Scott1970

So I have been sober for about 5 months now still have major family problems, but that is another story for a different forum. In a way I guess not, that is one of the major stressors in my life.

After a visit to the Dr a couple of weeks ago she kind of laid it to me flat out instead of suggesting. I have to Quit smoking. I honestly have been thinking about it lately but never made an effort. She gave me a prescription of Chantix which I finally filled. After 4 days of looking at the pretty little packs and making up excuses I finally took the first one this morning. I need to do this for myself and I know it.

I do not know if it is the little pill or not and I know I can still smoke for the first week but I am very anxious, jittery, nervous and wired. I am just hoping it goes away. Maybe it is the fear of what happens next week when I actually stop...That is where I keep going back to my AA Day at a Time.

I just do not want to get cold feet...I need to go through this and not overthink

SeekSobriety

Thanks for your share Scott.
One thing I have found in my experience is that the thought of giving up smoking is much scarier then the reality.
This is how the cigarette companies have been making billions at our expense.
Sure there are a few days of irritability but nothing like the physical affects of a Heroin or Alcohol detox.

I found that if I followed few important steps it really helped me in so many more ways then I could have ever imagined. I have so much more free money and many less sick days now that I have gave up smoking. Notice I did not say Quit, because I am not a quitter, I do not like to quit anything. I gave it up!

Things that really helped me.

Walking/Exercise (even 4 minutes walking up the stairs instead of a the elevator or escalator) really does wonders.

Limiting caffeine intake initially (switching to half decaf half caf) When your body does not intake nicotine, caffeine is more potent and that jitteriness was a trigger for me. Switching to half calf/decaf really helped.

Drinking alot of water, (I purchased a couple cases of water from Trader joes (the large bottles 1.5 litres) 49 cents I think each. I just caried the water with me everywhere and drank lots of it.

Drinking pure fruit juice on the first 3 days after giving up the nicotine, really really helped me as well.

Attending Nicotine Anonymous meetings either on line or in a group, really helped. Applying the principals that I learned in AA to Nicotine was really awesome and I made great fellowship with people in Nic. A who were also in AA. Really really helpful to me. Nicotine Anonymous - A 12 Step Program offering support to those who want to stop all forms of tobacco and nicotine addiction. Formerly smokers anonymous.

Reading through the pdf book download and various other literature at WhyQuit - the Internet's leading cold turkey quit smoking resource, it really helped me put things in perspective and has lots of great info for dealing with the first few days of giving up smoking! Awesome tips and tricks! Especially the forum post regarding the first 72 hours at The First 72 Hours - Navigating Withdrawal - - Understanding Dependency, Its Costs & Recovery - Freedom from Nicotine - Message Board Yuku

Reminding myself of why I want to give up smoking, I made a list and I can look at it any time I forget why I wanted to give it up.
For me it was:
Health, wanting to be healthy and take back control of my life from a substance that I gave way to much of my power to.

Money, I was spending at least $7 dollars a day minimum $49 dollars a week- $343 dollars a month! That is INSANE! I can lease or buy a beautiful new car or purchase a round trip ticket to somewhere nice for the amount I spend in 1 month on Cigarettes. Incredible!

Social outcast- I had to go outside in the cold, in the rain, at all hours regardless of what was going on. It was hard to sit through a movie, hard to fly, hard to attend a party without having to constantly excuse myself and come back in smelling like a ashtray. People treated me differently, Jobs were passed over me. I had trouble finding dates since very few people I actually wanted to be with or was interested in were willing to date a smoker.

Freedom- Now that I gave up smoking and using nicotine, I no longer feel chained down to something that took from me way more then it had ever given me.

Emphysema- I no longer cough up horrible looking substances from my lungs or sound like a very very sick person, coughing day and night.

Sense of Smell- I can smell the flowers and the trees, it's a whole new world for me out there.

Self Esteem- My confidence has risen, I have overcome something I had needlessly feared. I never thought I would beable to take long trips, I drove cross country alone last year and did not think of wanting a cigarette even once! I would never have believed that if you would have told me that a year ago!

I could continue to go on and on, but I have to run for now. But thank you for letting me share. I give thanks to each and every day I have now being free from the bondages of Nicotine, I am so grateful to have this forum to be able to share and learn from one another.

I know you will succeed! The stresses in our lives will never be solved by a smoke and actually in the long run a smoke will just make our lives much much worse down the not to distant road. Now if I am in a mood where in the past I would have just wanted a smoke, I might just do 5 pushups, or 10 jumping jacks, or take a few deep breaths and drink a cup of hot tea with honey. Take a brisk walk down the block or walk down the stairs to the lobby. It really really works and I cannot wait to hear about your experience.

Thanks for letting me share.

pinkgurl87

giving up smoking isn't that scary once you do it. Good luck!!!