scared already!

[nsd_user663_63724]

hi all, you can probably tell but this is my first post! i have been smoking for about 18years, the last 4/5 heavily-up to 40 a day! after 3 bad chest infections, the last one being over xmas it finally clicked in that i need to stop. so far i have cut down to 6/8 a day with the help of patches (since 6th jan) but feel now i have to take the leap into completely stopping before i lose all my resolve and it starts creeping back up! so no smoking day seemed like the obvious choice. whats really worrying me though is the hardest time of day for me is when i get up, i tend to smoke at least 3 in the first hour or so and trying to cut them down further has been impossible for me so far! i know i need to alter my routine to break the habit of "coffee and smoke" "smoke before shower" and "smoke whilst getting ready" but i've found it easier said than done when i'm getting up and have to still complete these tasks to get ready for work, i know this is going to be my weakest moment in everyday and i'm scared i'm going to fail at the first bump in the road as i have no willpower at all first thing! i know there will be other times and things that will really test me but so far this fear of failure less than an hour into the day really is my biggest mental hurdle! any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated!! x

[nsd_user663_4609]

I used to smoke like a demon first thing, I saw it as my time, my treat. Like you I thought mornings would be my problem. I have found the opposite, its nice having more time to get ready, tidy up, eat breakfast ...I check here and read posts, wash up...cravings though they seem horrendous do pass quickly...you can do this...

[nsd_user663_18145]

Welcome to this amazing place and well done on posting

yep its going to be scary if you keep telling yourself it is

preparing yourself mentally is best by keep reminding yourself of the reasons you are quitting and writing them down then everytime you start feeling like your going to give in reread them make copies of them and pin them up put a reminder in your phone to read them every hour or as often as you need

what are your plans to help you in your quit are you going to use patches or gum or an ecig at all?

changing your routine will help too and instead of reaching for a smoke have some straws or cocktail sticks close by for you to stick in your mouth too or a mint or sweet

just remember you are changing a habit and it will take time but it is do able and it will get easier by taking it one day at a time breaking that day down into seconds to begin with then minutes and keep focusing on your reasons and keeping a positive mindset instead of saying i cant get through the day without smoking start saying i am going to try and get through the day without smoking

there are lots of really great posts in the tips section have a look through there whenever you feel your resolve going infact just come on here and post whenever you feel your resolve weakening and read that will help keep your mind distracted and distraction is the key to keeping your quit intact

onwards and upwards is the only way to go

[nsd_user663_61729]

Wishing you every success..

From a 2014 No Smoking Day quitter.

[Jess9 1000 Days Smoke Free]

I used to like the morning ones too, now I set my alarm for 15 mins later and as soon as it goes off, jump in the shower, then I think I'm all clean and smell nice so not going to smoke and ruin it, good luck you can do it x

[nsd_user663_42220]

Welcome to the forum alleycat, I feel like I want to call you Thomas O'Malley, you know, from The Aristocats.

Everybody sing # Thomas O'Malley, O'Malley the alley cat #

Sorry, I digress

The answer is simple, sleep, have your coffee and get ready for work with the shower permanently on!

To be serious, an 18 year, 40 a day habit will take time to break. As long as you understand and accept that then you are on your way. To get over your early morning trigger points you may need a quick hit of nicotine and, temporarily, NRT lozenges may be the answer. Patches may not give you a quick enough hit at the start of the day, which is what you appear to need.

Initially, take it literally minute by minute and hour by hour. Tell yourself you'll go 1 more hour before you smoke, we can all do 1 hour can't we? When that hour is done, do it again. The craves can hit hard and quickly, but they rarely last too long and I found that controlling my breathing by inhaling and exhaling deeply, as if I were actually smoking, gave me a very similar effect to actually smoking.

Most of us use NOPE on here, Not One Puff Ever.

We are addicts and the only way to beat this addiction is to completely starve it to death. Feed it, even by having 1 puff, will reawaken it with a vengeance.

Post on here regularly, in fact make it your second, no first, home. Most successful quitters on here stuck to the forum like glue throughout their first year. There will always be somebody to help or offer advice and always come here first if you feel you are going to smoke. We've all been through what you will be going through and will totally understand. Above all else, believe everyone who tells you it gets better, because it does. That is sometimes the most difficult bit, believing it gets better and that there really is a life without smoking, but there is, I'm one of many on here who are living proof of it

[nsd_user663_63114]

Hi Alley, you will find some of us managed to smoke in the shower so loads of empathy, however you can stop, it is possible. Giving up smoking seems such a big deal but like others have said, take it an hour at a time. I did loads of deep breathing as if pretending to smoke, and chose to suck on cough candies, it all helped. You've got some time to think about what may work for you. I was chatting to a work colleague about a month ago and she said it's times when someone upsets her that she feels the need to smoke. We are all different but smoking isn't a friend. X

[nsd_user663_2681]

I completely get what u mean about coffee and fags in the morning, my answer to that is change ur drink for a while, sounds silly but honestly having an orange juice in the morning instead of your coffee really does psychologically help, you don't associate orange juice and fag in the morning, plus it's full of Vit C which we need more of in the early days of quitting, give it a go it might work for you too, good luck x

[nsd_user663_58050]

Wishing you all the best with your quitting alleycat. I'm on champix for the third time and my longest quit since starting was 14 weeks. My smoking crept up to 20 a day (again!) during 2014 with resulting bronchial problems, chest, breathing etc most of the winter months and two bouts already this year, and we're only in March. I've cut down to four, and only two yesterday, none so far today. Some really great advice from people above, and one bit that has worked for me the last two days with the first thing cigarette is a big glass of orange juice first thing. Smoking and orange just do not go! Or even other sharp juices, kiwi for example.

