I'm so determined to make it this time. I'm sure many of you on here have had the same experiences as me of having given up smoking many times before having success.
I smoked my last cigarette at 4pm yesterday. I joined this forum for support and to show myself that this time I'm SERIOUS! I also downloaded an app to help me quit.
I moved from South Africa to the UK last year. The homesickness still hasn't diminished. (One of my smoking excuses). I now live in a very isolated spot. Lovely little cottage in the countryside. But I don't have a UK drivers license and my husband is at work all day so I'm very stuck here. (Another excuse)
So right now I'm stuffing Maltesers into my mouth like my life depends on them.
How does one get ones mind off the smoking habit? At the moment it's completely consuming me.
But I'm determined to get through this first day. With your help!
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Hey becky I've tried so many times to give up I had smoked for 33yrs I started at 13 😣 , I am now on day 39 smoke free I decided to go cold turkey after trying on patches, champix, gum , lozenges etc you name it I've tried it ,so far I've been more successful with this method but I've not found it easy and tbh still going through a lot of emotions but I can't let it beat me , I spent a lot of time researching and eating sweets some days are better then others but you can do this 😀
Thank you Bella34. Well I've survived the morning. Just! It's not easy. I have a splitting headache, is that normal? Maybe it's due to the chocolate lol.
I tried the eCigs some time back but then I was just smoking constantly and overdosed on nicotine I think. So there's no easy way out. I just have to do it!
You've definitely made the right decision and you've come to the right place for help. I'm sure you'll get lots of support and encouragement from all of us on here. We're all different but we're all on this quit mission together.
The first few days can be hard because it's hard to distract our thoughts from the fact that we're unable to punctuate our lives with our cigarettes any more. It does get easier though but you need to remind yourself that your desire to quit is stronger than your urge to smoke.
It does sound lovely where you live but I can understand you feeling isolated especially as you don't drive but if you can keep yourself busy it will help at this early stage of your quit. Anything will do - housework, reading etc. The most important thing of all though is to keep reminding yourself that it's your decision to quit when you feel the urge to smoke. If you can somehow embrace your quit (a cliche I know) rather than thinking you are denying yourself something it helps. I'm not saying that you are doing this but I know it's a mistake some of us, including me, have been guilty of.
You don't say what method you're using so I'm thinking you've just gone 'cold turkey' like me. I've smoked for over 30 years with numerous half hearted , pathetic, failed attempts but I've promised myself that this time I mean business. No more risking my health or wasting my time and money on something that's a complete waste of time.
Looking forward to sharing your quit with you.
Just stay strong because you can do this and it might just be easier than you think.
Thank you Linda54. It's great to be getting so much support. I've only done half a day so far and I can't say it's been easy, even though I've kept myself busy (and eaten a ton of chocolate which has resulted in a nasty headache!)
I've gone cold turkey because cutting down just doesn't seem to work for me. I was always "just having one". And never giving up completely. The eCigs just didn't do it for me either.
I smoked for 25 years, gave up for 10 then started again when I moved to the UK last year, using the excuse of being so stressed by the move. And always having a reason not to stop.
Today I find myself coming up with a million reasons why I don't need to quit. But having this group to share with is a tremendous help.
ps I've just had a thought. You say you don't drive and this might be the ideal opportunity and also distraction for you Becky. Why don't you have a think about having lessons? You could put the money you're going to be saving by not smoking to good use and learning to drive would give you something else to concentrate on. I know that being able to drive changed my life and I'm sure you it would make life a lot easier for you.
As I say it's just a suggestion but now might be the ideal time.
That's really a very good idea. I've been considering taking lessons for a while now. I actually have been driving for over 30 years, but in Africa. I passed my test in Botswana and they weren't too bothered about my driving skills! I have to do a new test for my UK license and I know they're very strict here so I will need to have lessons first.
Linda, I love that idea!
I was going to say knitting... But yours is definitely much more interesting.
On my last attempt, I knitted 2 scarfs and 2 jumpers within the first weeks.
I got really into the all knitting thing all together
if only I kept knitting instead of smoking, I wouldn't have to be here now lol
I knitted today too. Then I ate. I planted bulbs in pots. Then I ate. I did some paperwork. Then I ate. Did some housework. Then I ate. And ate and ate. But I didn't smoke!
I'm so determined to make it this time. I'm sure many of you on here have had the same experiences as me of having given up smoking many times before having success.
