I don't want to take anything for granted having failed numerous times in the past, but now I'm nearly at 2 calender months I'm starting to appreciate that I really can succeed with this quitting lark.
However, when I think to myself "I shall never have another cigarette ever, ever, ever again" I often get a bit anxious, and even panic a bit, albeit fleetingly.
Now I know that it is only my nicodemon, rearing its butt ugly head but does everyone get this feeling?
Thanks
Nic
Hi Nic
It is very weird, coz i was chatting to a mate (about an hour ago) who quit smoking years ago earlier and i said litterally the same thing 2I am doing fine, the only problem is the thought of never ever ever smoke again"
He said that it is a dangerous thinking and as soon as i start thinking like that i should answer myself why i stopped smoking in the first place, you should kind of educate or programme your mind.
As everyone says now it is a mind set hopefully.
I quit about 7-8 weeks ago and lapsed once for 1 day where i smoked 25 cigarettes, It wasn't a bad thing for me as it WAS hard and i was mentally broke, The good thing about it is that it made me 10 times stronger and more determined.
My only problem now is thinking that i will never ever smoke again.
I have been quit for 1 Month, 3 Weeks, 21 hours, 17 minutes and 32 seconds (52 days). I have saved £307.39 by not smoking 1,322 cigarettes. I have saved 4 Days, 14 hours and 10 minutes of my life. My Quit Date: 25/07/2008 02:09
However, when I think to myself "I shall never have another cigarette ever, ever, ever again" I often get a bit anxious, and even panic a bit, albeit fleetingly.
New mindset needed for this one Nic.
Try to programme your mind so that when you think that you shall never have another ciggie, your reaction is positive...e.g. "YEEEHAAAAA i shall never have another ciggie".
It does work..... and remember, that is the goal, to never have another ciggie.
By having that "fleeting" panicy thought", your subconscious thinks you are missing something when you are not..
The best way is to associate your thoughts about NOT smoking with positive things.
Thanks both,
I do, banish the feelings by telling myself "That's the whole point of this, stupid, and if I wanted to smoke I wouldn't have quit in the 1st place."
But, yes I do need to programme my mind so that I link never smoking again as a positive thing without any exception!
I suspect that as time goes on that will be easier to achieve than now, in the meantime I guess that keeping on the reminding myself how pleased I am that I've quit will reinforce my mindset.
I think to myself "I shall never have another cigarette ever, ever, ever again"
I think the very same everyday,......... aint it just great.
Time and education Nic, theres no going back this time
Been working on the mind set, and its going well.
I have identified a need to develop a sense of permanence about not smoking, this quit is not a phase.
Nic
You helped me last week...
Remember ...rollie on wood burner
I've struggled this week. One thing is that I haven't logged on so I've been trying after 10 months to think that I still need help (don't know if that makes sense)
I think that I've been using the forum as a crutch lately rather than the useful tool it was in the beginning
Got my head clearer now........
Nic
You helped me last week...
Remember ...rollie on wood burner
I've struggled this week. One thing is that I haven't logged on so I've been trying after 10 months to think that I still need help (don't know if that makes sense)
I think that I've been using the forum as a crutch lately rather than the useful tool it was in the beginning
Got my head clearer now........
I remember, only too pleased I could help. Good karma! Did hubby's skittles team win BTW?
When you need one a crutch is also a tool, but I'm glad you're heads clearer.
I think that we all struggle at times.
See where you are coming from Nic
No, they didn't .............win ... p*ss up and brewery come to mind ... bottom of Div 5.. there is no Div 6 ............
See where you are coming from Nic
No, they didn't .............win ... p*ss up and brewery come to mind ... bottom of Div 5.. there is no Div 6 ............
Maybe next season they can raise 2 teams and form a Div 6. That way they'd be sure to win!!
I'll suggest it but remember they are from somerset.................
I'zzz from Sumerzet too m'dear.
They calls it B.A.N.E.S. but it'll always be Somerset to me!
(Bath And North East Somerset)
hi Nic...
a bit late in the day as you seem to be sorted but just in case...
the "never ever smoking again" was what scared the cr*p out of me whenever I decided to quit...but this time I did it with the mantra "I choose not to smoke today" and as the quit progressed I extended that to a week then a month then two etc.