[nsd_user663_63724]

Thank you all for your advice and support!!! Think am gonna need it for the foreseeable future! Feeling nice and positive today, had one smoke bout half hour after I got up (that's good for me 😕) and that's it! Stocked up on patches, gum and zantac yesterday (oral NRT gives me awful heartburn) ready to go! Not feeling quite as scared as I was but not sure if that's false confidence (hmm...that's not very positive is it?? Am I over thinking things?!) Reading posts on here definitely helps, big booster knowing I'm not alone and really really appreciate everyone's advice! Think I'm going to try having my morning coffee in shower from now on cos think giving up my morning cuppa is one step too far! Lol!! Seriously though...actually looking forward to it now! Ready to take that next step! I was feeling disheartened with myself, was proud that I managed to cut down but dissapointed that was as far as I had got! None of it had felt real...I never thought I would ever want to stop but it did just click in one day now its time to make it reality! I did think about champix but due to my hours/shifts attending a weekly clinic would be impossible and I had already started to cut down with the patches! OK...gonna stop rambling on now and get busy! Thank you all again and I wish everyone a happy and smoke free day ☺ xxx

PS feeling the need to watch the aristocats now 😁

[nsd_user663_18145]

So glad your still with us

Just keep focused on continuing to cut down how many you are smoking even cutting them in half or just take smaller puffs and keeping a positive mindset will help you plus posting on here as often as you need and read

Onwards and upwards using baby steps is the way to go

[nsd_user663_63724]

Thanks carol!! I'm def still here! Had already tried to post couple of times but not easy on my phone/tablet for some reason!? Get a lot of error msgs! Still only had one today and still feeling OK! So much for keeping busy though...have ended up reading other posts! Everyone has so much to be proud of its amazing and I know its going to help so much in the long run!!!! Xx

[nsd_user663_42220]

Welcome back O'Malley

Hey, you went half an hour without smoking your first fag of the day - progress!

Try 40 minutes tomorrow, 50 minutes the next day and so on, until you don't need it at all. It's only 10 minutes extra each day, doable right?

Try and stick to the forum more closely and post at least once a day. It's surprising how building up friendships on here helps strengthen your resolve as you really get a sense and feeling of "we are all in this together".

Nothing wrong with watching The Aristocats - Thomas O'Malley, what a hero!

yRET1vsfiJM&feature

[nsd_user663_63724]

Haven't seen that film in years, was one of my faves as a kid!!!

Yep...def progress! Although so far I have found it easier when I'm not at work (is that strange??) like today, not sure if it cos my routine is different and not as rushed or cos I'm not feeling like "have them now cos you won't have another for 12hrs" (I haven't smoked at work since middle of jan, that was big change for me cos I used to smoke 4 per break up to 5 times a day!) Anyway one step at a time!!! Still only had one so feeling happy! And agree need to post more, my first post was on works computer tho (naughty naughty!!) and have found I'm getting error messages on my tablet, any idea's why that is?? I can already tell the support is a fantastic boost especially since my other half is still smoking (grrr! And I'm too soft to make him go outside!!) So even though he's trying to be supportive to a certain extent he's still not being really helpful!

[nsd_user663_42220]

The forum was moved to a new platform a while ago and there has been a few teething problems, but they are being worked on by BHF. The only real problem I have is a lag in it saying my post has been posted. I ignore it now and just click back to the forum using the button on the top left of each page and I find it has been posted.

Donna has the same problem with her hubby who is trying to quit but is still smoking. Be an example to your partner, but it's their choice to smoke or not. I never listened to anybody talking to me about quitting until I wanted to quit. Remember you are doing this for yourself and quitting can be quite a selfish business, do whatever it takes to make your quit successful

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Most of us use NOPE on here, Not One Puff Ever.

We are addicts and the only way to beat this addiction is to completely starve it to death. Feed it, even by having 1 puff, will reawaken it with a vengeance.

Capitan, Well said!!!! May I kindly subscribe to that???? I wish I wrote that

[nsd_user663_7469]

Don't be scared of quitting be more scared that you want manage to quit, quitting want harm you one little bit, it want give you COPD, it want cause you to have chest infections and need to stuff yourself full of antibiotics, it will however help to stop you struggling to get your breath when your climbing the stairs, running for a bus and many other things that you have been struggling with or will eventually find a problem if you continue to smoke.

If sadly you do have any of the above, like a set of brakes on your car it will stop them in there tracks and and hopefully stop them progressing., yea there will be times when you will think I have to die of something so it may as well be cigs and you may even convinced yourself that you would be happier smoking.

You want and once you light up even one you will awaken the cracken once again, it has to be all or nothing.

My way to get through those first days was to tell myself I wasn't quitting for good just one day at a time, eventually when you start to smell other smokers ( they stink LOL) you hopefully want ever want to spark up again, I want say good luck as I don't think luck is an option but I will say we are rooting for you so try not to let us down or yourself