The Giving Up Smoking Thread!!

Diamond78

Well said JoeHel, you are great and honestly a life saver, previously when I was struggling your words of wisdom and encouregment and othe MSE users have helped me so much.

melbury

JoeHel wrote: »

Hi fluffymummy! Cutting down is actually HARDER than quitting... you make your drug fix more scarce and every ciggie you DO have seems even more precious. It is often harder for "social" smokers to quit than full-time smokers, because every one of their ciggies is a lot more "special" to them.

I was a 30 a day smoker for 22 years and if someone had told me 3 months ago that I would be a non-smoker and be HAPPY about it I would have laughed in their face.

All I said at the start was that I would take it one day at a time and I would be POSITIVE about it. i.e. if I had a craving or felt stressed I would MAKE myself think how happy I was that I didn't need ciggies any more. It's worked. I'm quit and happy. Seriously - nobody who knows me can believe it. I know it's a cliche, but I've never met anyone who was more addicted than me. If I can do it - honestly ANYONE can.

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JoeHel

What was it that actually made you quit?

melbury

I just find it so hard after a meal with a drink. It is like having little gremlins in your head - one half saying "go on have one, you know you want to" and the other half saying "don't be stupid, it would be vile and then you have gone all this time without for nothing."

My husband, who quit 16 years ago, keeps telling me that yes it is very difficult, but you just have to really want to stop. I just don't know how he managed it with me and my mum still smoking, there is no way I could do it if he still smoked!!!

Sorry to sound as if I am caving in - I really won't, but sometimes I miss them so much.

I am about one-third through the Allen Carr book and can't really understand at the moment why it should make anyone want to stop. Perhaps all of the really relevant stuff comes later. At the moment I just don't agree with him when he says that nobody really enjoys smoking, I did.

However, there was always this little niggling voice in my brain saying "you are building up big trouble for yourself and you don't really know what damage you are doing." It always seemed to be a constant battle of weighing up the enjoyment against the fear of being told you are going to die because of it.

Sorry everyone, I am really rabbiting on this afternoon, a glass of wine too many at lunch probably.

You are all doing so well and so few of you moan about the sense of loss, which I definitely do have.

JoeHel

maat55 wrote: »

15 years ago, I was told to get cheaper term insurance I would have to be tobacco free for three days, I quit on the spot cold turkey. I wonder how much money I have not thrown away to date.

Well, putting you in as "friend" on my quit counter and allowing 20 a day at an average price of £4.00 a pack (using a google estimate of £2.44 a pack in 1993 and averaging that price to today's cost) gives you a saving of £27,034.28, and just over 107,000 ciggies NOT smoked....

You have also "saved" 373 days of life, so basically you will statistically live over a year longer because you no longer smoke.

Cool, eh?! :j

yellowmonkey

melbury

You are going through everything I have gone through. Took me a few reads of dear old Allen before it clicked. I really think though that you need to get away from this sense of loss. You are not losing or giving up anything. You are gaining,you are improving your life by not smoking.

I know it is difficult but to everyone out there good luck and carry on not smoking.

Take care. Truth be known I have had a few pangs but nothing like before and I have been so Ill with colds and Tonsillitus that all the c**p is coming out of me and I know that I will never smoke again. Tis a wonderfull thing when you know that believe me.

TTFN

ym

JoeHel

melbury wrote: »

I just find it so hard after a meal with a drink. It is like having little gremlins in your head - one half saying "go on have one, you know you want to" and the other half saying "don't be stupid, it would be vile and then you have gone all this time without for nothing."

My husband, who quit 16 years ago, keeps telling me that yes it is very difficult, but you just have to really want to stop. I just don't know how he managed it with me and my mum still smoking, there is no way I could do it if he still smoked!!!

Sorry to sound as if I am caving in - I really won't, but sometimes I miss them so much.

I am about one-third through the Allen Carr book and can't really understand at the moment why it should make anyone want to stop. Perhaps all of the really relevant stuff comes later. At the moment I just don't agree with him when he says that nobody really enjoys smoking, I did.

However, there was always this little niggling voice in my brain saying "you are building up big trouble for yourself and you don't really know what damage you are doing." It always seemed to be a constant battle of weighing up the enjoyment against the fear of being told you are going to die because of it.

Sorry everyone, I am really rabbiting on this afternoon, a glass of wine too many at lunch probably.

