I want to be a non-smoker

[nsd_user663_27963]

Alright, I have been here before and said the same thing but today I sincerly feel it is right. Smoking is dont no end of damage, I am unfit, depressed and ashamed of doing it - every fag reinforces the failure.

Just some context, I had a day off yestersday and was thinking how long it has been since my first reak quit attempt - almost 18 months. Wow, if I had kept that quit going beyond the 3 months I would be in much much better shape. I lost the battle with just one smoke and quit again in November last year - that lasted until march.

Since March I have slowly gone back to the level of smoking I had before I stopped the first time.

Anyway, a reason I could identify for the depression was I missed 'not smoking' and the general recovery feeling associated with it. I want to get a clear head again, to be able to breath normally and not be shagged out after 10 mins of easy gardening and, when having a rest not reach for a cigarette. I also want to sleep normally and wake refreshed and happy. Above all I want to get fit again and not worry about dying/heart attacks and strokes.

Every smoke reinforced the bad things and raised the eventual health worries. If the smokes dont get me the stress of worrying about them will.

This in Day 1, I am using the same strategy as I used for the successful quits, a bit of NRT (patch), inhalor when I need and If all goes as well as it did the first time I will be off those in 2 weeks and just use straight CT.

I have downloaded and printed another copy of the freedom book and will use that when I need to reinforce why I stopped.

whyquit.com/ffn.pdf

Edit: Is there a November 11 quit group?

[nsd_user663_35121]

Hello Daggett

Your post is really meaningful to me.

..I am unfit, depressed and ashamed of doing it - every fag reinforces the failure....

Thats how I feel/felt.

I wish you all the best with your quit..you will gets lots of support here.

Well done for getting through day 1

LizzieX

(Smoked for 30+ years, non-smoker for 22 days (now 23!!) taking Champix)

[nsd_user663_6426]

Yes Dagget, I felt the same as you and only being on Day 6 of my quit those feelings about myself are still there. Hopefully as I succeed in my quit the better I'll feel about myself. I left it two years since my last quit attempt in Nov 09...I think you want to protect yourself and forget you've just failed in a big way so you carry on blithely smoking for ages. Then something happens to question smoking and well here we are!

Whatever the reason...well done on day 1. Learn from past mistakes and glad to see you've found this forum...the people here have helped me no end.

I don't think there's a november group yet but I do know a few people have quit today, maybe you could start a thread calling all november quitters...failing that sneak into the october 2011 group!.

[nsd_user663_27963]

Hi Lisa Hi Elizabeth

Reading your posts actually helped me as there was alot of similarity in what you guys were describing.

I was almost a contender for the Oct group as I stopped on Sunday last week when I ran out of cigs, didnt think much of it and lasted until Saturday when I just reached for my wifes pack without thinking and then bought a pack on the weekend.

Anyhow I have had enough of that behaviour and decided to come here and read and see what was going on and your stories prompted me to make an 'offical' thread in the day 1. So thankyou guys for the help.

[nsd_user663_36948]

Totally agree. I'm not completely unfit but I know I could be a lot more fit without the noose around my neck. But I am ashamed of the addiction, certainly anytime I go to a restaurant or other public place. Smokers are treated like lepers and maybe it's not such a bad thing.

Good luck to you!

[nsd_user663_27963]

For me I find it is a negative reinforcing cycle.

I am unfit/overweight, I smoke so exercise is difficult and embarrasing, I avoid physical activity so become more unfit. In turn i get depressed/ashamed so have a smoke and the cycle repeats. I was just over it entirely on the weekend as even weeding and spreading big bags of compost around was getting to be too much.

The psycological power of this addiction is pretty awful - but, stopping smoking will permit more exercise, thus better self image and hopefully rinse and repeat.

[nsd_user663_36948]

Well put Daggett - thank you for the clarity. I totally understand about the negative cycle, it does become just like that, doesn't it? I'll be right there with ya my new friend. Keep at it!

[nsd_user663_17966]

Well done fro quitting!!!

We are all behind you, feel free to moan whinge, rant, laugh & cry. nothing you can say won't have already been said in one form or another.

I've just created a November 2011 group called November N.O.P.E so you can be a member of the Nov nopes

Well come to your new life!!!

Woo x