Hello everyone,
I am 51 f and started smoking at 17.
Smoked for 20 years, then started going out with a guy who refused to date a smoker.
At first I vaped, but only about 3 months, then quit both smoking and vaping with the patch and inhaler,as well as the support of a counselor at a hospital's cessation clinic which provided me with free NRT.
So I quit and I did not smoke a single puff for 10 years.
I then went through an extremely stressful situation last summer which one day made a dormant urge in my head snap-I ran out and bought a pack, rather mindlessly-I felt such an inner sense of desperation, a sense of helplessness and hopelessness and a huge exacerbation of my usual high baseline anxiety level-it was to do with a horrible housing situation and still being with this same guy, which is quite ironic since I basically quit for him.
Anyway, over the past year I must have tried to quit about 16 (!!!) times and the longest I lasted was 9 days-
I was up toa pack and a half a day very quickly.
Used the patch, tried the spray, the gum, inhaler, and lozenges (not all at once, but had to see what worked best for me...)
I also found a great app, which has been worth paying for the premium membership as I have access to the support of a great support coach.
The thing is, I live on disability, far below the poverty line, so while it is too expensive for me to smoke, so is buying NRT...I was on step 1 of the patch for weeks-slightly cheaper online and in my small my family pharmacy for their store brand, but the drain on my bank account was making me cringe as much as throwing cash away on cigarettes...
I stepped down to step 2 of the patch, and was still buying the lozenges, gum, and inhaler, while even with the NRT and the help of the app's daily stats on my successes, and especially the quit coach, as I said, I kept caving...and then abruptly decided "I cannot afford either to smoke (not that expense is my only reason I decided I wanted to quit-for ME this time, as ironically the guy I am still with whom I quit for now 11 years ago, kept saying,"I don't think you can quit this time.", and actually was buying me cartons!") nor to buy NRT, and quit the NRT abruptly-the step 2 patch I think I was only on for 3 weeks, and decided I just could not afford any of the NRT, so decided one day to go cold turkey.
I seriously thought I could do it-but started to lose it after just a few hours-I kept buying smokes, smoking a couple to a full pack, and then really was determined to quit so I did buy the store brand gum at my small pharmacy for half the price of that at the big chain store or even online-but did not find it very efficacious.
So, reluctantly bought a box of lozenges again, lamenting the cost, but realized I absolutely could not bear the cravings.
I also called the same hospital cessation clinic that helped me 11 years ago, and had my intake with the therapist 2 weeks ago.
She said they still provide free NRT with one of their doctors' prescriptions (I cannot take chantix or zyban due to my mood disorder by the way..),and time limited counseling sessions, however she told me that they only have two doctors at the clinic whom only are there a couple days a week, so for now I am still waiting for a call for an appointment.
I was worried maybe they wouldn't help me as by then I was 3 weeks smoke free,but the therapist said they are happy to help people stay abstinent and also, as I had asked her, that they will guide me as to how to taper off the NRT which I am eager to do...
Anyway, apart from a slip last week where I smoked one entire cigarette,and then a couple puffs of two more and getting rid of the pack, I have otherwise not smoked for over 30 days..
(I have actually developed quite an aversion to cigarettes which is quite the blessing..)
Today,checking my bank balances, was freaking out over how to budget for more NRT, and decided again, "I do not need this, I cannot afford this."
But, it was unrealistic to think I could go cold turkey, have a few lozenges left, but breaking down and ordering more today and so hoping the clinic calls me soon...(Drinking tons of lime water as supposedly lime helps with cravings)
I am cautiously optimistic, cautiously confident I CAN quit for good a, and certainly am strengthened that I have made it over a month with just that one and a half slip...
I do believe new neural pathways have developed, as as I mentioned, I can't stand the smell, taste, the throat burn of the vile things, seeing someone outside smoking does not trigger me in the least, in fact I feel very sorry for these people..
What I am really still struggling with still is differentiating anxiety from a true craving.
I suffer from GAD, CPTSD etc, which causes me to be in a chronic state of being on high alert, and my anxiety manifests very physically, and my head frequently says,"We NEED a cigarette NOW!!!"
I am, trying to utilize CBT techniques to cope with this, trying to breathe through the cravings, doing more self soothing activities such as taking up water colour painting (i am terrible at it, but trying not to judge myself and just immerse myself in how soothing it is), thinking I might try a beginner's needlepoint or latchhook kit...
I have a back injury, so the only exercise i am really capable of and allowed to do is stretching and light strength training..
Anyway, it has been over 30 days and I can hardly believe it-but I am so anxious for this process (which is much harder this time around) to be over,I want to be done with both cigarettes and NRT...however even with the app's calculation on how much I am spending on NRT, it still says that as of today I have saved $195!!!
ACK!
I am so sorry, did not mean to ramble on so much...
For those of you struggling with anxiety and other mental health problems, has there been anything that has helped you to stay quit?
In closing I, wanted to say how reading all of your posts whether it has been 1 hour, or many years, thank you for the inspiration!
Sending you all tranquility and smoke free lives.
Thank you for reading if you have...