I had my first cig 2 secs ago, a colleague gave me one. I hadn't smoked since 9pm last night and you might think "Big Deal". Normally I'd have had at least 10 smokes between 9.00 pm and bed time and would have had at least 5 by this time in the morning.
Felt so strong last night, sat in the office for a while and could feel my resolve going.
Last night was the first time, out of all the times I've tried where I actually believed it was possible, but obviously I'm unbelievably week.
Its the middle of lent and I'm off a stack of other things for lent and yet I've managed that with very little trouble - a few times I nearly gave in, but haven't. How come I can give up every thing else that is bad for me, except the things that are worst of all for me.
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I feel really gutted and tired. I didn't realise so much of my energy had gone into such a few short hours.
My colleague offered to give me some smokes to save me buying a pack, but I refused and said I was going to continue to try the rest of the day, however, I have to say I don't feel as strong as I did when I started out.
the only saving grace is, I have a really busy day in work and I'm hoping that acts as a distraction, although from experience those are the days when I crave most.
Just a question then. Its a good place to start in relation to this to get your head around the whole issue. What is your personal reason for wanting to quit?
Also i think you should tell everyone in your office that you are now a non-smoker. This should stop them offering you a smoke, and they should hopefully offer some encourgement.
Health is the main one - I get every flu and bug going and seem to permanently have chest infections these days.
Vanity - costing me a fortune, not to mention ruining my teeth getting them scrubbed so often at the dentist.
My skin all of a sudden looks quite old, think and the lines came out of nowhere.
My hair always stinks, my clothes stink, my hands stink (even after I wash them I can still smell it)
My dog stinks and I'm so worried about its health as a passive smoker.
My house stinks and has coloration of a smokers, no matter how often I go at it with bleach and a concotion of other cleaning materials.
I have no friends or family who smoke and every where I go I'm alone (apart from work where there are smokers)
i get out of breath running up the stairs, no making that even walking up the stairs.
I could list a million things. I have to say for me money isn't one, although I would want that cash to spend on other things, cos my lifestyle is quite low cost, smoking is probably the only thing other than the things you have to pay for that costs me money.
I have champix in the house, the doctor suuscribed after my 3rd chest infection of the year. But I had taking tablets and am terrified to take them. Can you tell me did you suffer any side affects? I'm worried sick cos they can cause depression and going off smoking is enough to cause depression.
Can you give me any peace of mind about possibly starting to take these.
Also, another reason I think I'm reluctant to take them is that I have tried every possible other method including nicotine replacement, books, websites, groups, hypnotism etc etc etc - although in honesty, I'd say I didn't want to stop as much then as I do now, I just wish they did seem so enjoyable. So I'm worried that once I take my champix that there will be nothing left for me if they don't work.
Health is the main one - I get every flu and bug going and seem to permanently have chest infections these days.
Vanity - costing me a fortune, not to mention ruining my teeth getting them scrubbed so often at the dentist.
My skin all of a sudden looks quite old, think and the lines came out of nowhere.
My hair always stinks, my clothes stink, my hands stink (even after I wash them I can still smell it)
My dog stinks and I'm so worried about its health as a passive smoker.
My house stinks and has coloration of a smokers, no matter how often I go at it with bleach and a concotion of other cleaning materials.
I have no friends or family who smoke and every where I go I'm alone (apart from work where there are smokers)
i get out of breath running up the stairs, no making that even walking up the stairs.
I could list a million things. I have to say for me money isn't one, although I would want that cash to spend on other things, cos my lifestyle is quite low cost, smoking is probably the only thing other than the things you have to pay for that costs me money.
I agree, money was the least of my issues too.
This is a good list and surely worthy of giving a quit a good go?
How about control? I felt my life was not my own. I was a slave to the smokes. Everything I did was centered around when I could next smoke. Taking back control for me was brilliant. I was a morning smoker and would have a good 5 or 6 before leaving the house at 8 in the morning. To finally not be tied to something quite so horrible was an amazing experience. I learnt to almost enjoy the craves. By not allowing them to take over I was controlling my life again and choosing not to smoke.
You need to print off the reasons and maybe keep a journal of how you're feeling. Post on here when you have a crave and promise yourself you wont smoke till youve had at least 3 replies to your post. That helped me a good few times at the start.
Try not to think of smoking as losing something. Instead of gaining control. And avoid those smokers at work handing out fags!! Thats a killer and one trap i've fell into in many failed quits. Strangely, they never seemed to believe I could do it!
You list a load of good reasons there. And having good reasons, or even great ones, is an excellent source of motivation. But all the reasons will not make the quit a success without you choosing not to smoke.
There is a mental shift which happens for a lot of people on a quit, and this can be powered by many things - those reasons you quoted, for example.
For me it was when I realised that I was not giving anything up but was in fact gaining so much by not smoking. It then seemed to get that bit easier. (Mind you - I still have my list of reasons, very similar to yours, in my wallet. And I take it out and check through it regularly.)
I'm sorry hun but don't let it throw you to much carry on it soes get easier I promise
I like breathagain used champix without any problems if you wan to try it hun
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 feel that same sense of desperation, i have tried and failed a ridiculous amount of times and have not touched the champix the doc gave me, too clock work orangy, and im very worried about the side effects, but also, i think if i fail again, i dnt want to think i am all out of options, so i am saving them as a last resort. I am nearing the end of the first 24hrs not smoking (but always find the first day very easy and sometimes the second too). The advise on here is invaluble,which i could access it 24-7, especially when at work, but i cant ;(
still laughing now at your post, im only on day 3 myself .......
have you tried champix ?? theyre amazing with a capitol A.
you dont even have to try.
good luck next time
I hate to say it but sometimes you do! And you'll need to make sure you're heads in the right place about your quit . There's no perfect magic cure i'm afraid. It all tales a bit of work at some point! Good luck and well done with your quit. Fi
lol Dave, seriously though, it is a bit scary! i will use them if this attempt fails, if i do fail i might give more nrt a go, or even cold turkey again and just keep my fingers crossed. its bad coz i feel really sad at the thought of never smoking again, but i also feel sad at the thought of dieing gasping for breath hope all goes well for you!
