I'm QUITTING and need your support
05-15-2009, 10:35 PM
#43
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: California
Posts: 3,502
You can do it!! I am a smoker and I NEED, WANT, to quit. I have been toying with the idea but it's scary if anyone can understand that.
Yes, keeping busy will surely help. I know that when I am sewing and I want a smoke I put it off and put it off... maybe I can put it off for good.
Let me know how the medication works for you. A co-worker who smoked for 30+ years quit with it.
Yes, keeping busy will surely help. I know that when I am sewing and I want a smoke I put it off and put it off... maybe I can put it off for good.
Let me know how the medication works for you. A co-worker who smoked for 30+ years quit with it.
05-16-2009, 04:36 AM
#45
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: MI
Posts: 2,526
You Go Girl!!!
I am a smoker too, and recently tried to quit again. I had tried the chantrix about a year ago, and quit using it because of all the really weird dreams. A month or two ago, my state offered free gum or losenges, if you particpated in stop smoking phone counseling sessions. I was down to about one an hour or more, then hubby lost his job, it all went out the window. He got another job in just 3 days, but I still haven't gone back to the quitting mentality. I have the losenges, still sitting in the cupboard, the counselor told me I couldn't use them until I quit.
I wish I didn't smoke. None of our kids do, so I am always going outside to have one. My husband doesn't smoke, but it doesn't bother him. And it seems like such a stupid habit to me, not to mention I really can't afford it.
When I was talking with the phone counselor, and cutting back, I did feel so proud of myself, feeling as though I could do it. My husband was telling everyone how proud of me he was. He hasn't smoked for about 20 years.
I just have to get myself back to that wanting to quit now.
Blaze the trail, and I'll try to get back on my horse and follow! :D
I am a smoker too, and recently tried to quit again. I had tried the chantrix about a year ago, and quit using it because of all the really weird dreams. A month or two ago, my state offered free gum or losenges, if you particpated in stop smoking phone counseling sessions. I was down to about one an hour or more, then hubby lost his job, it all went out the window. He got another job in just 3 days, but I still haven't gone back to the quitting mentality. I have the losenges, still sitting in the cupboard, the counselor told me I couldn't use them until I quit.
I wish I didn't smoke. None of our kids do, so I am always going outside to have one. My husband doesn't smoke, but it doesn't bother him. And it seems like such a stupid habit to me, not to mention I really can't afford it.
When I was talking with the phone counselor, and cutting back, I did feel so proud of myself, feeling as though I could do it. My husband was telling everyone how proud of me he was. He hasn't smoked for about 20 years.
I just have to get myself back to that wanting to quit now.
Blaze the trail, and I'll try to get back on my horse and follow! :D
05-16-2009, 05:01 AM
#47
Power Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 18,726
I'm sooo glad you are taking this step PQ...Both DH and I quit almost 2 yrs. ago. We both were heavy smokers and quit with the patch. I had the Dr.'s put one on him in the hospital so he wouldn't be going through Niccy withdrawals while he had all the other problems. I told him that it was his decision whether or not to quit when we were able to come home. He decided that since he already had been off them for 2 weeks...just to quit. I went and bought patches for me and we did it together...BEST THING WE'VE EVER DONE TOGETHER!
The actual "habit" is the hardest thing to break and to be honest...I'd light up today because I truly enjoyed smoking...but I won't ever do it again for soooo many reasons! Anyway..as far as the "habit", we both found that we would think about a cig, but in 2 seconds the thought would be gone if we just went ahead and did whatever we were doing...buckle the seat belt, put car in gear...etc.
After 2 yrs...I am getting the weight gain under control..yes, you will gain weight, but I'd rather have the few extra lbs., than the black lungs and stink. We both still occasionally think about having a cig., but it goes away quickly.
You go girl....you can do!!!!
The actual "habit" is the hardest thing to break and to be honest...I'd light up today because I truly enjoyed smoking...but I won't ever do it again for soooo many reasons! Anyway..as far as the "habit", we both found that we would think about a cig, but in 2 seconds the thought would be gone if we just went ahead and did whatever we were doing...buckle the seat belt, put car in gear...etc.
After 2 yrs...I am getting the weight gain under control..yes, you will gain weight, but I'd rather have the few extra lbs., than the black lungs and stink. We both still occasionally think about having a cig., but it goes away quickly.
You go girl....you can do!!!!
05-16-2009, 05:48 AM
#48
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Front row
Posts: 14,646
It's sad to see older women standing out on the curb smoking. No where to smoke in public anymore. In our guild we have one person who smokes and you can smell her as soon as she walks in. I did not want to be that person or be left standing on the curb. I think being ashamed of myslef when I smoked made me quit more then anything.
05-16-2009, 08:30 AM
#50
Super Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 1,265
15 years ago, I quit a 20-year smoking habit.
I had to rearrange my physical space to support my quitting efforts. I moved side tables that used to hold the ashtray to the other side of my body so my hand would relearn quickly it had nothing to reach for. My cocktail table held a looooong oblong flower arrangement (no roomfor an ashtray which was visiallyout of pplace anyway). Likewise, I moved my computer to the other side of the room and the other side of the table to do the same thing. Look at your physical space to see where and how you can short-circuit old physical responses and movements associated with smoking.
