Well, congratulations on both wanting to quit AND for quitting for a week! That is a start. You can't let your slip-ups get you down. They say that over 80% of women who quit smoking did so after multiple attempts. When I was enrolled in the addiction counselling program we were told that it was harder to quit smoking than kicking heroin. I have quit smoking several times. The first time was two weeks, then second time was a year, the third time was over two years and the last time was nearly 8 years ago.
There are many products and ideas out there that can help you. There is a prescription drug that seems to work relatively well. There are the cessation aids - filters, the patch, etc. Then there are the "tricks".
1. Wrap your cigarette package in a piece of paper. Wrap two elastic bands around it in different directions. Now put your package away in a difficult spot to get to. Every time you want a cigarette you have to find the cigarette package, take it to the kitchen table, go and get a pen, upwrap each elastic separately, and unwrap the paper. Now, before you light that cigarette you must record the following: Date, time, your feelings, why you think you want a cigarette - what led up to the feeling? This makes you a little more aware of the driving forces behind your addiction which helps you to figure out what you need to do to quit.
2. Destroy all cigarettes you have RIGHT now. Flush them and all ashtrays down the toilet. Now, every single time you crave a cigarette tell yourself that this urge will pass within 2 minutes. Get a drink of water, put some music on the radio, go for a walk, play with the dog... whatever you can do to busy yourself for two minutes. The first little while those two minute cravings will occur frequently, but the longer you don't smoke, the further apart they will become.
3. Pick a goal or a reward... what WILL you do with all that saved money? For me, it was my computer. I calculated how much I spend on cigarettes every day. Then, for each day that I didn't smoke I added that amount of money into a jar. If I smoked even one drag of a cigarette, no reward money. As you see that adding up you become more and more focused upon your long term goal.
4. Don't start smoking just because you cheated once! If you break down and buy a package of cigarettes, have your cigarette, then DESTROY the package!! Also, stay away from people who smoke or situations where you would be most likely to smoke! (ie: in a bar, talking on the phone, etc.)
5. Plan your quitting time. I chose to quit in the evening because every time I had that urge I said to myself, "Just get through tonight without a cigarette, that's all." Then, the next day I told myself, "You have gone 15 hours without a cigarette, try to make it 24." That evening I said, "Only 5 more hours and you'll be in bed. Then you will have made it to another day without smoking." I just continued to bribe myself like that.
6. If you do smoke, don't smoke your regular brand. In fact, never smoke the same brand of cigarette that you have already smoked ever again.
7. Volunteer at a hospice working with people who are dying of cancer or in a Children's Hospital.
Remember, the key is that you must really want it bad enough and not take your setbacks as failures which cause you to start all over again.
Good luck to you! I KNOW you can do it!
Love, Didi
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