Cigarettes & I

[RadicalEdward]

I, as of Monday 2:00pm, have not picked up a cigarette
... and in a desperate attempt to keep myself accountable I would like to let everyone know

It has been just on 48 hours since my last, and while it is getting easier - I still really want one
I'm fidgety, easily irritable, unfocussed.. but I know it'll be worth it in the long run, but.. Grrr!!

On the upside though - I took 8 minutes off my commute this morning

Any suggestions to help continuing to avoid them?

My partner is still a smoker.. so I can't avoid them completely, he's not quite ready to quit, but I've increased water intake to help stop the increase in hunger
I don't have any 'emergency supplies' stashed away anywhere

[salsabike]

Walk around the block when you get the urge. It'll fade. Honest. Always walk first and see if you can fade it back.

[Susan]

Hard when your partner still smokes!
But be sure, even if you don't believe it at the moment, there will be a day in the near future when you will not even think about smoking. The beginning is hard because you still have the urge to smoke and think about it - this won't last. The longer you don't smoke, the less you will want to smoke, keep that in mind! Every cigarette would put you back on the start again - you don't want that.
Think about yourself as a nonsmoker from now on - not as a smoker who doesn't smoke "at the moment".
Try to do some sports everyday - it will make you feel better emotionally and you can really feel that you can breathe now
If you miss your smoking breaks, try to find a better habit to replace them if you have to - make yourself some tea or whatever you like.
Try to avoid triggering situations, like, when you are used to smoke when you have a drink or similar, try to avoid it until you feel more secure. Maybe you partner can support you by trying to not smoke in front of you.

As former smoker I can tell you that some day, you will be able to write all this without wanting to smoke even one bit That you will realize how disgusting smoke smells and how it hurts your lungs and eyes, even if you can not believe it now. And the only thing that you will wish is that you had stopped sooner or not even started in the first place.

You can do it!

[Kiwi Stoker]

Congratulations on making that step to be smokefree.

Something you may want to try (and they are starting this in NZ prisons as they will become smokefree later this year) is using carrot sticks as a replacement.

Healthly, cheap and it might just work!

[Catrin]

You can do this, and congratulations on taking the step! Yeah, another smoker in the house does make it difficult, but you CAN do this

I did this almost 20 years ago - it does get easier and eventually something changes and it no longer smells good...

[Dogmama]

Been about 25 years - before patches, gum, pills, etc. Here is what helped me:

Write down all the reasons you want to quit on a 3X5 card. Keep it in your pocket & pull it out when you get the urge.

Water & vitamin C - flushes the nicotine out of your system faster & you become healthier quicker. I don't know if there is scientific evidence, but that was the story back then & it helped.

As others said, when the urge hits, walking helps. Doing anything active - yoga stretches, deep breathing ("ah yes - I can breath deeper now that my lungs are healing!")

Do something aerobic every day. Even if it is just a walk around the block. Keep those endorphins up.

You CAN do it. The urges become less frequent & less forceful each time you move past one.

[withm]

I quit about 35 yrs ago. Every time I wanted one, I went and brushed my teeth instead. When your mouth tastes like toothpaste it wipes out the cravings.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

14 years for me now. i found that both sugarless mints and sugarless minty gum helped suppress the urge. Each week that passed, it got easier. Good going!!

[Norse]

Over 15 years for me now. Exercising, including just getting out for a walk, does help. Treating myself to my first post-college bike was a big inspiration and the start of where I am today. Also, when I was trying to quit, a neighbor who was a nurse said: "I have one word for you. Toothpicks." By golly, it did help. They help both with the fidgety fingers and the oral fixation issues. To this day, I still keep toothpicks around. Of course, the first month of my stop smoking effort the inside of my mouth was almost shredded from my fidgety, nervous chewing the toothpicks into tiny bits but that too passed. Also, don't beat yourself up if at first you do not totally succeed. It took three solid efforts on my part to finally quit. Having the desire and will to quit will get you there!