I drank no beer/alcohol for 6 months, because drinking and smoking literally go hand-in-hand.
I switched to tea from coffee half the times I would have coffee for the same reason. (Back then, though, there were frwer smoking restrictions/prohibitions in restaurants and public buildings.) But it did help a lot - I could have the rituals of a hot beverage without the usual "prompt" of a cigarette to go with it.
I was driven crazy by the smell lingering in my clothing, drapes, furniture, carpeting - anythign fabric, natural fiber or otherwise. I spent a chunk of change getting the smell out with dry cleaning, professional steam cleaning and lots of loads of laundry. Some items still retained the smell and had to be tossed. I got rid of clothing that I typically wore when I went out with groups where I'd typically smoke all evening. (I replaced the discarded "social smoking" clothing with new clothes, and that was surprisingly one of the most powerful "assists.") Fabrics hold smells and covering up the old smells with neutralizing or deoderant-type products WILL NOT WORK- they smell instead like "ocean breeze cigarette smoke" or "country floral cigarette smoke." Since I never smoked while I sewed, I reinforced the no smoking while sewing new drapes, accent pillows, clothing, etc.; I used up lots of my fabric stash, got ahead of the Christmas gift curve with lots of homemade items, and felt amazing actually making something instead of smoking. The "high production" was a terrific reinforcement of accomplishment - everything I sewed underscored all the packs and cartons of cigarettes I was leaving behind forever, and it seemed to put MILES between me and them.
I went to outdoor places where smoking was not permitted or encouraged or easy- parks, beaches, like that. I also started walking more around the neighborhood, parking farther from the entrances of stores, doing things like that to get my lungs and physical stamina back to working order. I found I enjoyed this walking and the whole time it never occurred to me to smoke - smoking and walking aren't a good match anyway! I am not talking about starting any marathon training - just take a walk around the neighborhood and focus your attention on noticing what you might not otherwise - keeps your mind off your old habit and gets you to reconnect with your surroundings otherwise.
One last thing: in my whole 55-year life, I have NEVER met anyone who ever regretted quitting smoking - and every person I have met who quit and resumed the habit has, without exception, regretted it.
HANG IN THERE AND BEST OF LUCK!
I had to rearrange my physical space to support my quitting efforts. I moved side tables that used to hold the ashtray to the other side of my body so my hand would relearn quickly it had nothing to reach for. My cocktail table held a looooong oblong flower arrangement (no roomfor an ashtray which was visiallyout of pplace anyway). Likewise, I moved my computer to the other side of the room and the other side of the table to do the same thing. Look at your physical space to see where and how you can short-circuit old physical responses and movements associated with smoking.
I drank no beer/alcohol for 6 months, because drinking and smoking literally go hand-in-hand.
I switched to tea from coffee half the times I would have coffee for the same reason. (Back then, though, there were frwer smoking restrictions/prohibitions in restaurants and public buildings.) But it did help a lot - I could have the rituals of a hot beverage without the usual "prompt" of a cigarette to go with it.
I was driven crazy by the smell lingering in my clothing, drapes, furniture, carpeting - anythign fabric, natural fiber or otherwise. I spent a chunk of change getting the smell out with dry cleaning, professional steam cleaning and lots of loads of laundry. Some items still retained the smell and had to be tossed. I got rid of clothing that I typically wore when I went out with groups where I'd typically smoke all evening. (I replaced the discarded "social smoking" clothing with new clothes, and that was surprisingly one of the most powerful "assists.") Fabrics hold smells and covering up the old smells with neutralizing or deoderant-type products WILL NOT WORK- they smell instead like "ocean breeze cigarette smoke" or "country floral cigarette smoke." Since I never smoked while I sewed, I reinforced the no smoking while sewing new drapes, accent pillows, clothing, etc.; I used up lots of my fabric stash, got ahead of the Christmas gift curve with lots of homemade items, and felt amazing actually making something instead of smoking. The "high production" was a terrific reinforcement of accomplishment - everything I sewed underscored all the packs and cartons of cigarettes I was leaving behind forever, and it seemed to put MILES between me and them.
I went to outdoor places where smoking was not permitted or encouraged or easy- parks, beaches, like that. I also started walking more around the neighborhood, parking farther from the entrances of stores, doing things like that to get my lungs and physical stamina back to working order. I found I enjoyed this walking and the whole time it never occurred to me to smoke - smoking and walking aren't a good match anyway! I am not talking about starting any marathon training - just take a walk around the neighborhood and focus your attention on noticing what you might not otherwise - keeps your mind off your old habit and gets you to reconnect with your surroundings otherwise.
One last thing: in my whole 55-year life, I have NEVER met anyone who ever regretted quitting smoking - and every person I have met who quit and resumed the habit has, without exception, regretted it.
HANG IN THERE AND BEST OF LUCK!
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