repeat for the next craving.   
You are armed.  
And cleaning did help me, too (I also planted various seeds indoors to get the garden going and did a closet purge.  Lots of clothes got donated that weekend).

[Barbscloud]

@ronibeach Here's the most recent post from the Mayo Clinic on NRT if your interested.

  Navigating Nicotine Replacement: What are the opti... - EX Community

There are a few more.   If you're interested I'll find them for you.

Barb

[ronibeach]

@Barbscloud Thanks for the advice and link!

[biscuit9]

It is normal to be nervous about any "firsts" after quitting.  The first time I went out to an adult birthday party with liquor involved, the first time I went to a bar, the first time I watched a sporting event, etc.  Everything I did before I quit, involved nicotine.  I definitely cut my drinking to a minimum if I chose to go out.  Sometimes I just chose to stay home, not trusting myself.  I am serious about this quit, day 182.  I would come here and share those fears.  For some reason, writing it and reading it helped me.  

[ronibeach]

@biscuit9 You are so right. All of those firsts will be a challenge! I haven't been drinking wine, my usual go to after work, because I know I will want to smoke and the lowered inhibitions will trip me up. You are right, too, about sharing my fear here being helpful. It got the fear out of my head and made it something to be dealt with. Plus, I've had great advice and encouragement from this group. Thankful to have found BECOMEANEX!

[Justdeda1]

Hey, @ronibeach 

I absolutely know about the shoving all the self-indulgences to the weekend-- for me, it was most of Friday and ALL of Saturday night, because I never smoked between Friday dusk and Saturday dark.  So now, I've been through two smoke-free Fridays and Saturday nights, and believe me, they were not easy.  The habit of smoking until the last minute on Friday, and starting Saturday night again and loading up greedily, as if to make up for the last 25 hours-- I really got some sick, self-harming pleasure from that, and so I needed (and will probably need) to fill that space somehow.  Soooo a lot of dishwashing and organizing of cabinets, a lot of iphone games and audio books with water bottles and mandarine oranges next to me in place of packs and foil ashtrays.  I guess the really real thing that keeps me from that middle of the night oh yes I will have a cancer stick now so there nyah nyah to myself...is how expensive they are, and then that thought gives me the 5 minutes I need to log on to this community and go nuts trying to find my way around.  This is good for several hours, you might enjoy it (-;  Good luck; know that whatever you're going through, someone else is, has, and will be going through the same thing, and you can blab and moan and cheer and you won't be alone. 

Journey well, Journey free

deda

[ronibeach]

Thanks @Justdeda1 ! Great advice. Love the "journey well, journey free!" That's a great mantra, and I'm all about mantras to help me push through when my mind is telling me it "needs a smoke." How long have you been quit? I feel like getting through my first weekend was a big accomplishment and the weekend won't feel so daunting this time. 

[Justdeda1]

Hey, @ronibeach 

I think Day 16?  I’ll have to go check my profile!  I had a very difficult last few days, but I have a better feeling about today.  My first almost 2 weeks went fine, actually, except for the Fri/Sat nite thing, but days 13-14-15 were sooo bad.  Not just the craving, which passes, but the feelings of determination to go out there and buy some ‘mokes.  Imagining that hiss and crackle…never mind, I fought my way through it.  It’s a real demon, Roni, and you need to prepare in your head and in your heart for the new reality.  Once you’ve won the fight a couple times, I predict you’ll come out of it wondering what the heck came over you—cause the impulse will be mostly flattened. 
Mantra time?  (Sooo embarrassing!) 

Journey well, Journey free (soooo corny! Lol)

deda

[Justdeda1]

Just thought of another one for you, @ronibeach — instead of Weekend Worrier, you can be a Weekend Warrior, and fight and win!

Btw, the long-term and medium long-term quitters —some of the many have offered you here advice and support — they are some of the most dedicated and seriously caring people I have ever seen in my life.  You have lucked into an incredible support community, and I’m confident you’ll take advantage of everything it offers, and become a long-term EXer. 
deda