The Giving Up Smoking Thread!! Part 2

choille

Thank you - I doubt they'll have clinics here, but I'll ask.

I did cold turkey once - a couple of decades back & lasted 4 months, but it was hard - well I know it's hard & going to be hard, but I am wanting to do it so I'll find out what'll suit me best.

jo1972

Just noticed that you live in the middle of nowhere!!

I'm sure your doctor will be able to point you in the right direction. It doesn't have to be hard, sure there are moments that are difficult but if you approach it with the right frame of mind and don't look at it like an uphill struggle then you will succeed. If you think you're going to fail and think it's going to be difficult, then it will. You've smoked for a long time so it's fairly obvious that it will take a bit of time to get used to stopping. But with every day smoke free your strength will improve, you will be proud of yourself and after just a few days you will notice physical differences. During the first month you will probably get a bit of a cough, but this is a good thing, you are detoxing and getting rid of all the tar in your lungs. You will notice good things almost immediately, within days your taste buds will start to work better, you will be able to smell things better and your lungs will feel easier within a couple of weeks.

I remember when I first quit, I always used to have to get off the bus in the morning then run for the next one a couple of streets away, it used to kill me. Actually I didn't run! But after about 2 weeks I noticed I started to get faster and faster up the street, within a month I did actually run for the bus and although I was out of breath (cos I'm unfit!), I didn't need resusitating at the other end.

You can not do anything better for yourself....please believe me, for a few weeks of niggling thoughts, that's all it is. The niggling thoughts (or cravings) will not kill you, they won't hurt you.....smoking will.

Please read through the thread and pick up some tips.

There will be others around later for more support and no doubt Sue will be around at some point in the middle of the night with her words of wisdom.....she's a night owl :cool:

Good luck Choille xx

choille

Many, many , many thanks - you don't know how much that means - how much more possible it seems.

I'm going to have an early night (for me) so I don't sit here & smoke any more cigs - night time is the worst, heaviest smoking time for me.
Thanks again.

ceebeeby

I've got one whole day of my life back!!!!

I'm absolutely going to make that day count :T:T:T

Welcome aboard new quitters xxx

jo1972

choille wrote: »

am pretty disgusted at how much I spend on cigs & what I could use that money for instead.

Another good incentive is the money, obviously health is more important but an immediate result is the money. Put your daily smoking money (or at least some of it) in a pot - preferably glass so you can see it mounting up and think of something you would like to reward yourself with and set your goal on that.

There was a poster on here that last year paid for a 2 week holiday aboard in the sunshine purely from her non smoking money! If I remember rightly, I think she's now saving for a cruise or something like that!

It can be done, there are so many people on here that can prove the fact.

If you like reading, maybe try Allen Carr's (RIP) quitting smoking books. He talks common sense and explains his theories with analogies. You actually smoke whilst reading the book then extinguish your last cigarette at the end of the book. This has worked for lots of people on here.

I started the original thread nearly 3 years ago and I can't believe how many people have quit smoking, totally inspirational :A

jo1972

ceebeeby wrote: »

I've got one whole day of my life back!!!!

I'm absolutely going to make that day count :T:T:T

Welcome aboard new quitters xxx

There is no better reward, well done xx

hellnearth

I'm in the Outer Hebrides ( Uists ) and we have a counsellor here who has an office for meetings in the local hospital. I was having my well-woman MOT thingy with the surgery nurse and mentioned that I would like to quit and she referred me. I'm sure they'll have info at your local surgery.
I would recommend it. They have lotsa useful back up stuff, like questionnaires and things to examine why you smoke and what your triggers are, how addicted you are etc. You can also discuss whether you'd be better with NRT or not.
I opted for an inhalator cos my addiction is very strong and also, I really enjoy the tactile aspect of smoking. A few time this week I've reached out for the pack and lighter that are no longer there. I don't like the taste of the inhalator so I've just been using it when I get the cravings.
I'm on tax credits so the NRT prescription was free.
I'm taking it one day at a time because the prospect of life without a cigarette ever again is just too daunting to contemplate at the moment. Does that sound silly?
I am enjoying .......a lot.........being surprised at the amount of money I have in my purse after shopping and not calculating if I have to go out in the howling gale just for fags :rotfl:

jo1972

hellnearth wrote: »

I'm taking it one day at a time because the prospect of life without a cigarette ever again is just too daunting to contemplate at the moment. Does that sound silly?

It makes perfect sense, this is the habitual part of the addiction. I am currently trying to quit drinking and have the same problem of thinking too far in the future. Particularly at the beginning of your quit I think you should just take one craving at a time, don't even think about later in the day. The cravings will become fewer and fewer just over the space of days and weeks.

You are doing fantastic, keep it up :T

choille

Hi hellnearth,

I'll phone Ullapool on Monday - nearest surgery.
I'm really abd/heavy smoker & also really like the whole tactile thing.

I darn't think too much about it - like you. And no it doesn't sound silly.
Good for you managing to break free - I hope to do the same very soon.
I just googled a helpline thing, but it seems to be mon-fri - I'll give them a ring on Monday.
I will have to pay for a perscription but compared to what I currently shell out it would be peanuts.

jo1972

I don't know if this is any good to you