I still use that to an extent even after 5+ months - when I have a crisis (of which I have many!!:confused
I don't go down the "No you can't smoke" but I say to myself "You can smoke if you want to, but do you really want to?" On one particularly awful weekend, I even went as far as establishing where I could buy a packet should it all get too much...then forgot about it and got on with trying not to commit (an imperfect) murder...
Not conventional I know but it works for me:cool:
nicky
hi Nic...
a bit late in the day as you seem to be sorted but just in case...
the "never ever smoking again" was what scared the cr*p out of me whenever I decided to quit...but this time I did it with the mantra "I choose not to smoke today" and as the quit progressed I extended that to a week then a month then two etc.
I still use that to an extent even after 5+ months - when I have a crisis (of which I have many!!:confused I don't go down the "No you can't smoke" but I say to myself "You can smoke if you want to, but do you really want to?" On one particularly awful weekend, I even went as far as establishing where I could buy a packet should it all get too much...then forgot about it and got on with trying not to commit (an imperfect) murder...
Not conventional I know but it works for me:cool:
nicky
All tips gratefully received. It seemd a good way to tackle it.
I, like most folk here, was absolutely bricking it at the thought of another futile attempt to quit the weed. I will be 7 weeks stopped at the end of this week and recently began to struggle with these psychological demons, so much so that I decided to put all my thoughts and feelings into a 'word' document that I can refer to whenever I feel this way. Let me share an extract with you all and give me your honest comments, critical or otherwise;
It’s all very well talking of giving up in the future while you’re still smoking, however it’s a completely different matter when the day of reckoning arrives and all sorts of emotions start to tug at your conscience all at once. You start taking yourself to task;
• Panic sets in.
• Have I made the right choice?
• Does it have to be today?
• But it’s Friday and I’ve still got the weekend to get through.
• I have a social event approaching, how will I cope?
• I could stop after my holiday.
• How will I cope in a restaurant, bar, café etc.
• I might not have the same group of pals who go outside for a smoke.
• But hey!!! Guess who won this battle
Once I’d wrestled with my conscience and won, I took Champix for 7 days, smoked my last cigarette on the night of Thurs 7/8/08 and threw what was left of my tobacco in the bin. I started Friday 08/08/08 as a non smoker and joined up with a local smoking cessation support group the following Thursday and was on quite a high as I’d went 7 days without a cigarette with little or no cravings or withdrawals. I attended the group until it had completed it’s designated 7 week duration and now seem to be struggling with the psychological side of the addiction to the extent I sometimes feel anxious, break into a light sweat and get quite ‘down’ with life in general.
This feels strange and worries me to a certain extent, especially as I was doing so well and the last thing I want is to put a cig in my mouth again. Hopefully I’ll get over this hurdle which feels like a mountain right now.
Maybe it’s due to being off work, not having enough to occupy myself with and things will change by the weekend when we go on holiday.
The Good Bits
Since stopping, so much has changed for the better health wise, such as;
• I don’t get short of breath very often.
• I hardly use my inhalers now compared to before.
• I don’t have that persistent niggling cough.
• I’m not constantly clearing my throat and spitting.
• My tongue has cleared of that horrible white coating.
• I don’t get the scapular pains I used to.
• My skin looks much clearer.
• I don’t smell like an ashtray anymore.
• I don’t have nicotine stained fingers (This was quite bad).
• I have no need to stand in the cold to smoke.
• My kitchen doesn’t smell of smoke any more.
• Food tastes much better.
If any of this helps one person to refrain from relapsing, job done.
Take care...........The medic.
Hi there Medic and welcome to the forum,
That makes interesting reading!
I think I have tackled the issue, now and got my mind in the right place, but ultimately only time will tell.
Congrats on your quit,
Thanks
Nic
Hi medic
you are doing very well but it is a shame you are getting such strong phsycological feelings/cravings etc.
I found some of the storines on woofmang to be an inspiration at times like that and some of the factual stuff re depression etc both on woofmang and whyquit were eye opening because i never thought that stopping smoking could have so many weird side effects.
The more i understood what i was going through though, the easier these things were to deal with.
I'm really appreciating your comments guys........believe me....thanks!!!
Obsessing about smokes
Cravings Fooled me, Smoked again.
never smoke today
