The fear you are feeling is your inner junky. it can really scare him when he realizes you have taken the reins and are actually going to call your OWN shots.
the hardest part of my quitting was the actual DOING it. actually getting up and saying NO to that inner demand to sit down and have a smoke. Realize that this is just a "choice".....don't let yourself dwell on thinking about smoking...you "could" smoke...you just choose NOT to.......don't look down the road and begin to sweat about how you are going to get from point A to point B.....just deal with 'now'.....just keep distracting yourself and delaying to act on your urges.....the junky will have a fit...make no mistake....he will howl and roll and twist you into knots...IF you allow him to.
Being ready for what you are gonna feel is good....reading all you can about withdrawal is ok....but don't project.....just deal with it on an immediate basis.
have plans of ways to distract yourself. some distractions can be hard candies...hot candies, sour candies....little treats that you can pop in your mouth and suck on. I personally used straws for months....you can suck and chew on them, fiddle with them to keep your hands busy (covers that ole hand to mouth thingie) And also use rewards. Have planned ahead awards that will see you move from goal to goal....and have little rewards along the way. It can be as simple as 20 minutes spent walking, stretching, sitting in a cubby with a coffee and reading.....learn to be GOOD to yourself
stay rested, eat small meals often, (blood sugar goes whacko when you quit, so small snacks are good) stay away from people or situations that you "know" will bring stress, stay away from the old situations where you used smoking to unwind or socialize, come up with some new ones for the time being. Stick with people that are supportive of your quitting.....don't run with anyone that is going to talk negative about your quit or suggest that you just drop it and have a smoke. smokers do tend to want to see quitters fail! they all know they should quit, and a quitter in their midst tends to make 'them' look weak. Tell yourself that YOU are in control as long as you manage to NOT smoke......and I realize that you will feel anything BUT in control during the beginning....so keep reminding yourself that you ARE. The junky within is like a spoiled brat...he has to be put in his place...giving in to any of his fits will only reinforce his behavior. Make a deal with friends who smoke....they take their smoking away from your presence, they would NEVER bum you a smoke in a weak moment, they realize that you are going to put quitting at the top of your priority list....and they respect you for it....so respect yourSELF and take care of this quit as you would a helpless infant. You would never put an infant in danger...so use your head and treat your quit the same way. I actually avoided most of my smoking friends for a couple of weeks....and then I only socialized with the ones that wanted to see me succeed and curtailed their smoking around me.
lastly....get rid of ALL smokes and smoking related materials. Don't have ANY reminders or left overs around to tempt you.
Make these boards your home for the next couple of weeks....ask questions (trust me, no question is stupid and they ALL have answers) rant and rave ask for cheers ask for humor ask for HELP to kick ole nic's butt ALL of that is here. USE IT
good luck! I can assure you, this will the be most wonderful gift you will EVER give yourself!!!
Katy
[B]My Milage:[/B]
[B]My Quit Date: [/B]1/4/2002
[B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1979
[B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 79,160
[B]Amount Saved:[/B] $11,280.30
[B]Life Gained:[/B]
[B]Days:[/B] 259 [B]Hrs:[/B] 20 [B]Mins:[/B] 57 [B]Seconds:[/B] 9
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Quit Meter
$158,823.00
Amount Saved
-
Quit Meter
Days: 5338
Hours: 14
Minutes: 58
Seconds: 1
Life Gained
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Quit Meter
45378
Smoke Free Days
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Quit Meter
907,560
Cigarettes Not Smoked