The Giving Up Smoking Thread - Part 3

dundeedoll_2

This has just been posted on another board of the forum in response to a poster who has been told to stop smoking.
I thought it was an excellent post and well worth quoting on here:


OK, so you say you've GOT to give up smoking but are starting to give up already. How about if you imagine it's someone you know and like, rather than imaging it's yourself, try and look at it from someone who doesn't HAVE to make the decision...there's nothing worse than being told you've GOT to so it. You need to WANT it.

Here's the scenario - You hear through the grapevine that an old mate from school has been told to give up smoking for health reasons, but is struggling to quit. Later on, you're attending outpatients and spot his teenage daughter standing outside the gates having a wee smoke before she goes into hospital to visit your old mate... well, you don't grudge her it, do you? She needs something to calm her nerves 'cos she hates going to hospitals, especially thw cardiac unit with all those machines. You have a wee chat, ask her how her Dad is, have a wee smoke with her...

Fast forward a couple of years, you walk past the old schoolmate's daughter lighting up outside the pub, you notice she still hasn't managed to kick the habit either, well it's got to be hard for her to give up when she's still getting over losing her Dad, isn't it?

Don't think it would never happen , that no-one would be stupid enough to carry on smoking when they saw their parent hooked up to those machines.

Yes, I was the teenage girl who was having a smoke on the way to the Cardiac unit to visit my father after he had his second heart attack ( he gave up smoking after the second one;)). I was that daughter who thought it was impossible to stop smoking because there was always something cropping up and making life too stressful. I watched my grandfather die of lung cancer but still started smoking. It happens.


After smoking from the age of 12 to almost 30, I stopped 11 years ago, when my daughter got to one year old.I know, it really is true what they say about ex-smokers - we're the worst for harping on about quitting, but I can wholeheartedly say it's the best decision I ever made... not because me and my OH stopped smoking and used the first year's money saved to go to Las Vegas and get married, not because we were able to get rid of the mortgage, not because we can afford to subsidise our daughter if she makes it to Uni... but because I didn't want my DD smoking on the way to the hospital like I did. I didn't do it for me, I did it for her, and no it wasn't easy, but it was do-able.


I stopped by using nicotine patches, yes they gave me some weird dreams, but the simple answer was not to wear them when I slept, and to slap one on as soon as I got up in the morning. My OH quit a couple of months after I did, he had already changed to smoking rollies and that was half the battle for him because there really did seem to be less chemicals in them.



Nowadays there are tonnes of things to help you quit. But I will always maintain that it is only love for someone else that will keep people stopped when it gets to the tough bits... 3 weeks in when you first venture out to the pub and really want a ciggie, and 3 or 4 months in when you've had a bit of a roll in the hay and really miss those post coital ciggies lying in bed...
after a while it all disappears and you realise one day that you're an ex-smoker and it dawns on you that smokers really do smell bad, and that you've not had to wash down the woodwork in the house for months, that you won't need to decorate as soon as you would have before.. but best of all you do something a bit strenuous and it doesn't take your breath away like it did before, even though you hadn't noticed the difference until you quit.

Hope this isn't too preachy, but if you've GOT to stop smoking, then find someone you really love and stop for them. When you do stop, feel free to shout from the rooftops that you're an ex smoker and proud that you did it, :j

eta I'll run and hide now, before the smokers turn up and tell me I'm not helping you one bit by being so negative.:( Good Luck

Mandamoo_3

Thanks DD you have been wonderful :j

I was drinking lots of water so not convinced I was dehydrated. As for finishing the pack ( you found me out!) .But no I will give them to my mum to dispose of.

My mum is of the belief that she doesnt want to give up and thats completely her decision, though she fully supports my choice. It is tricky though living in the same house though I am not going to use it as an excuse. I am off in the morning to investigate cessation groups because despite these hiccups I am DETERMINED to stop.

I really really really appreciate all your advice and support

Mmoox x

dundeedoll_2

Mandamoo wrote: »

Thanks DD you have been wonderful :j

I was drinking lots of water so not convinced I was dehydrated. As for finishing the pack ( you found me out!) .But no I will give them to my mum to dispose of.

My mum is of the belief that she doesnt want to give up and thats completely her decision, though she fully supports my choice. It is tricky though living in the same house though I am not going to use it as an excuse.


I am off in the morning to investigate cessation groups because despite these hiccups I am DETERMINED to stop.




I really really really appreciate all your advice and support

Mmoox x

And that's just what it is..........support.............I really really don't want to come across as a reformed smoker preaching.

I was at a real low in my life last summer.............got very ill and then split up with my partner.............and it was at that time that I stopped.
I didn't even conciously think I'd stop. I ran out 1 Sunday morning and didn't get any more.
Thursday I found this thread and as I said found it to be the best thing for me.
I just want to give others the same help I got.

DD xXx


Ps Another technique I found helpful was to imagine you're taking a drag of a ciggie.................and imagine horrible smoke like from a bonfire going from your throat down to your stomach. It almost chokes you..............

Mandamoo_3

DD I don't think you are preachy at all.

Here's hoping you have a fabulous summer/autumn/winter and spring this year

Will keep you posted

Mmoo
x

dundeedoll_2

Mandamoo wrote: »

DD I don't think you are preachy at all.

Here's hoping you have a fabulous summer/autumn/winter and spring this year

Will keep you posted

Mmoo
x

Thanks hun.

