stress management

[historyteach]

OK; I know that stress is my downfall when it comes to quitting cigarettes. So, I want to know what you do to stay quit when you're under a lot of stress.
Thanks...and Shalom!

[nogard]

Hi Teach,

I use one day @ a time to focus myself and even reduce it more in times of stress. I also talk about what is going on to everyone. I leave myself a way to get out of stressful situations or limit the time I will spend in stressful situations. I keep away from smokers and places people smoke as much as I can and reward myself verbally constantly if necessary.

Switching Anchors helps me too, means change everything around both physically and mentally, like I changed my furniture, changed my route to work to the shops etc., it helped me.

Lastly, I find if I keep busy physically busy if I can, there is little chance I will pick up a ciggie.


All pretty simple stuff, trick is to keep doing it no matter what. Hope this helps and I am thinking of you.

Kevin

[H-Ellenback]

That's it, exactly - when you start thinking about how you would so enjoy one of your little friends to calm you down, or it would taste good after a meal, or any of your other triggers, change direction - find something completely different to do that doesn't provide a trigger, like taking a shower, or doing laundry, something that you NEVER smoke while you are doing it. All of a sudden another half hour has gone by, and the craving is gone for a little bit. One day at a time, one hour at a time, even minute by minute, it will go away...
Close of day 3 here! And even though the ducks are LOUDLY quacking in the pond, (Gee - I held up the cell phone away from my ear and just listened to the voice mail, and ya know what? it really did sound like ducks!!! LOL) and I got home late after a long emergency work meeting, and all I would really love to do is cozy up with a warm TV and a few smokes, I knew I didn't have any here, and would have to go out to get them...so I put my pj's on immediately after I got in the door, which I never do! Can't very well go buy ciggies in pj's, now can I? And I started doing laundry, which I find calming...
Ellen

[historyteach]

Thanks!
Lots of good ideas there.
You know, today, I stayed in my pjs all morning. I got dressed to take a walk, and took a really, really long walk. It felt good. But, honestly, I was afraid to go out, fearing that I would buy some. So, I didn't take enough money with me. And I left my cards at home too.
It helped.

But, Ellen, laundry sooths you???
LOL!

Shalom!