Im needing some help!

[sherrykay]

I quit smoking for a few days and fell off the wagon. I've had a few cigarettes and.just hate it. I want to wake up in the morning and not have even one cigarette. This is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. But I have to do this for myself and my family. I'm starting to have health issues and do NOT want to smoke. Please help me"

[GreenThumb3]

You got to try to have good attitude and do what it takes to get past few days blog as much as you need chew gum reward food take a shot of organic vinager or bite a lemon eat candy carrots make good human chew toys sleep excersize dont think what your missing think what horible crap your getting rid of its not easy at first craves pass you get a break another one comes have a snack i ate all day on day 2 i gained a few punds im almost back to where i was its so much better having freedom you can do it for sure if you go for the journey cant give in on the few bad craves along the way thats the key stay strong it gets better then one day you will think wow i cant remimber last time i wanted a smoke but it takes time have a plan for when craves come dont think if i could just have one think negative of smoking when i had craves i would always say to myself do i want to put poison in my lungs no some people say i dont do that anymore its the best thing you can do for yourself 

[Pops]

Basically, it comes down to this, you've got to want to NOT smoke, more than you want to smoke. The life of an addict is this: one puff is too many, because one puff is never enough. Around here there is an acronym that we like. It's N.O.P.E. Not one puff ever. Read the blogs on here, and when you see one that you can connect with, then click on the author and the site will take you to their own page. There you can read their other blogs, or on the left coluntil of the page you will see add friend, click that and poof you are registered as their friend. Send them a private message, talk to them. Everyone here has been where you are right now and we will help as much as possible. Your job is to ask for help "before" you smoke, not after. Read dalecarps' blogs, he has a lot of great links to use. Good luck and welcome to a new life. My name is Ken my handle around here is Pops. Pops

[Nix]

Hi sherry, you are definately in the right place if you want help 🙂

There is a huge amount of information on this site about planning and preparing for a quit date and thrn on how to get through the following hoyrs, days and weeks.

I believe the key to successfully quitting is education and support. Read as much as you can and use this site to get support.

You can do this if you really want it.

[JonesCarpeDiem]

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/jonescarp.aka.dale.Jan_2007-blog/2011/06/26/what-to-expect-...

[JACKIE1-25-15]

You have come to the right place if you are willing to commit to quitting smoking. This is all about you and what you are willing to do to become a nonsmoker.

You may  have some of this information but here are a few pointers to help you get started in your forever quit journey. 

1.  At EX our resolve is to never smoke again.  NOPE “Not one puff ever. I suggest that you follow the websites instructions along with watching the videos/tracking, reading and writing blogs and comments, studying, researching, joining groups and making friends.

2.   Here is a link to Allen Carrs book, “Easy Way to Quit Smoking”.  It is an easy read which is suggested by the “Elders” (those with 1+ yrs. quit).

 http://media.wix.com/ugd/74fa87_2010cc5496521431188f905b7234a829.pdf

3.  Also, check out www.whyquit.com. For additional info.  Look for Freedom from Nicotine My Journey Home and Nicotine Addiction 101               

 http://whyquit.com/whyquit/LinksAAddiction.html

 http://whyquit.com/ffn/

4.  Stay close to the site, learn, and ask questions

5.  If you should need something to do for craves, here is a link that will help until you develop your own.   https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/JACKIE1-25-15-blog/2015/07/09/what-is-your-crave-buster

6.  Additional reading.  Save this link

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/ShawnP-blog/2013/08/11/foundation-for-a-successful-quit

[SimplySheri]

Hi, Sherry!  You are going to get wonderful advice here and lots of suggestions on what to do. Please do not get overwhelmed but do take the time to really read each comment to gain knowledge.  People here know how to quit and offer simply what works 🙂  Relax.  Quitting smoking has never killed anyone!!  You can do it!!

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome to our community!

Quitting smoking is not easy, but it IS doable.  You have found a great place to get advice and support.

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. You should also do the tracking and separation exercises suggested on this site

After you have completed the recommended reading, it will be time to make an informed choice of the quit aid, if any, you will use. If you go that route, I personally recommend the aids that don't let the addict control the dose such as the available prescription drugs or the patch. If used properly, gum, lozenges and inhalers are fine, but they need to be used only as a last resort.  I have seen folks become addicted to them if they substitute them for every cigarette they used to smoke - just trading one addiction for another.  I do not recommend the e-cigarette for three reasons: 1) the vapor has been compared to the polluted air in Bejing on a bad day, 2) they just provide another nicotine delivery system while continuing the hand to mouth smoking motion, and 3) the batteries can spontaneously catch on fire. . But – any method that you think will work well for you will be best for you.

