Eeekk!!!

[nsd_user663_18143]

Erm, day 25?!! WTF, how did that happen?!! On Friday night at about 11.30pm (i wish i'd thought to look at the exact time now!) it'll be 4 weeks since i smoked my last cigarette. Hence the EEEEEKKK! of excitment

I'm not saying it's been easy and there have been times where i've been very close to giving in to the cravings. But i haven't and have come up with my own little methods that have really helped me:

1. "I just don't feel like smoking right now" - this is what i tell myself if i'm standing with smokers smoking, i tell myself i can have one later but i just don't feel like one now. If that doesn't work (which tbh it usually does) i have a few puffs of my inhaler or a lolly.

I am awful at being told what to do (and what not to do) - as soon as someone says "you can't" i think "sod off, i can", so this really works for me.

2. A pack of fags in the house - A weird and potentially dangerous one i know. But the problem with previous quits has been that i have had the age-old panic of a smoker that has run out of cigs. By having 3 fags from my last packet in the kitchen drawer (albeit hidden at the back) is like a crutch that i could smoke if i wanted to, but i don't want to smoke, so i don't. I planning on binning these in the next few weeks.

3. Reading - A simple one. I get so in to a book that smoking doesn't even enter my head (unless a character in the book smokes, dammit - maybe advise sticking to Harry Potter!!)

4. Lollipops - I quit just after Halloween so we had a bag full of lollies in the house. A mate at work quit 9 months ago using nothing but lollies and it really helped him get through the routine in the first few weeks. It has done with me too, and especially if i'm in a situation where others are smoking and i want to join in the conversation - i have a lolly or maybe some chewy or my niccy inhaler and feel like i've not 'missed out' cos of not smoking. (This was always a massive reason why i didn't quit in the past, fear of being excluded from things)

5. THIS SITE!!!! Seriously, this site and all you guys have saved me from cravings more times than i ever thought. Whether it be something to read, some encouragement, some advice or some laughs it's been brilliant, so thank you one and all!

Off to find some Diet Coke now - that's one craving that i think i'll have for life

[nsd_user663_17697]

Wooohooo Jennifox, well done. I know what you mean about the time flying past, I will be 28 days smokefree at 1pm today - that is a whole four weeks too! Some days have crawled by to be fair and yesterday was one of those but this morning it feels good to have gotten through it

I really don't know how you cope with fags in the drawer, they would have been in me on my first day. Had to get rid of all the ashtrays, lighters everything and I didn't even smoke indoors! Distraction has been my biggest aid, you know, like you distract a two year old from going into a tantrum I do the same with myself - eating, reading, this site, walking, promising another treat (remembering the Uggs on order YAYY)

[nsd_user663_15147]

Hey Jennifox, that's great

I have to admit, someone telling me I couldn't do it also really pushed me to go on during the first 2 weeks, I'm so glad to be stubborn!

You're totally right about the reading thing, I was saying to Jo before that something like the twilight books are great (sure, no masterpiece but whatever)... don't try to read the Millenium Trilogy in the early times of the quit... my God they smoke a lot in that! hehe.

Anyway, great set of tips there, so glad to see you still excited about your quit

[nsd_user663_18256]

That is geat Jennifox.

I swear by lolly's too, They have to be Chupa Chups tho!!

I don't know how you keep the fags in a draw, i would've caved by now, but It is a testament to your strength in this.

Well done Lady

[nsd_user663_18143]

Definitely Chupa Chups, they're the best - they've just brought some new ones out that are a Fruittella chew in the middle, really nice

Tbh the fags were in a jacket pocket and i forgot all about them until about day 4 - luckily i found them when i was in a really good frame of mind hence why i didn't cave. I forget they're in the drawer but when i'm having a really bad craving i tell myself "you can have a fag after you've washed up/hoovered/been to the gym etc etc" by which time the craving has gone.

I am binning them as i think as i get deeper in to the quit i run the risk of thinking i can handle one or being drunk and not thinking at all...

I also bought a beautful pair of boots to celebrate one week quit, but had to return them as they were faulty:mad:, so waiting for them to come back in stock, as every time i looked at my feet i felt proud and happy about quitting, so that worked too.

Happy days

[nsd_user663_20269]

Mmmm lollies. Damn I fancy one now so baaaad and I don't have any.