Please help - desperate now.

[nsd_user663_3333]

Hi i'm a newbie so please bear with me.

I'm a 35yr old guy badly addicted to the dreaded weed.

I've been smoking for 18 years now and smoke between 15 - 20 per day.

I have been trying unsuccesfully now to quit for around 6 years with frequent ( at least once a month ) attempts.

Basically i've tried nearly everything out there to succeed from the willpower method to patches,gum etc etc.

Last month i purchased Allen Carr's book and found it excellent and agreed with everything he said. I've read it 5 times now cover to cover and for the first i'd say 8 hours or so everything seems to sink in and i think i'm ok but then my brain just seems to forget everything i've read. Its like i cannot absorbe it properly.

I'm so frustrated. This morning after i got up and lit the first one i sat in the garden so angry and annoyed with myself that i'm allowing myself to be controlled by this evil drug.

My only thoughts seem to be:

How am i going to be able to survive without a cigarette?

I'm also concerned about possible side affects of quitting as to be truthful i'm a bit of a hypocondriac.

What side effects should i expect to suffer from?

So i can prepare my self.

I need to crack this as i'm sure the drug is contributing greatly to my depression and anxiety problems.

If anyone has any ideas i'd be very greatful as this is ruining my life.

[nsd_user663_3333]

Thanks for replying.

I've been smoking for solong now i've forgotten what it feels like to be healthy!

How do you guys feel now having given up compared to when you smoked?

[nsd_user663_3333]

Right time to get a grip.

I'm still very angry and grumpy at being controlled by this weed.

So i have 7 cigarettes left and refuse to buy any more.

I'm going to make them last till 9pm tonight then no more.

Shall read Allen carr's book again today to pump myself up and this time i'm determined i will never smoke another cigarette again after today.

I will post every day about my progress in case it helps others.

Bring it on!

[nsd_user663_3331]

Right time to get a grip.

I'm still very angry and grumpy at being controlled by this weed.

So i have 7 cigarettes left and refuse to buy any more.

I'm going to make them last till 9pm tonight then no more.

Shall read Allen carr's book again today to pump myself up and this time i'm determined i will never smoke another cigarette again after today.

I will post every day about my progress in case it helps others.

Bring it on!

i had my last one at 11 last night.

i wouldnt say as yet i have had any symptems apart from the craving obviously.

oh and the feeling constantly i should be doing something very importent,then realising that it is just a ciggie i should be having.

good luck.

[nsd_user663_3097]

Hi IHTW

I hate it too.

Regarding Carr, yes excellent read.

I found the key to being free was patience. Do not expect to be free without some work. every second feels like a minute and every hour like a day while you are in the crave zone. It gets a little better after 2/3 days even better after a week and quite comfortable after 2 weeks. Remember there is no physical pain here, just an empty feeling that will go away.

It is a very strange experience quitting smoking but once the nicotine leaves you and you let time do its work you can look back and smile.

You MUST keep your eye on the end game but never forget you are in the now.

I also found eating like a monster helps too. Once quit you will not belive the health benefits and you can lose the added weight easily. I surprise myself even more every time i got to the gym now.

I was also absolutely obsessed with reading about anything to do with cigarettes. The links in my signature are excelent, Joels whyquit.com helps immensely

[nsd_user663_2216]

dont give up

hi people

well i started cold turkey thursday night 26th june at 9.30 pm

i would love to say i have not had any but in truth been sneaking the odd one here and there since but............

i know its time to stop.. i have given myself a pat on the back for not smoking up to 70 roll ups a day..yep 70 and got it down to about 5 a day but i am just kidding myself.

so its 17.30 on saturday and now i will go for the whole 72 hours as a non smoker.

i have done this before and went 4 months as a non smoker and i took just 1 puff that brought me back to the dreaded 70 a day.

dont be concerned about any ill effects to begin with.. well apart from being grumpy and gaining weight .. look forward to the hours spent when you dont even want a ciggie and how the stronger your selfwill becomes the easier it will be to attack the cravings head on.

and yes i can talk because i caved in before and even now i am putting off not smoking by well... SMOKING.

BUT ITS TIME I THINK TO GO FOR IT AND BANISH THE DEMONS.

the 72 hours is a milestone but us newbies can do it and yes it does get easier over time but its really easy to just take a puff and everything you have worked towards goes out of the window.

[nsd_user663_3331]

Hello ihatetheweed.... Welcome to the forum mate.

Dont put barriers up before you have started to stop smoking mate, loads of people here have quit reletivley easy, some struggle (myself included in that at times)

On the whole it is how you approach your quit that will determine the outcome.

Go check out whyquit.com there is soem brilliant stuff there that will put smoking in its true light, but if you have read allen carr, you probably have a good idea anyway.

However you choose to appraoch it, stay posting in here, this place is great to keep in touch with others who are in the same spot.

Good luck fella!

i am now having a bit of a struggle.bit of a bad day,which i know i cant blame on not having smoked,but smoking makes it easier.

went out and bought myself as a treat some new books as when i become absorbed in reading i tend to forget to smoke.

i am very lucky as my o/h has kept the children away from me.the stress of my youngest is huge as he is ill aswell as special needs.

i feel if i can get over tonight the biggest hurdle will have been got over.

quite headachy aswell.:mad:

hope every one else is coping.

[nsd_user663_3331]

hey imogenkate, keep focused, it will pass, I am on day 5, and my concentration is better already, although I have been a bit grumpy and aggitated, but I aint backing down, no way

Keep yourself in them books and get soem days under ya belt.

Power to you all.

5 days.lucky you.

i have been feeling clammy now,surely that is nothing to do with it?

also my eldest has arrived home unexpectedly and so there are now ciggies in the house.:mad:

i know ,even if i asked for 1 he wouldnt give me 1,and he doesnt smoke in the house,but they are there.

[nsd_user663_3331]

Oh bless, yes the claminess could be part of it hun

You are fighting an addiction and its so hard.

Dont let old nic get to you and if your eldest has ciggies in the house ask him to hide them away and not leave them on display

PM me if you have any problems ok?

Be strong!!!!

thank you.i really want to beat this.it means so much.i am trying to look at 1 day at a time as otherwise it is not manageable.

glad i found this forum otherwise i dont think i would have even got this far.

off to immerse my self in a book.that,with casualty is my evening sorted.

[nsd_user663_3326]

Well I wouldn't suggest using anything as they just prelong the stopping. Just go cold turkey!

- To keep your mind off things or when time gets hard, why not write a list of reasons why you want to stop smoking and keep it with you. You then can see everytime why NOT to spark up!

[nsd_user663_2913]

Well done your day 1 is amost over, hope your doing ok with it. best of luck

[nsd_user663_3246]

Well I wouldn't suggest using anything as they just prelong the stopping. Just go cold turkey!

!

Well done to you SSF for quitting cold turkey, Unfortunately not everyone is confident to go it alone, myself included, you may say cold turkey is earier - I don't,

so all I shall say in reply to the thread is

If you feel able enough to go CT, then go for it, if you decide to use any method of NRT, champix, zyban or any of the natural quit methods just be sure to read all you can avbout each method, read succuess stories as well as the failures and post for support, there is normally someone around who will help you

regards

Sue

KB