Anyone else giving up smoking?

Ragtimeplayer

han2505 wrote: »

Hey all,

I am wanting to quit smoking but i dont think that i can do it on my own. I quit smoking for 4 months. Just went cold turkey, but my boyfriend was smoking and didnt want to quit at the time. This made it hard for me and so i couldnt carry on.
He has now decided that as its his 25th birthday on Tuesday that he wants to quit on Sunday (not holding my breath though!), so were going to do it together.

The other problem i have is that i dont drink (at all!) so when everyone is drinking round me i smoke. I think that that is going to be the hardest thing for me.

I know everyone says that you save so much money, but i didnt see it last time. I think i need something to motivate myself or even a little goal. Like everytime i feel like a cigg put 20p in a pot or something.

Has anyone got any hints as to help?

Thanks all xxx

I really recommend you do some reading before you start, to get yourself in the right frame of mind.

Allen Carr is a brilliant book and stopped me smoking after 23 years on my first attempt.
You can buy him on Ebay for about a fiver, a very worthwhile investment!

As you are stopping together, that will help you a great deal too.

I realised what was triggering my smoking on a daily basis so until I felt stronger, I avoided those situations completely.

I always smoked while on the computer so I left it alone for 2 days (very hard to do!) as I knew the temptation would be too hard for me.

I also smoked in the car while travelling so I didn't go anywhere for 2 days either!

I would just say, try and avoid triggering situations while you are feeling vulnerable and keep each other motivated.

Lazy_Line_Painter_Jane

I've stopped too....today will be my first smoke-free day in a few years!

One thing I've found is that if you are mentally ready and really determined, then you will do it. Not saying there won't be lapses or moments where you would sell your dog for a cigarette, but doing it because you want to helps far better than if you're doing it because you have to.

Good luck to everyone and well done on how well it's going. Hopefully I can stay strong!

Lazy Jane x

Francophile

Ragtimeplayer wrote: »

Keep your nerve Franco, you have travelled so far, it would be a total waste to give in now, think how hard it will be for you to start it all over again!

I actually found it much easier after the first 3 weeks, in fact, smoking hardly crosses my mind now except when I actually see someone smoking, and then I feel sorry for them rather than envious.

Thanks for the encouragementRagtimeplayer. I'll look forward to the time when I feel sorry for smokers and not envious. The sooner the better.

Lazy_Line_Painter_Jane

Hi Franco!

You can do it mate, I know it's easy to say, but there are all of us going through it too and support is only a click away.

There will be a day when you feel smug!

:cool:

Lazy Jane x

FieryBlondeScot

Right Quit day is tomorrow and i am putting a patch on when i go to bed tonight. i have actually smoked more today than any other day this week and i think its last minute panic smoking! i have my patches, my books and cd's, fruit, sweets etc etc all arranged in front of me in the living room and am gonna have a bath and a relaxing nite ready for tomorrow.

did anyone else have last minute anxiety/self doubt before the quit date? my motivation is really strong but am suffering a bit of fight or flight i think :-(

i also have one of those things you squirt up your nose so im well p repared! militant even!

kettricken

Hi everyone
I am a bit tail between legs at the moment so to speak. I have managed to get down to about 5 a day, it that in your head thing. I admire all of you hat have done it especially cold turkey.
It is so hard when OH comes home and lights up my willpower justs disolves so obviously I am not really ready. I am reviewing my quit date and when everything gets back to normal again next week I will start stopping again.
I find that when I am really tired I give in, and boy has DD made sure that I am she has a few sleepless nights and I am so exhausted, BUT I am not having that one I sneaked down for in the middle of the night anymore!!

Jo
Well Done!!!!! Full of admiration for youI know you took a while to stop completely so congratulations

I figure I just have to get my head in the right frame of mind,I know all of the reasons to stop it is just making myself ready.

kettricken

Lazy_Line_Painter_Jane

How's everyone bearing up? I'm not too bad, but it's Friday, so I have a feeling I'll be chewing at the carpet for a cigarette later on! I'm feeling a bit lightheaded this morning, so I guess it's the evil weed creeping it's way out of my system!

I guess I'll just have to think about setting light to a fiver every time I crave a cigarette :eek:

Lazy Jane x

Francophile

FieryBlondeScot wrote: »

Right Quit day is tomorrow and i am putting a patch on when i go to bed tonight. i have actually smoked more today than any other day this week and i think its last minute panic smoking! i have my patches, my books and cd's, fruit, sweets etc etc all arranged in front of me in the living room and am gonna have a bath and a relaxing nite ready for tomorrow.

did anyone else have last minute anxiety/self doubt before the quit date? my motivation is really strong but am suffering a bit of fight or flight i think :-(

i also have one of those things you squirt up your nose so im well p repared! militant even!

Yes FieryBlondeScot. I was in bits the day before I stopped but when I woke up in the morning I felt really positive. Then as I walked out the door to go to work I patted my bag to make sure my cigs were there as I always did and BANG the realisation that I didn't have any and would hopefully never have any again, hit me. I was in a real bad way for a couple of hours and actually left work to go and buy a packet (I have no willpower). The nearest shop is about 1/2 mile away but when I got there I decided I would go to a shop that was 2 miles away to give me time to think. On the way there I realised this was do or die (literally speaking, I've been smoking for 33 years). I knew if I bought a packet of cigs this time I might as well forget about giving up and just smoke till I die. In which case I would have to continue on despising myself, killing myself, distressing my children and paying a fortune for the privilege. I filled the car with deisel and came back to work. I'm now on day 26 and I'm not saying it's been easy, in fact I had a really bad night the other night but I'm hoping I'm getting near the end of the tunnel.
I wish you all the luck and strength to give up.

FieryBlondeScot

well what a night i put my patch on at 10.30pm went to sleep and woke up every hour almost on the hour after having welll wierd dreams how long does this stage last? i also tried squirting the nasal spray up my nose last night... an experience i dont think i will repeat ha ha

plan for today is to keep busy and hold an even keel mentally

Ragtimeplayer

How are you all doing?
still going strong I hope