Posted by Racer on June 22, 2004, at 10:21:21
In reply to Re: Where IS everyone?! » Shar, posted by NikkiT2 on June 22, 2004, at 6:09:35
Here are a few things I've found better when I was craving and trying to quit smoking:
1. If you can find a store that stocks candy for diabetics, they often have a kind of sugar free gummy bears that is actually *better* than the regular kind. (Avoid any of their chocs, though, because they'll often cause diarrhea -- unless you enjoy that. Hey, to each her own, right?)
2. Hard candies like Tavener's Fruit Drops. They last a lot longer than a McDonald's meal, for many fewer calories and a lot less fat.
3. Those cheddar cheese popcorn treats are much yummier than one might imagine.
4. If you're gonna indulge in McDonald's, try having a nice, big glass of water with Metamucil (psyllium fiber) first. It doesn't make the food any better for you, but it does help keep your serum cholesterol down. Plus my theory is that it helps unclog your pipes, and so makes the Bad Things somewhat less bad.
5. Do you have those little Listerine pocket pack sheet things over there? They're actually quite good for quitting for me -- kinda like brushing my teeth every time I want a smoke. Brushing my teeth every time I want a cigarette helps, but it's not always practical, so I keep a pack of those in my purse. Believe it or not, it helps, both with the cigarette craving and the food cravings.
6. It helped me to take up something to do with my hands. There are these cute little loom thingies, kinda like the ones we mostly had as kids, called "Weavettes" and they make little squares of cloth. They're very portable, very easy to use -- you basically weave as you warp, which you'll understand if you get a set -- and at the end of the year you can give everyond (and I do think it means EVERYONE) in your life hand-woven face clothes for Christmas.
Let me know how it goes quitting. I would like to quit, but right now, the only way I can imagine it working is either spending the next six months in the hospital -- which is looking rather like a good idea about now -- or ending my life entirely -- which Shar has told me is not allowed.
As for the suicide/having to plan life thing, I think that's why I always keep suicide as a sort of back up plan. It may not be healthy, it may not be the desired outcome of therapy, but it's kept me going through some pretty dark days. Even now, it's still more of a back up plan that allows me to try to find a way through this. Planning what to do with the rest of my life right now is impossible, but that's because I'm in the middle of this hell. Other times, though, when things have been 'better' in many ways, it's allowed me to do things I'd never have had the courage to do if I'd planned on living to see the outcome.
Yes, I guess is my answer to your question about whether anyone else understands the idea that NOT being suicidal is pretty intimidating after having been suicidal.
Best luck, Nikki, and do keep us up to date on your quitting.
And for heaven's sake, woman! If you're going to indulge in something for craving's sake, make it worthwhile! Don't you silly Poms have ice cream sundaes???
poster:Racer
thread:358846
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/2000/20040501/msgs/358989.html