I've been lurking on here this week as I gave up smoking on Monday (last cig was 1am Sun night/Mon morn) so I guess this is day 5 and now I really need to share!!
Have been a smoker for 11 or so years, although I gave up for a year about 6/7yrs ago. Then, as now, I went cold turkey though this time it's been soooo much harder! Headaches, sore throat, tight chest, the works -not to mention the sheer exhaustion - it's really shocked me how rubbish i've felt. But today it's tough. Physically I feel fine but I've got some serious mental addiction and have reached that "er, why am I doing this?" phase ... i.e. the bit before I go round the shops and buy a pack!!
I know it WON'T make me feel better in the long run but hard not to think about the short term at the mo :eek:
Anyway, I feel better for having written this ... just feeling a bit alone I spose. All my mates either have never smoked or gave up years ago, and my OH has always been a non-smoker so she doesn't understand at all....
Ho hum, moan over! Thanks guys - and i think you're all doing (and have done) brilliantly!
Written by
nsd_user663_12152
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I've been lurking on here this week as I gave up smoking on Monday (last cig was 1am Sun night/Mon morn) so I guess this is day 5 and now I really need to share!!
Have been a smoker for 11 or so years, although I gave up for a year about 6/7yrs ago. Then, as now, I went cold turkey though this time it's been soooo much harder! Headaches, sore throat, tight chest, the works -not to mention the sheer exhaustion - it's really shocked me how rubbish i've felt. But today it's tough. Physically I feel fine but I've got some serious mental addiction and have reached that "er, why am I doing this?" phase ... i.e. the bit before I go round the shops and buy a pack!!
I know it WON'T make me feel better in the long run but hard not to think about the short term at the mo :eek:
Anyway, I feel better for having written this ... just feeling a bit alone I spose. All my mates either have never smoked or gave up years ago, and my OH has always been a non-smoker so she doesn't understand at all....
Ho hum, moan over! Thanks guys - and i think you're all doing (and have done) brilliantly!
Hi Clarkey welcome to the forum and congrats on the quit. sounds like you have all the classic withdrawal symptons, and i am sorry you are feeling well tbh a bit like Sh1t,take heart mate you have done 5 days now and you have gone past the worst part in my opinion which is day three. Clarkey you have to drink water or friuit juice like it is going out of fashion and get that nicotine flushed out of your system that way you will start to feel loads better, the nicotine will have gone and all you will be left to do is be dtermined and focused and strong minded you are going to do this quit hang in there mate doing brilliant so far.
Just wanted to say you are doing the right thing - just post when you feel like this it really does help. I wasn't sure that this forum thing would work for me, I gave it a go because I had failed so many times in the past that nobody including me was taking my attempts seriously so thought I needed to do something different this time.
All the times I would normally fail - I posted, got replies, didn't smoke and was so glad the next day when it got easier. Just try to get to the end of each day for now. And watch your nicotine withdrawing brain, last week I remember thinking cigarette were my only friends and feeling so depressed ... I am on day 10 now feel great. Some days good some bad but no cigarette so no guilt and a big feeling of achievement.
Big HUG xx and congrats on day five - I was same as you the first few days were fine but then it hit me like a brick that lasted on and off for the first two weeks. I am using NRT have you thought about it I personally feel it takes the edge off ... but for the bad days there are good days for me I seem to have two really rocky days where I know I have to careful and then a good day comes along and its just really easy to not smoke and this makes it all ok again anbd actually really makes me feel bloody good about myself... the good days are now rolling in thick and fast but bad days (like yesturday) still pop up I just know I can do it
A wise uncle told me recently - he lives in OZ and was over visiting recently -He too is an ex smoker: "when I smoked I really thought that if I had to go one day without a smoke it would kill me - then I did not smoke for one day and it didn't kill me - he has never smoked since!! This really helps on a bad day when my brain is crying out - go on just have one - I just say no Im not smoking today because no matter how bad things get - IT WONT KILL ME!!!
welcome to the forum and well done getting to day 5 already! I struggled really badly in the beginning, too.... all I can say is, if you've gotten to day 5 you can go a little bit more, and soon it will get easier..... it certainly won't get worse! An immediate relief from your misery may seem tempting right now but in no time will you be frustrated with yourself and have to start all over. Do this now, push through the hard times, and this nagging feeling called addiction will slowly dissipate and you'll be free! Stay strong, you will be so glad you did!!
Hey guys, Thanks soo much for your replies! Feeling a LOT better this evening but it's been a tough day. Have managed not to listen to all the demons whispering in my ear and I'm still not smoking. Hurrah!! And I'm firmly resolved to keep that up after a couple of beers this evening (just a couple, don't want to lose my inhibitions!)
Thanks for helping, I felt so alone this morning so it helps to know that I'm not the only one!
Welcome to the club!! I too am on day 5 and have had some horrible moments when i thought "if i don't smoke" i will explode. But i didn't smoke and I didn't explode. so take it easy, every bad moment leads to a good one when you feel a sense of happiness that you are taking control of your life.
However, expect to feel rough, I know I do. I was on a mammoth shopping trip today for presents and found it so stressful for no real reason. Sat down in a cafe and a girl joined me, saying she had been watching me and that i looked so sad. I said I was just deep in thought. But I felt guilty for looking so sad, as a few disabled people had gone by and made me realise that I have few real problems in comparison. Still felt sad though! She then stayed and chatted and showed me photos and stuff and then offered me a roll-up!! I declined and said i was trying to stop. She nicely said she wouldn't smoke hers but I said don't be daft. I was fine and felt better afterwards, even if she was actually chatting me up (!) I took it as a compliment. She looked like a very handsome boy. Anyway, I have now become a lesbian due to my quit. This I didn't bargain for!!!
Sorry, just joking. So if you ever feel you are going insane, just remember you are not the only one. Love Kelo's uncle's advice. If you don't smoke today it won't kill you. He sound like a cool dude. Thanks for that. Another mantra to add to the list when times are tough.
So, Clarkey, keep going, it won't kill you, it will make you stronger (as they say). Chin up!!!
Welcome to the forum and congrats for getting through today.....
Loads of great advice above me no matter how you do it believe me it is so so worth it. In the early days when it was hell I got through each day thinking if I could just get through the next hour/day etc I would never ever have to do that moment again.....it really got me through the worst.
welcome Clarkey, and well done on your decision to quit. Read all you can on here, there are tales of quitting for everyone. We all deal differently with the craves etc, but we all want the same ending. If you ever feel like going to buy a pack of the dreaded weed, log on here first, and read. I promise you, it will pass so quickly. Good luck, together, we can all do this lol
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.