Hey guys, just been alerted to this thread and it is exactly what I need! Since kicking alcohol and a heavy dose strong benzo 6.5 weeks ago, my cigarette consumption has sky-rocketed and it’s driving me nuts having to buy them so often!! Not to mention the sugary rubbish I am craving. I have significantly increased my exercising and it is helping me with anxiety that drove me to drink, but I feel like my good work is being cancelled out by the increased smoking I will look through the posts on this thread, but in the meantime if anybody has any great diversion tactics to stop me heading out every our or so for a smoke, I would be super grateful! Well done to all who are off the smokes, that is amazing
Hey @Susy set a date to quit, get rid of your stash, and be determined not to buy another pack. I took alot of hot showers. Chewed on straws. Slept. Get thru that first hellweek and it gets better!!
Excellent plan Susy! Scroll up a little bit to my Quit Kit repost if you’d like with some great advice (imho) to prepare for quitting. Than here’s some things to do instead of smoking once you quit. All success!
Do some exercise - swimming, aerobics, yoga, etc. Great for releasing endorphins (feel good factor) and relieving stress (physical and mental).
Work out how to post a picture in the forum!
Take up a new hobby/interest - channel your thoughts into something constructive and interesting.
Work in the garden.
Retail therapy with the cash you saved from not smoking.
Suck on a piece of TART candy (Jolly Rancher is my personal favorite).
Slather on a rich, creamy hand lotion and rub, rub, rub! It keeps fingers busy, and reminds you how nice it is not to have tobacco stink on them.
Eat a popsicle.
Floss and brush your teeth.
Make-out with your special someone! Hubby hated kissing me when I smoked, but now he LOVES it. Soooo, when the urge strikes and he’s within kissing distance, I plant a big one on him!
Chew gum.
Chew a toothpick (shiny teeth).
Spend time with a kid.
Give yourself a treat every day of your quit - no matter how small.
Spend an hour filling the paddling pool in the garden on a gorgeous sunny day, only to find that the kids would rather play on the computer.
Play several games of Internet Scrabble, and hopefully win one!
Walk in an old graveyard with the man you love.
Get your jammies on early, and park yourself in front of your computer for the night.
Build a REAL closet.
Hang the sheetrock on said closet.
Do the mudding, taping and sanding on that closet.
Paint the closet.
Add the doors to the closet.
And last…when the real closet is finished, create THE CHOCOLATE CLOSET on this site.
Hang on dearly to a caramel apple sucker.
Sing loudly.
Practice smiling in the mirror (releases endorphins)!
Make lists of pros and cons of smoking.
Find gross smoking disease pictures.
Play with Silly Putty.
Whistle “Don’t Worry - Be Happy.”
Get a camera, and take some pictures.
Write a letter (you know…on paper).
Clean OUT the closets.
Crank up the radio and sing at the top of your lungs (works great for driving craves).
Crank up the radio and dance like no one is watching.
Thanks @JazzyS it’s going to take some will power!! But if I can quit heavy drinking and benzo use, I should be able to be stubborn enough to kick the ciggies! xoxox
I do have faith that you are strong / stubborn enough to beat this addiction. Like CJ said - set a date to quit and prepare yourself mentally for it. Love the list of ways to keep yourself busy that Mno provided.
take some leisure time to read the thread and see what other tid bids might be useful for your smoke free journey.
We got your back here love