Withdrawals of anything is hard. I once suffered from a rebound headache because I took pain meds for my normal headache. It was a sinus headache. Weeing off the drug (barbituate) was very tough, but I did it myself.
I had my share of alcohol as a teenager, but I don't think I was ever addicted.
As a child, I weened myself off sugar. Sugar is used in coffee and sometimes on tomatoes. That's it. I'm diabetic.
I weened myself off salt except sometimes chicken and turkey.
I drink a little too many Pepsi's now.
If your pre-disposed for addictive behavior, it can be tougher. Much tougher.
I believe there are smoking cessation therapies available. You might be covererd because of your diagnosis. It wouldn't hurt to try.
Something that can be problematic is when one bad behavior is traded for another bad behavior.
My favorite saying "Kissing someone who smokes is like falling in love with an ashtray."
There is no question that you HAVE to get rid of smoking. You have NO CHOICE in the matter. Telling me you can't is an additude. It won't cut it.
I had a friend who would smoke one or two cigarettes a year.
Your choices are reduction in the amount or substitution or both. Nicotine patches do exactly that.
Here is an idea. Take a cigarette and mark 8 lines on it. Say you smoke 5x a day. Smoke to the 7th line 2x a day. Then go 3, then go 4, then go 5. Then go to the 6th line. Do the same thing. Keep the unlit cigarette in your mouth for the same length of time that you would smoke. You may have to do the iteration for a month before changing.
When you reach line one 5x/day. Keep the unlit unsmoked cigarette in your mouth.
I would expect the further the reduction, the longer you will have to stay at that level.
Recite the mantra "Kiss... ashtray" every single time you take a puff. Stare at the ashtray.
Save the money you saved by not purchasing cigarettes. Maybe your children, if you have any, could offer an incentive besides, "I love you mom. Your going to die much earlier if you keep smoking".
If you want to know what trouble is, get a copy of this book "Hanging out with Labcoats"
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