The Giving Up Smoking Thread!!

JoeHel

I love this thread and from day one of my quit it's been great to know it's here! But like I've said before (sorry if I sound like a stuck record but these pages fill up so quickly and info gets lost!) the thing that has really helped me is reading the Allen Carr book and WhyQuit.com and learning so much about nicotine addiction.

Once you know what nicotine does, you understand why you get hooked so easily, forgive yourself for it and allow yourself to quit!

Antronella, I've quit before and never EVER found it this easy! I heard my dad saying he could still light up after a meal when he'd been 25 years quit and I thought Oh My God am I ALWAYS going to miss them??!!! Well I can categorically say NO I don't miss them and I never will, thanks to all the things I've learned. Dad went cold turkey but has always thought he was depriving himself of some pleasure. Thanks to everything I've read I know the opposite is true! In fact, I think I might lend my dad the Allen Carr book so he can finally stop mourning a completely false loss!

When you go cold turkey, it takes a maximum of just 72 hours for nicotine to leave your system. It's even quicker if you drink plenty of acidic fruit juice. And you're so right - after that it's just psychological. That's where I'm so grateful for the things I've read because I know without a single doubt that there is NO situation - however bad it might be - that would be improved by starting smoking again. I completely understand why I THOUGHT they helped me before. I was addicted to a drug. That drug regularly satisfied a craving that I misinterpreted as stress. They didn't help me solve problems - they just gave me another problem to solve on top :rolleyes: Who needs enemies when you've got a nicotine addiction knawing away at you permanently, eh?! Now I know that, I can't ever go back. Like I said before, it's like finding out there's no santa... No turning back now!

I promise you CAN quit again and it can be a million times easier than last time. Just turn every negative thought into a positive one. Don't start off thinking it'll be really hard and it's something to dread. Start telling yourself what a fantastic thing it'll be and get excited about it. You know you've done it before and you can sooooo do it again!!! Best of luck if/when you do give it a go and keep us posted!

tattycath

Hi everyone, welcome to the newbies. good luck in your challenges. I am into my 27th day of not smoking (nearly 28) and I don't miss it. It was 10 times easier than I expected it would be-but the thought is often worse than the deed!!! (in my experience). JoeHel talks alot of sense and has helped me enormously since I stopped smoking. Obviously all the other posters have been invaluable in my quest. So I hope that now, I am giving a bit back and hopefully I can help others in their quest to stop smoking.
Right, I'm rambling now, and my bed is calling me. so Goodnight all!!

yellowmonkey

Goodnight tattycath.

Another 7 hours for me as I am at work but agree with you about Joeh. I read the Allen Carr and have found it painless so far.

ym

suki1964

Just jumping in to announce my intention to quit in the new year.

Been a 20 a day smoker for 30 years and have been diagnosed COAD for three years, this year I have had a constant chest infection since Oct - my body is telling me enough.

Ive tried in the past, the longest I got was three months which was three months of pure torture for me, that was going cold turkey. Tried a few times with patches and never made it past day three so this time Im trying the tablets. Got them already and start to take them the 6th of January hoping to stop smoking a few days after that.

Im petrified already so am glad I found this thread. I know Im going to find it so easy to just not bother even trying to stop so I intend to check in on here for inspiration, support and confidence.

Well done all of you that have already puffed your last and good luck all of us who intend joining the ranks

antronella

Thanks for the replies! Where did I get 3 weeks from? ..sure I read it somewhere last time I quit. 3 Days is much better. Well, I said I would give up 1st jan but.....I only have ONE CIGGY LEFT :eek: and I'm wondering if I should just go for it..or buy another pack? I am so scared of being without them. (isn't it stupid!). Wish someone was online now, but suppose I'll just have to make the decision on my own anyway. Keep telling myself I could have 3 more smoking days left if I wait. On the other hand, I could save myself over £10 if I do it now.

BrickingIt

antronella wrote: »

Thanks for the replies! Where did I get 3 weeks from? ..sure I read it somewhere last time I quit. 3 Days is much better. Well, I said I would give up 1st jan but.....I only have ONE CIGGY LEFT :eek: and I'm wondering if I should just go for it..or buy another pack? I am so scared of being without them. (isn't it stupid!). Wish someone was online now, but suppose I'll just have to make the decision on my own anyway. Keep telling myself I could have 3 more smoking days left if I wait. On the other hand, I could save myself over £10 if I do it now.

I'm giving up after i've finished my box (approx 12 left not that i'm counting).

Its DO or DIE, and I don't fancy the DIE option:rotfl: .

Just take things easy, forget ciggies existed and enjoy life.

antronella

BrickingIt wrote: »

I'm giving up after i've finished my box (approx 12 left not that i'm counting).

Its DO or DIE, and I don't fancy the DIE option:rotfl: .

Just take things easy, forget ciggies existed and enjoy life.

well I've decided to go for it after this last one..haven't smoked it yet..just done the quit keeper thing and put in time of stopping as 10.00. So I'm on countdown now!! Good luck to you too!!


SMOKING IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

melbury

This is my third day and so far it hasn't been too bad, probably because I have felt so grotty.

I had always intended to stop (you know one day, at some point in the future!) but it is very difficult when you really enjoy smoking, which I do (oops I mean DID).

I switched over from factory made ciggies to rolling my own about 8 years ago, purely because of the cost. Trouble is that with people bringing me cheap baccy from abroad it made smoking VERY cheap and so saving money was not the issue for stopping. I had decided that when I had finished my current stock of baccy (enough for about another six weeks) I would definitely stop, but events overtook me. Really fed up about it though because I had sat down and rolled loads of ciggies to fill my tin up and opened a new packet of baccy to do that.

My son has sellotaped around my ciggie to tin to discourage me from cheating - these people that have never smoked just don't understand.

My husband gave up smoking 16 years ago, well actually we gave it up together but I only lasted two days. So I have been the only smoker at home for a long time and also the only smoker at work who has to go and stand outside in the cold.

Even though I don't feel well I am still looking for that ciggie with a coffee or drink, it really seems like there is something missing.

Sorry about all of this senseless waffle, it is just that if I am on the internet I am not thinking about smoking because computer is upstairs and no smoking allowed upstairs.

How is everyone else getting on?

tattycath

Hi Melbury. Well done so far. I think you're doing really well. keep it up!!! you're not talking senseless waffle, it's helpful to chat/write things down, invite others in for support!!! that's what we're here for!!!
Continued goodluck, I wish you every success.
Happy new year!!!

melbury

Hello I am back again.

I have been left home alone today as I don't feel well enough to go visiting, so have to be very strong willed. Trouble is that I know it would be such an easy option to just go and light up, but I also know that a) it would taste absolutely disgusting b) it would undoubtedly make me feel worse and c) I would be very disappointed in myself. Knowing you can't have one just builds a ciggie up into being something it definitely is not. I am sure the reality would be a complete disappointment.