Taking the plunge...

[nsd_user663_59652]

Hi all, my name's Chris, I'm 27 years old and as you've probably guessed already I'm currently trying to give up smoking.

As far as my reasons for doing so are concerned, well as ashamed as I am of this my motivation is 99% financial. I've finally figured out that having to compromise and cut back on so many different things in life but still managing to spend £2.4K every year on something that is of no benefit to me whatsoever is not only unjustifiable, it's insane!

My biggest concern about quitting is work. I'm fairly new to the company I work for and most of my colleagues don't smoke, the problem however is that my day job involves researching tobacco and its effect on the body, so not thinking about cigarettes and smoking all day is clearly an impossibility! But letting this stop me from even trying would be an excuse and I'm fed up of listening to myself make excuses.

Good luck all those quitting with me whatever stage of the journey you're on. I'll make sure to check in the other threads to let you know how I'm getting on.

[nsd_user663_54332]

Hi Chris, and welcome

We all quit for different reasons, my main one was it made my new handbag smell but what matters is that we do it!! But the extra £3k odd a year I'm not spending on manky Marlboros is quite nice!! I mean flipping heck, if my boss offered me a £3k pay rise on Tuesday I'd offer to have his babies

You're not going to be able to avoid thinking about them, but maybe it'll help in a way? I'm guessing your work doesn't involve how good for you smoking is so maybe?

Good luck, and post on here often 'cos it really does help!!

How are you quitting?

[nsd_user663_54332]

My goodness..

Not literally, lol - he's nearly old enough to be my grandad

[nsd_user663_54332]

So it's unlikely he would be able to, erm, perform such a feat anyway..

Hey, I'm only 29!! It would be possible but it's not going to happen :eek::eek::eek:

[nsd_user663_54332]

You would make his day..hell, you would make his decade..

Go on, do something nice for the elderly..i32.photobucket.com/albums/...

Lol, I'm not that desperate!!

[nsd_user663_18145]

:eek:

Oi you two behave :rolleyes: :eek: :cool:

this is the welcome zone and we dont want to scare of any newbies that are thinking of joining us

Sorry Chris

Welcome to this wonderful place full of people that will help you in anyway they can with words of encouragement and support

if you just concentrate on one day at a time and breaking it down into sections will help

and keep repeating i choose not to smoke today

or some people have tried the if i still want to smoke in an hour i will have one and then keep repeating that phrase or failing that come on here to post and read some of the tips

it is doable and those thoughts that drive you mad in the beginning do get weaker

onwards and upwards is the only way to go

regards

Carol

oh and you will also find lots of diversions on here too in the general section like jokes and silly and somewhat funny pics and video links

mainly of cats

just to help distract your mind and bring a smile to your face

look forward to reading your progress

[nsd_user663_59642]

Hi, Chris!

Do not be embarrassed about money being the main reason to quit.....I've made it quite clear that money is my main reason too. £45 per week.:eek: It's an horrendous waste of money. One of the ladies who welcomed me also was driven by the money aspect of it, so do not let silly old embarrassment get in the way of your quit!

Have you actually stopped yet and are you using any method of support? I only signed up here on Saturday and my quit day is not until Friday, but I can really feel the difference that the lovely people on here are making. I know that if I start having weak moments, that someone will turn up with support. Even if you have to wait for an hour or two at least you know that there are other people rooting for you, because these lovely people REALLY DO CARE about those who are on this journey.

I already feel that I don't want to let down the people who have offered me such wonderful support, and as I said, my quit day isn't until Friday!

PS Welcome, by the way!

[nsd_user663_59652]

Hi everyone, thanks for the welcomes and the amusing little back-and-forth on the previous page!

I suppose the reason doesn't matter and any reason that gets you to make a positive start is the right one. Stubbed out my last at exactly 12:00 last Friday, so far so good, some bad spells but mostly it has been easier than I was expecting. Work is proving less of an issue than I thought. Even though I have to think, read and talk about cigarettes, tobacco and smoking for at least 8 hours a day 5 days a week, mentally pigeonholing this under 'work' and not letting it make me more likely to want to smoke again is nowhere near as difficult as I was expecting. The real problem is when I have a quiet day in the office like today, smoking used to be how I passed the time and relieve the boredom, not having that option anymore is going to take some getting used to.

Gemma-Lou: you're right about the job not focusing much on the benefits of smoking (because there aren't any!) and some of the findings I've seen certainly gave me pause for thought! I'm also quitting cold turkey, always promised myself that when I do it that would be how, then I know I really have beaten it.

Noggin: quit on last friday (will post on the on the relevant forum when I get to 1 week) not using any support, doing it the old-fashioned way! You're right about this forum, the reason I made an account here is because the best people to talk to about any ordeal you're going through are people who are either going through it to or people who have come out the other side of it. It is really reassuring to know such a community exists!

Thanks again, I will keep posting as my journey towards ex-smokerdom (autocorrect hated that word) continues!

[nsd_user663_59642]

So you've done 6 days already! That is impressive and your post comes across very calm(ly?), I couldn't detect any hints of stress in there.

I love to hear that someone is succeeding and if there was a smiley with a round of applause, I would use it, but there isn't one, so have a instead!

Val

[nsd_user663_59642]

On behalf of noggin..i755.photobucket.com/albums...

Thanks, buddy!

[nsd_user663_59652]

Annnnnnddddd here we are again! It was all going so well too

So what went wrong? About 2 months after I stopped smoking I was told that my employer would not be extending my contract beyond its probationary period due to a cost-cutting exercise, despite previously promising the contrary. They didn't' tell me this until 2 days before what would later become my last day. While trying to figure out how to deal with this unexpected situation I reached out for an emotional crutch, after all I'd kicked the addiction right? and what harm will one do...

Within a week I was back on 20 a day.

Lesson learned. Time to start over.

[nsd_user663_57259]

Oh dear! Sorry to hear that you have had a rough time. We've all been there though - given up a good quit by thinking I will just have one....

Now at least you know that's not possible so.....best of luck with your quit.

Sarah

[nsd_user663_60348]

Oh No MadScientist

Im sorry that things are not too good at the moment. I think we all have that thought of "one will be ok"....and we have all been duped!

Welcome back and Good Luck with your quit...remember, everyone is here to help you though

[nsd_user663_53649]

ah sorry to hear that you had the ONE, I fell for that myself too. I am back now and won't fall for that turnip again. The one thing though is seeing as you have done it before you can keep that in your mind that yes this does work, and yes you will soon feel great. We have a November club if you want to join us, a few of us that have all quit

at the same time good support for the times when you feel it is getting hard.