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Boy Its Hard Getting Past Cravings

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Boy Its Hard Getting Past Cravings

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 49

You have to want to quit smoking more than anything. Just keep telling yourself how much better you are going to feel, how much more energy and how much longer you will live. I found that the Hall's cough drops that are berry flavored and have a liquid honey center are really good when you have a craving. Also having a sense of humor helps me. Try to find something or someone to keep you smiling. Good luck to you!!
My Milage:

My Quit Date: 3/27/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 8
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 160
Amount Saved: $32.00
Life Gained:
Days: 1 Hrs: 3 Mins: 28 Seconds: 11

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6

Again Thanks to all who replied to me.

I'm taking all the advice I can.

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6

Thanks for the encouragement.

Rick

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6

Thanks so much. I'm trying the ice cubes and I believe its getting better.

Thanks again.

Rick

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 916

Rick

You have received grat advice already. For some reasons having frozen popsicles made my craves dissapear. Also keeping my hands busy helped a lot.

When I had a crave, I had to change the focus to a pleasant tought. I took the advice of cutting straws the sizwe of a cigarrette and "smoked" them for the first two weeks. Better to be crazy than smoking!!(lol)

I got a lot of help from the Allen Carr Book. It gave me a positive approach to the quitting process.

So be patient, the cravings get less intense and frequent with time. The physical part of the addiction is easier to beat. You get the nicotine out of your body in less than a week. It is the mental part the one that requieres all of our patience and commitment. It is a long but rewarding process!

Congratulations on your decision to quit! Set your quitmiter!

Marivi

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 1/23/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 69
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 1,035
Amount Saved: $103.50
Life Gained:
Days: 7 Hrs: 22 Mins: 15 Seconds: 8

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 433

I found that gnawing through the sofa leg was helpful.

Everybody here gave you some great pointers!

Karen basically laid out the 5 commandments of quitting smoking. Start there and then do whatever it takes!

That iced water suggestion is one that helped a whole lot of us! It does help flush it all out.

Be sure to do the program (upper left on this page) and make your plans to succeed!

There is soooooo much great info in past posts.. we all know what you are going through so hand in there buddy and post whenever you like!

Best,

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 4/1/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 366
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 8,784
Amount Saved: $2,108.16
Life Gained:
Days: 48 Hrs: 2 Mins: 18 Seconds: 58

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 90

Rick

The cravings in the beginning can feel really powerful, but you can push through them. Everyone finds different things that work for them. Some of the things that worked for me...going for a walk, brushing my teeth(I never liked the taste of cigarettes after brushing my teeth so it bought me some time until the crave passed), taking a shower, and chewing gum until my jaw was almost broken. And for the absolute worst craves that just didn't seem to end, I went to bed.

Get through each crave one at a time and know that the frequency and intensity will get less as time goes on.

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 6/19/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 287
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 3,444
Amount Saved: $904.05
Life Gained:
Days: 23 Hrs: 22 Mins: 25 Seconds: 59

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1843

Rick, you can do this! Read through all of this wonderful advice as we've all dealt with what you are experiencing. You are fighting an addiction. My best advice is to drink tons of iced water to flush the toxins out of your system. Rearrange your scenery, where you used to smoke, etc. so you have a "new" place to hangout, smoke free. Keep taking it one day at a time, keep saying N.O.P.E., and you will beat the nicodemon!
My Milage:

My Quit Date: 8/20/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 225
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 9,000
Amount Saved: $1,800.00
Life Gained:
Days: 33 Hrs: 15 Mins: 18 Seconds: 20

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2778

Hey Rick!!!

Keep reminding yourself of your reasons for quitting!!! You did write them down while going through the program, right? Use those reasons for motivation to protect your quit!!!

When you get a strong crave and you think you might be tempted to go buy that pack, get on here and post for help!!! Wait for 5 replies, and your big crave will be gone and you will be that much stronger for fending off the nico-demon one more time!!!

The best things, though, for me was to go walk some stairs while doing some deep breathing, rhythmically with every step!!! Concentrating on bringing in that clean air into my lungs and getting a little bit of exercise got my mind off from thinking about wanting to smoke!!!

Another thing I did was to get on here and read and post and read some more!!! Use the search function and key on craving... you'll find a S... load of posts on how others have dealt with their cravings!!!

Most importantly, focus on the battle... this is a fight for your life, buddy!!! Keep telling yourself N. O. P. E.!!! Keep telling yourself that you are NOT going to let that stinking nico-demon win one battle!!! Keep telling yourself this and eventually the grip he has on your life will weaken and the light at the end of this non-smoking journey will get brighter and brighter!!! Keep the faith in yourself that you CAN do this!!!

Jim

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 3/5/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 393
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 9,825
Amount Saved: $1,621.13
Life Gained:
Days: 67 Hrs: 17 Mins: 24 Seconds: 29

Quit Meter

$44,235.00

Amount Saved
Quit Meter

Days: 1058 Hours: 17

Minutes: 11 Seconds: 34

Life Gained
Quit Meter

5898

Smoke Free Days
Quit Meter

176,940

Cigarettes Not Smoked

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 406

Rick,

If you feel the urge or are tempted to slip:

AVOID the situation.
Identify the situations when you normally smoke or chew, or feel cravings. For most, high-risk situations include work breaks, finishing meals, having coffee or being in a bar. Plan how you will avoid these situations for a few weeks. Plan for alternate activities.

LEAVE the situation.
If you find yourself in one of these high risk situations, leave if you can. And, leave before you get a craving.

DISTRACT yourself from the craving.
If you find yourself in a situation you can't leave and you get a craving, distract yourself from the craving by: Thinking about something else, like your Benefits of Quitting (or how much money you’re saving every week, how your body is healing itself). Doing something else to distract yourself like drinking water or deep breathing exercises. Thinking about an upcoming event in your life, such as a vacation.

DELAY acting on the craving
If you can't keep your mind off it, then make a deal with yourself that you will wait 5 minutes before you give into the craving. The craving will usually pass in a couple of minutes anyway. If you delay, the craving will go away.

Use SELF TALK
A craving may be accompanied by negative thoughts about your ability to resist it. Use positive self talk statements to combat your negative thoughts.

You can do it!

Karen, Health Educator

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Boy Its Hard Getting Past Cravings