Is it possible to quit without support from friends and family and if you stay mostly to yourself?

[jillar]

Reciprocity said it best. Read his reply and then re-read his reply. Like he said, I dealt with stress both life and quitting by using my jillars air cigarette. It worked great at tricking my mind into thinking I was getting the real thing.

Also you should start preparing for your quit by not smoking in the areas you always smoke in. This way when you walk into those areas you won't associate them with smoking and it hopefully won't signal a crave.

 

[Reciprocity]

@Ankush You asked how long the mental adjustment takes? For most it takes a full year of going through all the seasonal triggers you will face. Things will come up throughout the year that will make you feel like you should be smoking but you know that now you don't do that. You just knock those triggers off 1 by 1. Once you have faced them and not smoked, they are no problem next time. This doesn't mean you are in a constant mental struggle all the time for a year - no. Most people would find the first month challenging with the first week or so being the worst in terms of quit symptoms. If you are committed to quitting, you find ways to distract yourself and deal with the mental adjustment aspect. Look for positive changes from quitting and focus on those - money saved, you no longer smell of cigarettes, smoking no longer controls what you do in your daily life (freedom from addiction). There's plenty of good things even early on if you look for them. Be positive and know you are doing the best possible thing for yourself and your future. Make it your ONLY priority for the first while - everything else comes after keeping and growing your quit  It is absolutely possible for ANYONE if you want it badly enough. 

[Boo]

On 3/25/2019 at 10:28 AM, Ankush said:

I wanted to know if it is possible to quit when there is little or no support from friends or family and one is mostly to himself most of the time? 

 

Absolutely.

 

Regardless of how many supporters or detractors surround you, the choice to smoke or not is yours and yours alone.

 

Quitting smoking is a commitment to yourself.

 

That being said, there's no reason you can't hop on the Quit Train and enjoy the ride with others who have been or are on the same journey that you are.  You'll meet some good folks and might even have a laugh or two.

[Ankush]

19 hours ago, jillar said:

Reciprocity said it best. Read his reply and then re-read his reply. Like he said, I dealt with stress both life and quitting by using my jillars air cigarette. It worked great at tricking my mind into thinking I was getting the real thing.

Also you should start preparing for your quit by not smoking in the areas you always smoke in. This way when you walk into those areas you won't associate them with smoking and it hopefully won't signal a crave.

 

@jillar Thank you for your reply.

[Ankush]

19 hours ago, reciprocity said:

@Ankush You asked how long the mental adjustment takes? For most it takes a full year of going through all the seasonal triggers you will face. Things will come up throughout the year that will make you feel like you should be smoking but you know that now you don't do that. You just knock those triggers off 1 by 1. Once you have faced them and not smoked, they are no problem next time. This doesn't mean you are in a constant mental struggle all the time for a year - no. Most people would find the first month challenging with the first week or so being the worst in terms of quit symptoms. If you are committed to quitting, you find ways to distract yourself and deal with the mental adjustment aspect. Look for positive changes from quitting and focus on those - money saved, you no longer smell of cigarettes, smoking no longer controls what you do in your daily life (freedom from addiction). There's plenty of good things even early on if you look for them. Be positive and know you are doing the best possible thing for yourself and your future. Make it your ONLY priority for the first while - everything else comes after keeping and growing your quit  It is absolutely possible for ANYONE if you want it badly enough. 

@reciprocity Thank you for your reply. I'm hoping I will be able to cut down the mental adjustment period. This is going to be my first attempt at quitting and I want it to be my final attempt. No going back to this nasty habit that I've picked up. There was a time when I never used to like the smell of cigarette smoke and whenever friends used to offer me a smoke I used to always decline. I picked up this nasty habit due to work stress.

[Ankush]

20 hours ago, Doreensfree said:

It's unfortunate we all suffer from Lives curve balls...and stresses.....

But it's understanding smoking won't relieve these stresses...

Folks who have never smoked deal with life's up and downs ....

Smokers tend to put the cigarette on a pedistal....it helps with most things ....no it doesn't ,all it does is relieve the nicotine withdrawal....

A I smoked 52 yrs ...thinking my crutch got me through all lives crap...no....it doesn't ...I get through things even better now ...

 

@Doreensfree I'm going to look at other crutches (the non-poisonous type). I had started exercising last year to loose weight and quit smoking. While I did loose a lot of weight, I did not achieve my goal of quitting smoking. Then I stopped exercising, got too caught up with work, started yet again and stopped again, now I haven't done any exercise in almost two months. However, I managed to stop myself from going back to my original pack-a-day routine from before I first started exercising last year even after I stopped exercising. I am going to ease into exercising again.

