I am experiencing nicotene addiction withdrawal...it's a bit shocking.

[trinityroyal]

DDD, hang in there. You CAN do this.


A friend of mine whose husband is trying to quit said something the other day that really put in perspective WHY it's so darn hard to quit. She said:

What are you supposed to do when you're under stress?
1) Get up, step away from what you're doing and go for a walk outside.
2) Take several slow, deep breaths to calm yourself.
3) Go back to what you were doing with a clear head.

What do you do when you take a smoke break?
1) Get up, step away from what you're doing and go for a walk outside.
2) Take several slow deep breaths as you inhale your cigarette.
3) Go back to what you were doing with a clear head.

The very same strategies that we're given to deal with stress are the ones that we use when smoking. It's VERY hard to deal with the stress of quitting smoking when all of the behaviour that reduces stress reinforces smoking habits. It's a conundrum. I think that's why stuff like drinking ice water works. It's a different de-stressor, that doesn't involve taking deep breaths.

As for staying quit once you've stopped...I don't know if this helps or not, but I used to smoke between 1 and 2 packs a day for about 10 years, then quit nearly 19 years ago. It took a good 3 or 4 years after quitting before it really "took" and I no longer craved cigarettes anymore. Take it one day at a time.

Hugs,
Trinity

 

[bby31288]

DDD. While I have never struggled with nicotine addiction as you know I'm not a stranger to addiction. I know you wish to do it with out a magic pill. The nicotine gum may just get you past that hump. My husband smokes. He has tried and tried. I give you so much credit and know first hand the need to just feel better. Congrats. You are doing a great job!

 

[rejectedmom]

DDD, You can do this! I quit cold turkey 35 years ago. I still craved them at times 15 years later even managed a smoke shop for a while and didn't falter. But would you believe that recently I actually thought about taking up a pipe? I smelled one and really wanted it too. I didn't, but yeah it is hard to quit and stay quit. Now, don't anybody talk about taking my chocolate away!!!! =RM

 

[DDD]

Thanks. I am reading each post with appreciation. Just going thru a valley of issues at the moment and am so used to finding instant comfort with one big inhale. Guess I'll have to cope by pulling on my big boy pants and man it up. Can't work out for awhile which is limitied my stress reduction methods. Oh well...whine...whine. I appreciate the support. DDD

 

[AnnieO]

Altoids are good too... The inhaling of the mint ones especially. Gives you that kind of cut-off-my-air-supply feeling...

 

[Tiredof33]

I know a person casually and have light conversations with her. I know she has struggled with alcohol and I have heard about pain pills. She is 52 and this has been going on since teens. Her sister owns businesses and does very well, she helps her sister with odd jobs and with the mother's care. Super enabling but that's the norm in this area.

Anyway, she was cleaning the gym last week and she told me she was in counseling and had discovered she had an 'addictive personality'. We have a joke in our quilting club about fabric addiction and enabling each other to be 'quilt aholics'.

I am also a 'plant aholic' I have to stop myslef from buying more when I already have plenty. I know I was addicted to nicotin, and I have my cup of coffee each morning.

So I think we all have tendencies to be addicts just in different areas and more constructive ways. I could certainly live with out my quilts, plants, and morning coffee but I would not be happy! And I think if they were destructive for me I would still have a hard time letting them go.

Also with tomatoes, after growing up here and having fresh tomatoes, I moved to Florida for 33 years and only had access to the store ones. Moving back to rural farm land I look forward to picking and eating fresh tomatoes. My daughter has RA and was told to not eat them, if they ever tell me that just shoot me lol!!!!

My thoughts are that we all probably have addictive personalities, just are able to control them better. I could easly wipe out my bank account with my hobbies, but I know there would be bad consequences. We have self control and that is what they must learn.

 

[AnnieO]

Everyone has their "thing". My grandmother passed down a VERY addictive personality. Cigarettes, alcohol, pain pills - she was a functioning addict - and later refunding/couponing (take extreme to the next level... Or so)... So it is no surprise that I am, as well...

I cannot function without music. I sing to myself if I don't have a radio available. Not so much for TV... I was grounded at age 13 for some long lost reason but allowed to have radio. Ergo, I'm not much of a TV watcher. But music - I'd keel over and DIE, without.