Quitting smoking (PLEASE read and help)

[Children_of_God]

Hey everyone,
Well I'm gonna try and quit smoking, either today or tomorrow, haven't decided yet.
But I'm really scared. I was gonna quit cold turkey, but then I was really worried that it would make the anxiety symptoms worse.
So I've decided to use gum. But the thing is, I've been avoiding chewing gum for over a year, since I got anxiety, 'cos it feels really wierd chewing things when I'm not actually eating.
plus, I'm TERRIFIED of being allergic to foods, even the ones iv been eating all my life, 'cos of this fear my diet consists of only veg, chips, beans, bread, butter and rice crispies. and I won't drink anything other than water, or milk in my cereal.
So I'm like terrified about chewing this gum. But I REALLY want to quit. I need the money, plus I'm agoraphobic, and running out of ways to get my cigs.'cos I live with my parents n they don't smoke so won't get them.
Can you be allergic to Gum?
Or to the Mint flavour in the gum??
'cos I'm just scared.
Has any body quit smoking who could offer some tips on how to get through it?
Or is there anyone quitting atm that could maybe help and give each other some moral support.
thanks for ur time, please reply, even if it's just for advice or opinions or to answer my allergy questions, lol.
thank you = ) xxxxxxxxxxxxx.

[honeybee]

hey i gave up about a week (?) ago... it gets easier and i found my cravings for a fag only lasted about 5-10 mins so just keep telling youself that and it should be cool. as for the gum issue, i think subsituting one nicotine product for another is besides the point really so i havent used any products to help and it hasnt affected my anxiety. although i do believe evryone is different and if patches or gum is the only way to stop then fair enough

[Children_of_God]

it's just I quit before on gum and it really helped (unfortunatley I started again!) and I'm too scared of the withdrawl symptoms with the anxiety to quit with nothing.
But I'm kinda scared about the gum to, 'cos of my allergy fears. do u know if u can be allergic to gum? or the mint flavour in it?
and would u maybe mind helping me through the first 2 or 3 weeks?
thanks = ) xxx.

[Paddington]

Hi there hun i gave upsmoking ,and i used the inhaler thingies,also,sugar free lollies to suck on..honeybee is right too,the craving lasts for a short while then is gone so it really is one day at a time as for your fear of the gum,you know it is irrational as you have used it before,but then when has anxiety ever been rational hey hun Good luck with it hun Love Paddie.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Children_of_God]

lol. ur right paddington, it's just the irrational anxiety.
But I know it's gonna make me panick when I use it! = (
if any body wants to add me on msn to maybe give me some help and reassurence n moral support I'd really appreciate that! Im.Just.A.Girl86@hotmail.co.uk
Thanks = ) xxx.

[Dying_Swan]

G'day

Firstly, well done for deciding to quit smoking (I hope I might decide to do it one day!)

Do you have any allergies? What is it about allergies that worries you?
Is it a being-sick worry? Or are you concerned about anaphylaxis?

Smoking is generally considered to increase anxiety, due to the stimulant properties in nicotine. So, technically your anxiety should decrease if you quit.

Also, you said you gave up using gum before. You weren't allergic to the gum then....so..... I am sure you are aware of all this. You said that you are afraid of eating foods you've eaten all your life. I wonder what started this? Did you have a bad experience with food?

Someone once made a suggestion to me about giving up smoking. They said you could try munching on carrot sticks when you have a craving. I laughed out loud, but really it's not such a bad idea. Doesn't have to be carrots I guess, but something healthy that you won't worry about being allergic to. Just so as you are doing something with your mouth and hands other than smoking (Aubergines/Eggplant contains nicotine, but personally I don't fancy gnawing on raw aubergine sticks!)

Although I still smoke, I work very long shifts and can't smoke at work. I get cravings throughout the day, and when they get bad, I just have a drink. It does help and it passes quickly. I know it's not the same as giving up, but try it. Water is as good as anything else (and great for your body )

Anyway, good luck and I hope you succeed!

xx

[eastender]

I've given up by using the nicotine patches seems to have worked well for me,. Remember the cigs are much more dangerous then any gum or patches could ever be, so don't worry about anything in them. Good luck.

[Children_of_God]

Hey guys. thank you! = )
Dying Swan...ooo great point about the mint in the toothpaste! thanks I didn't think of that.
As far as I'm aware the only thing I'm allergic to is wool and latex. But as much as I know that my mind still freaks out and resitricts me from alot of foods and stuff because of my fear.
It started when I went to live with my mum (I hadn't seen her for 15 years) and I got my anxiety there (if u want to know more about how that Happened just ask) anyways my sister who is now 13, she was 12 then, she has one of those nut allergies where if u even eat it and breathe on her her heart just stops, she has to carry around shots of adreniline. anyways due to the severity of this allergy we weren't aloud to bring anything in to the house, or eat anything, containing, or may contain nut. After I got my anxiety I got some chocolate and forgot to check the packet, so I got my 15 year old (at the time) sister to check it and there was 3 different kinds of nut traces in it! I completely freaked out and had to go home and lie down. I really panicked. after I moved out of my mums, 'cos it didn't really work out, the whole nut thing had inplanted itself in my mind. I know iv been eating things with nuts in all my life, but the severity of her allergy REALLY scared me, and I started worrying about it. and soon it developed into this massive fear of allergys, I stopped eating so many different foods that I used to eat and now all I eat is beans, bread, butter, rice cripies with milk, chips and VEG. I won't eat anything else at all. It's so annoying when people are sat in front of me eating pizza or chocolate cake or sandwiches etc. But I can't get myself to eat anything else 'cos I know how much I will freak out and panick.
Sorry I have rambled on a bit now! lol. = )

[dawndew]

hi there

The only way to really stop smoking is to listen or read Allen Carr's easy way to stop smoking. It's the best book ever, my brother a 40 a day smoker as been stopped for over a year. I quitting myself and after numorous attempts to stop via nicotine replacement this is the easiest ever. I swear!!

I think you should also read The worry cure by dr robert leahy - my anxiety and fear of going out stopped almost immediately. It's brilliant and for around £12 quid for the 2 books (on amazon) what have you got to lose?!

FEAR - WHAT WE ARE ALL SUFFERING FROM STANDS FOR - FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL!!!!

A counsellor told me this and I actually felt my shoulders relax and itwas like a light had been switched on and I began to live again. Good Luck!!!

x

[Dying_Swan]

Hey again.

Thanks for that. I now can see why you are so afraid of allergies. Did your sister ever have a reaction?

It's great that you can eat vegetables. Did you see 'Freaky Eaters' on BBC 3 recently? Not that I'm calling you that! But it was about people who worry about food, to an extreme extent. So most of the people on the show would only eat chips or cheese or whatever. Keep eating the veg! Beans are great too. At least then you can get plenty of protein. Although your diet is limited, you can be pretty darn healthy on what you are eating, so try not to worry too much about that.

I really think you should try and get the gum. Not so much to help with the quitting (but that too!), but to allow yourself to try something new (and something you also know you've been fine with before). Maybe you can slowly build up what you eat. You're going to be hungry if you stop smoking!

Good luck and keep posting

xxx