Giving up smoking

McKneff

I am a great believer in that it is impossible to think about 2 things at once.


Just keep your mind busy with 'thing' work, job, telly, book, computer, you cannot think about cgg8es, simple


All will be well......

Money_maker

Tiggifarfar. wrote: »

I found that the Allan Carr book 'the Easy Way to Stop Smoking' really helped.

Allan Carr was the main help for me too although I did think about quitting for a couple of weeks beforehand and sort of psyched myself up. As kaya said, you're not trying to give up. You're quitting/stopping. Smoking is either doing or not doing, no grey areas at all. I stopped nearly 3 years ago and apparently have saved over 11K. I was also a very heavy smoker, 40+ per day for over 20 years.

I wont start again, oddly enough there isn't anything I enjoy about it. Never thought I would say that, used to think that I couldn't exist without smoking!

Izadora

McKneff wrote: »

I am a great believer in that it is impossible to think about 2 things at once.

Just keep your mind busy with 'thing' work, job, telly, book, computer, you cannot think about cgg8es, simple

I always used to have a cigarette walking to/from the station and have found that if I put on a song that I love and turn my ipod up I focus on the music rather than the lack of a fag.

I'm glad everyone else is coping okay with it. Yesterday I found that I didn't have as many cravings but the ones which I did have were really strong. Fortunately I'm stronger though so didn't give in

tattycath

I stopped last March-cold turkey. I'd love to say it's the first time I've stopped and I've stayed stopped. The truth is:
I stupidly started smoking at 18. I stopped just before I found out I was pregnant with DD1 (I went off them-thankfully). I stayed stopped for 7 years. Went through a relationship breakdown and started again. Then had a couple of half hearted attempts at stopping. Then eventually I managed to stop for 3 1/2 years! Started again due to weak will and stress. Stopped for stoptober year before last-then lost a very close family member and started again. I stopped in March-for good this time.

tattycath

The thing about stopping smoking is that you have to do it for yourself-because you want to. It's no good stopping because someone else wants you to. If your heart isn't in it, you won't stop.
Keep yourself busy when cravings come along. Try not to eat instead (like I did). I now have a couple of stone to lose!

Baileysonice

3 days here and there is no denying its been tough (sorry Allan Carr fans but his magic didn't work on me and it sure as heck is not easy)

Tattycath I have done many a stop start cycle too and I am determined that this one is the last. Fortunately very few of my friends/colleagues smoke now so the temptations that led to the past failures are hardly there anymore I just need to sort my head out that this really is it and I am glad of that

Izadora and rock queen hope you are both doing OK :A

McKneff

Does any one remember the ciggie advert last year where all the nicotine receptors rose up like black demons in the brain and made you have nicotine by setting off the cravings.
I used that to my advantage, they were all laid down in me brain and my cravings came when they stood up and demanded nicotine, I told them that they might as well lie down again cos they weren't getting any, so just don't bother, but they kept bothering, and I kept telling them, I was stronger than them, eventually less and less of them got up, then they only got up half way, then there was only one left and he soon got the message.
We each have our own way of dealing with the cravings and it worked for me....

chocolate.buttons

I think having things prepared for breaks at work etc was really helpful for me. I would normally go out for a smoke but when I was quitting I found myself at a loose end because my routine had stopped. In a way this made me think about smoking more which made it even more difficult to resist!

I went for a quick walk around the block (avoiding the smoking area!) or made sure I brought a pack of fruit salad/nuts and seeds - I didn't want to replace cigs with chocolate so tried to find healthy snacks which I could pick at without affecting my waistline!

Anything that can legitimately take your mind off the craving is good - what a good idea putting some music on to keep your mind focused during your walk to work! Breaking my daily routines which involved smoking were the hardest part of quitting but doing something different helped to distract while the craving peaked and then passed!

Have been smoke free for 3 years now Good luck all

mrmechanic

I stopped 11/01/2011 cold turkey.
Smoked 34 years and stopped a couple of times before with patches and laser therapy.
None of these lasted very long as was tempted by the "just have one, or a cigar" After one leads to the second and so on.

This time around decided I had to stop for my own health, I was stressed with work, looking after my elderly father and various other family problems, I had a light bulb moment that if i didn't do something about the smoking, then i was a prime candidate for a heart attack, diabetes ,a stroke or worse.
It was tough at the start but kept on thinking after first day, if i give in now I have just wasted my time not smoking yesterday and so on every day.
As each day passed, i was more determined not to have wasted my time .
Couple of negatives for me, I had a very short fuse for around 3 months and i mean really short, ( light the touch paper and run):rotfl:
How my wife put up with me i will never know.
Other negative was lack of sleep.
i always used to sleep really well and trying to get me awake in the mornings was like waking the dead.
Since i stopped smoking my sleep pattern has changed with most nights broken sleep.
It is improving slightly but 4 years on I still don't get a full nights sleep like I used to.
Keep at it, it will pay of and if you really want to stop for you rather than someone else wanting you to stop you will do it.
Good luck:beer:

rock_queen

I'm finding it really interesting reading other peoples experiences, thanks for sharing guys.

3 days and 14 hours so far and it hasn't been too bad, well it's been easier than the other times I've quit. Only a few cravings especially when I'm driving and after meals but they seem to be getting less intense but I'm still feeling a bit 'lost'

How are you doing Izadora and Baileysonice?