To be free of the weed! Stop, think and imagine what would be your choice if this question was asked of you?
Now for each and every one of us, the answer would obviously be different because we are ALL different but in some respects we are all the same. For those of us who want to quit we have one goal in common – to stop smoking. For an alcoholic, their aim is to not drink. For overeaters, it is to moderate to a responsible level their food intake. The list of things that we don’t want to do any more is probably endless and the list of things we would like to do is the same – never ending.
For me personally, I can’t think of one thing that I wouldn’t willingly give to be free of cigarettes. But the ultimate gift of giving up smoking is the fact that I, and I alone, am once again, in control of my life. It is about making a choice – I either choose to smoke and increase the risk all the smoking related illnesses that are known about and those that are not or I choose not to smoke and hopefully reduce the risk of any of the aforementioned consequences.
In an ideal world, no one would smoke and there are those that say this is how it should be – if there were no cigarettes available the result would be no smokers whatsoever. We all make choices throughout our lives and whether these choices are the correct ones only time will tell but really it doesn’t matter because once made, however much we want to, we cannot turn the clock back and make a different decision. We choose to follow the path where are choice takes us but no one holds a gun to our head and says that we must stick to that path. No one threatens us if we deviate from that path. No one makes us stay on that path if we choose to leave it. Any choice made is NOT set in stone – we have the power to alter or change direction. We live in a free world in which one or more of the choices we make/have made at certain points in our lives are the wrong ones but we all have the capability of making another choice in the hope that we can correct our error. We are all capable of doing this no matter which path we are on – but the decision to change is not easy because our minds to some degree like the continuity of what is known. Our minds, well mine anyway, fears the unknown or unchartered territory. All our minds are capable of accepting change but depending on how big the change is depends on how hard it is to achieve our goal. The question we first have to ask ourselves is do we want to change? If the answer is yes, then the second question has to be what do we want to change? This is closely followed by the third question, why do we want to change? and fourth question is how do we change?
So let us take these questions in the order that they were asked. Firstly, do we want to change? A definite and positive YES. Which leads us nicely to our second question, which was what do we want to change? For all of us on here, quit support, it is quite obvious what we want to do but for those that are not too sure about the answer it is to stop smoking.
Why do we want to change? Well for each and every one of us, although some of the answers will be the same, most will be completely different. For me, it is to make me feel ‘better’ than I sometimes do. It is about not feeling like a pariah when I go anywhere because I am (or should that be was) a smoker. I really do feel sometimes that other people look down their nose at me and it isn’t just because I smell of (stale) smoke it is like I am a worthless human being. I also want all the health benefits of being a non-smoker – i.e. being able to run with my dogs, being able to run for the bus without getting breathless and wheezing and feeling like I’m 90 not nearly 60. To not only for food to look good but for it to taste, actually taste, good as well. Then there are the financial benefits as well (leading hopefully to early retirement!).
Then the fourth and final question, how do we achieve this change? Well firstly, we all know but it is worth repeating that this is a long and very hard battle but it is doable (for reference, doable is defined as ‘a program or similar that is tough (agree) but doable; capable of being done) so we have to change our mind set to meet this, the ultimate challenge. We have to keep repeating to ourselves ‘we can do this’ ‘we can do this’ and in this way the impossible becomes possible. As individuals, we all have our own way of dealing with this question and what works for some may not necessarily work for others but sharing our experiences, thoughts and this whole journey will help each and every one of us succeed. Once we have our mind on our side, the next step is, for some, to just stop. Simple as that but we all know that it isn’t that simple, don’t we? If it were that simple then there would be no necessity for this forum for a start which we would a real shame as we have made many friends here. For others, we need that little bit of extra assistance in the form of NRT or an e-cig or one of the many other ‘items’ that our now available. My own personal journey has been with nothing but willpower which has, as you are all aware, let me down on three or is it four, occasions? I am loath to use any of the available options for fear of getting dependent on them as a substitute for a cigarette and if the truth be told, having been unsuccessful does not deter it just strengthens my resolve.
