I need to quit cigarettes
I have caved in and decided I have to finally quit cigarettes. I successfully quit alcohol but this will be harder. The patch never helped. I'm going to see if my psychiatrist is ok with my primary prescribing Chantix. I've been smoking less due to cold weather. I do fine not smoking when I'm in the hospital. It's going to be hard since my bff smokes and I'm with her a lot. :/ but college starts in August and you get a ticket for smoking on campus. It's too big to walk off campus and do it. I think to help I will put up a picture of the black lungs of a smoker for me to always see. This is going to be hard for more reasons than nicotine loss. It's a ritual. It's something to do. I wish I had the ability to be hypnotized. My insurance covers it. I will just do it in baby steps and think of the money I will save. And not getting emphysema or lung cancer as likely. If anyone has any advice I open to all.
@TrueSight
Smoking can definitely be a very unhealthy habit for many reasons! However, it not only sounds like you know that, but also sounds like you are ready and willing to take the steps to make a change.
I think it’s great that your insurance covers what you need in order to help! And would certainly recommend to take advantage of all the help that you can get and think that you may need.
You can also reach for some healthy snacks (like carrots or celery sticks) by keeping some cut up and on hand when you feel the desire to smoke.
There’s also Nicotine Gum or Patches that can be prescribed if your insurance is willing to handle that. Perhaps you could check into that too?
We wish you best of luck on your journey and know that we are also here to support your efforts! You can always reach out to one of our many available listeners (or group support) as well to talk or vent if you are having a more challenging day with your efforts. Again we are here for you at 7cups.
@PoliteOcean my insurance covers all the methods and a weekly call with a quit smoking counselor. Patch didn't do much. Have tried the gum. Some friends quit with the lozenges. But I'm going to try a one pill a day prescription called Chantix. My sister used it and quit before the first bottle ran out. I guess it can cause suicidal thoughts so my primary doctor wants my psychiatrists approval. My dad's mom was 57 when smoking killed her. I knew it was bad when I started. But now I don't even enjoy it hardly anymore. It's just the ritual of it mostly. It's effecting my breathing mixed with winter air. Thankfully found my inhalers and they weren't expired. Celery is a brilliant idea. It has the shape and I adore it. Thank you so much for that. The biggest challenge is going to be when my bff is here every night an smokes. Temptation. Otherwise I'm not around smokers. I am a verified listener but I may seek out a listener to make it through those moments. There needs to be a community strictly for quitting smoking. I'm still taking this slow. I've naturally already cut back a pack a week since it's cold. Thank you for the support. When this picks up I will more than likely be back. And again thanks for the brilliant celery idea. They still make candy cigarettes but no clue where to find them. Just saw an empty pack of them at my psychiatrists office. I will I was able to be hypnotized the most but I don't open to suggestion. My insurance covers it and often one session and you never smoke again. I feel guilty my health is the secondary reason I'm quitting. Primary is university starts next August and they give you a ticket for smoking on campus. A real ticket because campus security are real police officers. Besides I quit alcohol I can do this. Then I will be a slave to nothing. And save so much money which will probably go to my book addiction. So...still a slave to books. Ok. Look out for me in the future. Need to get the pill in January then start. And hope the pill doesn't make me suicidal or cause weird dreams. If it does the gum is my next option to try. Thank you again for supporting me not to die an awful death in the future.
@TrueSight that's awesome! way to go!
@TrueSight
I am giving you all my support as I had to give up cigarettes and like any addiction it was difficult 😞. I am doing the same as you but with alcohol. I don’t know if this is going to help either of us but perhaps when we feel a little weak we can use each others struggles as each other’s strengths. For example when I am feeling like a drink I will think about what you might be going through giving up cigarettes because I know what that feels like. It’s just a suggestion but it might help. Good luck 🤞
@orangeHuman868 I quit drinking about 7 months ago. We can support each other. I think the cigarettes are going to be the hardest for me. Alcohol was hard of course. But with the quitting smoking there's more than just the nicotine. I hope it goes well for you. I'm here.
I'm in a similar boat, but with smoking marijuana. I quit maybe mid December 2023ish? I also want to quit alcohol for good. I was a heavy drinker, became sober for a few years, to drinking occasionally but... I'm getting older. Plus, I am quite a bit of a fitness fanatic, therefore, I quit drinking to prevent it from messing with any muscle gains or from feeling bloated/sickly.
As for tips on not smoking, I end up replacing it with coffee (temporarily, until I decide to quit caffeine too) and I also drink more water... Apart from that, what stops me from smoking is considering how much money I would waste on it and the fact that lung cancer and blood issues run in the family caused by smoking...Lastly, I guess it has to do with my current environment? I stopped hanging around people who would smoke MJ all day and also... Currently can't afford to get any anyways, been budgeting a lot lately.
Anyhow!
It sounds like you're doing a good job so far too from abstaining from smoking, só congrats on that! I wish you well on your journey. 🌟
@ImpudentIncognito I'm a recovered alcoholic so I understand. One of my big motivating factors for quitting drinking was thinking of the money I would save. I believe it was $340 a month. Been sober since this past summer. There is some lite scarring on my liver, but I was told it would heal of its own. Smoking is going to be more than just losing nicotine. Smoking is just a whole ritual in itself. Someone recommended I munch on celery. The goal is to quit before college starts in August. You get a ticket if you're caught smoking on campus. And campus security are real police officers.