The Giving Up Smoking Thread!! Part 2

sar050680

Been 8 days smoke-free now and feel better for it too, big thanks to Sue-uu for your PM.

bms1972

Sue-UU wrote: »

However good your feel about your success - please don't ever be drawn into believing you might just be able to risk having "just one puff" because it only ever puts people back to square one and that's an awful feeling when you know that if only you hadn't listened to that horrid voice within, you'd be feeling so very proud of yourself!

Fantastic post Sue-UU :T and I only wish I'd read it earlier. Unfortunately after a really crappy day I headed to the pub and picked up a pack at the shop next door - throwing away 11 days of good work.

So the paragraph above about the awful pride-shot-down feeling makes perfect sense. And I still feel just as wound up about everything as I did before the cigs, so they certainly don't help - as if I didn't know that beforehand! Feels even more stupid when I read what others have been through and resisted the temptation. Great thread everyone - keep up the good work and visit the thread when you need a bit of inspiration (wish I had!).

Tomorrow is another day, so I will be starting again......

Sue-UU

I was so sorry to read your post about your Dad SandC. My heart goes out to you and my thoughts are with you and your family. How strong you've found yourself through it all though, it would have been so very easy to have some or "just one" - BUT - you chose the hardest and certainly the healthiest route and stuck to staying quit! I'm sure your dear Dad would be so very proud of you, well done!:T

Well done to you too larmy, great news that you didn't allow it to drag you back once again.

Great to see you here helping out again jo1972! What a snowball you started all that time ago!

That 10 weeks soon flew by Dreamingalound, marvellous news! How about your OH? I do hope she's stuck firm to kicking it.

8 days smoke-free is wonderful Paul, that's past your magical first week already! The gardening is a great way to keep your mind and hands active, very therapeutic indeed.

A real shame bms, but at least you know just in case you're ever tempted again. We all are fooled into believing that having a ciggie relieves the stress, but the fact is that it does the reverse and builds it up! If you've only had the one, then view it as a blip and carry on where you were, however, if it was a good deal more then it's fairer to you to begin again. Whatever the amount, put it all behind you and push on with the determination that had got you to day 12!!! Try the PM and see if that also helps.

NB As most of you will have see with SandC's post, it's far easier for us all, and you, if when starting your posts you put the amount of time gone so far and method used to quit in the title bar at the top of your posts. It helps us remember where each of you are - and the distance travelled.

Another new and fresh day ahead folks, make it another one to count in the new you!

Sue.

bluedog

Thank you for your posts and pm Sue-UU. They are very helpful, motivational and inspirational.

I'm 6 days out and though I'm not saying it's easy, I'm definitely surprised by how I'm coping and feeling about it so far. (I've still got trigger reactions to reach for the fags at certain times of the day, such as having a cup of tea, the phone ringing and after meals especially, but by and large, the cravings are deal-able with.) I was out with a friend on thursday evening and she asked if I was going outside for a fag. I didn't even think about it, the words just came out "I don't smoke". In previous attempts to stop, I've said things such as "I've quit" or "I've given up" smoking. I'm hoping this subtle difference in how I declined is a sure indicator that this time IS it, the days as a smoker behind me. Perhaps it's something to do with the fact I actually don't want to smoke at all anymore that is different this time around?

I do believe in the "once a smoker always a smoker" saying and will always bear this in mind. I think though that the thing that clinched it for me is in Allen Carr's book where he talks about how much more powerful nicotine is than heroine ....... very scary reading in my opinion.

Sue-UU

bluedog wrote: »

I've still got trigger reactions to reach for the fags at certain times of the day, such as having a cup of tea, the phone ringing and after meals especially, but by and large, the cravings are deal-able with.

