I'm going to quit smoking tommorow and am scared, need help?

Question

This is about the 10th try this year. My biggest trigger is thinking about my ex, who dumped me 11 months ago and then the fact I'm in debt and struggling to find myself career wise and other.
I hoping the no smoking will be empowering but realize this might be a long term benefit.
I'm grateful for any help you can offer, thanks

Answer 1

Quitting smoking is a great opportunity to learn about ourselves.
Congratulate yourself on having the desire to stop - then you are over the worst, but still need to maintain your resolve. It's just so easy to start thinking that just one won't hurt, but it does. Just one achieves nothing except feeling the need for another. Whatever you do, don't have just one. Beware - alcohol will weaken your resolve.
Here's a few home-brewed tips that might be useful.
It's not just nicotine addiction - there are 50+ chemicals in cigarettes. Also the main problem is habit.
We have been used to having body sensations which we translate as 'my body needs something', which we have attempted to satisfy by having a cigarette.
When we try to stop smoking, we still get these 'my body needs something' sensations, and we still feel that we want a cigarette. We have to train our body to be more selective. When we feel we need something, we have to work out what it is that we actually need.
A glass of water is an excellent substitute if nothing else comes to mind, as it helps with the clearance of the toxic substances in our body. Another good substitute is a bag of salted peanuts, used in combination with the water.
Another thing to do is to find an activity which occupies the mind or body. Go swimming - nobody wants to smoke while they are swimming. Slowly, as our body adjusts and translates the 'want something' feelings into something other than cigarettes, then the feelings begin to go away. We know its not a cigarette that the body really needs, because as soon as we've had one we still have the feeling, and want another!
We will have a few bouts of feeling or even being short tempered. We must try to bite our lip, and control; ourselves. Recognise the short temper as being the removal of toxins which are trying to find a way out. They went in through the mouth, and they try to get out that way to. We must learn to keep our mouth closed, and force the toxins out the other way.

After we have stopped for a while we will begin to feel that just one wont to any harm.
All that leads to is a desire for just another one. We must guard very strongly against the desire to have just one.

Answer 2

It's a difficult situation. You can probably just go to see your father once or twice and then limit yourself to looking after your mother. She is the reason you are going, there is no need to pretend any differently. Your father has burnt his bridges and can't really expect a reconciliation...he really doesn't have any right to. I think your brother might be more difficult. He might try to manipulate you into doing things you don't want to do. Perhaps the best way to take back control is to be civil but avoid entering discussions with him. Just say straight up that he can do what he wants and you will do what you want. Then end the discussion. If he tries to continue, don't answer, just leave the room. I feel a great deal of sympathy for you. Nobody deserves to suffer through what you have, but your strength can be a source of strength for others in your family. Good luck.

Answer 3

Nothing to be afraid of, and lots to be proud of. You've made the decision to quit. So it hasn't worked so far, that just meant you weren't ready. Now you are.
Forget about the ex - he's not a part of your life any longer and isn't worth wasting thoughts on. Think instead about yourself.
If you're in debt, quitting smoking is going to help put more money in your pocket, and you'll get out of debt quicker.
Here's what you do.
How much do you smoke? A pack a day? Get a glass jar, and every day, put five dollars in it, to pay for the cigarettes you didn't buy. It's called positive reinforcement, and it sure feels good to see that money piling up in the jar. At the end of the month, you'll have $150 extra dollars to play with, or pay down debts.
As far as the quitting goes, you don't have to make it forever, or for a year, or for anything, but for the next five minutes. That's all. Just promise yourself you won't smoke for the next five minutes. And when you finish that five minutes, re-negotiate your contract with yourself for another five minutes. And after a while, you can stretch it out to ten minutes.
One of the things that makes smoking so appealing is labial satisfaction. We like the feeling of something in our mouth. So you can get that from alternate sources. Chomp on a piece of celery. You can chew on it for a long time and it doesn't have much in the line of calories, no trans fatty acids, none of that bad stuff. Chew on gum if you want. Or get a pomegranet. They are wonderful for diets or quitting smoking. Open the peel and eat it one seed at a time. It leaves you with a fresh taste in your mouth, and takes hours and hours to get through. Again, it's low calorie.
And if you really get a craving, and absolutely can't go any longer without a smoke, go have a shower. You can't smoke under water. The first day is the hardest, it gets easier on the second day, still easier on the third. It's going to take a while to get all that nicotine out of your system, and it's sneaky stuff. Don't let it fool you into thinking that you can just have one or two a day. In no time flat you'll be back into your full habit. So stick with it, one day at a time.
Check in in a couple of weeks, and tell us how you're doing. We love to hear success stories.
Good luck!

