Mom Stopped Smoking

C.- Good for you!! My husband and I quit this past Monday, and I have those cravings, and I too have been Momzilla the past few days, every day seems better to me! Keep up the good work!!!!

Been there! What helped me (quit 4 yrs ago), was HUGE, LONG, EXAGGERATED deep deep breaths. When I had a craving, I would just stop in the middle of anything I was doing & start inhaling through my nose very deeply (about 5-10 seconds)...hold my breath for a slow count to 3....then slowly blow it out for 5-10 seconds (always counting in my head one-Mississippi, two-Mississippi, etc.). I would usually make a very theatrical scene about doing this & my kids thought I was being silly. Also, replace the habit with something else. If you start craving, grab a glass of water, take a walk around the block (or yard, or park, etc.) Do you have an old hobby you could pick back up? Like, painting or drawing? (My stepdad started knitting & crocheting when he quit.). It was also good for me to put things in perspective: think what a good thing you are doing for YOU! What a fantastic example of strength in adversity you are showing your kids! And remember that this will pass soon. There is still a great big world out there where human suffering abounds. I still catch myself craving sometimes (my husband is still a smoker), but I just take a deep breath and know that I am never gonna fight that battle again!

Congrats! It's so hard...I know. I smoked for 16 years - had a few bouts of quitting in between. I have not had a cigarette since New Years Eve. I am taking Wellbutrin and think it has been key in my success. I took it before and was successful for about 4 months, but i started forgetting to take it and the cravings returned and i slowly picked it back up over the following 6 months b/f i started back on Wellbutrin. i told myself i will not even think about quitting Wellbutrin until i have had at least one year without smoking. Wellbutrin is also prescribed as an antidepressant - it is a serotonin booster and i definitely think it helps my moods.- prob will not go off even after a year. Definitely a consideration to talk to your dr. about. Good luck! - it's gross, it stinks, it causes cancer - you know this list goes on. Keep up the good work!

I'm not a smoker so I can't answer your questions directly, but mom quit smoking at 50 after a lifetime of trying to quit and I know that she found some support groups online that were so, so helpful to her. It has been 7 years (I can't believe it!) and she still has a pop-up thing on her computer that tells her how many cigarettes she hasn't smoked, how many months she has added to her life (9!), and how much money she has saves--which she has fun spending!--she just got new carpet with her "cigarette" money (I think she's spent it 10x over :).

I will also say that since she quit she looks so much younger, her skin is so beautiful that people still stop and tell her that she looks younger than she did the last time they saw her--it is amazing, she literally seems to be aging in reverse--all the little lines around her mouth went away.

Good luck, this is such a difficult thing to do--I hated watching my mom struggle with it, but we are all so proud of her and it was always worth the "momzilla" that came with it at the beginning.

Don't be mad at yourself for those thoughts! This is a very hard thing to do. Instead of feeling mad at yourself and weak, feel proud and strong for every day you have not smoked and for every craving that you do not give into!!! You can do this. Don't give into that temptation, not even one puff because that will lead to another puff and another.

Don't be depressed about having the craving--no one has ever quit without intense cravings. It WILL get better soon although there will still be moments for a while. Just think about the time investment--you don't want to start over, right? Even though the cravings can be intense sometimes now, remember how it was in the beginning? I seem to recall craving one every minute! Just keep focusing on getting through that day, and stay busy if you can. The websites might be a good idea too.

Keep up the good work!

C. I am currently quitting with the nicotine patch too!! This is my second time, the first time I quit for 5 years! Anyway, what you are craving is normal! Don't feel guilty...my grandpa told me that the "craving" never goes away...he's been a non-smoker for over 30 years and said that every once-in-awhile he gets a craving still!! I am 8 days smoke free and I already feel 110% better. It is hard but well worth it in the long run. I too have turned into MOMZILLA, but I take a deep breath and move on, it doesn't last forever, I promise! As to what to expect...everyone's different and you'll get used to whatever comes your way...I never noticed the taste difference in food until I started smoking again after 5 years smoke free. I've also never really noticed smells except for the fact that I smell better! My hair and clothes don't stink!
YOU ARE NOT WEAK!! Whatever you do, do not give in to those OVERWHELMING cravings! Quitting smoking is the hardest thing that I have ever done and I hate that I have to do it again, but you can't be mad at yourself for something that you can't control (nicotine addiction).
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!

C., what you are doing is fabulous, and really hard. 23 days? You rock, lady.

My mom and grandmom quit together when I was in grade school (MANY years ago) and I recall them talking about what you describe – altered smells and flavors, hellish cravings. But they eventually noticed that every day felt "cleaner" in a good way, and the cravings gradually faded away completely.

You are not wrong to crave a cigarette – feelings are never wrong; they are just part of being alive. It's what we do with them that could be wrong. And you've been making life-affirming choices every single time you have that craving. That's something to be proud of, not ashamed about.

Wanting a puff is probably more than just a physical craving for you; I'll bet you also want to hold/light the ciggie, do some associated behaviors like sitting back, enjoying a coffee/coke, relaxing and taking a deep drag (I've heard friends describe all these wishes and more). You are probably longing for a whole constellation of feelings that you have been accustomed to for many years. That's normal, and nothing to feel ashamed about.

Cigarettes are one of the hardest addictions to kick, partly because of all those associated behaviors. Can you come up with a new tradition of something nice to do for yourself when those cravings hit? Find a new, exotic tea, or listen to a song that moves you, or do a few yoga stretches – any of these can distract you and help you relax and refocus.

Congratulations on the positive thoughts that have brought you this far. Life will look so much better for you on the other side of this effort.

I don't smoke and never have smoked so I don't know what you are really going through, but I tend to worry over silly things and sometimes that worriness tries to get the best of me. What I do to get the worry out of my mind is to focus on something else, like clean a closet, clean the house, take a walk, anything to distract me and it helps. Keeping busy occupies the mind and hands. And, of course the food will taste different usually for the better, your tastebuds are not hindered by the nicotin in the cigarettes and are getting the whole natural taste of the food. The same for smells. Your skin will look more youthful and hydrated. Hang in there and take one day at a time. Try to focus on being healthier and having more money. I wish you the best.
V.