"Social" smoker to nonsmoker - advice on NRT lozenges

[fuzzylemon]

Hi everyone - I smoked for 23 years as a daily smoker and then quit for 12 years, more or less cold turkey + Allen Carr's book.  During the pandemic in 2021, I smoked a cigarette at a social gathering and boom - right back in. I didn't become a full-time smoker though - just like a  few here  or there, maybe 2 nights a week. I usually threw the pack out at the end of the night (very expensive!). 

Anyway, I've tried a few times to re-quit. I'm on  day  8 of  my latest attempt. I'm finding quitting "social" smoking very challenging, I think b/c a little voice says  "it's not so  bad; it's not like you smoke daily." I did listen to a podcast  last  week about truly identifying as a nonsmoker and I've found that helpful. I think I've allowed myself to label myself as a "sometimes" smoker and perhaps was part of the issue.

I'm wondering if I should consider nicotine replacement - specifically lozenges - for sudden urges. In the past I learned that after 3 days you have no nicotine in your system, so why introduce it if I haven't had a cigarette in a week. But things I've been reading more recently suggest it's more complicated than that. Thoughts? 

[Barbscloud]

@fuzzylemon Welcome to the Ex and congrats on your 8 day quit.  Nicotine withdrawal peaks at three days, but it can actually take weeks for it to be completely gone from your system. Other's have been asking this lately about starting NRT after you've quit. The standard response is that you've already passed three day, so you shouldn't need it.  Well, I'm  going to say if you need NRT to continue and keep your quit long term, then why not? It's better than smoking.  Follow the directions and you can eventually wean off it. 

It's also important to educate yourself about this addiction and a have a plan in place to keep your quit.  If social smoking is your problem, you may need to avoid those social encounters temporarily or come up with a better way to interact without smoking.  What can you do instead of smoking?  Drink water, chew on straws, Sour Patch Kids, etc. There are lots of options.  The important thing is to identify your tool(s) in advance and be prepared for difficult situations.

This link has some great information about how to quit.

https://www.becomeanex.org/guides/?cid=footer_community_linktobex

Spend time on the site interacting with other quitters.  We share in this journey and can help each other achieve and maintain our goal.  Join many of us on the Daily Pledge to stay on track one day at a time.

Stay busy and stay close. It's not easy, but make the commitment and you can do this.

Barb

[biscuit9]

I had a longer quit than yours, when I took a puff.  I didn't start back to a full time smoker, right away.  I was a "social smoker" for quite a while.  Only on the weekends, in the beginning.   "Play with fire, you are gonna get burned".  Some things I can't play with or toy around with.  I cannot have one single puff, cos I am an addict.  If smoking would not kill me, I would still smoke today.  That's not the case though and I like breathing and I got very tired of being CONTROLLED by nicotine.  

Congratulations on making it to quit day EIGHT!  You are to be commended and by all means, use an NRT, if it helps you to stay quit!  No shame in any of that, as you transition to a smokefree life.  I noticed you read Allen Carr's book, as well, and he discusses social smokers, etc.  Keep going and not one puff.  

[Anonymous]

I think  that you are worth a few more weeks to avoid your triggers if you dont use NRT and I think you are worth it too , if you do. 

                               Remember craves do pass                                    

Can you quit cold turkey and maybe use a mantra , like you can’t smoke what you don’t have or distract delay , go for non alcoholic beverages , talk about it , do one day at a time , tell your friends you don’t smoke anymore and to not let you smoke .Can you use the ex to post before you smoke if you are in need of help through at those social gatherings . I believe posting for help can be most effective but I will also not discourage using NRT either …why , because we are all different and I don’t feel there is a one size fits all to quitting . 
 I do know had I brought an NRT into my quit at eight days quit it would have quite likely opened doors for my addiction to relapse , not closed them ,but I also know it can be the best thing ever for another quitter to save their quit . 

I am wondering or feeling that this is not just about a NRT though .  I get this very strange feeling . 

You have choices to make my dear fellow quitter . Nope is a given , you don’t do that anymore .  I really don’t know the answer for you because I don’t know you .I am going to trust you do :)and support you no matter what . 

I do agree with you calling yourself a social smoker was not good , a smoker is a smoker and imo no such thing as a social smoker . My mom only smoked  when others gave her cigarettes and she bought many cartons her lifetime  to repay them back to her friends what they gave her . She called herself a social smoker but in reality she was a smoker even if it was just twice a week and three cigarettes l Big T and addiction doesn’t care if you call yourself social smoker , in fact probably likes that because it still has you hooked into believing it’s giving you something  .. Anyway social or not , it didn’t stop pancreatic and liver cancer .

Most importantly before I forget @fuzzylemon congratulations on soon to be 9 days quit .Great job , keep going . 

[excoach]

Hi there,

Congrats on starting your quit again! I would encourage you to pick up a box of lozenges if you think it may be helpful. Even if you don't use them they can give you an alternative choice to smoking and help you stay on the right path of being tobacco-free. 

Also, you're right- working on identifying as a non-smoker can be very helpful-here's a link to a page on the EX site that can help you work on that : https://www.becomeanex.org/envision-tobacco-free-future/

Keep up the great work and let us know how you're doing!

~Margaret, EX Coach Team

[maryfreecig]

Seems that quitting is your main goal. How you get there is yours to decide. The Ex community is a fellowship and while all will support you, you'll likely hear yes try it, no don't.

Nicotine addiction is insideous--doesn't matter if it is twice a week, every day, or smoking like a chimney or...whatever. There are no "half measures" to quitting which does not mean NRT has no place in quitting. It has worked for many. But choosing NRT typically means having a plan, following instructions aiming for a quit. That you want to put your addiction behind you is what is important. You wouldn't be trying multiple times or coming here if you didn't want to let go of it all.