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:

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instea...

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!

Nancy

[djmurray]

Hi, Sherry -- I REALLY recommend reading the Allen Carr book -- I can honestly say it changed my life.  I smoked heavily for over 50 years, and had a couple of quits, one for three years.  But it didn't stick because I always felt deprived when I quit before.  Allen Carr's book made me really GET that smoking is nothing, and if it's nothing, then you can't be deprived when you don't have it.  Smokers dont "get" to smoke -- they HAVE to smoke.  That's definitely oversimplifying it, but the very first thing you should do is read that book.  Then, a couple of days into your quit, read it again. 

Also, when I wrote my first blog here over a year and a half ago, I said I felt like I was losing a friend.  (That was right before I read the Allen Carr book, by the way).  Early in my quit I found this.  Maybe it will help you.

How do you feel about a friend who has to go everywhere with you? Not only does he tag along all the time, but since he is so offensive and vulgar, you become unwelcome when with him. He has a peculiar odor that sticks to you wherever you go. Others think both of you stink.

He controls you totally. When he says jump, you jump. Sometimes in the middle of a blizzard or storm, he wants you to come to the store and pick him up. You would give your spouse hell if he or she did that to you all the time, but you can't argue with your friend. Sometimes, when you are out at a movie or play he says he wants you to go stand in the lobby with him and miss important scenes. Since he calls all the shots in your life, you go. Your friend doesn't like your choice of clothing either. Instead of politely telling you that you have lousy taste, he burns little holes in these items so you will want to throw them out. Sometimes, he tires of the furniture and gets rid of it too. Occasionally, he gets really nasty and decides the whole house must go.

He gets pretty expensive to support. Not only is his knack of property destruction costly, but you must pay to keep him with you. In fact, he will cost you thousands of dollars over your lifetime. And you can count on one thing, he will never pay you a penny in return.

Often at picnics you watch others playing vigorous activities and having lots of fun doing them. But your friend won't let you. He doesn't believe in physical activity. In his opinion, you are too old to have that kind of fun. So he kind of sits on your chest and makes it difficult for you to breathe. Now you don't want to go off and play with other people when you can't breathe, do you?

Your friend does not believe in being healthy. He is really repulsed by the thought of you living a long and productive life. So every chance he gets he makes you sick. He helps you catch colds and flu. Not just by running out in the middle of the lousy weather to pick him up at the store. He is more creative than that. He carries thousands of poisons with him which he constantly blows in your face. When you inhale some of them, they wipe out cilia in your lungs which would have helped you prevent these diseases.

But colds and flu are just his form of child's play. He especially likes diseases that slowly cripple you - like emphysema. He considers this disease great. Once he gets you to have this, you will give up all your other friends, family, career goals, activities - everything. You will just sit home and caress him, telling him what a great friend he is while you desperately gasp for air.

But eventually your friend tires of you. He decides he no longer wishes to have your company. Instead of letting you go your separate ways, he decides to kill you. He has a wonderful arsenal of weapons behind him. In fact, he has been plotting your death since the day you met him. He picked all the top killers in society and did everything in his power to ensure you would get one of them. He overworked your heart and lungs. He clogged up the arteries to your heart, brain, and every other part of your body. In case you were too strong to succumb to this, he constantly exposed you to cancer causing agents. He knew he would get you sooner or later.

Well, this is the story of your "friend," your cigarette. No real friend would do all this to you. Cigarettes are the worst possible enemies you ever had. They are expensive, addictive, socially unacceptable, and deadly. Consider all this and NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF!

Keep coming back to this site, read all the blogs, write your own blog, and make that investment.  I know you can do it!

[Summer-Rain]

DJ it's always great to re-read your blog.  Thanks for sharing...again.

The journey continues 579 DOF

[crazymama_Lori]

visit my page for a little video and some readings.  You can do this.  I smoked for 43 years.  At a 2-pack a day smoker, I've been an ex-smoker now for almost 200 days.  it's one day at a time.

[Giulia]

It's all about homework, preparation and perseverance.  And a sense of humor along the way helps a lot!