Now there are some of you that will think I am mad – stark staring bonkers even – but I have bought a 10 pack of cigarettes today and have kept them and a lighter on my person. When I have had a craving, I have looked at this packet and thought to myself, no I’m not going to unwrap you as you’re fine as you’re OK as you are. Nice and neat wrapped in your protective cellophane and for now, you can stay that way. I have then replaced them on my person because believe it or not, the craving had gone. I am the same with chocolate (I just luuvv chocolate). If there is a bar in the house, I don’t eat it but if there isn’t, I go made for some. Strange but very true and it just shows how different we all are.
Well, I feel better for this blog and I hope that anyone that has read it has enjoyed it. Whether it is relevant to you or not I do not know but if it helps just one person, then that is enough.
On a lighter (no pun or inference intended) note, for those of you who missed it on today’s blog, I found this whilst searching for something else ….. hope you enjoy too
My dad kept a pack of his cigarillos on the side after he stopped, it was important for him, he'd tell others about them, proud of his strength and resolve?
I couldn't. I don't trust myself enough. And the NRT patches are very important to me too, and seem to keep me much more even throughout the day than the. Ups and downs of the nicotine cravings without them ie cold turkey. I think my cravings are more for the behaviour than the nicotine need, which is being satisfied by the patch - looking for the reward, comfort, motivator and all the other things the ciggie came to represent.
Night, Kath Wishing you a peaceful night's sleep and sweet dreams xx
Hope you enjoyed the blog and as you say, food for thought and also pause for thought. I can understand your Dad doing what he did but, I prefer to keep my packet out of sight on the philosophy that 'out of sight is out of mind' and besides, I prefer that only I and a select few (?) others know about my secret stash!!
As I said in my blog, we are all SOOOOOOOOOO VERYYYYYYYYY different and what works for one might not necessarily work for another but by sharing we are helping not only the others on the same journey but also ourselves - don't think it does anyone any good keeping things bottled up inside themselves.
Stay strong and you, I and all the others will succeed in our quest.
Hope you had a good nights sleep and happy Saturday to you.
I too keep tobacco and all the kit to roll my own in a drawer in the kitchen. To have it there becomes my choice not to smoke it rather than a forced decision which in me brings about a bit of a panic attack. So far, in my cold turkey quit, I have only had the one major desire to roll a cigarette. I have also left my dirty ashtray on the side so that I can smell it when I'm in the room. I can tell you that the smell alone puts me off even opening the drawer to the tobacco! I remember a friend of mine telling me that when they decided to quit they collected the ashtray remains for a period of a week, putting them into a large jar and topping up with water, a kind of cigarette pot pouri. That was enough for her, seeing that mess swimming and stinking. It's like you say, we are all so different that different things work for each and every one of us. The one thing that I am grateful for is all of you on here as I do know without this site this quit would be so much harder!
Whether you're a teen smoker or a lifetime pack-a-day smoker, quitting can be tough. But with the right game plan tailored to your needs, you can replace your smoking habits, manage your cravings, and join the millions of people who have kicked the habit for good.
IN THIS ARTICLE:
Why quitting seems so hard
Creating your personal stop smoking plan
How to quit smoking and manage cravings
(Show more...)
Why quitting can seem so hard
Learn to recognize & reduce hidden stress
Watch 4-min. video: Quick Stress Relief
Smoking tobacco is both a psychological habit and a physical addiction. The act of smoking is ingrained as a daily ritual and, at the same time, the nicotine from cigarettes provides a temporary, and addictive, high. Eliminating that regular fix of nicotine will cause your body to experience physical withdrawal symptoms and cravings. To successfully quit smoking, you’ll need to address both the habit and the addiction by changing your behavior and dealing with nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
Relieving unpleasant and overwhelming feelings without cigarettes
Managing unpleasant feelings such as stress, depression, loneliness, fear, and anxiety are some of the most common reasons why adults smoke. When you have a bad day, it can seem like cigarettes are your only friend. Smoking can temporarily make feelings such as sadness, stress, anxiety, depression, and boredom evaporate into thin air. As much comfort as cigarettes provide, though, it’s important to remember that there are healthier (and more effective) ways to keep unpleasant feelings in check. These may include exercising, meditating, using sensory relaxation strategies, and practicing simple breathing exercises.
For many people, an important aspect of quitting smoking is to find alternate ways to handle these difficult feelings without smoking. Even when cigarettes are no longer a part of your life, the painful and unpleasant feelings that may have prompted you to smoke in the past will still remain. So, it’s worth spending some time thinking about the different ways you intend to deal with stressful situations and the daily irritations that would normally have you reaching for a cigarette.
