The Giving Up Smoking Thread!!

Waspeze

It's friday :j :j

This week has gone pretty quick (for me)

The dreams have mostly stopped now but my mind did try a cunning new ploy last night ... I dreamt I was smoking (at a party or summin' can't remember too much) .. very clever, I thought, when I woke up .. make me think i'm still a smoker

Didn't fool me though :cool: ... woke thinking YUCK .. URRRGGGGGHH nasty smelly things :j :j

Anyway, not much else to report, my quit counter is now telling me it's been 18 days :T :T


As has already been mentioned... It does get easier, around day 4 was really bad but since then it been getting gradually better

Any people out there thinking about stopping DO IT! .. But be prepared to battle with your subconcious... it'll fight you nearly every step of the way but the satisfaction of having the voices change from shouting to mumbling is well worth it! .. just find things to distract you and it helps a to relieve the cravings a bit

Have a good weekend all :beer:

:A :A :A

little_lily

Can I join in?!?

Have smoked for the best part of 25 years! Made my one and only serious attempt to give up about five years ago and lasted 6 months - before I thought I'd have one cigarette at a party. Which led to another. And another. And another. I am sure many of you on here will know the score!

To make matters worse (Oh, no - the expense, the stench, the coughing, the threat of a slow and painful death, the standing in the freezing cold getting my fix - these weren't enough of a challenge for me!) I 'forgot' to tell my husband and two children that I had fallen off the wagon and so have been a secret smoker for five years.

Those of you who have ever had the misfortune to be a secret smoker will know exactly how awful that is. I have lost count of the number of times I have 'stubbed and sprinted' as car headlights shine up the drive, the amount of times I have had to change clothes two or three times a day to hide the smell, the ridiculous excuses I've made to get them all out of the house so that I can sneak a quick one and the sheer stomach-lurching fear of being caught by my family after I had solemnly sworn that I had kicked the evil weed years ago.

Something clicked last week. I think it's the thought of another Christmas Day ruined by this horrible, secret habit. Most people look forward to Christmas - how sad is it that I don't because my family aren't at work/at school so my secret smoking sessions are severely limited!

Anyway, so far have managed - 1 day, 22 hours and 55 minutes. I am so proud of myself!

As I can't look to my family for a pat on the back as they still think I gave up five years ago (oh, the tangled webs we weave!) please can you lovely lot be my surrogate family for a while and help me through this??

hethmar

Oh well done and it must feel nice to not have to lie to your loved ones. Download the silkquit meter, honestly that was the biggest encouragement for me, seeing those pennies rolling up and the pile of unsmoked fags growing. And make a list of the luxuries you will spend all that money on!

You can do it, if I did it, anyone can - I was seriously addicted, Id even had to ask a stranger for a ciggie one day at a park because they lit up next to me and I was then desperate for one but didnt have my bag with me. How degrading!

Keep on trucking and download that meter. Get yourself some aids like patches, gum or inhalers or see if your GP has a stop smoking group.

And remember, dont dwell on not having a fag, dont fight it, just think "I wont have a fag today". Make sure none are left in the house, not even the stubbed out half a fag hidden in the bottom of the drawer. And tell your mates, I dont smoke any more if they go to offer you one. Some of them will press you to have one simply cos they feel inferior that you have given up. Just pity them and think of how they will be standing outside the pub in the rain when you are sitting inside comfy.

little_lily

Thanks hethmar - it's been really tough hugging this awful secret to myself for five years - and almost as tough keeping this wonderful one to myself for almost two days!!!!!

I have read and re-read the Allan Carr Easyway book which was the biggest motivator to help me stop all those years ago. Sadly and stupidly, I ignored the bit about 'there's no such thing as one cigarette' and thought i could become one of those mythical creatures 'the social smoker'. The rest is history....

As you may or may not know, the Allan Carr approach doesn't advocate nicotine replacement or any other substitute (because it reinforces the idea that the smoker is giving up or sacrificing something precious). Just as well, as I couldn't go to my doctor anyway because (you guessed it!) I have also 'forgotten' to tell him that I fell of the wagon....! Yep, my medical records still have me down as an ex-smoker!


