I'm on about the fifth attempt to quit. It's not as if I'm a heavy smoker - one in the morning, one after lunch, one when I get home from work, and 2 in the evenings is about normal for me. If I have a lay-in on the weekend I can go through till 3pm without a smoke. I never smoke indoors, anywhere, and can drive for 6 hours without a fag break.
You'd think it ought to be easy to stop with a habit that small but this is probably my tenth attempt to quit.
I'm surrounded by preachy non-smokers and even more preachy ex-smokers. You'd think this'd make it easier, wouldn't you? But, no. they are ten times more annoying while I'm trying to stop, than if I cave in.
My dad, for example, constantly begs me to stop smoking, but as soon as he knows I'm trying to stop he becomes utterly unbearable.
Last time I tried, he he seemed to get a kick out of reminding me every five minutes, that I haven't cracked yet. And, at the end of every day, he acted as though surviving a day without a smoke is about as big an achievement, as going a day without stabbing onesself in the eye.
The problem with a lot of cessation methods, is they actively require you to do something at the point where you'd be having a cigarette. Chew gum (why does that stuff taste so vile? I'm sure they've tried to emulate a "butt rescued from bottom of unemptied ashtray with a hint of mint" flavour), take a lozenge, suck on a fake ciggy...
And the Tobacco Taleban sieze on these events with unadulterated glee.
To get round the TT annoying me, I've tried some low strength nicotine patches (stage 3?)for a week, and my cravings during the day disappeared. From 7pm, though, I was absolutely climbing the walls with the craving coming back with a vengeance, not helped by having one wife, three kids and my old man reminding me every ten minutes that I haven't gone out for a smoke yet.
I swear, even a singularity can't slow time down as much as being needled by the TT. Still, I did manage to cut down to, er, two a day. One after the kids have gone to bed, another three hours later when the wife has finally given up reminding me that I've only had the one.
I went to the chemists for advice on Saturday, and he just insisted, over and over again, "With the patches you don't get cravings, and you mustn't smoke when you've got the patch on". And when I asked if I had the right patch for my habit, he insisted I didn't need anything stronger.
My hope is that this time I will be able to get to a point where I break the habit of sloping out; then I can wean myself off the nicotine.
So, as I had initially intended to quit last week but it didn't go too well, I went against the chemist's advice, got the next patch up, and today is officially Day One.
So far so good.
It's been about twenty hours since I last lit up and at the moment I'm feeling OK, but I am DREADING going home this evening.
Not because of the cravings, but because of the ruddy Chinese Water Torture I'm going to get from the family.
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Well done for quitting. How about not telling family etc. that your quitting. Or tell them that what they are doing is making it really difficult for you, I'm sure they really want you to succeed and if they knew how they were making you feel they would stop.
Speak to them about it, and the ex-smokers should have more sympathy, after all, it was them once.
I quit using patches, i broke a 20 a day habit.. which rose to 40 a day on really stressful times and i started on the largest patch (23mg), and then went down to the medium 14mg, then down to the step 3 (7mg) patches..
when i saw the packaging for those patches i think it said step 2 was a good start point for folk smoking 10 or less.. and step 3 was the final stepping stone once you were used to them really.
I think you have probably got the right patches to use now, and you will know over the next few days anyway as its how you personally feel while using them that counts.
Main thing is.. you've quit.. and thats a whole lot more than many millions of smokers on this planet have done this month.. they are still trapped.. you've chosen to do something about it, so well done you!!
I'm speechless that people who care about you are being so unkind and unhelpful.
When I needed help I used the book mentioned in my signature, How to stop smoking and stay stopped by Gillian Riley and she advocates not telling anyone when you are quitting so that you don't feel pressured or have to talk about it.
Except for my hubby and a good friend, I did follow this advice and I don't think anyone has ever asked me if I'd stopped. They really just didnt notice (even my own kids 5 & 7 yrs) however I dont have a lot of smoking friends but in company historically I would excuse myself to go out and have one. After about 3 months I did start to talk about it as I felt confident enough. I have been fortunate that my friends have been really supportive.
You mention that some cessation methods actively require you to do something.......but this book doesnt. Thats if you accept that just feeling any cravings that come is doing nothing. She actively discourages substitution of any kind but especially food. As a craving usually lasts only 3 mins at their peak, it's a case of acknowledging it and letting it pass. And it will. And in time they dimish in frequency and strength. I didn't believe it at the beginning but it is true.
I know that I am talking about a cold turkey method and I know that you are on patches but some of the advice in this book is helpful whatever the method. Nothing beats lots of reading on the subject of addiction. Just because you only smoke about 5 a day doesn't mean you're not addicted.
It does become easier with each day. I wish you all the best with your quit.
Well done you almost through the first day that's great I think i'd be inclined not to tell the family just yet they're certainly not helping you at all likewise don't tell anyone else either at least that's one way out of it for you
ex smokers can be the worst of all if you're doing OK they had a terrible time and if you're finding it hard they'll tell you how easy it was for them
As you don't smoke indoors why not just disappear outside at your normal smoking times at least until you have a few days under your belt so to speak
Below is my standard welcome and advice post which I try and give all new members
Welcome to the forum and well done on the decision to quit possibly one of the most important you will ever make and you will be losing nothing but you will regain control of your life and that has to be good
You will find all the help and support you need on here as we all help each other just like a family we are here for you every step of the way cheering the good days and sympathising with the bad but the good far outweigh the bad
Read the posts on here you will find a lot of tips and advice and in the signatures of a lot you will find links to other sites just click on them Here are 2 I find very good to start you off whyquit.com and woofmang.com Read, read and then read some more as the more you read and learn about why you smoked and about your addiction the easier your quit will be
I agree with amanda, I cant believe people are doing that to you. I have had it from people still smoking, and could rationalise that as I guessed it was thier way of trying to keep me in their "gang".
mate, you gotta find somewhere else to hang out for a few weeks I recon.
Can you go to the gym/library/mates house/swimming pool/walking or maybe just go out in your car and sit and listen to the radio?
best of luck mate - dont let em get to you too much
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