Rant!

[Schoska]

ARGH ARGH ARGH.
I am currently cutting down on my ciggarette intake, (and doing rather well I might add) however having had my quota for today, I still WANT another.
I won't have it, but I feel soo..GRRR.
And, I have nothing to take my mind off it.
Any ideas, other than snacking as I'm trying to cut back on that as well..:(

[bethanie]

Eeek....well, I recently came off caffeine, and there was literally nothing I could do to make myself feel better during the withdrawal...I just had to 'live with it.'

Does gum help? Are you using any of those nicotene thingys?

I have to say, after letting go of the caffeine in my life, I have a LOT more compassion for people who smoke or have other, more serious drug problems. That first week was literally awful. I can't imagine what other people with more serious drug addictions go through. Giving up alcohol wasn't nearly that bad.

Anyhoo....don't know what else to say other than good luck and I'm here for moral support.

B

[Michael]

My mom quit four months ago using the patches. They were kind of expensive. I should know, I paid for them. Definitely worth the money though. I told her if she ever started back up she'd have to pay me back. :D I'm such a good son. :cool:

[Schoska]

Haha ah well, at least some people understand!
I did consider using patches or gum but my addiction isn't regular enough I feel.
I certainly am addicted, but I'm not a 30 a day smoker. It fluctuates, and some weeks I don't smoke at all. Recently however things have been a little insane - I've been getting through 20 cigs a week so I really need to cut back.
My first short term goal is half a pack a week and I am nearly there!

[hopi100]

Hang in there, Schoska! Way to go so far on your shortterm goals!

[DirtDiva]

I used to smoke like a chimney in high school and college.. and when my boyfriend and I got more serious we decided I needed to quit. I used to try to just cut down on the amount I would smoke throughout the day.. but I was always wanting another one!

The thing that finally worked for me was to schedule my smoking.. I would have one in the morning.. one after lunch.. and one when I got home from work at night. I wouldn't let myself have any more then that and sometimes I would use my lunch hour for errands and not even go home to eat.. I wouldn't even notice that I hadn't smoked that afternoon. Little by little I would not let myself have one in the mornings.. and then I wouldn't have one in the afternoons.. and finally I wasn't even smoking at night anymore.

You might want to try that if the gums and patches and such are too expensive for you.. it was hard but it worked for me. Good Luck! :D

[Gruntled Sheep]

You need to stop smoking *completely*.

Each cigarette you smoke will just put you right back at square one in terms of withdrawal. All you are doing is making those few cigarettes that you do allow yourself that much more valuable, and therefore that much more difficult to give up in the long run. It's much easier to let them go and suffer the few days of withdrawal, then to put yourself through *weeks* of constant withdrawal by cutting back.

Throw out all of your cigarettes & smoking paraphenalia. Making a pledge to yourself that you will not smoke today, no matter what. Renew it each morning.

Drink lots of water. Get lots of rest. Take your vitamins.

You might also want to check out this smoking cessation support site (http://www.quitnet.com). It's saved my neck more than a few times!



:)

(I'm a former pack-a-day smoker. Smoke free going on 6 months now).

[slynny]

I have to agree with Gruntled Sheep...you are only prolonging things by continuing to smoke. The best thing to do is just make up your mind to quit...and quit. I know its not easy. I was a 1/2/sometimes 3 pack a day smoker. The longer you smoke the harder it will be to quit. I smoked for about 14 years before I quit for good 7 years ago and I still crave them on occasion. The trick I think to quitting is to stop thinking about having one. I used to eat little snacks when I thought about smoking, like a breadstick, or hard candy, sunflower seeds, veggies, or fruit...healthier stuff, little things that you can have a little at a time throughout the day as the cravings come on. Day by day it gets easier and you think about smoking less and less. Exercise helps a lot! Take lots of walks, maybe take up running, some type of cardio exercise will help relieve the tension :D Good luck!

[austinswingrr]

Oh, I thank the stars again I have never smoked a cigarrette....
Sorry, I know that doesn't help you guys out. ;)

[Strix]

So you are a stress smoker? You said things had been crazy. Maybe you can do something to counter the stress you're going through. At home, maybe a bath. I know that sounds cliche, but it really is a calmer. Sometimes, just stopping and talking to yourself, asking what is really bugging you? Maybe sit down (force yourself!) and close your eyes and take deep breaths -- in slowly through the nose, out slowly through the mouth. You don't have to do a full-on meditation-yoga thing :); a few minutes really does wonders.
Or maybe you have certain things that work for you in stressful situations. Maybe those would help when you feel like smoking.

[bethanie]

I never thought about that gruntled sheep. I tried cutting down on my caffeine at first, but it just didn't work. I was having withdrawal then for a month before I actually gave up coffee.

Getting it out of the way was the best thing I ever did. It was hell for a week or more, but now I understand I don't want to go back to it.

B