Ways to create your personal stop smoking plan
Designing your personal game plan
Tailoring a personal game plan to your specific needs and desires can be a big help. List the reasons why you want to quit and then keep copies of the list in the places where you’d normally keep your cigarettes, such as in your jacket, purse, or car. Your reasons for quitting smoking might include:
I will feel healthier and have more energy, whiter teeth, and fresher breath.
I will lower my risk for cancer, heart attacks, strokes, early death, cataracts, and skin wrinkling.
I will make myself and my partner, friends, and family proud of me.
I will no longer expose my children and others to the dangers of my second-hand smoke.
I will have a healthier baby (If you or your partner is pregnant).
I will have more money to spend.
I won't have to worry: "When will I get to smoke next?"
Source: Smokefree.gov Online Quit Guide
Questions to ask yourself
To successfully detach from smoking, you will need to identify and address your smoking habits, the true nature of your dependency, and the techniques that work for you. These types of questions can help:
Do you feel the need to smoke at every meal?
Are you more of a social smoker?
Is it a very bad addiction (more than a pack a day)? Or would a simple nicotine patch do the job?
Is your cigarette smoking linked to other addictions, such as alcohol or gambling?
Are you open to hypnotherapy and/or acupuncture?
Are you someone who is open to talking about your addiction with a therapist or counselor?
Are you interested in getting into a fitness program?
Take the time to think of what kind of smoker you are, which moments of your life call for a cigarette, and why. This will help you to identify which tips, techniques or therapies may be most beneficial for you.
Start your stop smoking plan with START
S = Set a quit date.
T = Tell family, friends, and co-workers that you plan to quit.
A = Anticipate and plan for the challenges you'll face while quitting.
R = Remove cigarettes and other tobacco products from your home, car, and work.
T = Talk to your doctor about getting help to quit.
How to quit smoking and manage cravings
After quitting, you may feel dizzy, restless, or even have strong headaches because you’re lacking the immediate release of sugar that comes from nicotine. You may also have a bigger appetite. These sugar-related cravings should only last a few days until your body adjusts so keep your sugar levels a bit higher than usual on those days by drinking plenty of juice (unless you’re a diabetic). It will help prevent the craving symptoms and help your body re-adjust back to normal.
Tips for managing other cigarette cravings
Cravings associated with meals
For some smokers, ending a meal means lighting up, and the prospect of giving that up may appear daunting. TIP: replace that moment after a meal with something such as a piece of fruit, a (healthy) dessert, a square of chocolate, or a stick of gum.
Alcohol and cigarettes
Many people have a habit of smoking when they have an alcoholic drink. TIP: try non-alcoholic drinks, or try drinking only in places where smoking inside is prohibited. Or try snacking on nuts and chips, or chewing on a straw or cocktail stick.
Cravings associated with social smoking
When friends, family, and co-workers smoke around you, it is doubly difficult to quit or avoid relapse. TIP: Your social circles need to know that you are changing your habits so talk about your decision to quit. Let them know they won’t be able to smoke when you’re in the car with them or taking a coffee break together.
In your workplace, don’t take all your coffee breaks with smokers only, do something else instead, or find non-smokers to have your breaks with.
Additional tips to deal with cravings and withdrawal symptoms
Stay active: Keep yourself distracted and occupied, go for walks.
Keep your hands/fingers busy: Squeeze balls, pencils, or paper clips are good substitutes to satisfy that need for tactile stimulation.
Keep your mind busy: Read a book or magazine, listen to some music you love.
Find an oral substitute: Keep other things around to pop in your mouth when you’re craving a cigarette.
Good choices include mints, hard candy, carrot or celery sticks, gum, and sunflower seeds.
Drink lots of water: Flushing toxins from your body minimizes withdrawal symptoms and helps cravings pass faster.
Keep a craving journal
For the first week or so of quitting, make entries into a log book to monitor your daily progress. Note the moments in your life when you crave a cigarette as these are your triggers to smoking. Are there certain people or environments that trigger your cravings? If you smoke, how does it make you feel? Jot down some other things you can do to feel the same way. Later, when you’re having a bad day, you’ll be able to look back at the comments you wrote in week one to get perspective on how far you’ve come.
