Worried about quitting

[vaughaner1]

I have a horrible habit of vaping in the car and while I’m trying to go to sleep. I have chronic insomnia. Any suggestions on how to deal with these?

thank you in advance 

[Stacibluesky19]

Ok today was my first day tobacco free.  I didn’t stop and think about the fact I smoke thc concentrates for my anxiety.  Every time I dabbed I would light a cigarette.  Well I didn’t light the after dab cigarette but it was really really hard.  So I was super cranky all day and my anxiety was elevated.  Anyone have any suggestions on how I can manage this situation because I’m having cravings like crazy!!! Help!!

[Barbscloud]

@vaughaner1 & @Stacibluesky19 Welcome to the Ex and congrats on your decision to quit.

You can win that internal battle by educating yourself about nicotine addiction and putting a plan in place with how you'll deal with cravings, identifying your triggers and creating the new associations you'll create instead of smoking. This comes into play when you're having cravings in the morning for example. What can you do instead of smoking? Change up your routine. Go for walk, read material on the Ex, if you drink coffee, for example, drink it in a different place, etc. Be creative.  @vaughaner1 Find different activities to do in your car.  I kept Sour Patch Kids and straws to chew on.  Listen to music, change up your route, etc.

Find ways to replace the dopamine that's lost when quitting.  Exercise is great, especially walking.  Deep breathing exercises are a great way to deal with stress.

And you just found an amazing group of quitters here to support you on this journey to becoming an Ex. There will be ups and downs, but that is part of the journey. We're here for you, so just reach out anytime we can help or want to share your experience.

This link is a great place to get you started on the right track. https://www.becomeanex.org/guides/?cid=footer_community_linktobex

@vaughaner1 Consider taking the Daily Pledge to stay on track one day at a time. @Stacibluesky19 Happy to see you there already.

Stay busy and stay close.

Barb

[Maki]

@Stacibluesky19 
You have to remember what you are going through is normal . Yes , there are lots of cravings in the beginning because you are still on smoking routine, but with every cigarette or vape not smoked you are rewiring a new routine and craves will be less . Distract , delay , drink lots of water or sip in a hot drink , discuss or blog about it , deep breathe l breathe in calmness and slowly exhale the anxiety . Imagine as you are breathing the anxiety coming down .

@vaughaner1 there are  tools you can take with you and use to help with the driving , like a water bottle , some vegees cut up in a ziploc ,cut up straws . Did you have insomnia before vaping ? 

It will be uncomfortable but not as long as you think . It’s worth it to be uncomfortable for a while . It does get easier if you don’t keep feeding it. 

Take just one day at a time. It’s 10000 percent worth quitting and staying quit . 

[maryfreecig]

Congratulations on your decision to quit. I know that when I quit I was excited and upset at the same time. It's natural to want a cure for the unpleasant thoughts that come with quitting, but a quit is taken one day at a time with all the actions that you need to take to stay off nicotine. If you have not made a list of things to do to distract yourself, do it now. The list is made up of things you know you will do whether you like or love doing them. Use the list.

Reverting to "I feel bad, there is nothing I can do" is not uncommon in quitting. We are really learning or re-learning healthy habits--by healthy I mean good for the soul, good for the body. It is common to feel unhinged, but one day at a time you can relearn life without addiction.

Give it time, do all that you are capable of doing (I'm betting that you can do a lot!!!).

Welcome to Ex, never give up.

You have everything you need to quit right inside you

[kjhh]

as for hitting it in the car, i started leaving my vape at home for a couple trips up to my quit date so i could empower myself in knowing i didn’t need it all the time. it helped break the habit between being in the car and vaping. i also left it in a different room before i fell asleep so i wouldn’t have access to it before bed. i would brush my teeth directly before sleeping so i got the mint flavor of my vape, and wouldn’t let myself hit it after brushing. your insomnia will get better once you stop vaping since it’s a stimulant, but until then i would recommend some tea or melatonin and a strict bedtime routine (mine is no screen time an hour before sleeping.) good luck, you’ve got this!! 

[Barbscloud]

@kjhh Great ideas for new quitters.  Thanks for sharing your quit tools.

Barb

[CommunityAdmin]

Kudos to your for quitting. There is always fear in the unknown but be encourage, you can do this! Plan for your distractions and times of stress when you will go to vaping. I also wanted to invite you to our new vaping group where there is more focused discussions on this topic.

Here are some articles that may be useful: 

https://www.becomeanex.org/ex-resources/about-quitting/get-ready-to-quit/addressing-anxiety/

https://www.becomeanex.org/ex-resources/about-quitting/manage-stress/

Quiana, EX Team