[Doreensfree]

Well done ...

We have a keep fit section ...you might like to join in there too..

And healthy eating ....we cover most bases....

We also believe quitting can be fun too...so join in the games ...

Do you have a quit  date in mind ?......

 

[Ankush]

1 hour ago, Doreensfree said:

Well done ...

We have a keep fit section ...you might like to join in there too..

And healthy eating ....we cover most bases....

We also believe quitting can be fun too...so join in the games ...

Do you have a quit  date in mind ?......

 

@Doreensfree Changed my quit date to 4th April 2019

[Mee]

Ambush,  I am sorry I missed your thread.  This wonderful train was the only place I could quit.  I smoked for 42 years and tried many different methods.

There is nothing to be afraid of and everything to gain; freedom, power and self esteem.

There will be an uncomfortable period the first month but we are here to help you through.  Once that nicotine is gone,  you just retrain your pattern of thinking.  I am almost 8 mos. smoke free and i don't think much of smoking.  My life has been very stressful lately but when that thought of smoking appears, I just think how foolish that thought is.  My life is so much better without cigarrettes.

Know we are here to help you with this journey.

[Reciprocity]

 ^^^ Ankush - Linda was in the exact same situation as you 8 months ago. Anxious about quitting and unsure if she would be able to do it. She had lots of life stress too - just like you and me and everyone. We are truly all the same. If one of us can find our way to quitting then all of us can. You're NO different. Remain true to your commitment to quit day by day and just for that day and pretty soon, you'll be like Linda and the rest of us. Wondering why you ever smoked in the first place because you'll understand it never did anything good for you. 

[Ankush]

20 hours ago, Linda Thomas said:

Ambush,  I am sorry I missed your thread.  This wonderful train was the only place I could quit.  I smoked for 42 years and tried many different methods.

There is nothing to be afraid of and everything to gain; freedom, power and self esteem.

There will be an uncomfortable period the first month but we are here to help you through.  Once that nicotine is gone,  you just retrain your pattern of thinking.  I am almost 8 mos. smoke free and i don't think much of smoking.  My life has been very stressful lately but when that thought of smoking appears, I just think how foolish that thought is.  My life is so much better without cigarrettes.

Know we are here to help you with this journey.

@Linda Thomas Thank you for your words of encouragement. Its nice that you have remained smoke free for so long. I'm hoping I can pull off my quit when the day comes which is now 2nd April next week. I preponed my quit day from 7th April to 2nd. I realized there was no point in keeping the quit date so far ahead since I am more mentally prepared now. Just need to stock up my fridge with all the needed food and juices to help me pull through. I am easing into getting rid of stash and paraphernalia as well. I threw away a couple of empty cigarette boxes, one matchbox, a very old e-cig and liquid which I had tried a few years back and then immediately stopped as they were horrible, they made my ears so itchy. NRT should be treated at the same level as a health risk as cigarettes and nicotine. 

[Ankush]

17 hours ago, reciprocity said:

 ^^^ Ankush - Linda was in the exact same situation as you 8 months ago. Anxious about quitting and unsure if she would be able to do it. She had lots of life stress too - just like you and me and everyone. We are truly all the same. If one of us can find our way to quitting then all of us can. You're NO different. Remain true to your commitment to quit day by day and just for that day and pretty soon, you'll be like Linda and the rest of us. Wondering why you ever smoked in the first place because you'll understand it never did anything good for you. 

@reciprocity It was work related stress that finally did me in. I started smoking fairly late in life. I was 24 when I lit up my first cigarette. I am 38 now and want to keep physically fit.

[Mee]

Ankush, you can do this.  Just remember distraction, distraction, distraction.  I did a lot of deep breathing and thinking how wonderful the fresh air felt.  

Now that I am looking back, I am thinking how it wasn't so bad.  I can tell you I was really ashamed of my smoking and truly felt my days were numbered with starting to have health issues from smoking.  

Just remember we are all here to guide you through.  Be sure to hang close to the forum.  

[Ankush]

3 hours ago, Linda Thomas said:

Ankush, you can do this.  Just remember distraction, distraction, distraction.  I did a lot of deep breathing and thinking how wonderful the fresh air felt.  

Now that I am looking back, I am thinking how it wasn't so bad.  I can tell you I was really ashamed of my smoking and truly felt my days were numbered with starting to have health issues from smoking.  

Just remember we are all here to guide you through.  Be sure to hang close to the forum.  