I have found this thread truly inspirational and, along with Mr Carr, the stories, tips and advice given here will hopefully be enough to get me off the weed again and - please God - ensure I stay off it this time

And you're right - SilkQuit is an awesome little tool!

Sue-UU

Hi little lily and a warm welcome to the fold. We'll gladly be your family for as long as you need us, it'll be a pleasure. It must be awful to have had to keep if to yourself all that time, I don't think I could have done it! Anyway, you come on here and let us know exactly how you're feeling and we'll be with you through your bad times when you may feels like hitting someone. :mad: We'll be here too to hear those first joyful phrases that let us know you're doing so well. :j

You may not be fooling your Doc at all, they have their own ways of 'knowing' that we're smoking, so be careful with him! Are you absolutely certain your husband doesn't suspect but not say anything, knowing how hard it is?

Write down all the pros and cons to remind you why you HAVE to quit for good and make a firm resolution to stay true to yourself. You know you can do it as you've succeeded before, so go down the same route you took all that time ago and never, ever let yourself be tempted - though I don't think you will a 2nd time! Get yourself a pot and store away all the money you would normally be spending on those dirty little devils, it really does keep you motivated. Have some really relaxing baths/showers and pamper yourself and have some hot chocolate before bed.

Change your routines in anyway for the times you find more of a problem, especially drinks, ie. change from coffee to tea or the other way round and don't forget the water and fruit, have plenty of both, especially at such time that you have cravings. Keep your hands and mind busy and keep focused on the good things that will come as a result of being true to yourself, your family too in time.

See you soon lily.:D

Hi Waspy and another day further from an awful habit!!! Brilliant!! :T Isn't it weird how so many of us are affected by smoking in our sleep, or dreaming we are. I hated that, but oh the relief on waking up properly. :j

Your last paragraph is so well put together and so true of it all, well done Waspy.

You have a great weekend, everyone else too and keep quit because you know you CAN fulfil your dream!

Sue

feedumall

hi all,now little lilly you know you can count on us:D .when i gave up didn't tell a sole for a month(only my friends on here)didn't need the extra pressure :eek: .i'm sure you will do it and as xmas is hectic anyway less time to brood:j :j ,the cravings will be nothing by then.i think this thread is a life saver and helped me to quit ,love seeing all the newbies giving up the weed ,and sue she is the quitting angel:A

joop

Hi all - first weekend day and I've done loads to keep myself busy as I keep getting 'time for a ciggie' messages from my brain! Went out last night and didn't miss them at all. Just glad that I didn't have to go and stand in the cold!

Hi Lilly - does it matter what your doctor thinks? I'm sure he's heard far worse confessions! I'm taking Champix which is not nicotine replacement and it has made it all so much easier. I wish you loads of luck however you manage anyway. This forum is brilliant for getting your thoughts and fears out on. So supportive.

Waspeze

feedumall wrote: »

hi all i am a brand new poster(waves to all)and on day four of quitting the weed,using patches and feeling fine, you are the only one who knows my secret. will tell family when reach a month.feeling okay ,have to go to work at stupid o'clock ,so finished for the day now ,a day of baking i think,i still have a packet of cigs in the house but dont feel the need to smoke ,i am so excited to be able to tell them all I QUIT.

Hey Feedum .. remember this? .. sorry, couldn't resist You're right . this thread is a lifesaver! Was just reading my old posts and found yours on page 270 :cool:
Welcome Lily .. the more the merrier :beer: :j :j Keep posting and we'll keep your secret


Hi ya Joop .. I think it does make it a bit easier when it's cold outside .. i'm off out tonight so will see my friends trapsing in and out freezing their n*ts off
I'm on champix too.. and "love" the stuff :cool:

As always :hello: to Sue .. I know i've told you before but you are such a star with the support you give to everyone in this thread :A

joop

Thanks Waspeze, when I was contemplating starting on Champix and did a bit of research on it, it was when I read some of your posts that made me decide to give it a go, so please give yourself a pat on the back and a hug from me.

Waspeze

Aww thanks Joop

I consider myself suitably hugged and patted :cool: