Tried several times to quit, I have this love hate relationship going on with smoking, often goes hand in hand with alcohol. I can safely say for the majority of time I HATE SMOKING!!
I'm 29 and been smoking on avg 10-15 a day since I was 15, 14 years of wasting money, damaging my health, at the point now where I really want to free myself and feel better, I hate feeling old before my time.
Last 5 years or so I've attempted to quit probably 5 or 6 times, longest was about 4 months. Normally use lozengers - find they really help but then get to the 3/4 week mark and start playing mind games with myself and previously have given in whilst out drinking!
My Nan died early last year with lung cancer, I watched it slowly drain the life from her, it scared me but I find myself still smoking!!!
Came across this website - good to see there are so many other people going through the same things!
Got up this morning and thought 'thats it... dont want another fag'.... early days but all is well so far. Interesting to hear what others think of NRT, at the back of my mind I know I'm still feeding the addiction but I really don't now how I'd be able to do it without NRT... :confused:
Have thought about going to a non-smoking clinic at my docs but find I don't really have the time with work etc, I'm hoping this site will be the next best thing!
Gavin.
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I'm another lozenge user and like you I just reached the point where I said sod it I don't want to smoke any more and quit!
Also like you I've had many failed attempts, but each one teaches you something, in your case you know that week 3/4 is a barrier as is going out for a beer! Knowledge is, as they say power, and being prepared and having thought out how to deal the tough times with them will aid you in dealing with them.
Good luck with is and if you need anything just shout.
You are in the right place for support. Congrats on your new quit hope its the ONE this time. Hope to get to know you over the coming weeks/months. xxxxx
Determined to do it this time... haven't had any cravings yet so far today, mainly just the phsycological twinges I guess.
Nic - Your right about learning new things each time and you also forget how nice it is to not have minging breath and an ashtray for a mouth! Have you managed to cut out the NRT?
Just need to prepare for the times it will be hard and not give in....
Congratulations on your quit. In order to succeed I would recommend that you educate yourself. See below for the name of a book that will give you a perfect start
Nic - Your right about learning new things each time and you also forget how nice it is to not have minging breath and an ashtray for a mouth! Have you managed to cut out the NRT?
Nope, I currently use about 4 lozenges a day. The manufactures of NRT recommend about 12 weeks on them and while you could argue that they would do as it means the get more money I've come off them at a few weeks and subsequently failed. This time I'm going to "follow the program" and along with my mental attitude which is better than ever before it should work. I'm not entertaining the idea of failure this time!
Firstly congratualtions on coming to your senses and quiting, I'm hardly an expert (five weeks off the cigs and 4 weeks off the NRT) but firstly stop all the 'hoping', if you want to quit, quit, we all are all here to cheer you on but you have to first make that decision in your own head, be sure that you are going to stop and deal with any slip-ups that may happen as and when they happen. If you start off expecting to fail you'll probably bring it on yourself.
Secondly, do whatever you have to do to get by WITHOUT SMOKING, NRT is fine although if you educate yourself on the facts you'll probably decide that you are better off without it. I started off on NRT but decieded that if I have quit I can't be bothered still having to pay out money for it LOL, I was on patches for a couple of weeks (probably long enough to get out of the habit of smoking breaks) then I went cold turkey (having read a couple of websites and Allen Carr's EASYWAY) It wasn't a walk in the park but at the end of the day it was like having a cold for a week, but to be honest, the patches weren't the dreamy smooth ride they are advertised to be and that would have gone on for three months!! I'm thouroughly glad I've done it this way (I've had multiple quits in the past...) today I only have very minor and infrequent cravings and I'm not relying on a drip feed of nicotine with or without ciggerettes.
All the knowledge and advice you're ever going to need is available here and on other sites.
Just DO IT!
(I'm a fool who quit for 4 months and then started off and on since June, by the way!!! Right now I'm back to my senses and not smoking..But we've all just got to get clear that enough is enough or the habit will whisper in your ear once more!):eek:
I have actually read the Allen Car books, a couple of years ago now, still have them upstairs somewhere so may dig them out to remind myself....
Think I will just see how it goes with the NRT, I was thinking of cutting it out next weekend and just getting over the withdrawal whilst not at work... I'll see how the next few days go I guess!
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and like you I just reached the point where I said sod it I don't want to smoke any more and quit!
