November 17, 1999
Well here I am. The night before I quit. Am I ready? Well I hope so. I have been preparing for tomorrow for about a week now. Me and my roommate (we'll call her Arzachena) have both decided to quit. So that definitely helps! We can both support each other. We are both pretty excited about this. She is not quitting until Monday though, because she is going to the School of the Americas Protest in Georgia this weekend. She doesn't think she will be able to resist the urge to smoke with all those people around. But she has promised not to smoke in the apartment while she is still here :)
Tonight is our nite to do so some major cleaning. We are getting rid of all the ashtrays, matches, lighters, and cigarettes (as soon as the last pack is finished, of course-hehe), and then we are scrubbing everything down to help get rid of that smoke smell. Unfortunately, tonight is the night for the meteor shower, so we may be putting it off until later tonight to do it so we can watch it.
We have gone to see a smoking cessation counselor at the university twice now. She has given us lots of little handouts of tips and stuff to read (we are keeping them right on our coffee table) plus a few stress balls and a few bottles of bubbles to play with (yah!). Arzachena is going to use Zyban to help her quit. I am using the Nicoderm CQ patch. I really hope it works. I used the Nicorette gum previously, but it really wasn't working for me. We have both been browsing the web too. I found some pretty cool places that can help me out (see the resources and links section). I have also had my boyfriend (since I am flat broke) to buy me some cinnamon sticks to chew on to keep my mouth busy.
Well, I guess I should start out with some "quitting exercises". They say it helps to list the reasons why you don't want to smoke, the reasons why you do want to smoke, and then how you will deal with the urges to smoke.
First my reasons to quit:
1) Cigarettes were running my life.
2) It costs me wayyyy too much money (3.75 a pack, sheesh!)
3) I (and everything around me) stunk like cigarettes, and I was tired of finding ashes all over everything.
4)My health- I haven't been feeling too great lately, and I know that the cigs were a part of it. Plus, cigs and the birth control pill are a big no-no!
5) I don't even like them anymore! They're horrible.
6) I hate hiding this nasty habit from my family.
7) I hate the dirty looks I get from non-smokers.
8) I hate to be the one who always has to sneak outside for a cigarette.
9)Standing outside in the middle of January when it is freezing outside just to have a stupid cigarette is ridiculous!
10) Did I mention the money? 3.75 a pack-for crying out loud!!
Pretty good reasons, eh? Well I don't care if you don't think they are-this is for me, remember? :)
Now, my reasons for smoking-and how to combat them!
| Why (and When) I smoke | Alternatives |
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1) First thing in the morning I absolutely crave a cigarette! It's how I start my day. 2) When I am on the phone, it gives me something to do with my hands (especially if the person on the other end is boring). 3) After I eat- I don't know why, it's just a habit. 4) When I am watching TV. 5) After class, I use a cigarette to relax. 6) At parties, it gives me something to do (and relieve my awkwardness). 7) When my (smoker) friends come over, I smoke with them. 8) When I am doing homework, especially papers- cigarettes help me concentrate. 9) In a restaurant, it helps to pass the time while you are waiting for your food. 10)My boss smokes cigarettes, so it gives me a chance to talk to him when he's outside smoking. 11) I smoke while using the computer. 12) I smoke while driving to pass the time. 13) I like the "pull" of cigarette smoke in my lungs. 14) OK-lets face it, there is nothing better than having a cigarette after sex! 15) When I see someone smoking on TV, I want to light up to! 16) In a bar or club, smoking is great way to meet people. 17) My parents drive me up the wall, plus they both smoke-so I always want to smoke while I am home. 18) After anything stressful I want to smoke.
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1) Have a nice smoothie or a glass of ice water or juice instead. Take a shower immediately to help get rid of the urge. 2) Doodle or play with the stress ball or pen-do a crossword puzzle if they are boring. 3) Have a glass of ice-water. Take a walk or get up and do some homework. 4)Doodle, or suck on a cinnamon stick, or just reduce (or eliminate!) the amount of TV I watch.
5) Pull out a cinnamon stick and enjoy! 6) Avoid parties for awhile. Show everyone my nifty patch and be the center of attention! 7) Let them know I don't smoke anymore-and don't allow smoking in the room. 8) Have a nice smoothie! Do some deep breathing. Take breaks. Stretch. Chew on a cinnamon stick. 9) Avoid restaurants for awhile. Bring some crosswords or something to do to pass the time. 10) I don't need to smoke to talk to him- I can just go out to get some fresh air. 11) Don't smoke while using the computer (duh). Post no-smoking signs on my screen. Chew on a cinnamon stick while surfing the web instead of sucking on a cigarette. 12) Listen to music. Bring the cinnamon sticks too! 13) Remember what that "pull" is doing to my lungs. 14) Ummm, well- that's a hard one. Avoid sex? Hah! Yeah right. Take a shower instead. 15) Just because someone else does it, doesn't mean I have to do it too! Change the channel. Watch less TV. 16) Avoid bars and clubs. Have a cinnamon stick instead-it makes a great conversation piece-"hey what's that twig in your mouth for?" 17) Just accept that my parents are insane. Avoid as much as possible for awhile. Try to get out of the house as much as possible. 18) Take a bath, do some deep breathing, stretch, take a walk, get a massage. |
See? I really don't need cigarettes to survive. They are definitely not my friend. I can simply find something else to replace them that is much healthier. Replace a bad habit with a good one! Well, time to go get everything scrubbed down, and to enjoy my last pack of cigarettes (sigh).
I will quit smoking in 1 hours, 18 minutes and 40 seconds! Goodbye cigarettes!
-Lady Raven
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