Quit smoking? -
i ve quite smoking for a few days and i was wondering if anyone knows how long the urges to smoke last and if there is any good way to deal with them!
thank you
I quit cold turkey more than a year ago, and you get the urge once in a while its normal, specially because is habit done with a regular basis.
I did smoke a couple of times while trying to quit, I am not going to lie, but just knowing that my health is in a better place now, it was all worth it. I ate more, and I did gain a few pounds, but now I-m exercising, and have more energy all together.
You will quit because you want to and you re life is worth it.
Consider getting a hobbie, or just doing something that you know is good for you.
Give yourself a big pat on the back, many people are proud of you, including me. Hugs.
Good for you!!!! I quit too but I did it using the Allen Carr -Easy Way to Quit- book and have really had very few withdrawal symptoms. It-s been very easy. I am so glad to be free of the nicotine addiction - slavery. I highly recommend the book.
This time, I do not feel I am being deprived of anything. And whenever the thought of a cigarette comes up in my head, I pay attention to it and recognize it for what it is, and then celebrate the fact that I am getting myself free.
Every other time I tried to quit, I felt sorry for myself and felt like I was making a huge sacrifice, and I think this is why the previous times failed. This time I realize that nicotine withdrawal is actually very mild and even kind of enjoyable, like an -anti-high- and I do not feel I am sacrificing or giving up anything. Rather, I think I am ending my slavery to an addiction and this is cause to rejoice. So...I guess the mental change of attitude has really helped me.
Best wishes to you! You can do it!
Here-s what I did:
Set yourself a date to quit. Start an internal dialogue that you will not be a certain age and smoking too. See yourself as you want to be, then imagine it so as often as possible leading up to your quit date.
Think positive; Tell yourself, -I am a non-smoker.-
The habit is mental and physical: Recognise the cues to smoke and change the pattern. If you smoke when talking on the phone, avoid the phone for awhile. After you eat? Go for a walk or do something that doesn-t call up the habit. You have to realise that some good things are put aside for now but will be worth the wait and greatly improved for reward of your effort now.
You may want to invest in nicotine patches or niccorette gum to assist with the calming of your cravings. This is known to help tremendously.
Whenever you experience a craving, AKA a nicotine fit,
sit down, take deep breaths, close your eyes and go with it!
Feel what is happening. Tell yourself that you really don-t want this to control you. Let it wash over you knowng that this feeling will soon pass and be no more.
You are missing the physical sensation of holding the cigarrette in your fingers as well as the saensation of breathing in deeply and blowing out.
Empty fingers feel strange and cue you to pick up THE NO-NO! So pick up a pencil and hold it like a cigarrette so the cue dissappars.
Your mouth feels strange: it requires entertainment. Your mouth misses the feel of the ciggarette and deep breathing in for smoking and blowing out again. Now your mouth is idle!! So fill the gap, use the end of the pencil as the cigarette was between your lips, then breath in deeply, hold it and blow out. This exercise fills the physical sensation that is missing when you don-t smoke and helps to remove the cue to light up. As nicotine disappears from your system, the craving for these sensations disappear also.
Continue this routine as long as you can; day by day or hour by hour. Sometimes you take it minute by minute.
If you give in and start smoking again realize that this has been valuable practice toward your final quit. Forgive yourself and begin again. Each time it will get easier until you are finally free and in charge of your life!
The best way is to take one day at a time, most people substitute that habit with something else like chewing gum or unhealthy foods. That-s why you hear most people say you gain weight when trying to stop smoking. But just know that someone proud you for stopping that habit
Trying to quite has been the name of my pain for years!! It-s just hard. There are patches and pills, inhalers and groups... Endless helper products but in the end it-s up to you. Hope you do better than I have. Good luck!
They say the cravings never go away just get weaker with time.