IT'S NOW OR NEVER !!!

Sunday afternoon with blue sky and fluffy white clouds and it’s very quiet out – no people, no cars and the only animals I can hear are the birds. Have been listening to two blackbirds tweeting away and have often wondered what they talk about. Today, I imagined that one was singing the song ‘Coming home soon’ which has to be the male as the female is the homemaker. Her answer just had to be ‘what do you mean, coming home soon? You went out last night not this morning and should have been home hours ago! I hope you have a very good explanation as to just where you’ve been and what you’ve been doing? Leaving me at home alone with OUR babies and you know very well that there’s magpies three trees down! Humph! I’m waiting for an answer and for you to arrive and as you can tell, I’m not a happy bird at this present moment – your reasons had better be good husband! Strange isn’t it how our mind and brain works? We can’t imagine what birds or any animals life is like but surely in some respects they must be similar to our own with the exception of course of cigarettes. Maybe in the animal kingdom there is the equivalent of smoking, I just don’t know but there are predators in every form of life whether that me human or animal life.

Our brain and our mind are two of the most complex but wonderful parts of the human body and we, as smokers, are slowly but surely destroying not only them but our whole body and all its workings because we are, in a sense, committing suicide by carrying on smoking and even though our minds and brains know that, sometimes it is fact that we do not realise that we can stop, should we so wish.

To stop, we have to have a plan and follow that plan meticulously because to deviate sends us straight back to the beginning, to the start without passing go and collecting £200 and although we learn from our deviations, it is always that much harder to try for a second or even third time as I well know to my cost.

Whatever your plan or strategy, firstly and of paramount importance is the fact that you WANT to quit and even though we may all have differing reasons whether these be personal in that it is affecting our health and therefore our life or financial because of the recession, it does not matter, without the I WANT, there is, to me anyway, no point in trying because without that I WANT, you are on a hiding to nothing because any attempt to stop will be doomed to failure before you have even left the starting line.

Secondly, you have to believe in yourself. You have to believe that you can do this monumental task because without belief in yourself again, I personally think you are on a hiding to nothing. With maturity comes wisdom so they say, so a wise person will seek help from a medical professional or alternatively, use one of the many quit smoking aids that are now available or even, should they wish to go ‘cold turkey’ find and join a site like this one because everyone and I do mean everyone on this site knows exactly what you are going to go through because they have all been there, done that and got the tee shirt! . There are so many ways in this day and age to ask for and receive help and assistance but no matter, the main point is, you and only you can make this journey, no one can do it for you or on behalf of you, no amount of stop smoking aids will mean that it will just happen, just like that! You won't go to bed one night and wake up the next morning a permanent non-smoker!

Thirdly, right down how you plan to stop. This may mean throwing everything away that is to do with smoking, i.e. cigarettes, lights, ashtrays, etc. For some of you, it may mean doing something entirely different – keeping an unopened packet of cigarettes somewhere on your person or around the house because psychologically, if they are there you will be determined not to open and therefore consume one. We are all so very different but you know yourself better than anyone so you have to decide what is the best for you.

Write down on a piece of paper anything and everything that you can and will do should the need arise. Whether you are having a craving or just don’t know what to do with yourself because you aren’t smoking. Keep a pad and a pen handy because you can add or subtract from your list as and when the deeds are done or a new thought occurs. ‘Deeds’ that spring to mind are sorting our drawer and/or cupboards that you have been promising yourself that you will do but just never seem to get round to doing them. Folding and carefully storing all those supermarket carrier bags – you could even use a few whilst doing the sorting and then take them to your local charity shop!! Cutting the grass and weeding – even sort out your greenhouse or garden shed or, dare I say it, yes I dare - the garage cos you never know you may make enough room to put the car in it!!! The possibilities are endless and the more daft they are the funnier they are to do and if nothing else it will certainly make you smile !!

Fourthly, pick your quit date with care and thought. Do you have any particular day that you don’t like because if so, don’t choose that one! Do not put yourself under any pressure to pick a day that is near – think and then think again, because it has to be right for you – no one else but you.

Fifthly, start your journey with courage, commitment and a firm goal in your mind and heart. Come on this site and tell everyone how your day was. Do not be afraid to write what you feel – we all have personal experience of how it was for us because we have all been there. If you want to moan, then moan, if you want to scream then feel free to scream but if you just want to tell us how the day was and how you feel after 24 hours of being a non-smoker then that is fine as well. Just remember, this luvverly site is for everyone and for all and any emotions that we feel whether these be nice or not so nice. It is a place where you can talk freely about anything and everything (except Pete's lumpy gravy or chille sauce ) because we are all here to help one another to support each other and no matter where we are on our journey, we all need the help and support offered and given on here and given I have to say without fear or favour.

I know that this is in the main what EmJay suggests we do when we first plan to quit but this is my interpretation of that and it helps me to do this so I hope that in some small way it helps one of you.

[veecatz 2 YEAR WINNER]

Hope its all going well, this is not an easy journey, the brain is trained to smoke because the receptors have changed to acknowledge the old nicotine, and it keeps telling us we should have another hit when the levels drop. The only rule I try to follow is "DO ANYTHING BUT DON'T TAKE THE FIRST DRAG FROM A FAG" I really couldn't do it without the nicomist which takes immediate effect, the mental bit I try to convince myself is, that ciggies (this is true), actually cause more stress because if I'm in a place I cant smoke - I get panicked if it is a while before I can get one. I'm gonna leave that sentence in because I spoke as if I was still a smoker - which proves what I was just saying about the brain. I am starting my 8th week of non smoking - and as long as I follow the one simple rule - I cant start smoking again. It is all the other bits that take the effort - particularly when I have been brainwashed by nicotine that it helped me feel better etc etc. Today - I try not to make it a major task - I suppose it is trying to tell my brain that this is not the thing that rules my life anymore. Just something I have chosen to leave behind. It is still early days and I am hoping this continues working for me - and that you find a few simple things that work for you. xx

[kengreen]

thats a good way to think about,i think along the same lines i say when you stop just stay sopped,i no that sounds a little simplistic but it works for me 11 months now just stay stopped

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OK - so give us a clue as to whereabouts on the questions cos I can't see/find it?

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Your are a sick man JOHN, go and get some help ASAP