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, so lets start by taking just one step at a time
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EmJay
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I hope your well have you set a date yet or are you waiting until after Christmas, when all the hum-ding has finished and you can sit back and have a chat to yourself, on how you are going to do this
Hopefully speak soon gal
Pete
Hi. Think I will wait until after Christmas/ new year.
Strange...last eve focusing on your above tip (best I have ever had) I had finished a pack and wondered why I wanted another and thought I actually didn't really want one so I didn't go get another pack and so had around 4 fags less than I would have done and still could concentrate on my crossword !!! hmm. am definitely smoking less . this morning it was a whole body feeling when I wanted and had my first one - delayed until after breakfast ! wow already am feeling better about this. x
The reason why you probably felt it as a 'whole body feeling' this morning was simpy because you hadn't smoked since the night before
Your body was just wondering when you are going to 'feed' it and give it it's next hit of nicotine. This is when it starts to 'kick up a bit of a fuss'.
If you hadn't been aware of the above exercise, you would probably have just got up in the morning and smoked as usuall (as part of your habit) and you wouldn't have had this feeling.
However, because you are starting to learn about how your body is 'asking' or 'demanding' a nicotine fix (the physical part), you are becoming more aware of the stopping process and how to deal with the physical as well as the psychological part of stopping smoking.
By not smoking straight away this morning, you have already begun to address and break the habit side. This has given your body a 'wake up' call and has started to show you how the physical side of not smoking works...
You have made a fantastic start
I would suggest that you carry on with the above exercise. You smoked 4 cigarettes less and look at how good you feel already. Imagine how you will feel when you quit totally
This is definately food for thought :)) i've just rolled ,lit and puffed and thought hard about which part it was...and i think it's the holding and putting to mouth..but the moment i take the puff im thinking why am i doing this..im not enjoying or getting any pleasure..its pure habit..in fact i have just stubbed it after 3 puffs. For me what happens seems to be more mental..I start to think cigarrette..then i think I dont really want one..then i start feeling aggitated and i want that to go ..so i start to roll(this bit is done almost subconciously)..i then have the finsihed cigarrette between my fingers i start to relax..i light it,first puff fine ,then I think why am i doing this.So i need to work more on the mental and riual thing,it seems.
I am so scared of stopping and starting again that I have kept putting off stopping..i know that much .
If i could go into 'rehab' for a few weeks..i honestly think that would do me lol
How you are feeling is pretty normal, many people do the same
I think its really good that you say you 'stubb it out' after 3 puffs, I hear of many people who recignise that they could put it out but as they've already lit it, they tend to think that they may as well smoke it. So well done to you for putting it out
Don't be scared about stopping, nothing bad is going to happen. If you don't feel ready over the next couple of weeks or so, we have 7 weeks to go before National No Smoking Day and so maybe we could help you to build up on your confidence and get you ready to quit then - Wednesday 13th March
The fact that you recognise that you have to work more on the mental side of things means that you are a great way into your journey already, also the fact that you are here, gathering all your information ready.
I think the next thing for you to do at this stage is to continue with all the above 4 points ad see if anything changes for you after a couple of times. It may be that you find your thinking starts to change...
See what you think, but please don't be scared about stopping
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or are you waiting until after Christmas, when all the hum-ding has finished and you can sit back and have a chat to yourself, on how you are going to do this 
What's your one big reason for quitting?
