Day 5 for me

[nsd_user663_20643]

Hello all,

So I decided on 2nd of January to stop the cigs. I'm now struggling and constantly thinking of smoking.

Now the main problems I'm having are:

* I work in Italy and therefore am away from home at the moment, returning for 1 day between 4th January and 25th January. Missing my friends and family is not helping.

* Theres a smoking room 5 doors away from my office.

* Drinking alcohol makes me want to smoke

* Smoking still seems to be socially acceptable in Italy

So.... At the moment I am replacing most of my cigs with water or herbal tea, I have now cut out drinking alcohol so as not to tempt me to have a cig, I am not even having a glass of wine with my dinner. The smoking room is something that I cannot avoid as I have to walk past it to get to my office.

My work means I spend a lot of time outside and also waiting which is not helping and I'm finding myself getting hyperactive and pushing myself and my colleagues to work harder to take my mind of things, this in turn is making me more tired. Oh and I have developed this rather nasty cough which is driving me crazy!!!

At the moment I'm considering just chucking in the towel and having a cig, it seems the easiest option but... I have set myself this challenge and want to succeed.

Any help / advise if appreciated.

One last thing, I'm 29, have smoked between 10 - 15 cigs a day since for nearly 16 years and I'm going cold Turkey.

[nsd_user663_20558]

Hi, and welcome to the happy band of quitters

If you stopped on Jan 2nd you're past, or very nearly past the worst of the nicotene withdrawal. So what you're going through now is in your head. Which doesn't make it any easier, believe me I know! But it should be a little bit easier to fight.

My recommendation is you do a lot of reading to focus your mind - a lot of the posters on here have really useful links. whyquit.com has some very good articles.

You need to 'recondition' your mind - embrace the fact that you're craving the fags and try to understand why, and beat those triggers. When you go past the smoking room, don't try to avoid it - have a sniff - doesn't it stink? For the sake of satisfying the nicotene demon with one puff, do you really want to step back on that highway to hell?

The cravings are hellish but they don't last more than two or three minutes. Just stare them down, one by one, and it will get better. Don't think about the long term, it's not helpful. We're all addicted to nicotene, and the addicts mantra is 'one day at a time'. Today I will not give in to my addiction, tomorrow I will worry about when tomorrow comes.

Good luck. Stick around here, it really helps.

Helen

[nsd_user663_7957]

I stopped the same day as you and I am going CT. I find when I get a craving, I take 3 deep breaths and the urge passes my the time I have finished. I find exercise helps. I go for a jog or a walk to clear my head and exercise my abused lungs. Exercise should help clear your lungs and relieve your cough.

As Hellsbelle says, the fight is psychological now. Try to focus on all the positive reasons you decided to stop. I understand that your location makes it more difficult, but it can be done. There is plenty of advice to read on the forum which can help strengthen your resolve.

[nsd_user663_20547]

Hey ya!

I too am quitting cold turkey and am only a couple of days ahead of you I think. take deep breaths and hold the breath of a wee minute and then exhale, it really seems to help me. I had been very very bad with cravings, actually breaking down into tears but last night not one tear from me it definatley does get less difficult, I could describe my cravings at the minute as thoughts, I think I would like a cigerette but then tell myself I cant and then i think aobut somthing else. So if you stay on track then soon yours will be the same.

Good luck today and stay strong!

xxx

[nsd_user663_20643]

Thanks Guys & Girls for your support.

Reading the support that others are giving you and knowing that they are experiencing the same difficulties is really helpful.

I'm pleased to say that I have not thought of smoking at all for the past few hours which has been really nice

Oh and even better is that I've just had a call from my boyfriend informing me that he will not smoke on days when I'm home and that he has cut down from 20 a day to 3 a day and wants to join me in giving up... Yippeee, I know this is worth it with him wanting to quit as well!!!

Wishing you all luck and success in quitting!!!