Have quit smoking but how to deal with cravings? -
Using chantix I quit smoking - twice. The first time for 5 weeks - then one night I just had one. The next week I had a couple more. Within 2 months I was up to 1/2 pack a day - all the while taking Chantix! Now I-ve quit again - 3 weeks. The physical addition is gone after a couple of days but the mental addition is what I am struggling with! I-ve tried inhaling unlit cigarettes which helps somewhat. And of course eating ... I-ve gained 20 lbs through all this ...
I understand that there-s a limit on the number of perscriptions you can get for Chantix and there-s a whole black market for them now - especially in companies where the insurance covers it! (Mine doesn-t) I can-t afford to keep taking it anyways.
Regardless of price - I am having COPD symptoms and I REALLY need to quit.
Any suggestions??
just hang in there and keep thinking about why you quit it will get easier i promise. I quit 263 days ago. When I first quit I read alot played games on www.pogo.com and avoided things i associated with smoking such as talking on the phone, going to smokey bars, the smoking breakroom at work...(including friends who smoke). you could also try taking a walk every time you think of having one it helped my sister. In the mean time I know you think the unlit cigarette is helping but really it-s not. don-t tempt yourself with something you can-t have.
P.S. congrats on the 3 weeks!!!
chew gum
Read (keep your mind busy), got a hobby? (keep your hands
busy). have a sloooow cold glass of water or something else
non-alcoholic. Have some raw veggies or fruit. Chew
gum and/or hard candies -- convince yourself that you don-t
want/need the d*** things. keep the faith.
Try Chantix again and supplement it with either gum or perhaps a stop smoking book. For more Chantix information, click the following link:
http://www.121doc.com/champix.html?a_aid…
I have no idea what chantix is but here-s my story. Hope it helps :-)
I smoked from the age of 13 til 26 the whole time thinking I-d be able to stop when I WANTED to. Then that time came and no matter how much I told myself not to smoke I kept going back.
One day at work, my boss asked me if I wanted to quit smoking and my response was -who doesn-t?- That day was to change my life... forever.
I am now nearly 33 and haven-t had a cigarette since 2 weeks after my boss asked me that question. How? I read a book, it was that simple... it-s by Allen Carr and if you WANT to quit check out his website below.
Quitting smoking was the easiest (yes easiest) and most empowering thing I-ve ever done. I couldn-t have done it without the book.
First you have to really want to quit. Second you can never have another cigarette .Leave them around where you usually have them so you could have one if you wanted to.That-s what I did. Have to use your will power.Have veggies to chew, on even then you will gain. After not smoking for a while you body will go to where it wants to be in the weight dept. Your cravings will stop. may take six months but it will happen. Remember veggie snacks not chips Do not inhale cigaretts and don-t be around other smokers untill your craving is gone. Tell others you quit so they can support you. if they don-t , stay away from them .
I would really suggest trying to stay away from people who are smoking, not even the smell of someone smoking around you is teasing enough, but to actually witness someone smoking around you will be worse. Keep a strong mind and mentality and you should do brilliant. Just keep yourself occupied.
I have recently just setup my new forum called SmokersTalk. You can visit the link in the sources box below. We are wanting as many active members as possible, we also hold competitions every month, so why not be in with a chance while expressing your day to day life as a partially quit smoker. Sign up free today: www.forums.smokerstalk.com
We-ll my uncle puts a tooth pick in his mouth to pretend it-s a ciggarete. Or you can use the chewable gums. You should get rid of -ALL- of the cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, and place of work. - Don-t let people smoke in your home!When you first quit smoking, it may feel like your day is one long, continual urge for a cigarette. If you pay close attention though, you-ll notice that most cravings to smoke last only three to five minutes. They tend to come off the blocks strong, and decrease gradually until they-re gone.
-----You should try some of these.
1) Go for a walk.
Get up and move. If you can, go outside for a five-minute walk. Do a lap around the block or the building, breathing deeply as you go. A little exercise and a change of scenery helps!
About.com Walking
2) Take a mini mental vacation.
Close your eyes. Create a place in your mind that you can visualize when you need to slow down and relax. It could be a real location or not, but visualize it in detail and make it yours. Go to this place every time you do this exercise so that it becomes familiar and comfortable. As you settle in, start to follow your breathing, and slow it down gradually. Breathe deeply in and out for three to five minutes.
Vacations of the Mind
3) Drink a glass of water.
When a craving hits, chug down a glass of water. Not only will it help you bust your craving to smoke, it will help you physically. Many of us are mildly dehydrated without knowing it, so adding some water to your diet is a good idea. Good hydration will help your metabolism work more efficiently and you-ll feel better overall. Water is one of nature-s finest quit aids; use it to your advantage.
Drinking Water to Maintain Good Health
4) Review your list of reasons to quit smoking.
Reading your list is a quick and easy way to remember your priorities for quitting. Take five minutes while you-re wishing you could smoke and remember how you felt when you decided to quit. Think about the reasons why you finally took the plunge and stubbed out that last cigarette. Your reasons are just as true now as they were then.
Why Should I Quit Smoking?
5) Have a portable hobby.
Find something you enjoy doing that-s easy to pick up and put down at a moment-s notice. Keep it handy to fill a five-minute break here and there. You could work a crossword puzzle or read a few pages of a novel. If you knit or crochet, carry a simple project around with you.
6) Grab some support.
Visit the support forum here at About.com Smoking Cessation. Do a little reading about how others deal with nicotine withdrawal and the early days of quitting tobacco. Post a message asking for support, and jump in to help others who may be struggling. When you step outside of your own discomfort and focus on helping someone else with theirs, it can be the best medicine in the world. Tell them that they can do it and you-ll be giving yourself the same message. It-s a win/win!
About.com Smoking Cessation Support Forum
7) Count your blessings.
Take a few minutes to reflect on all of the things in your life that you-re grateful for. It-s a simple, yet powerful way to pull yourself out of a slump and renew motivation.
Smoke Free Blessings
8) Eat a healthy snack.
When blood sugar levels drop, cravings to smoke can seem more powerful while you feel less able to manage them. Eat something nutritious, such as a piece of fruit, a cup of yogurt, or a tablespoon of peanut butter on a couple of crackers. You-ll feel refreshed and stronger.
Fun and Healthy Snack Recipes
9) Call a friend.
Take a few minutes to connect with someone you care about. Your spirits will be lifted, and chances are you-ll perk them up too.
10) Accept and let it go.
Cravings to smoke are not commands. How you choose to react to a craving can either increase or decrease its power over you. Try a little reverse psychology - instead of tensing up for a fight when the urge to smoke hits, relax and mentally lean into it. Let the craving wash over you, and accept it as a sign of healing, which is just what it is. The urge will run its course and pass. Practice makes perfect with this technique. You-ll get the hang of it and will find it empowering.
when my mom quit smoking she didnt use no pills or patches or anything , but everytime she craved a ciggarette she grabs a peice of hard candy , and it helped her quit maybe it would help for you too. or if your looking to buy something to help theres a system called smoke away and they give you this spray that you spray in your mouth that makes the taste when you smoke HORID and some people find that a good reason not to smoke so they dont. Good luck though , your doing a good thing , and you will feel better when youre done as well as be proud of yourself. =)
This is a new idea that no one else is doing. GET ONE OF THESE http://www.dontgivemeasmoke.com/
tell your mates that you are out of the club for good!!!