Congratulations so far bluedog, 6 days free is great! Just one more and you have that first mammoth task of the first week behind you, and if you've come THAT far it proves you're capable of keeping going! The times you still battle with (for now) are, as you obviously know, your mind messing with your thoughts, not the nicotine as you're FREE from that, it's all gone from your body - you're CLEAN!!! However, old habits die hard (but will) and you need to shove out all thoughts of the times connected with "you know what's!" As soon as it's one of those times, get up and do something else or complete the task (phone call) in a different way, a cold drink to sip on, or walk around while talking or gaze at a lovely picture, or view from the window. Alter your life around to get over the times such, it all helps to get you able to control those times NOT the other way round!

bluedog wrote: »

I was out with a friend on thursday evening and she asked if I was going outside for a fag. I didn't even think about it, the words just came out "I don't smoke". Perhaps it's something to do with the fact I actually don't want to smoke at all anymore that is different this time around?

Excellent in that you were so firm and quick to answer your friend, you're handling it all much better now, because as you say, you now have the real desire to QUIT!

bluedog wrote: »

I do believe in the "once a smoker always a smoker" saying and will always bear this in mind.

This is something we disagree on, because as an ex smoker I know full well I'll never smoke again and neither do I ever feel that way! In the earlier days we get "feelings" of something missing, but we soon realise what it is, and the next minute it's gone - just like that! Time is the key to getting where I am, but it certainly doesn't take 10 years, so please bluedog, push that very negative thought right away. We were once addicted to a filthy habit that could have easily robbed us of our lives, but now you're conquering that habit. It's NOT an illness like alcoholism is, so with time and the will to be free from the risk of bad health, you WILL wish to stay that way and NEVER want to go back! Power of the mind bluedog, you have it, use it!

See you at the end of your first week!

Sue

SandC

Hi everyone, thank you for all your kind words.

For the first time in ages I dreamt about smoking again last night. I dreamt I went into a shop and was able to buy a part pack with only 4 in! However, before I smoked any I caught myself and what I was doing and decided against it.

Weird that it still has this sneaky little hold on us eh? :rolleyes:

Wesker

Hi all, just found this thread so thought i would join in.
I am just reaching the end of my first week without cigs :T
I was on about 20 a day
It has not been easy, but then again its not been too hard either :rolleyes:
I have given up a couple of times before for 2 or 3 years so i know i can do it, just need to keep it up for longer this time
I am basically going cold turkey, no patches etc, but i did watch the Allen Carr dvd last week which did help but i had already made up my mind to quit, it just gave me a bit more of a kick in the right direction.
I did find the first 2 or 3 days i was eating more than usual, but i need to keep that in check as i am overweight as it is
I've got plenty of sweets to suck on but that is my only substitution

Good luck to everyone

Sue-UU

A part of us for so long that it's bound to still be in the subconscious I suppose SandC. You really are doing wonderfully well, keep at it as you have been!

Hi Wesker good to have you with us and well done on that great first goal that most of us have! You've given up before so you know you're able to do it again - and stay quit! Get your life and health back this time by kicking Nick right out of it!! Whenever you're tempted to put food in your mouth have a FULL glass of water, then munch on a large apple and get yourself full that way and by then the feelings will be gone. Do as much exercise as possible any time too that helps enormously. Do all that everytime and you'll soon have lost some weight as well as having quit!!! 2 for the price of one! :rolleyes: Seriously though you could well curb your weight as well and BOTH together would really make you feel so much more healthy, healthy enough to want to stay that way!

All the very best everyone. Keep strong, keep healthy and keep your money in your pockets!!!

Sue

shimmershelly

I agree Sue, and doing exercise gives you such an incentive, you know that if you go back to Nick you won't be able to manage it anymore. It's so nice to be fit for the first time in years :j

sar050680

Been two whole weeks now smoke-free......Whoo Hoo...lol

Went to the beach on Sunday with 3 smokers and could have if I'd wanted smoked all day for free but I didn't even feel like a ciggie. When I got home my misses even said she was proud of me, haha.

Stay strong people. Paul.