Week 4 and still struggling

[nsd_user663_9152]

I have been off cigarettes for 4 weeks today, I am on patches and taking the inhilator and am still struggling at times. I get stressed and irritable at times. Yesterday I had a gas leak in my house, the 4th one in 6 months and today its national no smoking day and I have had a cigarette, I do regret having the odd cigarette - then I am determined not to have another. How do you deal with the stresses of life without having one.

[nsd_user663_7344]

Do you feel better for not smoking? What are your personal motivators?

I fuel my craves by telling myself how well I've done, that i would be very disspointed in myself if I were to quit quitting and more importantly I tell myself how much better I feel as a non smoker. Read some of the benefits people put on here and even if you are not yet feeling them all, believe in them. you will succeed sandm, if you want to.

Keep reading about your addiction too.

You are doing really well and need to believe that.

Keep going. we are all here to support you

Jen x

[nsd_user663_4786]

Hi Sandm and welcome to the forum.

Stress and irritability seem to be part of the quitting process for most of us, though it does pass and it does get better, by having just one you are prolonging the process I am afraid.

Sorry to hear about all your troubles, but thinking about it when the gas leak happened and you smoked did it make the gas leak any less stressful? I am guessing not, in fact I would say smoking near a gas leak is a very bad idea :eek:

There is loads of great advice around here, and loads of people to help. Read the links and post often and lets make this quit your last one.

Good luck, stay strong.

[nsd_user663_8728]

i am at 4 weeks tommorow, i have had all sorts of ups and downs over the last 4 weeks, this morning i have had my worst ever morning, i have been like some sort of evil demon shouting screaming and spitting, i even ripped my patch off screamed at my oh to give me a fag not in such a polite way either, he said no he was not given me a fag after 4 weeks, which made me scream all the more, i have been horrible this am, i through the patch i ripped off in my kitchen bin, and when we got back in like some junkie im going through the bin to get the patch, which is now stuck back on with a huge plaster. but i came extremely close to having just the one, few sucks on my inhallette seemed to help although it was being treated like gas and air, so i have not smoked will choose not to smoke and will not smoke today.........

keep telling yourself like i have had to and many others have that cigs dont make anything any better not really, the nicodemon will show you many sides to his evil nature to lure you back on,all it takes is that one more and he will say GOTCHA

. so just say you will not smoke today, if nicodemon rears his head today looks him in face and say no. goodluck xx

[nsd_user663_9152]

Thank you for the support from everyone, deep down I know I dont want to smoke as I am seeing the benefits of not smoking, money in my pocket, nice smelling house, clothes, car, hair etc and my breathing is so much better with no cough, I will just take this cigarette I had today as a little blip and try and deal with my stress other ways.

[nsd_user663_8222]

hey! dont give up trying to quit!!! im on day 46 smoke free and i have JUST STARTED to be able to deal with the normal dailey stress of life lol.

week 3 - 6 were almost as bad as the first week for me belive it or not, so u can expect a roller coaster of emotions!

id try and stop using the quitting products if possable as for me they wouldnt of worked. you want to get rid of all nicoteen from your body and with patches etc you are still drip feeding it into your system. your going to get less stress in the day with them but they amount of days it will last for will be longer compared to cold turkey, then u get it full blast but for a shorter time.

[nsd_user663_8469]

hey! dont give up trying to quit!!! im on day 46 smoke free and i have JUST STARTED to be able to deal with the normal dailey stress of life lol.

week 3 - 6 were almost as bad as the first week for me belive it or not, so u can expect a roller coaster of emotions!

id try and stop using the quitting products if possable as for me they wouldnt of worked. you want to get rid of all nicoteen from your body and with patches etc you are still drip feeding it into your system. your going to get less stress in the day with them but they amount of days it will last for will be longer compared to cold turkey, then u get it full blast but for a shorter time.

Hi,

I'm sorry you are going through it at the moment - Tom and I are around the same place in our quit (congrats on reaching 6 weeks by the way Tom;)) and i would agree that the 3 and half to around 6 week mark can be pretty difficult but you just have to keep at it and keep coming on here to understand others are going through it and that they have survived ... this seems to help get you through it as you know that there is light ahead.

It seems after 6 weeks things just get a hell of a lot better (Unfortuatley I am not very well at the moment but despite that I am at nearly 8 weeks and have still noticed I am thinking about cigarettes much less and the quit is getting easier).

Each to their own in their method for quitting but I too am a great advocater for Cold Turkey and it might even help if you tried to come off the patches? I have found it tough CT but not as tough as being drip fed nictone as i have done with quits in the past on lozenges and patches. With cold turkey you get ride of the nictone cravings pretty quickly and then you have a battle of a few weeks to manage the psycological withdrawal. However, this is your quit and you must do what is best for you.

Perhaps you could try reading Allan Carr's Easyway to stop smoking ... it's a couple of quid on amazon but worth every penny. It will help you to see that when you get those stressful moments ciggies just won't help or make any difference. I read it and I must admit I haven't touched a cig in nearly two months and when things are stressful I tell myself ... a cig won't help and I just don't have one. I also find that I am less stressed now I am not smoking and having nicotine in my system (and that's saying something as i am a right stres head lol :eek

I really hope you keep it up and please try not to have a ciggie ... I know how hard it is ... but you will just prolong the stage you are in. Stay strong and know we are here for you.

Jodi

x

[nsd_user663_8222]

ty jodie !

[nsd_user663_7042]

No matter how many times you fall off just pick yourself up brush yourself down and get back on with the quit!

T'is not easy!!! and many of us will have stumbled during out quits! This just goes to make us stronger! and if we really want it in the end we will succeed.

Have to agree with Tom!! I to have found it much much harder during week four then in my first week! reckon it could be something to do with 'accepting'

All the best to everyone in their quit!