I just quit Smoking today at 8am it is coming up on my first break. How do I not cave and go have a smoke?

[dboyd4182]

I am 32 and for the past year have been trying hard to eat health and go to the gym. Both are going well but this smoking is holding me back from my goals. Today is day one and I am nervous!!

[EmJay Partner]

Hey dboyd4182,

welcome aboard to Quit Support

What are your reasons for wanting to stop smoking? Have you noted them down? This is something that is worth doing and if you keep them noted down and on you, you can always read through them as a reminder. Don't let your reasons for stopping turn into your excuses for going back to smoking

Once you are on your break time, think about how well you have done to come so far into the first day. Are you using any form of NRT to help you, if so what are you using?

When you go on your break, where do you go? Is it with other smokers? If so, do you think that spending time with them on your break will put you at risk of smoking? Even by having 'just one puff' will feed those nicotine monsters and calm them down a bit.. until the next time. Remember the NOPE rule; Not One Puff Ever

The more you say no to each cigarette, the sooner you will get over them.

Can you do something different on your break? You said you have started going to the gym, how about going for a brisk 5 minute walk on your break?

Let us know how you are doing now and we'll take it from there.

Stay strong and know that you can do this

[dboyd4182 in reply to EmJay]

At this point my reason for quitting is to be around for children. We have not yet had any but I want to be there when we do and I want to be healthy enough to run around with them and to be in his or her life longer. Right now I know I will not experience the withdraw until later but it is the act or the habbit that is killing me. I will try to change it up and just go for a brisk walk. Another question though...Is it better to quit cold turkey or to ween myself off of it??

[EmJay Partner]

Cold turkey can be done, but takes a lot more effort and you need to build up on your willpower. If you are a heavy smoker, I would only advise going cold turkey if you are really strong willed, have a positive outlook and really wanted to.

Either way, the problem I find is that most people think that they can just 'stick a patch on' etc or think that they will just 'grin and bear it' - and they will be okay. However, the success lies in the thinking ahead and planning to stop and stay stopped. Most people do not put that much thought into the psychological side of quitting.

I think that stopping for the purpose of being about for your children is a fantastic reason. It's also worth understanding that you are lessening your risk of now being able to have children too as smoking is a huge cause for fertility issues...

It sounds like you are heading off in the right direction, lets try and keep it that way

[Grenada1 17 Month Winner]

I was going all through the planning ahead bit, had decided to quit mainly because of the expense but then wham bam I have to go into hospital, the days leading up to this had me fighting for breath and physically unable to smoke, then six days in hospital on oxygen not being able to smoke.... the choices were taken from me in the end and Cold Turkey was taking place It seems there are loads of people on here that can offer good advice to you, people using all varieties of giving up..... just stick with whichever choice you make and know it is for your future family and yourself. xx

[Pinkiezoom 26 Months Winner]

Hey how are you doing today? x