Right thing to do?

[nsd_user663_54549]

Day 2 of not smoking and it’s a lot harder than I imagined, see I have only smoked for about 10 years, roughly 20 a day, but never really considered myself addicted, does that make sense???

I have been planning on giving up for a few months, but the time never felt right, so about 2 weeks ago I decided I would jump on the new year’s resolution bus and give up in January. Cold turkey.

Yesterday was fine, didn’t crave/want a cigarette at all, but as soon as I went to bed that was it, couldn’t stop thinking about it and ended up having the worst night’s sleep ever.

So with hardly any sleep and a constant craving work has been tough today, it’s currently 13:37pm and my colleagues have just left the office for a cigarette, I feel like jumping out the window to join them!

Any advise/tips welcome.

[nsd_user663_53202]

Hi Rustler, and welcome

When you say you've smoked for 10 years but didn't consider yourself to be addicted, I know what you mean. Sounds like smoker's denial to me. I expect you felt that somehow smoking wouldn't affect your health either - even though you know that a lot of smokers suffer severe ill-effects from smoking.

One of the key benefits of quitting is a benefit which you don't really appreciate until you do quit. The benefit is that smoking no longer controls you life. This includes not having to continually lie to yourself that smoking is somehow OK for you. As you well know, smoking is definitely not OK for you, so lying to yourself about this is a serious self-administered head-f**k.

As far as the sleep problems and feeling overwhelmed by cravings and thoughts about smoking, a lot of people experience this at the beginning, especially when quiting cold turkey. However, it will soon get easier, so hang in there, and take it step by step, hour by hour or minute by minute, if necessary. You are finding out that quitting is not necessarily a walk in the park. However, you can do it, so keep going, we are all rooting for you.

[nsd_user663_54528]

Stick with it!

Hi, at 4pm it will be 24hrs for me. Ive smoked for about 42 yrs, tried giving up begore but not really put much effort into my attempts. This time i planned it, went to see the "Stop smoking nurse" & started wearing the patches about 4 days before i finally smoked my last one in the pack.

Reading comments on here helps & keeping busy. I also keep telling myself that i no longer want to be a slave to cigarettes, all i thought about was when i could have my next one, not good.

I am in no doubt that i will have bad times but with my disposable E-cig for back up if needed i'm going to beat this disgusting, life threatening addiction/habit.

Stay strong & positive, look at your mates & tell yourself "that's another one i haven't had"....only good can come of doing this. All the best, Trudy

[nsd_user663_51711]

Good answer Biggrin.

It is hard Rustler- but nowhere near as hard as you think it will be. It is just so brilliant when you don't smoke. You don't stink,your health improves, you get richer but best of all your whole life is not controlled by worrying about when you can fit in your next cig and often have to stand outside to do it.

Well done Trudy. It's so true what you've said. x

[nsd_user663_42220]

Welcome to the forum Rustler

At 10 years smoking you're a mere amateur compared to many of us, but you are an addict.

There are going to be ups and downs and there may be side effects.

Whilst everyone has different physical reactions to quitting, many, many people have some or all of the following...

A temporary period of sleep disruption (possibly as long as 1-2 months or more)

Constipation

Weight gain

Bleeding gums

Feelings of anxiety, loss, depression, restlessness, boredom and bad temper etc.

Sore throat

A lack of concentration

There are probably more, but these are common and nothing to worry about in the short term.

I'm not trying to put you off, I'm trying to prepare you for what to expect.

Forewarned is forearmed and all that.

None of it is too uncomfortable and all of it is beatable. There are plenty of long term quitters on here which prove that.

Just take it 1 day or 1 hour at a time if you have to. Keep saying that you'll stay smoke free for 1 hour or 1 day more etc.

It's surprising how you start to rack up the days and weeks.

Will there be wobbles? Yes. Can you beat them? Yes.

I felt like you during the early days of my quit and experienced a few of the side effects I mentioned earlier.

In 3 weeks I will have completed 1 year and I know I will never smoke again.

You too can do it, good luck to you.

[nsd_user663_54549]

Thanks for your help/advise guys, day 2 is nearly over (thank god), here's to a good nights sleep and a good day 3!!

Speak soon.

[nsd_user663_54511]

Hi Rustler,

I've also been in your shoes so I know how you're feeling. Once I admitted I was completely powerless over cigarettes I knew I was completely helpless and had to quit and not be a slave.. I hate being owned by anything!

You're doing well, champ, I'm with you all the way!

[nsd_user663_54510]

Hi everyone, I had my last ciggy on Boxing day, been a smoker for thirty five years, gradually crept up to 30 a day and rising. I managed to stop once before about Ten years ago for 18 months, then we had a family crises and someone offered me one and I took it and never stopped again. When I stopped this time I tried to go ct but I was really struggling, so Ive got myself some patches today and an electric ciggy with no nicotine, Im going to take all the help I can get this time, and not rush things.My biggest problem is that my husband smokes and does not want to give up, but he is trying not to smoke in front of me. I am really going give it my all, I want to be around to see my great grandchildren grow for as long as possible, I have not long started using a computer so that will be a new interest for me, and I cant tell you what a great boost it is finding you all on here helping each other Im not very good with the typing and stuff but read your posts every day.

[nsd_user663_42220]

Welcome to the forum Tooshay

If your first non smoking day was 27th December, yesterday you completed 1 week clean and today, 3rd January, you have started your 2nd week!

First of all tremendously well done to you and secondly, you should promote yourself and start posting in the "Week 2" room on the forum

It's a great forum and it really does help you get through the difficult times.

Pull up a chair, put the kettle on and join us all for the ride of your life!

[nsd_user663_54510]

Thank you for your support I will do that.