Get support from others
Let your friends and family in on your plan to quit smoking and tell them you need their support and encouragement to stop. Look for a quit buddy who wants to stop smoking as well. You can help each other get through the rough times.
Keep the pounds off
Weight gain is a common concern when quitting smoking. While it’s true that many smokers put on weight when they stop smoking, the gain is usually small, on average 3-5 pounds. Weight gain occurs because the oral gratification of smoking is replaced by the self-soothing mechanism of eating. To maintain a healthy weight, it’s important to find other, healthy ways to deal with stress and other unpleasant feelings rather than mindless eating. Eating a healthy diet and staying active can help you maintain your current weight.
Manage changes in mood
Mood changes are common after quitting smoking as a result of nicotine withdrawal. They will be especially pronounced if you have been using cigarettes to manage your moods and relieve stress, depression, or anxiety, for example. After quitting, you may be more irritable, frustrated, restless, angry, or despondent than usual. You may also experience headaches, trouble sleeping, and difficulty in concentrating. However, these changes usually get better in 1 or 2 weeks as the toxins are flushed from your body and you find other, healthy ways to manage your moods. Let your friends and family know that you won’t be your usual self and ask for their understanding.
Finding the resources and support to quit smoking
There are many different methods that have successfully helped people to quit smoking, including:
Quitting smoking cold turkey.
Systematically decreasing the number of cigarettes you smoke.
Reducing your intake of nicotine gradually over time.
Using nicotine replacement therapy or non-nicotine medications to reduce withdrawal symptoms.
Utilizing nicotine support groups.
Trying hypnosis, acupuncture, or counseling using cognitive behavioral techniques.
You may be successful with the first method you try. More likely, you’ll have to try a number of different methods or a combination of treatments to find the ones that work best for you.
Medication therapy
Smoking cessation medications can ease withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings, and are most effective when used as part of a comprehensive stop smoking program monitored by your physician. Talk to your doctor about your options and whether an anti-smoking medication is right for you. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved options are:
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
Nicotine replacement therapy involves "replacing" cigarettes with other nicotine substitutes, such as nicotine gum or a nicotine patch. It works by delivering small and steady doses of nicotine into the body to relieve some of the withdrawal symptoms without the tars and poisonous gases found in cigarettes. This type of treatment helps smokers focus on breaking their psychological addiction and makes it easier to concentrate on learning new behaviors and coping skills.
Non-Nicotine Medication
These medications help you stop smoking by reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms without the use of nicotine. Medications such as bupropion (Zyban) and varenicline (Chantix) are intended for short-term use only.
Non-medication therapies
There are several things you can do to stop smoking that don’t involve nicotine replacement therapy or prescription medications: Ask your doctor for a referral or see Resources and References below for help finding qualified professionals in each area.
Hypnosis
A popular option that has produced good results. Forget anything you may have seen from stage hypnotists, hypnosis works by getting you into a deeply relaxed state where you are open to suggestions that strengthen your resolve to quit smoking and increase your negative feelings toward cigarettes.
Acupuncture
One of the oldest known medical techniques, acupuncture is believed to work by triggering the release of endorphins (natural pain relievers) that allow the body to relax. As a smoking cessation aid, acupuncture can be helpful in managing smoking withdrawal symptoms.
Behavioral Therapy
Nicotine addiction is related to the habitual behaviors (the “rituals”) involved in smoking. Behavior therapy focuses on learning new coping skills and breaking those habits.
Motivational Therapies
Self-help books and websites can provide a number of ways to motivate yourself to quit smoking. One well known example is calculating the monetary savings. Some people have been able to find the motivation to quit just by calculating how much money they will save. It may be enough to pay for a summer vaca
Thanks Jillygirl very imformative and useful to me.
Appreciate your time in typing it all out - hope your fingers aren't too sore.
It must be wonderful when everything one does, albeit with a little help, is as simple as ABC but unfortunately not everyone is the same. Whilst not decrying the help you have given yourself with NRT and lozenges, as you say, personal choice, that is not the way to go for everyone. Personally, I prefer to do it cold turkey, that is without medication to assist me. That it may take me longer to achieve my goal, i.e. to rid myself of the habit, as habit is what it is, at the end, my body will be free of both cigarettes and any medication and all that they both contain.
