I start the day with grit and determination and then get so angry with myself but it's like there is someone whispering in my ear that one won't harm but it does! Am I the only one that has an odd one, if not how do you overcome it?
I have smoked for over 40 years (started when I was 13/14 and know exactly why I started but am too ashamed to admit it openly!) and have had a 'disease' for nearly 15 years now which is, in all truth, made worse by smoking so any help would be very, very much appreciated.
Hi Buttons, for me it's all or nothing! With the right focus and determination you can do it. Whether its one or 20 a day the nico devils there and has to go.... Have you thought of e-cigs, they seem to work for lots of people....
Hello Bellabella Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my question and yes I have thought of e-cigs but for some reason my mind tells me not to use them as I will just be substituting one thing for another. I could go back further in time but take Friday for example. Last ciggie on Thursday at about 8.30 at night. Up at 5.30, cup of tea and watch a bit of the new then get my dogs ready for their walk and out of the door at 6.15. Walk the dogs for an hour and come back home and give them and the other half breakfast and then have mine. After breakfast, other half goes for his cigarette and I go in the quiet room and start tidying drawers - no problem. Go to work just after 8 o'clock (himself is retired so when he smokes during the day it doesn't bother me and to be truthful he is very good and smokes very little when I am at home and always goes outside which we both used to do never having smoked in the house. No problem not smoking at work as I changed jobs nearly seven years ago and for the first 3 years no-one knew I smoked would you believe. Early finish Friday so walked the dogs again for an hour or thereabouts. Come home, have a nice relaxing bath and then have tea. An hour after eating, the urge is so strong for a smoke that I could (literally) bang my head against the wall! Succumb to the temptation and all the symptons of my illness come back with a vengenance and I say to myself never again. Don't have another ciggie all night but come Saturday morning after doing the weekly shop it's 10 am and I have had a cigarette. There is no logic to it - I think I must be loosing it - one of my relatives used to say it's no fun getting old and to be perfectly honest, I am now very frightened that I will never quit the weed!
Hi ya Buttons, a big welcome to this lovely quit smoking support site Emjay one of our lovely quit support advisers posted this a while ago, just have a read through it
Little sweet Angel and Little red Devil
Posted by EmJay ROY CASTLE
3 days ago
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I thought I'd chat a little bit about this little pair here who you quite often find perched one on each of your shoulders
The night before you stop smoking, you generally listen to the lovely sweet voice of the little Angel, she tells you ;
"You can do this"
"You'll be saving so much money"
"You'll be so much healthier"
"Life will be better"
"I don't like smoking"
"I'll smell better"
Then the next morning you wake up, feeling okayish, then you reach for a cigarette and remember about making that decision to quit smoking...
Then the first craving sets in.....
The little red devil has a louder voice, he tells you;
"Go on, you can just have one cigarette to start your day"
"You can quit later"
"You'll feel much better if you smoke"
"You would have spent the money on cigarettes anyway"
"You know you really love smoking"
"It will affect your sense of smell, so you won't even know how bad you smell"
You overcome the craving, you don't realise it at the time until it comes back the next time. However, for it to 'come back' it must have 'gone away'. Remember this, as it is all part of your confidence building and learning that you are taking positive steps forward.
Little Devil: "Go on, just have one"
Little sweet Angel: "One will lead to another"
You: "I am not going to smoke"
Little Devil: "Just buy 10 cigarettes instead of 20"
You: " At least this will mean I'm still having a go, still trying"
Little sweet Angel: "You're doing so well, it will get easier"
You: " I am choosing not to smoke"
As the hours/days/weeks pass by you notice that both of these little voices will get quieter and quieter until eventually you won't have them about as often.
The voices of this little pair are only your own inner voice, it's important that you understand how powerful the words are that you say to yourself.
Keep your thoughts and words positive and remember that you are stopping doing something that you no longer want to do anymore.
Just wondered if you are using any NRT at all to help you speak soon.
Thank you Monky - that makes me feel a little better. I will quit because I do feel so much better when I don't smoke and if I have to go back to the docs for a diet sheet in three months then so be it!! Because I have had a ciggie today, I am going to say that tomorrow is Day 1 for me and will keep either posting questions or (at my age not sure if this is the right word) blogging throughout the day and possibly night so that my hands and fingers are kept busy.
Hi Buttons and Pete thanks for posting that ..thats exactly how it is isnt it
Buttons..this is a great place ,everyone is helpful,understanding and encouraging.You've said it yourself you much prefer it when you dont smoke. Good luck for Mothers day you can do it,one hour one day at a time . x Jan
Thank you - knowing that someone is there helps a great deal.
Hi Buttons, welcome to this lovely site :), I also quit to improve as i have a disease made worse with smoking, you can do this, as Jan said, one hour at a time, find things to distract your mind when the cravings hit, come on the daily chat and have a moan if you need to you, everyone on here is brilliant, you always get help, and a good laugh along the way, good luck for tomorrow Sue x
I have thought of ecig and had one for a while. Im stocked up with supplies,just stocking up on my mental no not smoking loads,5 -10 (skinny filter roll ups but still cigs) ,had one very bad day on weds .Sadly I let evrything get on top of me.
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Would you have chosen to smoke if you knew how hard it would be to stop ?
If I can do it you can x
