Welcome!
You are addicted to a different delivery method, but addicted to nicotine just the same. What you are using is the equivalent of two packs of cigarettes a day! You will need to substitute "lozenges" to the smoking/cigarette references I will give you, but the information is the same no matter how you get the drug in your system! You might try putting the use of a lozenge off each time you feel you need one and thus reduce the amount of nicotine in that manner before you quit. Not sure if you can find anything like them in flavor, but if you can find such a thing, using one of them to replace one every once in awhile is a good starting point, too.
I found this about long term use of the lozenges: "New genetic research from the U.K.'s Medical Research Council suggests that nicotine-replacement drugs like nicotine gum and lozenges could raise the risk of mouth cancer, Medical News Today reported in 2009. Researcher Muy-Teck Teh of the Institute of Dentistry, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry at Queen Mary University London said that nicotine appears to increase expression of the gene FOXM1 in the mouth; increased levels of the gene is known to be associated with some forms of cancer."
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 search for it online or at your local library. Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be
From my own experience and that of others here, 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.
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:
https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/t5/Journals-Blogs/101-Things-to-Do-Instead-of-Smoke/ba-p/1028319
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