[ClockworkOrange]

R E S P E C T!

It's rarely easy but good luck to you, you can do it.

When you have a few minutes, type out what you are saving:

• Each day
• Each week
• Each month
• Each year

Then smile to yourself BUT also go out and buy yourself a nice treat.

Now smile again.

I gave up about 6 years ago, best thing I ever did......................ain't easy though!

[RadicalEdward]

Aww!! You guys are Awesome!

Not so easily irritable today, not feeling the cravings anything like I was yesterday
From now on in I guess it's more the habit breaking that needs to be done

("ah yes - I can breath deeper now that my lungs are healing!")

^ I'm holding onto this for dear life

Based on everyone's suggestions I
-Went out and bought my favourite block of chocolate (80%.. mmm...) as the 'smoke-break' alternative, which so far has done the trick
-Carrot & Celery have saved my sanity, and probably the lives of some the kids in my team -interesting about the NZ Jail system going smoke-free though, it'll make for some interesting situations, are they going to treat it like contraband?
-Also, Tea - Grabbed some Lemon/Ceylon blend, and sip that throughout the day - still rewards the hand-mouth fixation, and it's warm (and while I Love coffee.. if I drank that much coffee in a day I'd be driving everyone up the walls)
-and each crazy-urge I grab a some gum and go for a wander around our building

-I Will definitely ask the Big Mister to stop smoking around me, he's been acting odd about the whole thing anyway, I think some additional conversation would be beneficial

[goldfinch]

1986 I quit.

I ate carrots until I turned orange.

Every bone in my body hurt.

It was worth it.

It gets better. Slowly but surely it gets better. Oddly, for a few years afterwards every once in a while I would dream that I accidentally started to smoke.

My spouse at the time continued to smoke but at least kept it outside.

[jelee1311]

Its been almost two years this time and now when I want a cig I go out and ride like hell. I usually find a big hill to climb and when I get to the top I'm thankful cuz if I smoked I'd have never made it. When I first quit I cut up drinking straws and fake smoked through them I think the deep breathing and oral fix relaxed me. You are awesome and you can do it. Good luck!

[Brandi]

I took the money I would have spent on ciggs and bought a kayak. Then the money wasn't there anymore! The biggest thing for me was my hubby wanted to quit at the same time. It is too hard when the other is still smoking. I have one on a occasion now but only on occasion. My dh says he could never pick one up again cause he knows he would start up. We started drinking sparkling water when we quit. It was weird it was like the bubbles burning the back of our throats kinda gave us the feeling of smoking......strange I know but it worked. Good luck and come back for support anytime you need it! Just don't pick it up! Just walk away! And think to yourself "I have gone this far I can go even further" Also take up knitting! I did and it help with the figit part.

[RadicalEdward]

Is it weird that this feels a bit like confessional? Not that I've ever actually been in a confessional - but I've seen the films
"Forgive me fellow TE'ers for my dirty habits, it has been Seven days since my last cigarette"

Its been almost two years this time and now when I want a cig I go out and ride like hell.

I have never ridden as often or for as long as I did this weekend
I've realised that boredom has been a massive driver of smoking, and in order to be not bored.. I got on my bike

Made it through the entire weekend smoke free! Two evenings of dinners/drinking and a BBQ.
It was NOT easy, but I'm ridiculously proud of myself

And if anyone out there is thinking about quiting, I definitely think I did it the right way around
Quiting during the week - meant that my hands and brain were busy at work while coming down off the chemical dependancy, now I have the habit to break, but only dealing with the habit when I came in contact with people who knew me as a smoker, the occaisional drink etc. and that all worked out alright, I don't think if I had of tried to quit on the weekend that I would still be a non-smoker

Also take up knitting! I did and it help with the figit part.

Have been a knitter and spinner for years now! Although I can't do either at the moment as much as I'd like to - have restricted fine motor skills in my left hand due to a pinched nerve which is still recovering