Hi, I have not had a cig for eight and a half months, which I never thought I would make it this far. It as been far from easy, but over the last couple of weeks smoking as been on my mind alot more than usual. I think it's because the weather is gradually getting better because when I used to smoke I always smoked outside and enjoyed smoking when it was warm. I know I will regret it if I have one and that sense of guilt you get when you're on a quit then you have one is what's stopping me from doing it. I just hope I can get through the rest of spring and the summer without having a cig, so I guess I'm just after abit of advice and guidance.
Thanks for reading.
Daniel.
Written by
nsd_user663_10897
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I am far from being qualified to advise you (but then when's that ever stopped me hahaha!), but it would be SUCH a huge shame if you did collapse now.
You got through the back end of last summer. How did you do it then? I know what you mean about lingering over a fag and a drink in the garden etc. But this time round you'll be able to enjoy the smell of the countryside/seaside etc. Big huge enjoyable breaths of FRESH air, not feeble smokers breaths followed by a fit of coughing?!
AS I say, I'm not really qualified to advise you, but it would be such a shame after all you've achieved.
Hi divingdale. I honestly can't remember how i got through last summer I quit in july so I suppose after a couple of months from july it starts to get cooler. Then not smoking doesn't bother you as much when it's rainy and cold. But yeah hopefully it's nothing fresh air and keeping busy won't fix. I will just think to myself, when I first quit what would I of give to have been eight months in without having one, that should get me through it, cheers.
I also am not qualified to give advice (day 22), but whatever you HAVE been doing must be working. I too wish that I had quit at the start of winter as I am almost dreading the first really nice days of Spring when I would stand out on my deck with a beer and a smoke.
plant some sweet smelling flowers...sweet peas or the like just where you used to stand and smoke. to remind you of the smells of summer that you missed out on before! also try mint in a pot and rub it between your fingers instead by your smoking position. these are tips i hope to be using shortly.
youve done so well. so close to a year! i wish i was at your stage. dont give up now. hold of that little bit more. then a tiny touch more etc etc...
Sorry to say i am also hugely unqualified (bet you're thinking "for gods sake, couldnt someone more useful come along!:p)....but my advice would be, if you can, shut down the internal conversation re smoking in summer, that's always been my downfall - i have a smoking "thought"...see where it leads and BAM, back smoking again.
Clearly i dont yet know how exactly to do this but if you can when it sneaks in just go "no, sod off, not thinking about that". And as ever the always relevant wherever in a quit you are "one day at a time". All you have to do is not smoke today.
sorry but i am another not qualified to give you advise!! but as the others have i will attempt to as well!! 8 months is a fabulous accomplishment...i understand your nastalgic feeling about spring and summer but really sit and think about this!!! what have you gone though to get here...8 months!! say it again...8 months!! also think of how you will feel if you smoke...not so good!!
Hi. Someone this weekend mentioned once around the sun re quitting. I sort of agree. Over the year of going once around the sun you will encounter many triggers that you associate with smoking. Christmas, birthday, weddings if you're lucky. Funerals if you're unlucky, holidays and so on. Each time you face an event you would normally smoke at you encounter a trigger. Each time you face a trigger it becomes easier to face it next time. Its worked for me anyway! Fi
Went through the same thing just before Xmas which was around my eighth month mark too - knocked me for six but I put it down to the build up to xmas and the memories attached I struggled for a week and spent a large amount of time sitting on my back step sucking on a pencil but I got through it and so will you!!
I think we just go through phases where the novelty of quitting has worn off and we try to look for a reason to have a smoke spring and summer will be so much nicer smoke free - the whole beer garden thing didn't bother me anywhere near as much as I thought it would and to be honest drinking is more fun without a fag - no evil hangovers to deal with
x2 on facing and going past the trigger situations. But then at 8 and 1/2 months I'd imagine that you would recognise that and are pretty much used to that.
I seem to remember that some of us post around the 8 month mark about being a bit tired of the quitting lark. We still go forward with it, but ones family and friends aren't as ecstatic at our milestones because as far they are concerned we have been quit for so long that they think we've conquered it.
I just wonder whether the above strikes a chord at all. As ever, if you are thinking more about smokes in this period it doesn't necessarily follow that you will by the time you hit 9 months or even 9 and 1/2 months. Eight plus months does represent such a huge amount of constancy and would be a regrettable thing to throw.
Edit:
I think we just go through phases where the novelty of quitting has worn off and we try to look for a reason to have a smoke
It looks like 'great minds think alike'...or summat like that
Thanks alot for the support everyone ('qualified' or not). I have just read through them all and I feel miles better I am just going to enjoy the hot weather without smoking!
If I did start to smoke I know after a couple of months I'd want to quit again it was always the way it was, so there is no point in throwing 8+ months away jus for that. Thanks again everyone and I hope everybody else's quits are going well.
Hi Daniel, many newbies see me writing that it's a long hard road and although the start is the hardest there are still many things waiting for us. I must add it does get easier to say no the longer you go. Many reach the stage you have and start smoking again after 8 month you've done the hard bit and more.
I may be a bit late in writing this as you have already made a great decision to keep going. But....... you will come across more hurdles so be ready for them. Most of it is nostalgia remembering how you may have said "I enjoy my fags" or the company of other smokers. Seeing athers smoking and thinking you would like to go back to it. How many people have you told you have stopped smoking and they have said I wish I could? I have and others have went through the hurdles so stick with it and you will come through them all as well.
A few weeks ago I was going through the I feel like I want to smoke time and then I remembered the cops program I had watched the night before. It was about cops catching junkies with drugs and it suddenly hit home. If I were to smoke again I'm no better than them, a nicotine junkie. That's when I decided for definate that I did not ever want to smoke again now I would not think twice about it.
So be prepared everyone including Daniel there are these times when you just have to say no.
yes i also am dreading summer ,but i think to myself i cant hide away if we get a summer lol . Well done on your 8 month quit ;)We will hang on in their
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.
but as the others have i will attempt to as well!! 8 months is a fabulous accomplishment...i understand your nastalgic feeling about spring and summer but really sit and think about this!!! what have you gone though to get here...8 months!! say it again...8 months!! also think of how you will feel if you smoke...not so good!!
I struggled for a week and spent a large amount of time sitting on my back step sucking on a pencil but I got through it and so will you!!
Changed my mind