You are all doing so well and so few of you moan about the sense of loss, which I definitely do have.

Hun, it's hard and believe me we all DO know what you are saying. I felt EXACTLY the same reading Allen's book and I honestly didn't think he understood how I felt. Even by the end I wasn't convinced and I was so scared I wouldn't be able to stop because I didn't get that "revelation" he was spouting on about. I also got so pee'd off with him going on about golf all the flamin' time!!! When he said that nobody actually enjoys smoking I was the same as you and thought "b*ll*cks to that 'cos I know I LOVE IT!!"

It was reading WhyQuit.com and the articles on there that made me realise that I didn't love the fags, I loved the DRUG HIT. The only reason I lit those things up was to get the DRUG HIT. Apart from the obvious differences of being legal, it's exactly the same as the heroin addict craving their needle. We wonder in amazement how ANYONE could want to inject that s**t into their bodies but they will steal and burgle people's houses and lose all self-respect for the money to do it. I know because I live with someone who did just that. They don't crave that needle any more than you crave a ciggie. They crave the DRUG.

When the thought that I was no more than a scummy junkie hit my brain I felt like being sick and I just wanted that [EMAIL="!!!!py"]!!!!py[/EMAIL] nicotine out of my body NOW. I thought, I'm a professional woman who runs a house, cooks and cleans for her partner and step-son and brings home a £45k salary. I let nothing and nobody in life control me or tell me what to do. So how come I've let these little white sticks control me for 22 years??! Once that hit me I knew I could be stronger than the addiction and beat it. And I have.

And YOU HAVE TOO. You just need to realise what an amazing thing you've done, what a revolting thing you've saved yourself from and BE HAPPY ABOUT IT!!

melbury

JoHel

Thanks so much for your words of wisdom, I know you are absolutely right. I also hated that little white stick controlling me, but as you said, I did love it!! At the moment I suppose I am just floundering around trying to find a substitute, but there isn't anything to substitute it with. It's not like giving up one type of food and being able to pig out another.

I WILL GET THERE, I am just surprised that it almost seems more difficult now than it did a couple of weeks ago. Someone I work with who gave up said that the critical times are 3 days, 3 weeks and 3 months - wonder why?

JoeHel

melbury wrote: »

JoHel

Thanks so much for your words of wisdom, I know you are absolutely right. I also hated that little white stick controlling me, but as you said, I did love it!! At the moment I suppose I am just floundering around trying to find a substitute, but there isn't anything to substitute it with. It's not like giving up one type of food and being able to pig out another.

I WILL GET THERE, I am just surprised that it almost seems more difficult now than it did a couple of weeks ago. Someone I work with who gave up said that the critical times are 3 days, 3 weeks and 3 months - wonder why?

You're right Melbury - there is no substitute. It's a drug that has a 50% chance of killing you. Do you really WANT a substitute?

And I will get you thinking positive if it KILLS me!!!! It's not a case of "you WILL get there". You already have GOT THERE! All you need to do now is NOTHING. i.e. never buy ciggies or light up again. That bit is easy. The hard bit is feeling happy about that....

So, what was your main motivation for quitting in the first place? Whatever it was, whenever you get a craving think of your reason for quitting and be so happy that you don't have to do it any more.

oops_a_daisy

:hello: evening all :hello:

Well done everybody :T I cant believe it is going to be 3 weeks tomorrow for us New Years Quitters :T and about £100 saved too that is really frightening. I didnt notice how much I spent as I just bought a couple of packs every other day on my card. After next month my card is going to show a lovely drop plus my clean gene cicked in today and I got upstairs done :j will try to get downstairs done a room per day next week ready for my DD to come home next weekend.

Hope everybody is having a lovely weekend - im off out to walk the DDog

Diamond78

hi guys
have quickly come on here,well didnt sign off but you know what i mean, i am having a craving.we and littleman just finished dinner,ive washed up, cant be bothered with drying em and outting them away but i feel am starting to miss what i actually hated-the evil white stick!!!Why?I know everyday is different and got to take each day at a time and as time goes by it gets easier-But does it? When i first gave up 2 years ago it lasted 4 months and I found it harder as time went by,dunno wots the matter with me.Maybe it will pass.I feel so tired and sleepy to-i doubt that is down to not smoking or is it lol