All That I Learned in One Year

Much of the recovery process from nicotine addiction involves managing the discomforts that come with nicotine withdrawal, along with the work we must do to break the associations we had with smoking.

An Educated Quit is a Successful Quit

In this milestone account from About.com Smoking Cessation forum member Jen, she shares the tips and tricks that helped her most. At a year smoke-free, Jen knows just how important education about nicotine addiction is.

Thanks for sharing Jen, and congratulations!

From Jen:

One year ago I quit smoking. Here are a few things that I have learned about nicotine and about myself in the past year:

E -- Expect to be uncomfortable for a short while. Ridding your body of nicotine and all the chemicals in cigarette will take some time.

D -- Drink plenty of water. It will help you through your intense desire to smoke early in your quit, and will help flush the toxins from your body. It is also a great appetite suppressant.

U -- Use support. It is maybe the most important part of any smoking cessation plan. Asking for help was one of the most difficult parts of this journey for me and I believe it is the one piece that was missing from my prior attempts.

C -- Care for yourself. The single best piece of advice given to me was "Treat yourself as you would treat a good friend who is trying to achieve something important." Eat well, get lots of rest, take a hot bath, meditate, read a book, take a walk. Do things that nourish your soul.

A -- Ask yourself why you smoked. Is anything missing from your life?

• strong character
• self-confidence
• self-esteem
• passion for life
• joy and happiness
• exciting sports/activities and interesting pursuits
• appreciation for a precious body and good health
• friends who celebrate clean living

T -- Time and patience are important tools. It will take time to heal your body and mind from this addiction. It is important to spend some time every day reading and learning about nicotine addiction. Recovery from cigarettes takes work just like any other addiction. Everything you invest is returned to you.

I -- If you slip, do not give up. Ask yourself why it happened. Try to learn what the trigger or stressor was. Write down a list of the people, place and things that may cause you to slip and then write down two ways you will deal with the trigger the next time you are faced with it.

O -– Open your mind and your life to new experiences and new ways to spend your time. As smokers, we spend a lot of time and energy smoking and planning our smoking habit. Try something that you have always wanted to do but never had time to. Try an art course, learn to quilt, clean the garage, go to the park and play with your kids, volunteer at a homeless shelter.

N -- Not One Puff Ever. It isn’t just a catchy phrase. Once you have finally freed yourself from nicotine addiction, you can never take one puff again. You will always be an addict and given an opportunity, the addicted part of your brain will convince you that it is ok to have just one. From there, you'll be back to a pack a day in no time.

To everyone who is just beginning their quit journey, or who is beginning their quit journey again.....stay strong and be well.

~Jen