Be kind to yourself................have nice baths..............lots of lotions and potions after...........early nights with nice music/a book..............a nice walk etc etc. (All gives you bit of space from mum too )

Keep reading this thread/whyquit.com/etc etc really helped me.

You will miss cigs at first, we've all been there I promise you.
The trouble with cigs is that they become to be 'a friend' so to think of quitting is like saying goodbye to that friend, grieving if you like. However, it doesn't take long to know it was a BAD friend:mad: and you become so pleased you've fallen out!
Keep reminding yourself about all the money you're saving and the restoration to good health, that'll helps so very much!



Good night X

determined_new_ms

Mmoo sorry you're having a tough time, but you can do this! I waivered the first few days - my oh gave up a week before me - when you stop you will for a few days have the urges but just push through that and then you will be able to get through. What kiwi says is true you give up 1 cig at a time - you should read back when she first gave up she really didn't think she would make it & now she's on the home stretch!

I'm so glad DD has come over with some great support and advice - come back sue! x

dundeedoll_2

UPDATE: The Paul McKenna link wasn't working - have found these:


http://www.itv.com/lorraine/health/medicalmatters/quitsmokingaudio1/
www.itv.com/lorraine/health/medicalmatters/quitsmokingaudio2/
www.itv.com/lorraine/health/medicalmatters/quitsmokingaudio3/
www.itv.com/lorraine/health/medicalmatters/quitsmokingaudio4/
http://www.itv.com/lorraine/health/medicalmatters/quitsmokingaudio5/

Kiwisaver_2

slugger09 wrote: »

I'm curious, any of you old timers at what point do you reach the moment of revelation so to speak as Allen Carr calls it? That moment when you realise "I have finally beat it" I'm now almost 3.5 weeks in and I don't feel any different to the day I went of them, I don't feel any sense of achievement, I certainly haven't noticed any health benefit yet, I'm not about to cave in, just feel a bit fed up or something.

I'm still waiting for all of these things! :eek: The only time I have felt any sense of achievement is when someone makes a fuss and makes a big deal out of my not smoking. I suppose this is to be expected we don't get rewarded or can't expect admiration for stopping something that was 'bad' or disgusting in most people's eyes or that we probably shouldn't have been doing anyway. I am far from convinced I have beaten the evil weed, still have random thoughts about smoking or wanting to smoke, but as someone else said I do truly feel that I am armed with better information and a stronger determination not to ever go back to the fags. Mostly because I don't want to go through those first few weeks ever again.

I have always had a keen sense of smell (too keen sometimes) and taste so I've not even seen any benefits there. Money I've not noticed being any better off, because I did indulge myself early in the hard stages with new shoes and all sorts, which I'm kind of regretting and trying to catch up again just now.

Still very much a day by day slowly forward kind of progress for me. Everyone assumes that this far along I must be 'over it', but no way is that the case. It's not a huge struggle, I am not unhappy, sad or angry anymore BUT still there's something amiss and I am not my usual self, if that makes any sense??

Triciaxx

Kiwisaver wrote: »

I'm still waiting for all of these things! :eek: The only time I have felt any sense of achievement is when someone makes a fuss and makes a big deal out of my not smoking. I suppose this is to be expected we don't get rewarded or can't expect admiration for stopping something that was 'bad' or disgusting in most people's eyes or that we probably shouldn't have been doing anyway. I am far from convinced I have beaten the evil weed, still have random thoughts about smoking or wanting to smoke, but as someone else said I do truly feel that I am armed with better information and a stronger determination not to ever go back to the fags. Mostly because I don't want to go through those first few weeks ever again.

I have always had a keen sense of smell (too keen sometimes) and taste so I've not even seen any benefits there. Money I've not noticed being any better off, because I did indulge myself early in the hard stages with new shoes and all sorts, which I'm kind of regretting and trying to catch up again just now.

Still very much a day by day slowly forward kind of progress for me. Everyone assumes that this far along I must be 'over it', but no way is that the case. It's not a huge struggle, I am not unhappy, sad or angry anymore BUT still there's something amiss and I am not my usual self, if that makes any sense??

I'm the same as Kiwi. Not really feeling much different and certainly no Allen Carr 'moment'. I do find I just forget about the whole thing for days at a time now - though that could be dangerous if I hit a trigger point when I'm with someone who smokes.

I do think with stopping that you just have to hit the right mixture of things. Certainly, I took a couple of months thinking about it, researching and it just fell into place one day.

Mandamoo Do get some help from a smoking cessation person. Supermarket pharmacies have them if you don't want to go to your GP.

There's no shame in having help and you may even find that the fact that you know you can use the NRT if you need to will just be enough to get you through the first days.

Keep posting on here and remember that each and everyone of us has been where you are now. Believe me, the only thing that has got me through a few times is the determination not to have to quit again. :eek::eek:

It's great to see people new and old posting. :T:T:T

Sue I hope you are recovering. :kisses3:

taj

Day 15 using patches

Hi everyone

I still haven't had a cigarette and so proud of that, i wanted to let you know a difference I'd noticed
, it was because I smoked it caused me to use an inhaler day and night so would have used it about 30 times...I've used it ONCE in two weeks. I cant say that makes me feel better physically...but I have noticed my hacking cough has just about gone. Ive saved about £88 now and this is my 4th try after 47 years of smoking.