Stop Smoking 2014 Diary

laurag89

*shop when I have run out

Don't feel bad for having one, it's easy to feel like just one won't matter but actually you have to start again then. I've only just finally realised that this time around xx

june.elizabeth

I have stopped with Champix. Today is my first day smoke free. I found the following on another website and think its brilliant so have copied it. Hope it helps.




Picture yourself a second or two after you stub out that quit-breaking cigarette. The one that you just had to have because the craving was so strong you couldn’t hold out any longer, when that voice inside you was saying.. `Go on, life sucks, you may as well smoke a cig.. y`know for your nerves..` or the other one.. `you’ve got this beat now.. you are in control.. you can have one just now and again.. Go on, have one for old time’s sake..` So you bum a cigarette, and smoke it and in 2 and 1/2 minutes, you stub it out.

Now what ? Your mouth feels like crap. Your lungs are tightening up. You managed to stifle the coughs .. but barely. You begin to squint again because the smoke hurt your eyes. and your fingers and clothes smell again. You either wants to throw up, grab some mouthwash, take a shower, or have another.. maybe buy a pack.

But then you realize what you’ve just done. After all those times when you said you were going to quit, and then when you finally did, and your family and friends were so happy for you - but not exactly over the moon, because after all they’ve been hopeful before only to see you relapse - all that enthusiasm is now smashed to pieces on the floor. And all the pressure that drove you to grab that cigarette in the first place - it’s all still there. Nothing has changed, except now you’ve added one more problem: you just blew it.

And then you realize what you’ve really done. You had invested days, maybe weeks and months, in this quit. You had made a great decision, one of the few things you really and truly felt proud of in your life, and you just blew it. You just blew the quit that you swore to yourself was the last one.

You were so positive, so motivated, and encouraged, you were really on top of it, ahead of the game for once, you had taken control of your life and it felt like a whole new beginning.. and you just blew it.

You look at that stub in the ashtray. The grey ash and the brown edge to the burnt paper, and the tar stain on the end of filter. You remember the thousands of cigarettes you have stubbed out and think about the tar that came into your lungs as smoke. And you think if smoking that one cigarette was worth it. Nothing’s better. You feel a little dizzy now as the nicotine hits your body, even a little nauseous - certainly don’t feel the pleasure that you remember the adverts and billboards were promoting during your early years as a smoker.

In fact it’s hard to remember any time when you felt that pleasure.. just another tobacco company lie.. They helped you to become an addict the first time, but when you smoked that cigarette after you quit.. well that was a whole new decision. You made that one all by yourself - there’s no pointing fingers now, you know that cigarettes kill, so when you lit that one cigarette, the choice to smoke was all yours this time. And you blew it.

It wasn’t worth it.. time after time the slippers` and relapsers` lament how they feel like crap, how ashamed they are, how they have lost confidence and hope, how they hate themselves, how much it hurts, how depressed and they cry and hide and cry some more. And now you are one of them.. the quit losers. Lost in the wilderness, not quite a smoker.. yet. And not sure you are a quitter, searching for some dignity, some self-respect out of this. All because of that one cigarette. Because you blew it.

OK, time to come back.. thankfully this was a `Picture yourself...` so none of this really happened. You didn’t smoke that cigarette, and your quit is intact. You take a deep breath and you can still fill your lungs without breaking down into a hacking cough. You can smile, because you are still in control. The craving passes and you can shake your head a little and give yourself a little pat on the back at your success. You remained true the promise you made to yourself on day one. Because none of this really happened. Did it ?

Good luck everyone, stay strong

Debs2009

Hello everyone,

Thanks for posting and keeping the thread going. Everyone is doing well and are keeping positive.

Well I had an epic fail on Saturday and smoked too many. I split from my partner and went back to my comfort zone. My clothes were stinking, my throat burned and at the end of Saturday night was not best pleased with myself. My partner asked oh is the patches not working, I said yeah they will once you leave. :mad:

Anyway back on track, I have done great since, not had a single cigarette and don't feel like one.

I have heard a few people trying the champix tablets, one stopped smoking with them and the other nearly quit then started again.

Sax11 the past 2 days I haven't felt like one at dinner time hopefully it lasts. How are you getting on? I like the idea of hypnotherapy but I have a long list of things I would like fixed lol

Sinhanada thank you for sharing your ideas I hope I am able to post one day I have stopped for 7 years.

Laura well done in getting to a week you must be really pleased. I had a quick look at the Allen Car book and some of things came back to me I had read before, I'm thinking if I read it often enough it might eventually stick in my brain

june.elizabeth than you for your post that is an intresting read and good luck with your journey.

OK this laptop is running so slow and I can't log in on my phone as it pretends not to recogonise me.

I will hopefully pop back on later

Good luck everyone and keep going

laurag89

Oh no debs2009, sorry to hear about your weekend! Slip ups are really easy especially when a split up happens! But it's what you do from now that matters!

It's been a week for me today, and feeling much better now! I have more spare money to clear debts and treat myself, and I don't smell of fags anymore! I have no desire to smoke at all now, looking forward to the Heath improvements

Debs2009

Hi Laurag89 thank you. You are doing really well and like yourself I am looking forward to the benefits of stopping smoking, money wise and health wise.

I take the patches off at night as apparently they can give you vivid dreams. I would like to cut down on wearing them but after the few blips recently I think I will give myself a bit of time with this.

I downloaded an app for my phone it is really good telling you how much you have saved etc. The only thing is it doesn't allow for the odd slip so has to restart each time you had a cigarette.

Debbie

sax11

Debs - i'm failing at this stopping malarky

Problem is most of mine is a habit, usually due to boredom ( i have a really mundane job) at the same times during the day. I've never had cravings for them. Spoke to the doc yesterday and i've not been prescribed anymore champix as i've been suffering headaches with them.
Going the route of electronic ciggie & changing habits. Clearly smoking less as i'm now eating more biscuits. At least they'll be easier to stop

laurag89

Sax11 I was exactly the same with champix, they were making me feel horrible! Could only take them just before bed so i didn't feel rough, but they have me the weirdest dreams!

A lot of people swear bye e-cigs and manage to stop completely! So maybe that will work!

Everyone is doing well by just trying to quit, it's just a matter of time until you do it! X

june.elizabeth

Well day 3 of no cigs. I must be one of the lucky ones, no side effects from the Champix after 4 days of awful nausea. Now feel fine, have not had any nightmares or vivid dreams yet. I can't say I still don't want to smoke because I do but if I keep busy I can shrug it off so the Champix is doing its job. Hope you are all doing ok

Debs2009

Sax11 that is great you are still cutting down, having a biscuit is better than smoking the same amount you were before attempting to stop. You're still sounding positive with going to try different things, I hope you find something that helps. Keep going and keep strong. Do you like making things or have a hobby to distract you and keep you busy?

Laura how are you getting on?

June.Elizabeth you are doing great, glad you're not experiencing any of the side effects. You're right keeping busy helps. I am hoping to try to crochet again without worrying it will smell of smoke from me.

Today I have a sore throat not sure if it was all the cigarettes I smoked on Saturday after having stopped or whether it's a bug, hope it shifts soon.

Keep up the good work everyone and please keep posting

Debbie

laurag89

Hi debs, I'm doing really well I'm on day 9 tomorrow and still have no desire to smoke yet! Not using anything now I've finished the Allen Carr book and stopped the champix as they made me feel rough!

The other 10 times I've attempted to quit I've been pulling my hair out by this time, so I'm making progress now!

How are you feeling? X