I am on day 22 and finding it tough

[woody76_flat9]

Hi all. I have gone cold turkey for 22 days now. I have never gone this long before without a cigarette. Some days are fine but others are really tough and have almost smoked but forced myself not to as I don't want to go

Back to day 1.

I am always told the urge goes away in time but I still get huge cravings and I hope it won't always be like this and that it will be a regular daily battle.

I have attempted failed quits before but this time I am

Determined to quit.

[woody76_flat9]

Thanks John. Yes really hope it gets better.i am determined to make it to a month and take it day by day.

[nsd_user663_59305]

Hi Woody, welcome to the forum. This is a brilliant place full of really great people, all of whom want you to quit smoking as much as you do Keep posting and we will be behind you every step of the way. You've already done the hardest part, that's deciding to quit and getting past three weeks, it does get easier, think about how hard the first couple of days were and how much easier today is compared to day 3, for example. Keep focused, don't dwell on the bad bits as with the right frame of mind they really don't last very long at all but celebrate all the good bits and use them as your armoury against the smelly beast. Good luck

[nsd_user663_4558]

Hi woody

Sometimes when things just get on top of me and I would do anything for a smoke - I nibble some nic-gum. I have some in my garage and every so often I invade it and chomp half a chicklet. It works for me!

[woody76_flat9]

Thanks for your words of advice. I find this forum really beneficial and has been a great help.

I have made half hearted quit attempts before which never lasted more than couple of days. I decided to quit in mid November so that I could get a few weeks under my belt before festive season. I will be really happy to make it through December Christmas and new year.

Have smoked for 20 years and it has to stop!

[nsd_user663_40088]

From my experience day 21-32 CT was the worst because it was very intense psychologically! Be paitent though please! Your body doesnt understand why your saying no and it needs to learn fags arent going to come anymore. Honest if it stayed like how your feeling no.one would make the penthouse lol hold.on. Well.done on fighting the evil.weed xx

[Hidden]

I am always told the urge goes away in time but I still get huge cravings and I hope it won't always be like this and that it will be a regular daily battle.

I have attempted failed quits before but this time I am

Determined to quit.

I quit cold turkey. I had a tough start like you, and wondered if those cravings would last forever.

They don't. You have to hang in there and be tough until the day comes when it's just not that tough.

Your determination will carry you forward if you let it. Don't give up. Don't surrender. Don't even have "just one."

I did it; you can do it. They're already making room for you up in the Penthouse when you get to a full year quit. You're well on your way - and it does get easier.

[nsd_user663_59642]

Hello, Woody! Well done on reaching Day 22.

As everyone else has said...it does get easier as time goes by. An important thing is to "embrace" your quit, rather than struggle with it. Treat it as the precious thing that it is, and fight for it, every step of the way.

There are hard times during a quit, but there are also good times; the times when you feel rightly proud of how far you have got on this journey. As time goes by, the good bits far outweigh the not so good bits. All of us here understand what a struggle it can be at times, but it's getting through those struggles that leads to you being a non-smoker! One day, those struggles will be history.....honestly.

Any time you feel the need.....just post here. If you want to shout, rage, scream, this is the place to do it. I had a big scream on here myself earlier in my quit, plus an almighty moan/whinge and I'm sure you'll have seen other calls for help on here! This place is a treasure trove of support, help and understanding!

But, you can also come here to share your achievements and your pride in what you have achieved...it's great, knowing that people really do care and really do know exactly what you are going through.

Val

[Hidden]

I have this theory, and I don't know if it's true, but I found that if I acted as though it were true, it worked for me.

The theory is that when we quit, we have a finite number of urges to deal with before it's all said and done and we are 'official' ex-smokers who hardly ever have to deal with those nasty urges again.

So, if it's a finite number, I got to where I would welcome the terrible urge when it started coming on, because the sooner I dealt with it, the fewer that remained.

Maybe I was just messin' with my mind, but it worked for me. Bring it on! I'd say when I started wanting a cigarette. Give it all you've got! And then I'd deal with that urge, and move on.

Worked for me, perhaps it could work for you.

[woody76_flat9]

Thanks Dgee. like the advice. To be honest I don't want to rely on patches or e cigarettes. I just want to stop full stop and not rely on any other replacement method.

I am now up to 23 days and so a full month is just around the corner which I never thought I would do when I started my quit.

[woody76_flat9]

Thanks noggin. I really like this forum and have read some great advice. Its weird that I never used to consider myself

a smoker and that in my mind I could take it or leave it. Then I realised I took it every day for 20 years!!

Making the decision to quit full stop (and so no sneaky cigarettes at all) was daunting for me. I almost decided a few months back that I would always

be a smoker which was ridiculous

My next goal is to make a month, and then to get through Christmas

[nsd_user663_40237]

I love DGee's advice, cravings become SO weak after you face them down a couple of times. I remember weeks 3-6 being tough psychologically, but you seem to have a great attitude about it and once you get through these holidays, smoking will hardly be a concern at all any more.