Hi all, first post here but would appreciate any comments.
I want to stop smoking, pretty much all day every day is spent thinking that I don't want to smoke anymore. I have been on and off patches, inhalators, ecigs etc for years yet I still smoke. Stopped for 3 months on Champix a few years back but tried again since unsuccessfully. Really feeling my health deteriorating because of the smoking. I know I can do it tomorrow but never today.
Anyone else been in this position and any tips on how to get past it? Every time I look at it it seems ridiculous as all I have to do is not do something! How can I get myself to the state my conscious mind wants me to be in? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
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Dc0u
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Just look at the other quits as trial runs and you know you really want to quit, so let this be your time to do it. You are in charge of yourself, so write down all the reasons you want to quit and stick em up on bits of paper around the house. You will feel better, look better and smell better for starters. Its a bit like mind games, you have to tell yourself you can do it. Have a read of some very inspirational posts on here and lots of helpful people to get you through. Our motto is NOPE not one puff ever, remember that and good luck😊x
Quitting smoking is hard, and in my opinion the hardest part is making that commitment to stop. If you make that commitment, then it takes all your strength to fight everything quitting smoking throws your way...You need to truly want to quit...believe in yourself and then as NIKE would say...Just do it
We have a great quit support community here helping each other through the tough times, celebrating the good times etc.. You can do this...Tomorrow will always be tomorrow until you make that commitment
Practice runs are over now ...plan to quit during Stoptober..read up on all that you can leading up to it....All the very best...and Believe
I'm 14 days in on not smoking. The biggest relief I have had is not feeling upset, depressed or disappointed in myself for smoking. It was beating me up inside. As the days go on I promise it gets easier and you feel so proud of youself each day you wake up a non smoker. I quit cold turkey because I just said screw it I'm over this controlling my life, thoughts and happiness. It's tough to begin but if it wasn't difticult then more people would stop...it's an epidemic and each cig takes an estimated 8 mins of your life ( so I read). You are 100% strong enough to quit. It's the only socialblie acceptable drug. Yes it's a drug...no not one puff ever! You can concur. Just do it and go for it! Good luck
Hi DcOu, a big warm welcome to our lovely quit support forum
I see the girls have given you some tremendous advice and support
Dc, the one main thing that you have to do when you want to quit the smokes, is that you have to, really, really WANT TO QUIT put everything into it goooo for it
My advice to you Dc, is to set your quit date for the 1st October if you have a look at the Pinned Posts, you will see '' Stoptober quit packs '', have a look at that and send for one eh
Then, if you look in the Topics, down to '' Quit smoking plan '', and have a read through that and make your own quit smoking plan learn from your mistakes, try to remember WHY you had that fag What made you have that fag and if this happens again on your next quit, how can you deal with it
Dc, if you need any help to make a quit plan, then please just ask and we will try to help you you are not alone Dc, we are all here with you pal
Hey, I went through exactly the same smoked for 13 years, always felt i was almost ready to quit, just never got to actually doing it, tried all the tricks nothing worked. Finally i got the flu didn't smoke for a week and then i just went cold turkey. The hardest part was between week 2 and 4. Its always on your mind, it does get way easier trust me after a while it fades away. Clean for just over 4 months now, barely ever think of smoking. Feels like i am a changed person, stop all the tricks and do not at any occasion or under any circumstance consume nicotine, via e-cigg, patches, gum or whatever method. It wont help it just prolongs your suffering. Go cold turkey, fight it with all that you have, and just keep your stomach full, if you feel hungry you will wanna smoke, drink water if you think of smoking, chat to your friends or family anyone worth telling and knowing they will support you, don't tell people who will not help you or discourage you. Keep chatting on this forum and ask for advice and remember every time you want to smoke tell yourself you are a non smoker and you are better/stronger than that little nicotine monster inside you. Just work through the pain, believe me there is no shortcuts, the pain is worth it when you finally succeed, and you will know when you succeed, it won't be a time thing, it will be a feeling you get, knowing you have beaten that little monster. Just keep thinking that in a short while you will be able to breather better, yes some people do get tight chest, it seems to be quite common, its just your body clearing the gunk out. I still have tight chest 4 months in, not all people do cough stuff up, i barely did, just in the first few weeks but i had bronchitus to i think it helped me out there lol.
I used to get quite sick when i was smoking with bronchitus, got sick again after i quite and doctor told me 2 months in that if i had still been smoking i would of had bronchitus again, so luckily i seem to have beaten bronchitus as well for now.
You will definitely taste stuff way better and that tired feeling you have, you probably don't even realize you have it, it's there constantly because of the smoking, once you quite you have extra energy for no apparent reason, plus the first week seems to give you a nice head rush, all the extra oxygen your brain gets haha. Just believe in yourself, tell yourself you can do it and then once you have quit you will look back i promise you and tell yourself wow why did i wait so long it really wasn't that hard, even though it might feel that way now, i promise you it is not. Just make that decision and then the rest will come day by day. Oh and besides all these great benefits of quitting, you will not just feel better , you will be healthier , and as an added bonus you will save a fortune. Go and sit and make a list of pro and cons it helps as well, guarantee you your list for pro quitting will be way longer than the alternative. so good luck push through and remember its just one small but very important decision away of being a healthier person. Ps. Even if you think it won't hurt, don't ever put your lips on a smoke again, not even that one ciggy everyone says ah it wont hurt, its just one. We all know that one is the decider to start smoking again. Ciao
Don`t think it`s the conscious mind that the problem lays with. Whenever we have any thought, the mind in a split second looks to the sucbconscious mind to ok it. The smoking habit is in the subconscious mind, so you need to re train those habits.