I read this everyday. Madcatwomen put this up first and the credit goes to her but this little read gives me the strength to make and realize whats up with the weed.
JUNKIE THINKING: One puff wont hurt.
RESPONSE: One puff will always hurt me, and it always will because Im not a social smoker. One puff and Ill be smoking compulsively again.
JUNKIE THINKING: I only want one.
RESPONSE:I have never only wanted one. In fact, I want 20-30 a day, every day. I want them all.
JUNKIE THINKING: ll just be a social smoker.
RESPONSE: Im a chronic, compulsive smoker, and once I smoke one Ill quickly be thinking about the next one.
JUNKIE THINKING: Im doing so well, one wont hurt me now
RESPONSE: The only reason Im doing so well is because I havent taken the first one. Yet once I do, I wont be doing well anymore. Ill be smoking again.
JUNKIE THINKING: ll just stop again.
RESPONSE: Sounds easy, but who am I trying to kid? Look how long it took me to stop this time. And once I start, how long will it take before I get sick enough to face withdrawal again? In fact, when Im back in the grip of compulsion, what guarantee do I have that Ill ever be able to stop again?
JUNKIE THINKING: If I slip, Ill keep trying.
RESPONSE: If I think I can get away with one little slip now Ill think I can get away with another little slip later on.
JUNKIE THINKING: I need one to get me through this withdrawal.
RESPONSE: Smoking will not get me through the discomfort of not smoking. It will only get me back to smoking. One puff stops the process of withdrawal and Ill have to go through it all over again.
JUNKIE THINKING: I miss smoking right now.
RESPONSE: Of course I miss something Ive been doing every day for most of my life. But do I miss the chest pain right now? Do I miss the worry, the embarrassment? Id rather be an ex-smoker with an occasional desire to smoke, than a smoker with a constant desire to stop doing it.
JUNKIE THINKING: I really need to smoke now, Im so upset.
RESPONSE: Smoking is not going to fix anything. Ill still be upset, Ill just be an upset smoker. I never have to have a cigarette. Smoking is not a need; its a want. Once the crisis is over, Ill be relieved and grateful Im still not smoking.
JUNKIE THINKING: I dont care.
RESPONSE: What is it exactly that I think that I dont care about? Can I truthfully say I dont care about chest pain? I donât care about gagging in the morning? I dont care about lung cancer? No, I care about these things very much. Thats why I stopped smoking in the first place.
JUNKIE THINKING: What difference does it make, anyway?
RESPONSE: It makes a difference in the way I breathe, the way my heart beats, the way I feel about myself. It makes a tremendous difference in every aspect of my physical and emotional health.
JUNKIE THINKING: "I'm bored"
RESPONSE: Smoking is an "activity" or "something to do" only for smokers. I'm really not "doing" anything when I smoke except still sitting/standing there. The rest of the world survives occasional boredom quite well without inhaling life-challenging chemicals.
JUNKIE THINKING: "But they've been smoking on TV and in the movies for years! There are even magazines devoted to tobacco products!
RESPONSE: That's right. They were on TV for years, I wasn't. I'm still alive; many of them aren't and they departed this vale of tears in prolonged and painful ways. And the smiling faces in the magazines now are risking painful and disfiguring surgery later, at which point they won't be smiling at all.
JUNKIE THINKING: "Its so nice to go out for a 'breath of fresh air' and a cigarette."
RESPONSE: Fresh air? I've got to be kidding. And face it, sunny days are one thing, but how many days do I huddle out in the rain with the rain hitting the cigarette and turning the cigarette paper that disgusting yellow color? How many times is it windy and it takes forever to keep a match or lighter lit long enough to light the cigarette, and then how often does a gust of wind come up and blow the ashes into my eyes?
A Stop Smoking Rant.What smoking really is and how it effects me.Nov 3, 2009
I have champix in the house, the doctor suuscribed after my 3rd chest infection of the year. But I had taking tablets and am terrified to take them. Can you tell me did you suffer any side affects? I'm worried sick cos they can cause depression and going off smoking is enough to cause depression.
Can you give me any peace of mind about possibly starting to take these.
Also, another reason I think I'm reluctant to take them is that I have tried every possible other method including nicotine replacement, books, websites, groups, hypnotism etc etc etc - although in honesty, I'd say I didn't want to stop as much then as I do now, I just wish they did seem so enjoyable. So I'm worried that once I take my champix that there will be nothing left for me if they don't work.
HI Gimley
Dont beat yourself up too much today...
Champix...I too was apprehensive for all the same reasons and felt this really was the last ditch attempt. I am not going to say Champix is the bee all and end all but without it I would never have got past the first few days.
Side effects...well I did have a bit of nausea, some do some don't. And I did feel very down when I came off them after 8 weeks. Was it worth it...YES YES a hundred times YES.
There is no easy fix but Champix is a definite help. Give it a go, your reasons are good but you did not mention the main one...the one that will get you stopped and keep you stopped. You Want To!
Good luck and give it a try. What have you got to lose other than the fags...xx
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Only Day 2 and going crazy already!
Well ain't i The failure?
