Hint or Tips?
Hi everyone it’s only day 1 for me today using patches. Been smoking 24 years only ever tried once before on champix went 4 months to then cave 😢. Trying my best to be stronger this time but really feeling like I need help!!! And hints or tips would be greatly appreciated 😊
Hello Mel123 and welcome to our forum . I would be interested in knowing 1) Have you been following our stories in the past? (I see you joined today) 2) Did you have councelling (group, or forum for support) for your last quit? It is my belief , and also written in fine print on NRT packaging that the prescribed are more effective in conjuncture with councelling. I hope you will find 1CanQuit very informative and helpful in your journey to life as a non-smoker.
I apologize to those who think that i am long winded, but it is intentional. I purposely try to give bits and pieces of information in my replies.
You have made the first great step in choosing your arms. Now read and learn for knowledge really is power. Learn to find the truth about nicotine and how we were duped. Read how many come here and adopt the mindset and find their way to freedom. Once believing that you also can do it, you will.
So many reasons to quit. Search your soul and find what drives you. Use it as your guiding light to a breath-taking future.
Welcome Mel123 I was on patches before getting onto Champix, and have tried to quit a few times, the reasons I believe I didn't succeed before, was I did not have an understanding of how addictive Nicotine was, I also felt I was depriving myself of something.
1.You need to work out your own relationship to Nicotine or the cigarette because the difference between Patches and Champix is immense. There is no Nicotine in Champix. 2. Keep your previous attempts in mind to help you with initial strategies (ie: avoidance).
The initial few days could be made easier by keeping busy with avoidance strategies, and researching your own relationship to Nicotine, (what is your driving force, or reasons that have brought you to this stage). Keep these reasons and/or driving force firmly and foremost placed into your mind, and use this as either a written list or mentally using this strong desire into your self talk, every waking minute.
Your body will change in respect of the use of patches, everyone is different, I used this first 3 days as a period of no stress and plenty of rest, with moments of deep breathing (through the diaphragm about 5 times in a row) this reduces anxiety and stress, you can even go further by using meditation.
Keep in touch with this forum daily, either by reading other stories, or posting for further help.
Read: The Easy way to stop smoking by Alan Carr, which you can download for free. View: the video "How to grow to be a happy non-smoker" presented by NASIA DAVOS at TEDxUniversityofPiraeus. This video should give you some idea of how you can improve on your attitude towards yourself (ie your relationship) to Nicotine. These two approaches should give you knowledge of yourself and knowledge of the hold that your belief system has taught you so far.
You obviously are serious about wanting to quit, without caving in to the urges that can present themselves. One of your other Mantras or self talk could be Not one puff ever (NOPE) so this time you will succeed.
How's it going Mel123. I hope that you have been doing serious reading and learning about yourself. You are not alone but with a group of people who know what you are going through and have relayed some of their thoughts and experiences through stories and comments. Build a belief in yourself and of course adopt the mantra of NOPE. Not One Puff, Ever! Just one puff can cause you to cave and set you back to square one.
Cutting your caffeine by half when you cut down or cut out nicotine may help to keep you calmer. Nicotine diluted the effects of caffeine, so too much may cause the jitters or feeling of anxiety. Good wholesome food and drinking plenty of water also assist in this.
Remember too that cravings are just thoughts and easily dismissed. Turn your attention elsewhere and they pass quickly. Do not waver but stay focused and committed to your desire to be a non-smoker. We did it, and you can too!
I hope you are finding your journey easier day by day. I have posted a story hoping to procure a collective effort from the community to aid newcomers. Click on my name "Happiness" and find the Tips and Hints entered. I hope that everyone will take the time to submit a comment about what they found helpful. One new one i recently heard was of envisioning a stop sign when a craving hit. Every quit is different , and one idea may work for others. What was most helpful to you?