At this moment in time, I take a minimum of 10 tablets a day to prevent an attack of/keep my meneries and associated ills at bay, but as with all meds, these do not always work hence the attack I had on Wednesday. Inhaling on a cigarette makes any attack worse and it is at these times that my resolve is so very strong to stop completely but unfortunately, there are times when I feel well and the thought of not smoking doesn’t enter my head – when I’m well I smoke and when I’m not I don’t and, as you so rightly say, it is my choice. The desire to stop is 100% positive during and after an attack no matter how many days the remnants of the attack last, but my resolve wanes when my body has recovered sufficiently for me reckon that smoking is not the cause of nor does it make the attacks worse. The desire to just have that one cigarette surfaces and I succumb, stupidly I know, but that is life as we are all sometimes weak, are we not? Over the past 9 weeks, I have had 13 attacks, two of which were absolutely horrendous. In the main, I do not know what causes them but I do know that smoking I am certain, makes them worse and stress, if not actually the cause, can result in a doozy of an attack the effects of which can last from 1 to 14 days afterwards. It is not unknown either for attacks to happen on a daily basis which is not only not nice but is very debilitating.
When not if, I can conquer the in-between times then I will succeed in my goal to quit and in order to do that, I have to be stronger than most but I will succeed, no matter how long it takes, I will get there. I am so pleased that for you quitting was easy or relatively easy and I dare say there are others that had as smooth a ride as yourself but quitting, to me anyway, is not just about stopping the cigarettes it is also about not having to have medication to stay stopped.
Meneries Disease does not get better – the attacks and outward happenings (eg vertigo) can diminish over time but in my case they have not as I have suffered for the past 18/20 years – I am unfortunately, unable to precisely recall when I had my first attack. In some people, and touching wood not to myself so far anyway, it can mean that they are unable to leave their own home and also, in some respects, unable to care for themselves properly because the attack is just continuous, day aftger day, week after week and month after month there is no let-up whatsoever. I hope and pray that this doesn’t happen to me and if I can lessen the risk of this by not smoking then that is what I must do. Whether I stop now, next week or next month, really doesn’t matter as long as when I do, I do it for good/ever. The effects of Meneieres are horrific - I know because I have lost 90% of my hearing not just in one ear but both! I would not wish this illness on my worst enemy. There are times when I cry it is so bad and my other half is distraught because there is absolutely nothing that either of us can do to stop the attack. It just has to run its course whether it be for an hour or 2 days.
I am pleased for you that your journey to quit smoking seems to have ended in your being successfully free of cigarettes and wish you the same success in being completely free of the meds.
Not everyone is the same, thank goodness, and whichever way we choose to quit smoking is down to personal choice. Every person is different, after all, we are all individuals. If someone uses meds. to quit then that is their choice they do what is best for them and what I personally believe does not matter. My views are my own personal views and I know that not everyone will agree with them but that is what makes the world go round and such a special place to live because we can agree to disagree and still be nice to each other.
I am also pleased that you now know what is wrong with Amor and hope that you are successful in making him well.
I can clearly remember smoking my first cigarette at the age of 13. I have no idea why I did it but I do know that I chose to do it. Yes it was my choice. What I didn't choose to do at that moment was become addicted to smoking. Maybe I was naïve, or maybe I was just stupid and ignorant, however I will maintain that I did not choose to become an addict, it happened by the very act of smoking. I agree that every single person has a choice whether they continue to smoke or not however the 'or not' is not always just as simple as that. Addiction (the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance or activity) is a hard cookie to break. To be addicted (physically and mentally dependent on a particular substance) means that it's not just a case of deciding you no longer want to inhale, ingest, inject the substance you are addicted to, especially if there are other circumstances in your life that hamper your efforts or make breaking the addiction even harder.
Lets face facts, if it were as simple as deciding you no longer wanted to smoke then there would not be one sane person in this world who would risk their health and life to partake in a cigarette. Addiction, by nature, is often stronger than will. It is a physical, emotional, psychological need that needs help, support, encouragement and to be in the right place in your life to break free from.
Kath, you are doing great. Take each day as it comes, don't punish yourself for any cigarette you smoke but reward yourself for the ones you didn't. Know that your efforts are supported even though it's from afar.
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and hopefully smoke free evening.
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to each and every one of you. 
But I thought quitting would help..
