Trying Again
Hey everyone. Here I am getting ready to quit for what feels like the thousandth time. I’ve smoked for about four years. Essentially, I’ve been trying to quit for the last year with a few somewhat successful attempts. Last January I went 72 hours, cold turkey then failed after a bad day at work. In July I had my best attempt yet but I ended up sabotaging myself.
I used the patch for two days then tried to speed up the process and took it off. I made it a week before my withdrawal symptoms got terrible. I felt lower than I ever have, not like myself at all. So, I bought a vape. However, I quickly became addicted to the vape and ended up taking in more nicotine than I actually smoked (about 50 mg a day) because it still wasn’t as good as a cigarette. It was like having a piece of celery when you craved cake. So, after about two months I had just one smoke which quickly turned into a pack a day again. So, here I am trying once more.
I am struggling with having failed so many times in the past.
I am planning to use the patch a lot longer this time and actually work on the three steps. How long should I aim to spend on each step? I was thinking two weeks.
Thanks everyone!
Ps love reading the success stories.
Community Guru
Welcome Tryingtk. It is nice that you stepped from the shadows and decided to take part. We learn from each other as well as support and become your fan club. I am sure Verywell the manufacturer gives an outline as to its use. I believe it to be a 12 week program. Many people miss the part where even the product had better success in conjunction with using counselling. iCanQuit is the best in my opinion because you can actually follow and even communicate with others.
Forget about how many times you may have failed. Take stock of what you learned about yourself through them though and don't repeat! You already know that you can beat the nicotine addiction because you have done so in the past. That is only 20% of the quit that they put first. A craving is a craving whether from the nicotine or in the mind. The psychological break from the habit is the hardest 80%. Many here have smoked for decades and it has been ingrained and ruling and taken our health and wealth. We felt helpless upon hearing it is harder than heroine to escape. Luckily , we are not its prisoner once we unlock our minds. We can choose to be free, embrace the concept and make it a reality. All you really have to do is truly want to be a non-smoker. We were born that way and can return to that state. Stop believing the lies that smoking helps relieve stress and look at it as the cause of most stress....health, finances, time to take a break. Take note just how much it dictates your life. Stop defending it like we did because we feared quitting smoking thinking we had no choice , it was too hard, or we were missing out on something. The truth shall set you free. Read and Learn. Believe. You CAN do this!
Well said Happiness, I have only a couple of things to add after failing a few times and that is Stick to this forum like glue and use other counselling avenues if you need to.
Recognize that Nicotine is the culprit of many unsuccessful quit attempts. Only you know your body and the particular situations that you will be going through in the next few months, Choose a change in your dosage at a time when you can relax more than usual, because it is still Nicotine, and you will eventually need to come off of the patches. Consult with your Doctor or Chemist is another plan. Write out your plan in detail, and you can follow it without too much emotion attached then. Fill your mind with positive images and thoughts and think of any one thing that gave you joy in your day. This should give you some measure of control and faith in yourself that life is good without the slavery of addiction.
My doctor put me on patches, she suggested staying on each dosage for 3 months, slowly weaning myself off. I have been a smoker for 40 years so I guess I need to take it slower so I dont fall off the wagon.
Community Guru
Nine months sounds like a very long time Bickie, although if you are certain that is what the doctor said then follow the prescription. It is not the nicotine in the patch that does harm although you will still remain addicted to nicotine while you adjust to being a non smoker. The smoke and added chemicals are what does harm to your lungs and immune system and overall functions of every level of your body. Oxygen levels plummet and blood pressure rises. Stick around and learn the mindset Bickie, so once you are finally off of the patch you will also be more likely to stay quit. Do it right and save yourself undue grief. Why not join in and help others here while you help yourself. Dopamine levels rise when you feel good. Come and get your daily dose.
Community Guru
I didn't realize that you had tried to quit again so soon TryingTK. What I think you need is to learn to want to quit smoking. I just responded to someone who just posted Never give Up Giving Up, which is my own sediment. Try what I recommend for a few days. As long as you continue to feel deprived of having your cigarette, the outcome is going to likely be the same. Willpower is hard to keep up. Learning to want to quit smoking, having reasons to, and an understand of nicotine and even an understanding of yourself in relationship to smoking are all instrumental in getting through this journey. Take a few days(up to a week) smoke only where and how you can make it most uncomfortable. Never sit down with it in front of the tv with a coffee. The exercise is to resent the time, realize how it controls you. taste it, smell it, and realize that you no longer desire this relationship. Then you will quit without debate ever time a craving comes. A craving is just a thought. No debate. You have made up your mind. You can do this. No one has ever had regrets for quitting this vile, expensive addiction.