@Linda Thomas I am going make a list of things to do on a regular basis. One of Joel's articles do mention though that (and as you have also mentioned) deep breathing is the best and not to use crutches as any day the crutch is absent may be a reason for relapsing. Staying away from places I smoke may be difficult though. The only place I smoke is a small balcony next to my room. I stopped smoking when I go out with my family or even if I go out alone. If going outside stresses me, I always come back to my room and go to my room's balcony for a smoke. Staying in my room is going to be difficult.

Edited March 28, 2019 by Ankush

[Doreensfree]

A alter your balcony ...move ashtrays ....put nice plants out there ....make  it look totally different ...so it doesn't say ..Smoke here .!!!!

This is what I would do ...you can buy your plants with all the money you save ...!!!!

[Ankush]

20 hours ago, Doreensfree said:

A alter your balcony ...move ashtrays ....put nice plants out there ....make  it look totally different ...so it doesn't say ..Smoke here .!!!!

This is what I would do ...you can buy your plants with all the money you save ...!!!!

@Doreensfree I was thinking of putting as many post-its I could all over my room that say "Never take another puff". I could put on the balcony door, one at my study table in the room, one on shelf where I store my stash and paraphernalia, one on the mirror, some on the walls, a couple on my cupboards.

[Doreensfree]

1 hour ago, Ankush said:

@Doreensfree I was thinking of putting as many post-its I could all over my room that say "Never take another puff". I could put on the balcony door, one at my study table in the room, one on shelf where I store my stash and paraphernalia, one on the mirror, some on the walls, a couple on my cupboards.

That sounds like a great plan ..lol..

The secret is Never sticking anything in your mouth and setting fire to it ...Whalla....one neat quit .!!!!........

[jillar]

Ankush, stop smoking on your balcony. Make having to go out for a smoke so difficult that it's not worth the trouble. You will be quit next week anyway so by not smoking on your balcony you'll be able to go out there next week hopefully without craving. Trust me when I tell you it works...

[Ankush]

1 hour ago, jillar said:

Ankush, stop smoking on your balcony. Make having to go out for a smoke so difficult that it's not worth the trouble. You will be quit next week anyway so by not smoking on your balcony you'll be able to go out there next week hopefully without craving. Trust me when I tell you it works...

@jillar My balcony is like a tiny corner where I thought I was safe from all the world. The only other reason I do go out to my balcony is to hang washed clothes. So from next week there is no other reason to go out to my balcony. 

[Ankush]

I drank Rum today and smoked the same amount as i would have if I had not drank. So, didn't smoke an extra cigarette while drinking. Looking forward to quit day. Have a nice weekend!!!

Edited March 30, 2019 by Ankush

[Ankush]

How much Cranberry juice should I have per day to get the Nicotine out of my body ASAP? I was thinking of buying five liters of it and having around a liter and a half per day.

[Doreensfree]

Daily Limit

Limit your total cranberry juice consumption to less than 1 liter per day, says Medline Plus. Drinking 1 liter of cranberry juice is equivalent to about 34 ounces or a little more than 4 cups, more than double your fruit servings for the day. If you consume more than 1 liter daily for an extended period of time, you may have an increased risk of kidney stones. Cranberry juice contains a chemical called oxalate that binds with calcium, possibly forming stones in your kidneys when you drink large quantities of cranberry juice. If you have a history of kidney stones, avoid consuming too much cranberry juice by limiting your consumption to two 8-oz. servings or less daily.

 

Hope this helps !!!!!

[Ankush]

57 minutes ago, Doreensfree said:

Daily Limit

Limit your total cranberry juice consumption to less than 1 liter per day, says Medline Plus. Drinking 1 liter of cranberry juice is equivalent to about 34 ounces or a little more than 4 cups, more than double your fruit servings for the day. If you consume more than 1 liter daily for an extended period of time, you may have an increased risk of kidney stones. Cranberry juice contains a chemical called oxalate that binds with calcium, possibly forming stones in your kidneys when you drink large quantities of cranberry juice. If you have a history of kidney stones, avoid consuming too much cranberry juice by limiting your consumption to two 8-oz. servings or less daily.

 

Hope this helps !!!!!

@Doreensfree Thank you for your advice. Btw, I do not have a history of kidney stones. 

[Lilly]

Good luck for 02 April. 

 

What possessed you as a non smoker to decide to have a cigarette when stressed. How did you deal with stress before that. Have you thought about how you will deal with stress when you quit. 

 

Theres plenty of support here so you won't be totally on your own. 

 

Are you Redemption3 with a name change?

 

 

Edited March 31, 2019 by Lilly

[notsmokinjo]

Considering Ankush is anti-NRT that's a rather odd question Lilly.

 

Welcome Ankush, tomorrow is the big day, wishing you strength and commitment...no luck in a quit, just perseverance. You can do this.