How do you stop bad habits?

Ruthiegal · Oct 31, 2006

I am very embarrassed to admit that I am a smoker. I have been for many years. I am really concerned about my health, but, I dont know how to break the habit.
I have tried the nicoderm patches 25 mg/24 hr... but, the dreams are very vivid and troublesome. Can anyone help? Give advise on how to quit smoking once and for all? :selfbonk:

I believe you must find new habits to replace the old one. Or you must find things to do in place of lighting up that cigarette. I quit too.

Chew on a drinking straw, drink ice water when an urge hits, take a walk, keep carrot sticks handy, chew sugarless gum, suck on a sucker, work a puzzle, do needlework, anything that will keep your hands and mind busy until the urge passes.

I work for an insurance company and worked with their telephonic smoking cessation program for 2 years. You need to gain support of friends and family, pick a quit date, and get rid of all the things that remind you of smoking...ash trays, lighters etc. Put a dryer sheet in your car to freshen it. Air out your house, wash walls and curtains to get rid of the smell as it will trigger you too. Avoid other smokers until you can handle being around cigarettes again. Use the patch, wellbutrin, talk to your doctor.

Most of all NEVER STOP QUITTING. That is how you become successful. Most smokers try an average of 7 (or more) times before they actually overcome the habit. Believe you can and you will. I never thought I could either but I did it using the same advice. Hang in there and if you slip up get right back to not smoking. You slipped up you didn't fail.

Get a buddy share your craziness with....You can do this. Make it your mantra... "I can do this, I can do this."

Hang in there and good luck! Keep a positive attitude you will succeed!

Ruthie

tvccrn, ASN, RN · Oct 31, 2006

What is the anti-depressant that they are using to help smokers quit? I think it starts with an M.

I don't know what the generic name is but the trade name is Wellbutrin. I have a friend who quit using this. I just went cold turkey and didnt' have a hard time. I ha a really hard time when I tried the "slowly cutting down on the number of cigarettes" route. I always found a reason that I couldn't cut down for the day.

Good luck!!

tvccrn

chadash · Oct 31, 2006

I haven't had this struggle with cigarettes, so I can't help you with the physical addiction to nicotine, (that must be tough!) but the general bad habit part, well, that I know about!

First, examine what you think you would be losing by not continuing with the behavoir. Sometimes there is some sense of comfort you derive, some underlying security issue, that the bad habit is a safety net for....

I go to God with this type of thing.....ask Him to show you what healthy thing you can replace this with to address this underlying need.

I then get a bit deliberate with myself, tell myself: you got to stop this and do something healthy instead!

More or less I am saying, you can't just quit doing something that has met a need for so long, you have to replace it.

God bless!

Fazed · Oct 31, 2006

I quit with the patch but I had very disturbing dreams. I took the patch off at night, right before I went to sleep. Had a fresh one ready as soon as I stepped out of the shower.

Also, since I was in school then I purposely took all the COPD, lung cancer and trach patients! Gave me something to think about. NOw, when I have those patients that need to quit I can give them encouragment as a fellow 'quitter'.

Best of luck!

CHATSDALE · Oct 31, 2006

I quit in november of 1985, i had tried to quit many times, once i went over a year w/o and started over again

my children are horrid about me watching Christian tv but on that day, it was a rerun even, there was a 'word of knowledge' that someone needed help quitting smoking - i was able to contorl any yearnings after that

the worse was in the morning i would always have coffee, read the paper and have a cigarette

and afer meals was rough, it seems like the meal wasn't really over until i had that cigarette

but i know that i would probably be dead now if i have not given them up when i did i was a heavy smoker and lung problems run in the family

which ever route that you take i hope that you are successful

TazziRN, RN · Oct 31, 2006

Lori, you're not supposed to wear the patch at night, because of the dreams. If it still doesn't work for you, think about this: nicotine is a chemical, just like any other chemical we can become addicted to. Go to http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org, if you like what you read, see if there's a group in your area. If not, try it online. Good luck.

P.S.....how's your paper coming?

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Oct 31, 2006

I would talk to your PCP about ways to quit. I too am a smoker but have not gotten to the point that would have me quit for good. That is something you must choose to do on your own in order to stick with it.

I did cut back quite a bit..and I did so by looking deeply into the times I smoke and what I was doing before and during. For instance..that first morning smoke...coffee and a cig. Okay so I tried to change the coffee part and drink tea or something else instead and kept myself busy so I didn't have time to smoke...that helped tremendously because that is the time I tended to chain smoke the most!

Those after meal smokes...I told myself I had to wait an hour after a meal before I could light up...by then I was typically busy or napping/sleeping so I learned to cut those out too.

I just tried to change the habbits I had associated with smoking..and cut back a ton! Now I think when I am ready to give it up, my PCP and I can come up with a plan to make it stick! :)

Good luck to you!!!!!

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Oct 31, 2006

I developed a bad slice

went to the driving range

changed my grip

worked it out

driving 280 in the short stuff

Let the Democrats regain control. please Lord

SmilingBluEyes · Oct 31, 2006

Succinctly, to stop bad habits, we have to replace them with better ones. I at least, have found this to be true in my life.

Easy? NO, but it does work.

SimonJester · Nov 1, 2006

I too quit on the patch. And yes the dreams were wacky... I suggest lowering down to the next lowest patch... I had quit several times before and the patch finally made it possible. I stepped down from one to another lower patch every few weeks… My wife could not handle even the lowest patch…

Its been 7 years now since I quit… Fight every day.. Fight off the urges keep telling yourself "I don’t smoke any more!!!!" Slowly things will come back.. Your sense of taste, your sense of smell… You will no longer be a slave to the drug! Life is great on the other side…

It’s the best thing you can do for yourself…

kellyjean · Nov 1, 2006

http://www.chantix.com

It's amazing...the only side effects...you won't crave cigs.

kiszi, RN · Nov 1, 2006

I quit after over 5 years. The fact that you WANT to quit is the first step. I know you can do it!! Everyone's advice is great... take it all to heart and experiment to find out which method works for you.

I too tried repeatedly to quit. My somewhat expensive method was to buy a pack of cigarettes, smoke a few... and throw the rest of the pack out of the car window!! (littering, I know--lol)

Eventually I got tired of wasting my money, so I stopped buying them..and after a while stopped bumming them from people, too.

I do agree with a lot of people here that cold turkey is the best way to go. I tried the patch as well, but ended up smoking anyway! (Remember to keep your hands occupied--it's not just the nicotine you're addicted to!)

The hardest thing is, you might have to limit your time with friends who smoke, or places like bars where it's prevalent.

Learn to love the CLEAN smell of your hair, clothes, house and car! Your skin will look and feel better, your teeth and breath will be better, the energy boost and mind focus is just amazing!

Eventually you'll think of yourself as a non-smoker. And every week will get easier. In the many times I quit, I found that the second and third weeks are the hardest to get through, even harder than the first week.

It's been over a year, and I've reached a point where I don't think I'll ever take up smoking again. It's really nice to be free.. You can do it too! Good LUck.. and don't ever stop trying!!

k