Today at 11:02 AM
Hi, I've nearly got to the 3 month mark (on 16th April) after smoking for over 46 years. So I'm feeling pretty good but... every now and again I feel like I'm really missing something. So I've joined up here for a little bit of extra support and it helps to read other peoples journeys and see how they coped.
Good Morning Welshmum - it's so lovely to meet you and a very warm welcome to this very friendly community!
A massive congratulations on your quit, wow 3 months on Wednesday, that is fantastic so very well done to you! 
I know that people who have been stopped for the same length of time as you or longer have also commented on this feeling (I'm not there yet 
) but I'm sure that some of the others will be along shortly to say hello and explain about it, and hopefully that will keep you strong.
In the meantime congratulations again on your wonderful achievement and I hope you are feeling very proud of yourself because you should do!
best wishes
Chrissie
Hi Chrissie, What a lovely welcome.. Thank you very much. Yes it's nice to be counting in months instead of days or weeks. l
Last time I quit (about 6 years ago) I managed about 3 1/2 months. So I'm feeling a teeny weeny bit vulnerable at the moment. Are you counting in days or weeks? How long have you quit for?
Thanks again. x
Hi there,
I am 2 and a half months into it, and recently i too have felt the urge to have a real smoke, ( i am an ecig user ) .. not sure why, but i guess its after years of always having them in our lives it is a massive loss, i had nearly smoked as long as my mum had been in my life before she passed!, and i am not over that fully, so i guess its a grieving process for us too x
Thanks for replying Pinkiezoom. Sorry to hear about your Mum. All of us who have lost our Mums realise we have lost that one real special person in our lives that can never be replaced.. We just have to keep their memory alive for as long as we live. x
Hi WelshMum and welcome aboard. Yep, come and join in the chat - having a laugh or a moan and we'll help to keep you on track.
Hi Welshmum, welcome aboard, you've come to the right place. Lots of help here and great fun too. 3 months welldone x
Hi Briarwood, It's over 7 years now and I am still smoke free!!! Thanks for your encouragement.
Can I ask did you use anything to help you? I am on the ecig and couldn't have done it without that and the great support here x
Oh forgot to say that like you, I was smoking for over 40 years and I guess that when you're doing something for that long, we don't get over it in a few days just like Pinkiezoom said, it's a long process and an ongoing one. But if we stick together, we can all do it. Get through the difficult times and celebrate the good times x
Thanks for the wellcome and support. I used the Zyban pills. About 6 years ago I used Zyban pills, quit for about 3 1/2 months then went on Holiday and had one.. that turned into 2.. that turned into 25/day. So this time I must not do the same thing. I'm going away again in 3 weeks, just for a week's holiday and it kind of scares me a little. I must NOT do the same thing again.
You know I had my first holiday since quitting last week, and I did feel left out, and a little annoyed that I couldn't sit and enjoy a coffee and smoke in Paris and watch the world go by......but then i realised lots of non smokers where enjoying it, and they didn't feel like they were missing out, as new non smokers we are NOT missing out, we are gaining, when I thought about it, the money I hadn't spent on cigarettes had effectively paid for my holiday, and I could taste the coffee better, smell the hanging baskets, and more importantly I should now live longer to enjoy all these little things over and over again SO we arent missing out at all are we? we are just enhancing all the fab things life has to offer. Its all about mindset I guess, and when i chose not to feel hard done by i realised the benefits....but i wont lie it was hard lol x
Yeah well said Pinkie, you really hit the nail on the head there. I shall think of that when I go on hols next month x
Hi Welshmum, Welcome, Like you I had smoked for 45 years, and I am an e-cig user at the moment couldn't have quit the cigs without it !! You will get plenty of support on here, we are all in it together. We are all affected physically and mentally when quitting, but hey it's the greatest thing to do, as I always say I want to be a Healthier older person.
Good Luck, you can do it. Let us know how you are doing. x
Thanks for the Welcome and support.
It's over 7 years now and I am still smoke free!! Thanks for your encouragement
Hi there Welshmum,
I'm at just 7 months now (9th April) and if it helps any we went on holiday about 2 months into my quit. It didn't actually help that I HATED the place we went (Boa Vista in Cape Verde) but if you stay strong and determined then you'll be O.K. I took my Ecig and used that whenever I needed a smoke. I think as Pinkiezoom says MOST of us here feel the need for a smoke now and then, some days are better than others but if you just realise that mainly it's your brain playing tricks then you'll be O.K.
Write down any potential trigger situiations that have made you go back to smoking in the past (especially whilst on holiday) and think about how you can avoid or cope with then this time around. I also think it's maybe worth remembering just how FANTASTIC you'll feel if you get back from your hol and still haven't had a smoke. GOOD LUCK
Hi yellowsnowdrop (what a great name) Thanks for your support. I have now been smoke free for over 7 years. I do hope you are still smoke free too. Thanks for your support xx
Hi WelshMum
Welcome to Quit Support!
A huge congratulations to you on passing the 2 month mark and heading (very) fast towards your 3 month celebration
I'll pop your name up on our Wall of Winners - the place where every quitter is a winner Was your quit date the 16th January?
With regards to going on holiday and remaining smokefree, as long as you try and learn from your past experience and then plan towards having a smokefree holiday, then you will be okay Think about what was the lead up to you having that first smoke on your last holiday? Was it because you had had a drink? Maybe because that was your first holiday away as a non-smoker and so memories of smoking during your last holiday before came back?
What do you think you can do differently this time round?
- Take each part of the day as it happens. Don't focus on your whole holiday as trying to remain smokefree.
- Think differently. Try not to give 'going back to smoking' so much of your head space. You have chosen to not smoke, you have chosen to stop doing something that you no longer want to do anymore. Your mind can play tricks on you and one of those tricks is to trick you into believing that you really do enjoy smoking and going back to smoking will be good for you... It won't!
Remember;
- Your reasons for stopping smoking in the first place.
- Your reasons for wanting to stay stopped.
- How you felt when you went back to smoking.
- How you feel now as a non-smoker.
-To enjoy yourself! Just because you are now a non-smoker doesn't mean that you cannot enjoy yourself.
Remember our NOPE rule - Not One Puff Ever and as long as you stick to that you'll be fine.
Hi Welshmum, good to meet you
I was thinking a bout a good long quit a few years ago. I remember feeling something like you're maybe in at the moment. I was living abroad working on a project. I wanted to want to smoke, sounds crazy, but it was like I wanted to be able to satisfy a need, but to satisfy the need, I had to have the need. I had some champix, which was really effective in taking away the desire to smoke. I deliberately didn't use it because I wanted to want to smoke again. I wish I hadn't been so silly. I am a pretty weak specimin on this addiction front. I think we find comfort in old familiar ways, let's face it after 40 years it's got pretty familiar!
My familiar mind tricked me.
Stay strong, on your guard against this powerful and persuasive trickery. Living well, for the years ahead for you and your family is what matters, not some jiggery Pokery in your subconscious mind games.
Hey Welshmum,
I know exactly how you feel. I posted a question about this last week. If you check the questions section you will see my posts "Missing Smoking" I had some excellent replies which I'm sure will help you understand what your going through.
Ian
Hi Welshmum, welcome to quit support. 3 months is fantastic. Everyone on here has already given you good advice, so I wont repeat it except that if you stay with these lovely people on here you will get through any problems old nic throws at you. xx
Thanks for the update, 7 years is fantastic. Well done. 😊💕👏👏👏👏👏🌼
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