The Giving Up Smoking Thread!!

cameo_2

jo1972 wrote: »

Cameo, congrats for your 1st anniversary give us all some tips!

Thanks Jo

There was a couple of things that worked for me, pretty obvious really but I'll share them all the same.

One of the main reasons I smoked was to get out of the office for x mins a day for a break. When I quit I carried on going out with the ppl i used to smoke with only this time i had a brew and an apple rather than a brew and a cig. Whilst I went cold turkey it probably helped to have the occasional waft of 2nd hand smoke for the first few weeks. Its also a good test of your willpower if you can refuse the cigs offered for the those first few days.

Secondly I didnt have much cash at the start of the year (like most ppl i imagine) and this made it easier...not to go out to the pub at evenings or weekends. Smoking wasnt banned at that stage and like a lot of smokers I had a huge psychological connection between social drinking and smoking so the simplest thing was to stay away from pubs for the first 4-6 weeks altogether.

I alwyas thought the psychological aspect was what you really need to beat, the physical addiction lasts only a few weeks but in your mind you always feel like a cig. I still want to smoke now if i'm honest but I've got that part of my brain in check for the time being

Good luck to everyone for tomorrow :j

tattycath

Hi All. Welcome to the newcomers. I know what you mean about bad temperedness Diamond. When I first stopped I was in 'ripping off heads' mode. It took a few words from JoeHel and some of the others on here to make me realise that I wasn't mardy/moody because I wasn't smoking, I was just kicking off out of frustration because I had to rethink how to deal with different situations that arose. Whereas before I would have a cigarette, calm down and then deal with things. I was now missing out the cigarette bit. So in the end it was all down to re-educating myself without the cigarettes. Hope this helps.
Good luck to all, if you need support... gthat's what we're here for. Maybe not 24 - 7 but close.

Frugaldom

melbury wrote: »

Hello everyone,

Still not feeling good, beginning to wonder if it still the bug hanging around or purely down to nicotine withdrawal.

Haven't enjoyed a drink for days, can't really taste anything properly which doesn't help and I am sure that for the past 36 years the smoke gave drinks a different (wonderful?) taste, which I am still expecting and of course that has gone now. It's like that old biscuit advertisement "a drink's too wet without one."

OMG don't I sound a miserable, whinging !!!!!. I must start having more positive thoughts. I think I am just in total shock, my anticipated stop smoking date was 31st January not 27th December, but events just overtook me and here I am with lots of ciggies rolled in my tin and lots of spare packs of baccy, papers and filters in the cupboard. When my dad stopped smoking he carried a packet of cigarettes in his pocket at all times for two years (until they fell to bits). He never had one, but said if you are serious about stopping it shouldn't make any difference whether they are there or not, which is true.

Glad to hear that so many of you are doing so well. Good luck to all of you 1st January quitters, although lots of people say that this isn't the best day of the year to stop on. Look forward to hearing from you all.

I'm supposed to be going for cold turkey tonmorrow but finished my pack of cigs this morning, so stopped approximately 12 hours early. I've just been back to complete 'The Demotivator' MSE (free tools on RHS of the page) and updated my signature to reflect how much I should have saved by this time next year. Maybe you could do that and then work out exactly what you would like to spend that money on instead of burning it

I'm optimistic at the moment and I'm in eternal denial that smoking is an addiction. Forums, on the other hand, now they ARE addictive :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Happy New Year to all when it comes... mine's a whisky

Diamond78

Im dreading it now its getting closer. I actually hate smoking, its a horrible addiction and I cant breath properly so I know what it is doing to me but I dont want to be a monster, with my stress levels already hig as sky like you said tattycath I will re educate myself. I have smoked so much today and bought my last pack of 10. If not for myself I have to do it for my son. Im going to throw all the astrays,lighters whatever it is Ive got in the bin.My poor son, I hope I dont bite his head off but I know at times I will not meaning it. I will figure things out and find other ways of dealing with the cravings,I dont want to be a wicked witch, thank god my monthly has just passed lol otherwise Id be a real monster lol. Thanks to everyone and all the best to everyone for 2008.

Diamond78

well done nykemedia, sorry if spelt wrong.I had bought a pack of 10 yesterday,usually its 20 but i was so wound up with my landlord that I went out and bought another 10, so once the clock hits 12 thats it, if my sons awake he can brake them and shove em in the bin. How do I do signature thingy to show how much ive saved. Im sure I will work it out. Ive ordered a pizza for me and littleman, once eaten am going to drink my baileys and come on here and work it out. Once again well done to you and all others who have quit and are quitting.

Frugaldom

Hi Diamond - When I cut down cigs in 2006 I started having more & more biscuits!! That led to the free acquisition of an exercise bike from a neighbour who wanted rid of hers and it was rather fun... it's amazing how much frustration you can cycle off whilst listening to Johnny Cash and 'Ring of Fire'! By Christmas 2007 I had saved the difference, lost weight AND got a new MP3 player in a gift so nobody else in the house had to be subjected to my music:rotfl:

TO GET YOUR SIGNATURE

Click on the button at top left that says 'User CP', which is the Control Panel. Then select 'Edit Signature' and type the details into the box that pops up. Don't forget to save it once you're done.

Good luck with your 2008 challenge as a 'quitter'.

Diamond78

well done nykmedia, you should be proud of what you have achieved. I will do my homework once ive eaten and got my brain working again lol

Have a fab new year and keep up the good work and with the saving x

Diamond78

my maths is pretty bad. I smoke or should i say smoked nearly a packet of 20cigs a day, priced just under £4.50. So a week i spend £31.50. Do i multiply that by 52? If so im shocked that I would save £1638. That cant be right or is it. Oh my god. I could go on a luxury holiday for that price or buy a 2nd hand car once i pass my driving. Maybe i have calculated wrong.

melbury

nykmedia wrote: »

I'm supposed to be going for cold turkey tonmorrow but finished my pack of cigs this morning, so stopped approximately 12 hours early. I've just been back to complete 'The Demotivator' MSE (free tools on RHS of the page) and updated my signature to reflect how much I should have saved by this time next year. Maybe you could do that and then work out exactly what you would like to spend that money on instead of burning it

I'm optimistic at the moment and I'm in eternal denial that smoking is an addiction. Forums, on the other hand, now they ARE addictive :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Happy New Year to all when it comes... mine's a whisky

Sadly the money isn't an incentive because it only costs me about £4 per week for my baccy, if that. It is purely for myself and health. But I am really suffering over this holiday period with all of the drink about.

melbury

Happy New Year Everyone!! And Good Luck