New and Scared

[ceeray]

Just got on this evening and was looking around - my fear rose.. shocker  - I'm scared all the time anyway.  Looking through AndrewAsh and Loamie specific I immediately felt the crave.  Here's where I'm at.  Went through On-line $$ hypnosis on 1 Feb.  I was for sure it would work - (but dreaded it) - I immediately went to sleep for long nap - awoke and long story short made it just before Super Bowl and broke.  Bout 36 hours.  I tried to sleep through most of it - but I cried and cried and couldn't even get out of bed.  So disappointed in myself.  But - I guess I had to learn.  Been a long time since I've felt withdrawal.  Well - not since 8 hour plane ride - but that's easy since you know you can have one eventual.  Now I've made it to being a nighttime smoker.  Most of you know - I'm playing a game with myself.  Somedays its 10 somedays its 5.  I'm telling myself I'm getting used to not having them.  Trying the Allen Carr method of dealing with that feeling.  Now thinking of cutting a 2mg lozenge in half - since I think even 2mg at one time is too much.  Sigh.... I'm a mess.  Not happy smoking - not happy not.  This is no way to live.  Comment please.... Thank you.

 

 

[jillar]

Welcome aboard ceeray, yes that is no way to live. Years ago I too tried hypnosis to stop smoking and lasted about the same amount of time as you. You know why? Because I truly wasn't ready to quit. This addiction looks for every little crack to get back in that's why it's so important to not only want to quit but to also be ready to quit.

Once you know that you are, nothing is going to come between you and your freedom from smoking. You can do it, we're all proof of that. 

As far as using NRT's go, please don't smoke and use them at the same time. It's very dangerous. Also keep in mind that using them keeps you addicted to nicotine which you'll have to kick at some point to be truly free.

We have tons of resources, clues that worked for us and support to help you succeed so I hope you decide you're ready. We love a quitter

[ceeray]

Thanks for the Quick response jillar.  I have been torturing myself.  Tried to bombard my mind with Allen Carr, hypnosis, even called the quit line for weekly counseling.  I am trying to turn my back (or excuses) away from daily drama.  No matter what we ALL have that.  It is my excuse why I "can't."  I even loaded multiple APPS on my phone with my quit date that was supposed to be last November.  Imagine the shame when they keep popping up telling me how much money I've saved.  SHAME... Guess I need to delete them - since trying to put in new quit date doesn't work.  I feel lucky to have stumbled here as the resources here are plenty and hope to put me Over the .... what is word?  REMOVE THE IMPEDIMENT!   So please excuse if I start ranting - I've nowhere to put it.  HB quit after catching a cold - just like that - now I'm sneaking around again after failed hypnosis - I do know he's concerned but I cannot quit for him.  Now I'm an addict lying about how much I'm smoking - and everyday asked what the plan is.  I'm not blaming him its my fault.  Sigh.  I do feel ready to quit - SOMETHING is pulling at me.  FEAR?  I know I just keep dipping my toe in the water.  No worries - I won't smoke along with NRT.  That's a fear.  Although I don't know how to get through the first few days without something after what I experienced.  So I don't start (the quit) again.  Mar 1 looks like my new date.  Thanks for the listen.  I going to keep looking here and posting.  

[jillar]

We all had that fear when we first quit. And Most of us had multiple failed quits. I'm convinced that my success is because I found a support forum with people who were either going through the same things I was or had been through them and assured me it would get better. That's what you too will get here.

We have so many articles, tips and clues even a video library of quit smoking material. The best clue I got was using my air cigarette, we call it JAC (jillars air cigarette), when a bad crave hit. I just pretended I was holding an actual cigarette in my fingers and then went through the motions of 'smoking' it. I couldn't believe how well it worked at tricking my brain into thinking it was getting the real thing. Some people use cut straws, pens, even licorice! Also stock up on sweets, you'll probably be craving them in the beginning. I was addicted to soft peppermint puffs for a whole year lol.

And when you're ready to take a break head over to our social forums. Tons to do there from games, to an awesome song thread to jokes and everything in between

 

[Mee]

Welcome ceeray.  We all have been there.  I can tell you I tried every smoking cessation method available.  Nothing worked until I found this forum.  I smoked for 42 years and never thought I could quit.  The people here showed me the way.  Your addiction is making you think you need that cigarette.  When you quit,  the only thing that will happen, is you will get healthier.