Answer 4

Getting pregnant is what helped me to quit, when it wasn't just affecting me, but my developing baby as well

...but...since you can't go get yourself knocked up :), here's my next best advice....

You don't stop a habit, you replace one habit with a different one. So ditto on the lollipop solution, maybe get sunflower seeds so that you still have the hand - to - mouth motion.

You must plan ahead for what you will do instead of smoking. When do you usually smoke? In the morning? Then find something to do that is INCOMPATIBLE with smoking. Go for a jog or something, you wouldn't smoke and jog at the same time.
Okay, maybe after meals...what will you do after meals instead of smoke? Put cinamon gum in your mouth BIG RED, uggh that stuff is strong and cinamon is supposed to be helpful when trying to quit smoking...

Okay now before bed...take a bath...you wouldn't smoke and bathe at the same time right?

Throw away EVERY lighter, EVERY ashtray, all your matches. You will get rid of it if you are really serious about this, this time.

Lastly, do something for YOU everyday. If all day you walk around feeling like you are depriving yourself your new commitment to better health won't last long. Wake up each day and ask yourself what you will do for yourself today?

Okay man! I BELIEVE IN YOU! If I can do it you can do it! You are a strong person and you deserve good health. (say that to yourself in the mirror everyday)

Good luck! And I am PROUD OF YOU!! Let us know once you've conquered it okay?

With Love - Ponderpink

Answer 5

Take it in steps dont look at it long term get short term set up tell yourself this is my last cigarette then when u feel the urge suck on a lollipop or chew some gum and tell yourself i dont need it you might be cranky for a while but after 2-4 days u should feel alot better and the habit is kicked i hope this helps you

Answer 6

Ask someone to be your buddy and help you by being your cheerleader. And at the end of each week that you get through without smoking at all, reward yourself. (Maybe the first day reward yourself for getting through it.) Doesn't have to be big, but promise yourself that you will reward yourself with whatever favorite food or something else that will be worth your effort and tolerance of trying to break the habit. And maybe put the saved money towards a big reward a year from now if you have kicked it. Don't let yourself think of your ex, think of that great reward/treat at the end fo the week! ; )

Answer 7

I don't claim to understand the addiction that a smoker deals with. I have friends who have quit - some have truly kicked the habit, others haven't - and I think the ones who are most successful TRULY understand the dangers of smoking, because they've had serious health problems because of it (like cancer and heart disease). If I were you, I'd go to my doctor and get him/her to help me by prescribing medications that will help you be less anxious; I have noticed that the friends who do so, as well as using nicotine patches, have done better than anybody at kicking the habit. Good luck!!!!

Answer 8

Try to quit smoking by reducing the total amount of cigarette sticks you actually smoked with in a day by 5-8 sticks. Then try to lessen it by 7-10 by the next month. 10-12 on the next until you only smoke one stick and then no more. In that case you may not experience the thing called smoking withdrawal symptoms. Try to divert your attention into more productive hobbies by increasing your skills in music if your'e music minded or try improving your playing skill in sports if you're sports minded.

Answer 9

it is a big big step to quit smoking. i've tried it several times and made it 7 weeks once, and hope to try again someday... right now just isn't the time (for me) though.

your local health department might have some support groups and other tools that could help you; look into that. then if you call your local united way they will also be able to connect you with free or low cost help of all kinds.

i used dumdum lollipops (buttered popcorn flavor) to help me. some people eat celery or carrot sticks. walking, other types of excercise, and keeping real busy can be a big big help too.

good luck~you can do it!

Answer 10

I've never smoked, so I don't know that I can be much help, but I hear that vitamin C and citris can help if you eat it whenever you want a cigarette. Also, your doctor can help with this. Get a good friend to take your cigarettes and don't allow yourself to buy more.