Smoking Addiction & Recovery Support Group
The CDC claims that nicotine is a "very addictive drug" that can be "as addictive as heroin or cocaine." Nicotine is typically eliminated from the body within 2 to 3 days, however, physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms may last for much longer depending on the individual. If you are trying to kick the habit, this community is dedicated to giving smokers the...
I've been a smoker for 18 years. It's hard for me to believe that I smoked this long! Anyways, I fail miserably each time I have attempted to quit. I've tried the patch, gum, chantix, cold turkey, cutting back. This time I'm trying the Blu ecig, which does nothing for me. I decided Monday morning would be my last cig. Well I ended up having 2 on monday. One on Tuesday and a few drags from a coworker. And one today plus a few drags. I do want to quit. The withdrawal and urges is what kills me and why I've always been unsuccessful. My friend tends to think I need to limit to only x amount a day and then next week just have one. I feel like that won't work because I'll have a pack n smoke more and say F it. Will the urges stop with ecig or if I go back to the gum?
P>S> I get confused too.
1. Drink ...lots of water
2 Delay.....don't light up right away put it off
3. Distract.....Find something else to do to take you mind off the craving
4. Discuss... talk to others about your quit.... you friends, family come here..
5, Oh, Yeah, DS...Come here, read posts, write posts if you are able. You have come to a good place to find love, encouragement, advice, help and most anything else.......YOU CAN DO THIS.
PS... I have over 4 1/2 years smoke free.....I smoked for over 30 years.
I smoked for 37 years and by using Chantix and with the help and support of this amazing group, I have been cigarette free for over 5 years. You CAN do this and we can help.
Lots of luck, Mayberry
I am going to explain a few things.
I think your expectation IS : to be able to quit without having "Tough" craves and urges . .
There are methods that will help , but the best and most helpful quit aid is YOU !!
Those urges you speak of that seem unbearable when you begin your quit and cause anxiety .Anxiety is uncomfortable ,so to ease the stress and anxious feeling we EASILY give in, and QUICKLY say WE CAN"T DO IT .
To follow comes "I failed " and discouragement , and broken confidence .
We need to understand EVERY CRAVE WILL PASS. Take comfort in that ... every crave WILL pass but we need to choose, and be our own AIDE in HOW IT WILL PASS WITHOUT caving in.
And so we have Yes and NO options.
NO options..."NO
I will not smoke
I will not Bum a smoke
I will not smoke a butt
I will not look for a" believable excuse" for myself to smoke.
I will not blame someone or something else so I can smoke
I will not say" I can't do it"
I will not give in
I will not let smoking control me anymore
I will not believe that I am a failure. THAT is a LIE that Nicotene WANTS ME to believe!!! I WILL NOT BELIEVE "THE LIE"
I will not think that this is tough , but THAT" I AM "tough , AND I AM ABLE
I will choose better options "Yes" OPTionS
I WILL say "NO" to smoking
I WILL ask for help when I need to,
I WILL remember "This too shall pass"
I willpost , not smoke .
I WILL remember that smoking does harm to me with EVERY SMOKE I SMOKE, even though I may not see it , so today is the best day to quit , and today is the best Day of the Rest Of My life!! .
I will remember That "I am" important ," I am "of worth ," I am" of Value , and this quit is" for ME"... Because I am Looking after "ME" Everyone else around "ME" will benefit . Quitting will spread the love
" Me" is a very important word here .. "ME" is worth being taken special care of .
I will remember it is MY responsibility to congratulate myself each and every day when the job is done . Its ONEDAY AT A TIME ...One baby step at a time :) I will not be hard on myself .
I will remember the URGES and Craves will pass , smoking is not an option and I will become stronger , and It will get easier > it may not feel like it is easy now, but I understand what I am dealing with is beatable and quittting is doable. !
You can do it / we all can
Perhaps write a list of consequences should caving in hold with it . Make sure that list is very unattractive. Mentally review the" losses" you will have giving in . Then mentally review the "wins" by not giving in ...make those things worth holding your quit for .
Take breathes and read info...don't be overwhelmed by it , but when you need it you will be reminded and you will have the ah ha I remember reading that moment when you can say this is all normal .
The fear is worse than the doing ..and it just takes daily practise.
Come here often , post often in times of struggle and/or joy ...glad you've joined our quit family
missionkd
on a mission
3 years plus 2 months and days ...one day at a time
there are others means of nurturing ourselves .Be reminded smoking took away from us ..it did not give us one good thing ever!!
I quit cold turkey . It can be done. Chantix quit...it can be done..... gum ...it can be done ..... cutting back..... can be done and e cigs ( I do not recommend )
The only way out is through .... Look at the experience as a gift not a punishment . The urges and craves are what brings you Back to healing . Quitting is a process by which we learn so much about ALL the reason we lit a cigarette sometimes 25 times a day , and changing that using new healthy coping strategies. Sometimes we discover we were coping ...just smoking , or not coping and still smoking ...having NO resulTs to anything.
You have to understand that those craves and urges do pass . Those craves and Urges and tears and unconfortable feelings are healing and creating a new and healthy YOU . . The key is to ALLOW the craves and urges to pass by not giving in to smoking under any circumstance . Each time we survive or get passed a crave successfully builds strength and confidence .
You can do this ...Its notimpossible :)