Show I Calling it quits Brenda Lewis Globe Weekly News Well its it's been a week since Ive I've smoked and Ive I've got to tell you that it hasn't been too bad The nicotine patches are helping with the urges Its It's more about breaking breaking break break- breaking ing the habit at this point W Philip Morris' Morris has a alink alink alink link called It suggests If youve you've tried to quit before think about what you have learned from those attempts Are there certain people places feeling or activities that encourage you to smoke Plan to avoid them as much as you can As far as people go the only ones dangerous for me meare meare meare are smokers This does not include my mother of course but she lives miles away so its it's unlikely Ill I'll be running into her Smokers mok tsar are easy Jo to avoid because most of the people I know dont don't smoke Avoiding places to smoke is easy in Utah Youre You're not allowed to smoke anywhere anyway The only time I go goto goto goto to clubs is to hear live music and theres there's no performer Im I'm interested in seeing at an inside venue Feelings I think could be bea a real problem I disagree with in their suggestion that I avoid them Maybe they meant that I shouldn't set myself up for stress Avoiding feelings over dealing with them can only lead me to smoking again I should think On the CD that came with the patches I i use it said that it is important to remember that the urge to smoke will pass whether I have a cigarette cigarette cigarette ciga ciga- rette or not If I can remember remember remember ber that on all levels of discomfort discomfort discomfort dis dis- dis- dis comfort I stand a good chance of remaining smoke- smoke free Activities have been the area that has prompted the most urges for me to have a cigarette That morning cup of coffee is a killer There is isa isa is isa a moment of silence after I 1 finish a meal Talking on the phone at home no longer means a cigarette cigarette cig cigarette cig- cig arette break as well At a astop astop astop stop light in my car I don dont don't t get to do anything but wait to change It for the light feels pretty weird things that I There are smoked while doing and I 1 aware of it I 1 I wasn't even often Its It's it s feel hungry more because I used to have a cigarette cigarette cig cigarette cig- cig arette if it wasn't convenient to eat Also I used smoking take five As I 1 to as a reason complete tasks at work there is the slightest hesitation before I start the next I realize realize real- real T marked the ize that cigarettes T end of projects for me tl j about Im I'm learning a lot my past b behaviors e h According to most t things lI gs Ive I've read in regard to quitting smoking this knowledge is invaluable in staying a non- non smoker I started the week eating well It completely fell apart with half of a dozen Baby Ruth candy bars On Fridays I have to stay at work late since I go in late because of school Before when everyone everyone everyone every every- one else left I smoked while I worked Without that option this past Friday I inhaled candy bars instead It made me very sick I hope I remember the nausea next week so I wont won't have to do that again The best thing has been how my sinuses are clearing Ive I've driven home down South for the last two years I never noticed the smells emanating from the various restaurants along the route until this past week Its It's quite nice And the dreams They are fabulous i u 1 I believe it it has hasto to do the 24 hour patch That extra 8 hours of nicotine is doing something to my brain Ill I'll tell you more about that next week Oh I want to thank and Brett for their encouraging encouraging encouraging ing emails To know that youre you're rooting for me feels almost as good as knowing that youre you're reading me Editors Editor's Note Calling it Quits will be a five part series on the struggles of becoming a non- non smoker If you'd like to share your comments suggestions or personal stories on smoking email Brenda at basket- basket Q yahoo com |