To get you started. Find out what triggers off those thoughts off to need a cigarette-
*1st : ask yourself the reasons why you smoke. Write a list – stressed out – bored – to help concentration – relaxing – or simply enjoy – anything other reasons ?
*2nd : ask yourself what situations leads you to smoking a cigarette. Write a list – at the end of a meal – before going to bed – with a drink – on the phone – maybe you can add more ?
Note on List 1 and 2 – These are the associations you have established with cigarettes that triggers and perpetuates the habit. Start to be aware of these feelings and situations and go do something else instead.
*3rd : ask yourself what are your reasons for quitting Do this for you primarily, not to please some-one else; make quitting your decision. Write a list of how quitting smoking benefits you personally. Then add the other people in your life it will positively affect.
Note on List 3 – Keep the reasons all in the POSITIVE and as specific as possible. For instance, if you are wheezy every morning, ” I don`t want to wheeze ” wrong, instead say ” I will breathe easier when I get up each morning. ” “My breath will be fresh, I will save money, I can run around with my children… anything that resonates with you. Write them down and read them every day as a personal reminder.
Hope this helps to give you a few pointers.
If all else fails, find an established hypnotherapist who will guide you through and help you stop smoking and free you up so you won`t be bothered either way about cigarettes. Remember, smoking is not an addiction, but a habit that you created and can now re-create. If it was an addiction, there would be certain times and places were you wouldn`t smoke- on a plane, with non-smokers, in bed etc., and there wouldn`t be people who decide to stop and do achieve this quite easily.
Thank you all for your kind support. Was on 30 a day, have cut down to 10 the past 2 days with the help of patches. Gonna aim for none tomorrow....see how it goes.
BriarwoodAdministratorLONG TERM WINNER in reply to Dc0u
Well done Dc, you're doing very well cutting back so keep moving in the right direction, you can do it😊x
monkyAdministrator35 Months Winner in reply to Dc0u
Heyyyy, DC, thats great news pal
So your using patches to help you well, why not get another form of NRT to help you too like the, mouth spray, inhalator, gum or lozenges cos these could help you at them flippin hard times eh and get you through
Just a thought Dc good luck
Remember, we are always here for you if you need help
Got it down to 8 today, Caved in on the way to work and grabbed 10 from Tesco - different route with no shops to be taken tomorrow......
Got myself an inhalator though to try to get past that first thing in the morning issue. Thought about the spray but tried it before and the sensation of a welding torch in the back of the throat just didn't do it for me......
Oh well, try to resist the temptation tomorrow. Know it's doable...but too damn easy not to. At least going down, not up.
monkyAdministrator35 Months Winner in reply to Dc0u
Hi again Dc, sounds like you got it sorted pal as in, a different route and an inhalator for when you get up in a morning just flippin great
Rite, inhalator dont just suck it like you would a fag ! try tilting the front bit down, so that the tip in your mouth points up to your upper gum and have little sort of sucks at it, this way, you will almost get instant relief and it will last longer
Please Dc, if you havnt already, write down the WHY'S you want to quit preferably on a A4 piece of paper and stick it on your bedroom wall, so its there in the morning when you wake read it to yourself each morning, try to drum it into your mind maybe make a few copies and put one in your pocket sooo, if you have a bit of a to-do, just have a read at your list
It is doable Dc, cos loads of us on here have found that out, myself included and YOU CAN DO IT
Dc, you have until 24.00 hours to smoke them flippin fags you got left, then it 's flippin kick ass and gooooooo for it pal
OYYYY, you listening to me or am I talking to a brick wall
Dc, I wish you all the luck in the World but if it dosnt happen, then please come back to us and we will try to help you get through that hard time
We are not here to judge you in any way or form, nor tell you off we are just here to help you if we can
monkyAdministrator35 Months Winner in reply to Dc0u
Great news Dc, now, you flippin GOOOOOO for it
Dc, hi. My love affair with the fags started to end without notice, much like yours seems to be mate...I smoked to 'relax' mainly (if I had ten minutes without the kids, I was smoking!) It sounds like I'm trivialising the whole 'quitting' effort and please believe me, I'm not, I smoked for twenty years! But how many times were you told 'don't ever start smoking, most addictive thing you can do'... Once your head has decided it's an impossible task to quit, it makes it almost impossible to turn that thought process around. My point is, you can be whatever you want to be. You enjoy smoking, but you'Ve had enough of the guilt, the taste etc but you still enjoy Smoking. I was exactly the same. You won't be missing anything when you quit, other than the smokers corner 😀. It's quite empowering quitting, I used the lozenges and gum and am off it all now...got to do it when you're ready. It's wierd...you will feel different. Like something's missing at first but it's amazing to know you CAN do it... Just go for it, when you're ready...it's not as bad as you're expecting it to be!😜
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What made you have that fag 
Keep going back to smoking
But I thought quitting would help..
Don't Worry About a Thing, Because Every Little Thing is Going to be Alright
Tomorrow and it'l be 8 smoke free weeks, never thought l could do it!
