quitting smoking- concentration problems.

[She Ra]

i had quit smoking a while ago but when this semester started it was so stressful I just thought i'd have one or two cigarettes. But it was a slippery slope and now I'm smoking 2 packs a week. i want to quit again but am worried I'll have trouble concentrating. Anyone have any tips how to handle that?

Edited September 4, 2012 by She Ra

[surefire]

Ugh! I sympathize! I quit last November with the hopes that, when I started the PhD this fall, I would've developed some supplementary stress-busters. My biggest fear is that I will be at a loss when it comes to an essay reward system (500 words? Smoke break!)

I had good luck with the patch! I found it easier to steer my thoughts away from having a smoke because you're REALLY not supposed to have one if you're wearing a patch! I also chewed a lot of gum (not the nicotine stuff, just the regular kind to get the oral fixation under control) When I had a craving I couldn't shake, I'd go to the gym near my house. The work-out endorphins proved a good substitute and hey, I definitely couldn't smoke when my hands/body were that occupied (a few rounds in the pool or the boxing ring were particularly apt for this strategy). I also picked a few days where I would be really busy but also out of my element and away from my regular smoking spots (a conference, actually) and made those my first cigarette free days. I found that the first three days are the worst, mentally, so cut yourself some slack and try to pick those days strategically. It's sort of like a break-up: for the first few days, it's all you can think about, then you find that you can go whole hours without thinking about it until you realize that you've gone a whole day without thinking about it - and that will be a good day (I mean, you've quit before, so you know this already, but it's good to be reminded that it gets easier!)

I've had friends who had success with welbutrin and those little white inhaler-things as well. If you've got an accessible health center, you should use it to draft some strategies with someone! I didn't really tell anyone that I care about that I was quitting (I didn't want to be asked how it was going, in case I messed up), so it was helpful for me to hash it out with someone, this might help you as well!

Best of luck and don't forget to give yourself credit for this tough decision!

[stell4]

It's been 4 years since I quit and I still find myself thinking about smoking when I get really stressed or anxious. I quit to prove a point to an ex, pretty dumb reason, but I guess my crazy stubbroness to not loose was what it took and I havn't had a puff since. I guess I might be trying to say that having a reason to quit that I was not willing to go back on helped me out a lot.

Good luck. Also, gummy candy helped me, really just chewing on anything. Watch out for pens, I chipped 3 teeth and still catch myself chewing on them (sometimes ones i found on the ground, yuck!). Old habits die hard.