Today marks my first day of quitting nicotine after smoking for about 4 years. I’ve been sober in the past before, but the previous time I’ve been sober I ended up immediately relapsing. I know that nicotine isn’t an extreme addiction in comparison to things like alcohol and drugs but I feel like I’m on the right track here.
Today has been incredibly tough, I been nothing but restless, nauseated, and dealing with a terrible migraine, even with the lozenges I was briefly using. I’m just not sure how to start distracting myself so I don’t give into cravings right away, even if it’s just been the first day.
Nicotine might be not the most destructive drug on a daily basis, it sure is in the long run. And it’s one of the most addictive substance on the planet as well. So yay you for quitting the stuff! Welcome to Talking ober friend. There’s a dedicated thread to us quitting nicotine products. It’s not the most active one on the forum, but it might be useful to check it out anyway.
For me it was the first addiction I quit, and doing it literally changed my life. No joke. Made me see my drinking in a whole new light too. Wishing you all success friend. Know it can be done. Here’s a repost of something that helped me when quitting smoking nearly a decade ago:
The Quit Kit
Repost by Grammax6
Welcome Newbies! Ready to quit? Then you need a Quit Kit!
It isn’t a matter of just slapping on a patch or chewing some nic gum. Every behavior you can think of is tied to your smoking. We smoked because we were happy, sad, mad, hurt, tired, sick, bored…etc. You need to replace those habits. Take a day to make a plan.
We call it a Quit Kit. It can be anything you want. Get creative and really think about it. Some things folks have used is nicotine gum. You can buy regular gum the same size, color and flavor so you can go back and forth between the two. If you are using the patch, make sure you have an extra patch in the office, in your purse, or in your wallet, for those days when you have forgotten to put one on in the morning. It happens more than you think! Have lozenges available for those high stress / high craving times.
Have some Red Vines to ‘smoke’. Or cut up a straw into thirds…especially during high trigger times like driving. Sometimes it feels good to just hold it if you are accustomed to always having a smoke in your hand. Grab your favorite CDs or tapes to put in your car so you can put one in and sing out loud. My favorite was dancing and singing at the same time. Your brain cannot do a third thing, so thinking about smoking just disappears.
To keep your mind and hands busy, go to Michael’s or some other craft store and look for things to do. Buy something that interests you; rug hooking kits, scrap booking stuff, or Christmas stocking kits for the grand kids. Or, get some coloring books and colored pencils or felt tip pens. Stained glass, floral, tropical fish or Native American motif coloring books are available everywhere now. They make you want to do a good job. Dora the Explorer would make me want to scribble on her face. LOL!
Make a list of everything that needs to be done, or you want to do around the house. Go through each room and write down everything from cleaning out drawers and closets to painting, rearranging or redecorating. Same with the garage and yard work. Once you have your list, break it down into 5-15 minutes segments so nothing becomes overwhelming.
Make baggies of crunchy foods to satisfy your mouth so they are at work and handy to grab. Carrots, celery, chex mix, pretzel sticks (you can hold those like a cig), gum, etc. They need to be ready to just grab at any given time.
This is important!!! The Three Post Rule: When you are craving and really shaky, post and click the “I’m craving and need some help” box. Wait for at least 3 response posts before you make a decision to purchase cigarettes or to smoke. Most times, you will be fine once you read the posts (keeps you from dwelling). If not…post again and wait for 3 more.
Once you have all these things figured out you will be well prepared to handle anything and you don’t even have to think…just look at your list… Keep 1 copy at work, 1 at home, 1 in your purse or wallet, 1 in the car.
If you did one day, you can do 2. If you did 3, you can do one more. No future tripping. You can’t do a darn thing about tomorrow until it gets here. Today is a good time to quit but if you feel you can’t, then take tomorrow to put together your Quit Kit and quit the day after. Don’t set a quit date out there for 2 weeks, 1 month, etc. All you do is make yourself crazy in your head by stressing over that date. You know you can do this.
Nicotine is a beast of an addiction but it can be overcome. Im glad you found us…a group of people from around the world trying to get and stay sober. My recommendation is to look for similarities rather than differences (i.e. addictive behaviors and habits and destruction can be similar across addictions)
Keep your hands, mouth, and mind busy in early days! I came the the thread mno shared daily for support and celebrated every day. I chewed on straws and candies to keep my hand mouth habit at bay. The first days are rough. It wont always feel like that
Welcome to Talking Sober! Congrats on your new journey. We’re all here behind you.
I don’t have specific experience with nicotine, but i helped push back the alcohol cravings by exercising, going to bed early, socializing with sober people to pass the time, eating sugary or sour things, watching scary or interesting movies, crafting, and listening to or playing music. Sometimes those first days just have to be taken one minute at a time.
Lots of good advice above. You’ll make it - one day at a time - it is possible.