Stop Smoking: Statement

So can you tell us how u did it?

Im trying to quit too but to no avail.

Spanky,

If you want to quit smoking. I know of some resoucres that may help you.

Allen Carr's: The Easy Way to Quit Smoking.

A free website called WhyQuit.com That teaches all about nicotine addiction and the misconceptions that people have that keep them smoking and feeling that quitting is too hard to do.

Most people look at why they want to quit and there's nothing wronf with that, But ask yourself another question. Why do you continue to smoke?

What benefit do you think smoking gives you? What advantage does smoking do for you that non smokers are being deprived of experiencing?

It's pretty much the concensus that quitting smoking is hard. You hear it everywhere. From other smokers trying to quit, from the tobacco companies wanting you to continue to smoke, from the pharmecutical companies wanting you to buy there products and most likely from yourself from your own past failed quits.

Anything is hard when you don't know how to do it. Anything is scary when you don't understand it. Including quitting.

Imagine trying to work on a car engine without any knowledge how to do it. It would be pretty indimidating right? Especially if you have tried to work on this engine before and have failed.

But what if you had a manual to help you understand how to work on the engine? Wouldn't it become much easier to do? Of course you would still have to put in the work and fix the engine, but the intimidation factor (THE FEAR) would go down tremendously.

Quitting smoking is not really that hard. It is quitting believing that a cigarette does something for you that can be hard. If you remove that thinking, quitting smoking can be much easier than you ever imagined.

Check out those resouces that I mentioned. The greatest obstacle for a person trying to quit smoking is FEAR.

Educating yourself can really help erase the fear.



Eric 3 years 2 months + Free

It has been very challenging emotionally.....

Wow its crazy, on day 3 I almost punched my wife for something that would not move me that much in my smoking days.
It's stupid, sometimes I'm so angry that I just would like to hit someone so I can release all that frustration. Today is day 10 and I feel much better than day 3.

My cousin (he quit smoking 10 years ago) recommended that I start taking Nicotine gums to take the edge off, but I just don't feel comfortable with the idea of putting nicotine in my body even if it can help me relax a little. Any suggestions ?

Spanky2005,

I did it cold turkey, someone told me it was a good challenge and an opportunity to show some will power. So I QUIT to show the universe that I can do it If I choose to. I want to take control of my life and for me it starts with controlling my smoking habits by not smoking. That's what worked for me, I guess its different for everyone. Good luck to you in finding what should work for you.

Hey Dudovic,

Congrats on quitting. The anger you may have been experiencing probably came from what is known as emotional loss. I was taught that people quitting expereince the 5 stages of emotional loss when quitting much like someone who loses someone or is dying.

There is denial, anger, bargaining, depression and finally acceptance.

Also, you're experiencing anger as a non smoker and it can be frustrating at first. I'm by no means condoning your anger, but it might help explain why.

When you smoked and felt anger or stress. This caused a physiological reaction that pulled nicotine out of the bloodstream. This quickly put you into withdrawal. So a lot of times something that was annoying us would be put on hold while we smoked to replenish our lost nicotine. Usually what happened is by the time we were finishedd smoking and "feeling better". What was making us upset in the first place doesn't seem so bad. We kind of forget about it.

You mentioned this anger episode happened on day 3. You were already going through withdrawal. As a matter of fact, day 3 is usually whne withdrawal peaks and then starts to decline. Then something annoyed you, probably creating a bit more anxiety, BUT this time you knew that you couldn't put a stop to that feeling by the only way you know how. By smoking a cigarette. This probably caused you a lot of frustration and made you very angry over something that would normally not seem like a big deal.

Not only was it psychologically upsetting, but you were also feeling physical anxiety on top of that due to withdrawaling off nicotine.

I'm asuming that today, you are on day 11 or 12. You should be feeling much better than you were on day 3. All physical withdrawal should cease arounf this time.

Personally, I am a much much more calmer person now that I don't smoke. Smoking does not relieve stress. It creates it.

I strongly reccomend that you do not listen to your cousin. Putting nicotine back into your body will only compound the issue of quitting and put the physcial part of quitting back into the scene. This is going backwards.

The gum only alleviates craves that it causes. It would only take the edge off, because it initally created that edginess feeling. It is a chicken and the egg scenario.

You are goin to be experiencing a lot of things now as a non smoker and you'll experience association triggers. DO NOT CONFUSE THIS WITH A NEED FOR NICOTINE. Assocation triggers are merely urges to smoke, because you're subconscious has been conditioned to smoke during certain places events and scenarios.

Example: Hanging out with smoking friends. Drinking coffee. Break time at work, etc.

A lot of people confuse association triggers with needing a cigarette. It is merely a thought that your subconscious will disregard within one or two encounters.

Good luck,


Eric

I;ve beeen quit 15 years this January. Hardest thing i've ever done in my life. Its more of a who has the control issue. I was tired of allowing ciagrettes to rule my life. I smoked 2 1/2 packs a day for almost 20 years...........Tell yourself this is it, get rid of everything, cigarettes, lighters, ash trays.....when oyu feel hte urge go for a walk, a run, do something with your hands....Put a rubber band around oyur wrist and pop yourself to remind yourself YOU are in control.....the nicotine will be out of your body wihtin 30 days and they cravings should subside within that time frams....Now, I find it repulsive and can not stand to be around a smoker. ALthought many of my friends smoke, I avoid being around the smoke itself. Hee in Georgia, we are smoke free in restaurants and other public places (THANK YOU LORD)....try to avoid situations that bring on the urge...stay away from bars,places where smokers are. Its hard, but the best thing i could have ever done and wish i'd never started. My husband used the patch to quit when he met me nad he has also been quit 14 years! You can do it, just you have to be hte one IN CHARGE!

Thanks a lot for sharing your experience, knowledge and hope.
Today is day 13 and YES I do feel better, I'm not so much on the edge anymore. Right after my work colleges and I went to a cafe to enjoyed a soft drink. Most of them are smokers and Yes I did experience what Eric described in the post above as "Association triggers". I took a big breast of fresh air, look around me and I let the feeling of craving go away. I guess it is going to happen many more time before I can feel 100% comfortable as a not smoker, but hey as Fairy*Godmother says I am "the one IN CHARGE".

Thank You again for your support, I really means a lot to me