I smoked my last cigarette at 4pm yesterday. I joined this forum for support and to show myself that this time I'm SERIOUS! I also downloaded an app to help me quit.
I moved from South Africa to the UK last year. The homesickness still hasn't diminished. (One of my smoking excuses). I now live in a very isolated spot. Lovely little cottage in the countryside. But I don't have a UK drivers license and my husband is at work all day so I'm very stuck here. (Another excuse)
So right now I'm stuffing Maltesers into my mouth like my life depends on them.
How does one get ones mind off the smoking habit? At the moment it's completely consuming me.
But I'm determined to get through this first day. With your help!
Welcome Beckybecks (love your username!). Well done on making the best decision of your life to quit, like the guys above have said, it is vital to keep yourself busy for the next couple of weeks. What I done for the first couple of weeks was a to do list of stuff that was put on the long finger around the house, luckily the weather was lovely at the start of my quit for about 3 weeks and I got out in the garden, painted fences, cleared out wardrobes, cleared out clutter etc.... and it really took my mind of smoking. Linda gave you a great idea of learning to drive, it would give you so much independence. I would also suggest reading the early stages posts here so you know what is ahead This forum will be such a help to your quit...good luck and stay strong!
Thanks Rowens08. I've made it through the first day! As you suggest it does seem to help keeping oneself as busy as possible so it looks like my house us in for a Springclean
The worst time was when my hubby got in from work - we always have a glass of wine with a smoke and a nice chat. So tonight I had none of those
And I've EATEN all day!
I'm very grateful to you and everyone on this forum for the support you've all shown me today.
Unfortunately, there is going to be lots of things you would have done with a smoke, embrace this now that you are not smoking and how great that is, keep telling yourself that. You will be able to enjoy that glass of wine so much better without a smoke as your taste buds will come alive again over the next week! Don't worry about the eating, if that is what you need to get through this stage of your quit,
First day over Becky, hope it hasn't been a long one - Well Done.
You know you can do this because you've done it before and managed to stay quit for 10 years. The fact that you were tempted back to smoking after such a long period of abstinence should serve as a reminder to all of us as to just how addictive smoking is - we can't afford to let our guard down ever.
I know how difficult it feels for most of us when we embark on this quit mission. Its hard to keep our minds off the fact that we no longer have our cigarettes to fall back on and we do miss them.
I eventually came to the conclusion that I was just fooling myself with all of my excuses for not being able to stop smoking - I realised that I would never be successful unless I bit the bullet and just stopped. I was fed up with wasting money, having to go out in the garden in all weathers and of course I was worrying about the damage I was probably doing to my health.
I've been quit for almost 8 weeks now and I think I'm starting to feel that life can be normal without my cigarettes. I won't lie. I missed them dreadfully for quite a while and life seemed so different and difficult at times - all because I wouldn't allow myself a cigarette.
Then I started thinking differently about my quit. I began to feel that I wasn't actually denying myself, rather than that it was me that was in charge and that I had made the decision to quit - surely that was something I'd been promising myself I would do ever since I first started the habit all those years ago.
It started to get easier after that and the cravings became easier to deal with and started to diminish (I wish I could say disappear lol).
​I do feel so much better about myself since I quit and I know that smoking has nothing to offer me anymore. I've spent a fortune on cigarettes and yet I've got nothing at all to show for it - I tell a lie, it did give me that tell tale smokers' cough from time to time!
You've been through the quit process before Becky so you know you can do it again if you want to. I have every confidence that it will start getting easier and that you will be successful.
Yes I can relate to the standing outdoors in all weather and having to dress up in all those clothes just for a brief time, trying to find somewhere out of the wind and rain......
My husband and I both started smoking again when we arrived in the UK last year. Mostly we feel like criminals having to hide our secret habit. We daren't tell our family and friends and have to suck mints, spray copious amounts of deodorant, brush teeth etc before we see anyone.
It wasn't like this when I smoked before and of course it makes it that much less enjoyable.
I think once I get used to it I'm going to find life a whole lot easier.
And that's my thought to keep me going for today.
CONGRATULATIONS!
I thought bringing this post back, it's great motivation for anyone starting and for me too, positive re-enforcement always!!!
Well done Becky! One month down, here's to the next one.
Thanks SO much Mmaya! I have actually made it. One whole month! It hasn't been too bad really. Some days worse than others but here I am cleaner, richer, (fatter!), healthier and filled with a sense of self achievement. :). Here's to month number 2
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