JDK ROUGH GUIDE TO THOSE WANTING TO QUIT COLD TURKEY
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1) Find someone close to you who is planning to quit or who has just started. Someone who you respect will make a good quit buddy. You will be supporting each other through the hard times.
2) So you picked a start date of tomorrow but have 100 smokes left? Two options here, you can either smoke them all or you can cut them up using a pair of scissors. If you chose the latter method, you may want to put the bits in a sealable jar with water. When you feel the urge to smoke just unseal the jar and smell what you will smell like if you smoke.
3) You're first day quitting. Avoid shops like the plague, plan your route if need be (I did). 1 hour has gone past and you're suffering a bit. Right here's the important bit. Breathe in fully and slowly until you cannot breathe in any more. Hold that breath for 2 seconds then breathe out. Do this 12 times. Do you feel slightly better? Yes? good! Now you have to do this every hour on the hour until you sleep. Do this for three days or more if needed.
4) You're some point through what is known as hell week. You cannot sleep, concentrate, or in fact do anything. Don't worry, this is normal for a lot of quitters. You're a man and crying constantly. Don't worry, this is the era of the new man, and anyway, girls like to see a sensitive side to us once in a while. For those that are really bad shape (like me at this point), you want to end your life, you don't think you can make it as a non-smoker and you've gone too far to smoke again, you're planning an overdose or getting that noose prepared. Start writing lots and lots to the forums for starters, you get really good advice. When you're writing you're concentrating on writing and not craving. Book an emergency appointment with a health professional. Nothing is worth ending anything for. The comforting news is that someone has been in your position before and will give advice. The really good news is that this too passes. It is a part of healing
6) Now you're on the road. Its a really bumpy road, but it is still a road. Here you can learn a secret. Make a pledge to someone every day that you will not smoke. Make it to someone you care about, they're likely to ask how it is going. The best trick of all though is this. Do not think of the past or the future, only the day at hand. You're going to play the whole quit one day at a time. Every minute and every hour you spend during that day not smoking is a major success and deserves to be rewarded.
7) Reward yourself often, anything and everything. It can be free.
8) Get someone to tell you often that it does get amazingly better. This is oh so important.
9) Think of it as your confidence growing a tiny bit more each day.
10) NEVER BE AFRAID TO POST! An essential one I feel. So many (including me) have blown their quits by just not posting. I started off really embarrassed about posting but that was because I was embarrassed about asking for help and what replies I would get. Very few people will tell you to go top yourself or that they have given up on you. Mostly you will get great advice. It is all about building confidence, and before you know it, you will be doing the same to new newbies.
BEST WISHES AND GOOD LUCK!
[B]My Milage:[/B]
[B]My Quit Date: [/B]7/12/2007
[B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 16
[B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 400
[B]Amount Saved:[/B] �67.20
[B]Life Gained:[/B]
[B]Days:[/B] 2 [B]Hrs:[/B] 1 [B]Mins:[/B] 32 [B]Seconds:[/B] 11
