Week 2 ! Not feeling a thing :) - been quitting / relapsing for 6 months

[nsd_user663_2662]

Hey folks,

I've been reading this forum a little over the past few days and not wanting to get too evangelical , but is anyone on here not feeling anything other than happiness ?

It's made me feel like there's something wrong, because after 72 hours I really haven't had any withdrawl this time at all, not even once a day do I crave, although twice a day I may absent mindedly think "why aren't I smoking? Oh I quit"

I tried NRT about 2 years ago and it drove me bananas for months , tried Allen Carr 6 months ago, went 3 months without problems, then massive panic attacks and anger problems (mindgames) and relapsed. So ultimately Allen didn't work. (Although this may have had something to do with the fact that I smoked Pot and saw spliffs as , in some way, different)

Since then I've been through hell , I'm not going to preach, but I do believe a lot of the Carr stuff, through my own experience - it does only take just 1 puff of nicotine for me to feel the full 72 hour cycle of yearning.

That said, when I'm reading these posts Im seeing a lot of people having problems and my heart goes out to you all.

After 6 months of endless cold turkey, I decided that I wanted out of this hell and just had what I can only call a milestone moment, when I truely believed I will never smoke again - magically almost, since that day (day 3) I've had no withdrawl or cravings at all (for 4 days now). It's scared me so much that I have been telling my girlfriend I've been having them, just because it feels like I'm fooling myself or something..

Heh, lets hope I'm not here with egg on my face in 6 months, but I very much doubt it.

If I can try and help anyone on here at all (without being patronising) I'd say that the way that worked for me was just to realise , and I mean REALLY realise that it's great to be a non smoker and you are not ever going to feel like you need one again.

I dont want to rant, but I feel like I've found some sort of secret, if only by going through 2 day abstinence 1/2 day smoking loops for 6 months - its made me realise that the only reason I felt I wanted a cigarette is because I thought I COULDNT have one, rather than didnt want one.

Rant over, hope to be around here a bit over the next few months , and promise this is my one and only "Evangelical" moment!

Good luck to all.

[nsd_user663_2554]

I think you will find a lot of people on here are of the opinion "whatever floats your boat", What I mean by that is go with what works for you.

I quit cold turkey and to be honest felt much the same as you, everynow and then I'ld think i'd usualy be smoking right now and then could quite easily dismiss that thought and get on with my day.

Other people however do really suffer badly and in part I think that is becuase they are not truely letting go and embrasing being a non/ex smoker.

Anyway like I said if its working for you then stick at it.

Cheers

Daz

[nsd_user663_2662]

yeah, I'd say don't get me wrong - I felt it. I felt it so bad I was picking up cigarette butts from the floor because that was alright (I hadn't bought a pack) and only a little smoke.

But after doing 6 months of constant on off, something changed. If I could tell you what that was I'd be a millionaire. Suppose its personal really.

[nsd_user663_2176]

All those on-off times are helping although they don't feel like it at the time. It's all part of your mind getting ready to say 'I've had enough' and then you get that moment where suddenly you know that you've cracked it.

I spent most of last year stopping and starting - I could easily be coming up to a year quit now if I'd stuck to it. But something is different this time, I guess it's just the right time now. Still have difficult moments but I know this time I've got away.

Good luck with it, just remember not to get complacent!

[nsd_user663_2662]

Another day, another complete lack of withdrawl of any kind. I just don't want to smoke at all.

If anyones reading this thinking they can't quit, I hope it helps re-assure you that even the worst addicts can lose the will to smoke.

It may have taken 6 months of hell (quitting, starting again, quitting) but I think I've passed the finish line.

So here's a vote for Allen Carr, even though I doubted him myself (failed on first attempt) I think I get the message at last and I do think that its just a mental thing (for me).

[nsd_user663_1733]

Well done Gary hope I feel like you soon. :inda xxxxxxx