Thinking about stopping smoking, stopping and staying stopped - its all a thinking game...

[EmJay]

Stopping smoking isn't just always as simple and easy as making a decision to stop, putting out that last cigarette and then that's it, job done. If only.... There's a whole process to get through, not only leading up to quitting (preparing), there's also a 'middle' part (stopping) and then of course there's afterwards (staying stopped)

Depending on your reasons for wanting to (or sometimes having to) stop will determine how the process will leave you feeling - before, during and after.

For some people, giving up smoking isn't necessarily about the positive health benefits it can gain. It can quite often be to try and save money for a particuar reason, a holiday, more clothes, nicer things in life etc... sometimes it may simply be that this habit is no longer affordable and there are other important aspects of your life that the money needs to go towards.. Bills, food, clothes, etc

Sadly, if the reason for quitting is because it's become less affordable, then the person who is stopping smoking will quite often 'miss' smoking and feel that they really have 'given up something', as though they have had to sacrifice 'something' to get 'something' better

I think maybe if we can help this type of person to find another reason to stop smoking, a more selfish (in a positive way) reason so that they want to stop because they 'want to' rather than having to stop because they 'have to'... If that makes sense?

If you are of this kind of quitter, and you are doing it just for the money, say you win the lottery this week (fingers crossed, as you never know!) would you be more than likely to carry on smoking....?

If this is the case, then although we can help you to stop and you may never smoke again, it will be highly likely that you will always feel that your missing your (so called) friend. This means you'll never be totally free from smoking

It's really important to try and think about 'why' you smoke and 'what' you get out of it? What reasons can you think of that leads you to believe that smoking is something that you want to do for the rest of your life?

What do you actually enjoy about smoking? Remembering that the word 'enjoy' tends to lean towards something pleasurable. Is smoking really a pleasure? Some people actually think it is

Thinking about the financial and health benefits if quitting; The financial gains to quitting is quite unbelievable. Smoking is so costly these days. A 20-a-day smoker can save over £2,000 a year. However, the health gains are amazing and you definitely couldn't put a price on these benefits. Physically and mentally, the benefits are endless. Physically, the way your body makes a speedy recovery from the damage that smoking does to it is unbelievable. Within 20minutes things start to happen... Mentally, smoking makes us believe that we 'enjoy' it, it leads us to believe it makes us think straight, alleviates our depression, makes us happier... When really smoking causes us all the opposite of these problems and can lead to you feeling far worse.

Thinking about stopping smoking and staying stopped, it really can be just as simple or as hard as you make it...

Just the way you 'think' about it can determine how your journey goes....

So come on... Think about it ;-/

[monky Administrator 35 Months Winner]

Emjay, that is so so true to life gal, I tell you

I thank you so much for posting this comment that is ace gal just brill

Cos I know it will help a lot of people to quit, if not quit it will make them think

Speak soon Emjay, and luvs ya

[Hidden]

I first decided to cut down on smoking (and this was before my trials and tribulations with the dentist that led me to ultimately decided to give up to save my teeth) to save money. It was September and was getting chilly, my husband tries to drag it out every year before he is willing to put the heating on as we live on limited means. We live in a very cold house and live under an almost constant cloud both summer and winter because we live at the top of a hill where clouds gather from both sides and meet in the middle. I decided to cut down on smoking and use the money I saved to put toward the heating costs because I was sick of being cold. Anyway the way I see it now and I am trying hard to keep politics out of this, but I hate Cameron and his cronies with a vengeance greater than the wrath of God. This is how I'm approaching the quitting smoking:

1. In 2010 I lost 3.5 stones when the Wii told me I'd crept into the obese range. I'm now in normal weight range and a healthy size 12.

2. When I dieted I took up cycling, and whilst I'm no Bradley Wiggins and am a fairweather cyclist I did cycle 1,000 miles last year, a lot of them shopping miles so as well as keeping fit and healthy I saved a fortune on diesel, thus depriving our grabbing Government of at least some fuel duty - ha.

3. And so to smoking. Every budget, successive governments take more and more in tax from the smoker under the guise that they're trying to save the health of the nation. Whatever. It would be interesting to know just how much of that £2,000 a smoker can save in a year is tobacco duty. Statistics show that a good number of those who 'give up' smoking will go back to it within 12 months and the Government know it. They're not interested in saving the lives of smokers, they're living off the backs of smokers, taking advantage of the fact that its addictive, that more often than not its those from poorer socio-economic backgrounds who will continue to smoke no matter how much they increase the duty on tobacco. How perverse that a country is willing to use the money it takes from people who are effectively slowly killing themselves to bolster its coffers.

So by stopping smoking, which I'm determined to do I will be stopping the haemorrhaging from my pocket into the treasury and I so hope every smoker can do it just for a poke in the eye to the Government and they will then have to look at other ways to earn a bit of cash. By staying slim, fit and healthy and stopping smoking I hope to live to be 100 in order to make damn sure I get back out of this country what I've put in. They might be cynical reasons for stopping but every time I see Cameron's face and his debilitating policies its the best motivation I ever need to stop.

[monky Administrator 35 Months Winner in reply to Hidden]

Sinfree, Ive read your comment 3 times over, and I cant fault you 1 little bit gal

your words are how it is gal, i think we should nominate you to be the Prime Minister, its about time we had another Lady at the top

Hey you keep in there Sinfree, your doing just great gal you are

Luvs ya Pete

[Hidden in reply to monky]

Haha thanks Pete, how are you getting on with your champix, we're on 2 tomorrow, Im going to set a reminder on my phone for the second one or Im likely to forget.

[Wonder]

You are all speaking so much sense, and I love being a non smoker. I had tried for years and years to stop. I really thought I loved smoking. It was my vice and a bit of a treat. But now being free I realised I was a slave to being addicted to nicotine and nothing else. I was a slave to always having to have a pack of fags on me, filling up with petrol meant I would get 20 fags to go. What a waste. I also pay enough tax and they are not getting any more from me from my smoking habit as I am free and will stay that way forever

[Stella62]

Words of inspiration are making my decision to quit sooner a reality.8months after being diagnosed with copd I still haven't managed to stop although I am constantly thinking about it.

[Hidden in reply to Stella62]

Hi Stella, you have nothing to lose by trying. Am sure Emjay could give you lots of helpful advice on making a plan to stop, after all planning isn't stopping - take it 1 step at a time.

[Wonder]

I think by reading blogs by Emjay make so much sense, she knows what she is going on about and never judges and I think Stella you may now be ready to quit, we are all behind you too

[Stella62]

Thank you sin free and wonder I just feel determined that I am ready to stop, have also been reading emjay plan about stopping smoking and feel I am able to do it.

[Orkneysarah 25 Months Winner]

I am for one of those people who has stopped because of the financial reasons.

If I won the lottery (a big win that is) I have absolutely no doubt I would start again unfortunately