The best way to quit is just stop.  It only takes a couple of days to get the nicotine out of you system.  Stay busy, stay close to the forum and shout out when you need us.  We are here to help you.  You can do this!

[Doreensfree]

Hello and welcome ceeray ....

Nicotine addiction sucks for sure ....I was addicted 52 yrs.... before I found Freedom .....

Glad your here ...take a seat and buckle up ....Breath ....good Deep Breaths ....

You can do this ...we all did ....and you can too.....you just need to want it bad enough to fight for ....

Take smoking off the table ...no matter what ....

I shouted this hundreds of times each day ...till my junkie brain got it ....no smoking ....ever ....

Gather things for your tool box !!!!.....

All the info you can read ...start with all the green pinned posts on the main Discussion Board ...

Watch Joels video,s....they cover most of your concerns ...

Regular gum or mints ect....to help with the craves ....

Keep busy jigsaws...puzzle books ....nice long showers or baths ...

Stay close to the board ..post often ...we will support you all the way ...

Why wait !!!!.....why poison yourself more ....today is a great day to quit ...

[Sazerac]

Welcome @ceeray.

 

Please avail yourself to all our resources and educate yourself about your nicotine addiction.

10 Ways To Effectively Use This Forum To Stop Using Nicotine

 

You are keeping yourself in the cyclical torture of withdrawals by smoking and by limiting yourself to nighttime smoking.

Quitting By Gradual Withdrawal

 

 

Step One to quitting smoking ?  Make a commitment to yourself and stand by it.  Not One Puff Ever.  NOPE.

Setting your quit date so far in advance will create far more anxiety than needed.  Make the commitment to freedom and Quit asap.

 

and from our friend, Joel Spitzer

How To Quit Smoking

[Jordan7]

Welcome, ceeray! As others said, we can all relate to the push and pull of wanting to quit and knowing it's time but still being afraid to fully commit.  I came up with countless reasons why tomorrow or next week would be a better time to quit than today, but of course when next week arrived it didn't feel any easier, so it was back to maybe tomorrow. That can go on endlessly until you just dive in and decide that today is the day and that's it. I also played the cut down game to get used to not smoking at certain times/places.  Maybe it helped, maybe it didn't, but you've already done that now so at this point it's only prolonging your misery.  You clearly want to be a non-smoker and the only way to get to where you want to be is to put them aside once and for all and just plow through the difficult days to get to the other side.  No one was more surprised than I was to learn that it really was doable for me (not just for other people) once I truly made the commitment and refused to allow for the possibility of ever turning back.  Quitting comes with lots of side shows (like the yammering in your head telling you just one more, or maybe just one more pack), and some people find various quit smoking aids helpful, but no matter how you go about it, it's really comes down to making up your mind that you no longer smoke and that you are in it for the long haul, whatever life might throw at you.   You can do this, ceeray, and along the way you can come here and read, talk, play games, laugh, rant and rave — whatever you need in the moment — and we'll be here cheering you on.

[Cristóbal]

Hello Ceeray, welcome to QuitTrain !!!

 

The "impediment" you mention in your second comment, is that you have not yet made a commitment with yourself to stop putting nicotine into your body. You are a nicotine addict. You are addicted to this drug. Smoking is just the delivery method.

 

If you do not make this commitment with yourself, then quitting cold turkey or using other methods to quit smoking, will never work. You will  continue to smoke or battle with quitting smoking for the rest of your life.  That is where you are right now, and that is why you are where you are right now.

 

Methods of quitting smoking do not do the work for you. You have to do it. And you cannot quit smoking without that commitment with yourself, to never put nicotine in your body again.

 

Take time to have this serious discussion with yourself. Then, when you finallly make that commitment, be your own best friend and love yourself by never breaking that commitment with yourself.

.

And.....starting with day one.....one day at a time......becomes the rest of your life.

 

 

Cristóbal

 

 

[sgt.barney]

23 hours ago, ceeray said:

  This is no way to live.  

So don't. 
It's a choice, really. 
No - really. 
You choose to put them down and never pick them up. 
Your choice and no one elses. 

HINT: Playing games doesn't help. 

You put them down. 
You never again pick them up. 

Quite simple, really. 

EZPZ.