Before you reach your quit date, try to understand what part of smoking actually satisfies you....

[EmJay]

Quite often, when somebody decides that they would like to give up smoking, they jump straight in at the deep end without giving much thought, if any - to what part of smoking they feel they will actually miss when quitting. It is quite useful to try and understand what it is that you think you enjoy about smoking, both physically and mentally. Here is a simple thought provoking exercise to try before your quit date;

1. Don't worry about stopping smoking but become really aware of each cigarette or roll up that you smoke and the whole process of smoking each individual one. What do you believe you really enjoy about it? Is it the making the roll up, getting the cigarette out of the packet, puffing the cigarette in or blowing it out?

2. Next, again without trying to stop, try and go for as long as you can without smoking. However when you feel that the craving is too much, really think about what it is that you are feeling... Does it feel physical? Is it in your tummy? In your chest? Does your mouth water? Does it feel more in your mind? Like you can't concentrate? Feeling a bit tense? Upset?

3. When you feel that you can't take anymore of this awful feeling, go and get your cigarettes.

4. Notice at which point does any part of this action take that awful feeling away. You may feel better once you pick up your cigarette packet... without even having to light your cigarette. The feeling may go when you take the first puff in, maybe when you blow it out. The feeling may not even go until you have finished smoking and put your cigarette out.

Only you are able to recognise and answer any of the above for yourself then you can work on the next step of moving towards your quit date.

The key to successfully stop smoking and staying stopped, is all in the thinking, planning and preparing beforehand.

You really can do this

[thenunn]

wow ..i just read this and spooky ,for the last few days I've been doing just what it says here,however it normally occurs just after Ive lit up..so I need to bring the thinking forward. For me I think it is mainly mental,the little nagging voice,so i roll up ,light up and within a couple of puffs wonder whay im still doing this. When i go three or four hours without ,i feel more relaxed and 'natural'. I bought myself a hypnosis cd ,which ive been listening to for the last four days..I'm hoping ,all this work will aid me in my quit

[mj51 9 MONTH WINNER]

I have been hovering around this site for months thinking I did not want to say anything until I had given up for a few days at at least. I guess I was scared to commit in case I failed .Seeng this post made me realise i do need to plan and that thsi site might help me approach the whole thing in a way that gives me greater chance of success. I will do what is suggested above and I already know some of the answers

. I smoke partly as a weigth control measure. I started smoking at 17 because I thought I was fat ( I wasnt but my role model was Twiggy ) I smoked instead of snackng in the evenings . I am still weight conscious but at 61 this time really am overweight - not by much but by about 1 1/2 stone. The thought of gaining weight if I stop smoking puts me off even trying to be honest as I would like to lose the weight as much as I would like to stop smoking. Is it possilbe to do both?