Quitting smoking - The first day of the rest of my life!

[alwaysskint]

Well, ashamed to admit, I've been a 40 a day smoker for as long as I can remember :-(

Tried to quit several times before, always found a reason, any reason legitimate (contradiction really as there's never really a legitimate one lol) or not, to go back on the fags.
Not eaten so I can afford cigs instead.
Resorted to emptying the penny jar and roll ups when finances have been really bad.
Finally accepted to myself that I don't even enjoy smoking and haven't done for a long while but have found it really hard to stop.

Just been reading Allen Carrs book, bought for me last time I decided to quit, but never got around to reading it - hmmmm!
OMG! Everything he's said is true. Me thinks the light has finally dawned and now it's time to start fighting back!

I am just about to head off to have my final cig, but thought I'd post on here first for purely selfish reasons.

1. I live alone with my two kids, therefore, I don't have someone I can get support from. If I failed, no one else would know, so by posting on here.... I know someone else knows now lol
2. NHS methods of smoking club etc really hasn't appealed to me... several reasons really, telling me of the reasons why I shouldn't smoke, which I already know - the damage it does, the cost etc doesn't make me want to quit! If it did, I'd have quit years ago
3. Hoping there's someone else out there that may be in the same position and this thread could help them too.

I've always considered myself a 'die hard smoker' on 40 a day, with absolutely no willpower where cigs are concerned. The dreaded weed has always won. So this is going to be a bit of a diary too, if that's ok. I accept that there are going to be good and bad days, and I promise I will be honest in my endeavour to quit
The biggest thing for me has been fear of quitting, fear of failure, going into the unknown, and the belief that I won't be 'able to cope' without fags.
The book has shown me where my thoughts have been misleading me. It's hard to get your head around it at first but it's true. I have been lying to myself for almost 27 years, and that makes it worse :-(

Using the book for guidance, and a self imposed vow and promise: 'I commit one day for every year I've smoked to quit' today is the day I become a non smoker

Happy Sunday everyone lol
x

[Riz]

Re: Quitting smoking - The first day of the rest of my life!

I found that the patches worked.

Obviously you still need will power, and they don't get rid of 100% of the craving, but they reduce it to a manageable level.

Good luck.

[roomtobreathe]

Re: Quitting smoking - The first day of the rest of my life!

Congratulations on making such a choice.

I gave up 17 years ago after a few false starts. Never wanted a fag from the day I stopped.

Although I expect a few DCAs we know could get me reaching for the Old Holborn.

Here's to you!

[confused76]

Re: Quitting smoking - The first day of the rest of my life!

good luck alwaysskint...we're here for you! great idea to keep a diary...
xx

[alwaysskint]

Re: Quitting smoking - The first day of the rest of my life!

Thanks for your support Rizzle

Patches - allergic in a BIG way lol, my arm swelled up to the size of my thigh and itched like mad!!
Tried gum - eurgh
Cutting down - just prolongs the agony
Silk Cut Ultra - got used to them and smoked more in the end (blame that for being on 40 a day now)
Herbal cigs - thought it was the action of smoking I missed, it wasn't, it was the 'strength/thickness' of the smoke

Allan's book has made me realise that it's more to do with being in the right frame of mind. I've wanted to quit for years, but my mindset was all wrong, if that makes sense?

[Riz]

Re: Quitting smoking - The first day of the rest of my life!

Thanks for your support Rizzle

Patches - allergic in a BIG way lol, my arm swelled up to the size of my thigh and itched like mad!!

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!

Nasty.

I found that one brand itched like hell, while another were OK? Can't remember which right now? The clear ones were the better, whichever they are?

[LooLoo]

Re: Quitting smoking - The first day of the rest of my life!

Good luck and I am sure you will get lots of support here.

My ex was hard core smoker over 60 malborough reds - gave up through hypnothreapy - had two sessions.

Mr Looloo smokes......... never in the house - but funny no matter how skink he is still has cash for his cigs!

I don't nag - it is his life and his health - it annoys me when we are out for an evening and he has to keep getting up to go out for a fag - role on the summer for alfresco evenings out.

I think the only way to give up is have it in your own mind that you want to - you can't be nagged or forced into it - likes if someone took away my Vino......Arrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I'm a complete non smoker never smoked. However always been around smokers and as I said as much I dislike it - I never nag or moan (well sometimes a little bit when mr loo HAS to have a fag and makes us late for something!)

I really hopeyou do well and I'll keep up with how you are doing!

[alwaysskint]

Re: Quitting smoking - The first day of the rest of my life!

Awww Thanks guys n gals! Wasn't expecting such a rush of support so quickly

Had my last ciggy at 12.30 :-)

I'm able to be strong willed in pretty much every other area in my life, it's always been the cigs that I've struggled with. The way my mindset has been changed through reading the book is that my approach to quitting has been all wrong before.

The last cigarette is the problem - It's that one that creates the 'bad feelings(withdrawal pangs)' required for me to light up the next one, which will eliminate those feelings, for about half an hour and so the cycle starts again. I'm looking at being stubborn rather than using willpower!
Willpower and me is nil, stubborn and me is 110% lol, ask my kids hahaha.

I imagine a little monster inside of me, that needs feeding or it will die.
Cigarettes are it's food supply, so if I cut off it's food supply, it'll take time, but it WILL die of starvation.
I am not giving up cigarettes... I am gaining my independance from the hold the monster has on me.
If I had my time again... Would I start smoking? HELL NO!
Did smoking cure the feeling of boredom? Nope
I do not NEED to smoke... I NEED to kill the monster before it kills me


I have now gone and put all the above on post it notes around the house lol

I have also now been a non-smoker for 40 minutes lol ;-)

Thanks for your support peeps, it is very much appreciated x

[billypre]

Re: Quitting smoking - The first day of the rest of my life!

good luck alwaysskint

The patches had a strange effect on me and unless you've had the same thing you will thnk it's weird BUT they gave me really really VIVID dreams. Hard to explain but it was really weird and unsettling lol, especially if it wasnt a nice dream !!!!

[LooLoo]

Re: Quitting smoking - The first day of the rest of my life!

Billy my ex had similar experiences with the patches!

Always skint - very best of luck to you now you are a non smoker woo woo

[confused76]

Re: Quitting smoking - The first day of the rest of my life!

patches made me ill too!

i still dream of buying and smoking cigarettes...buying in secret and feeling guilty! i wonder if those dreams will ever stop!

sounds like that book has helped....you can do it! xx

[IF]

Re: Quitting smoking - The first day of the rest of my life!

Always skint, well done you and best wishes on your first day

[Elsie52]

Re: Quitting smoking - The first day of the rest of my life!

Good luck alwayskint..........we are going to be with you all the way.

I've never been a smoker, but know plenty who have smoked and given up ......eventually.!!

You can do it and you have the support and encouragement from us.

Well done on being a Non-smoker for 1 hour and 45 minutes....

[Handyman]

Re: Quitting smoking - The first day of the rest of my life!

Hi all and good luck and success to all those who are stopping Smoking.

I have tried many times over the years, willpower patches and gum.

I tried Hypnotherapy once. I couldn't afford the proper guy, so I got a mate who is a stage hypnotist to do it for me! Only problem was I didn't stop smoking but I turned into a chicken.
As a wind up he told me that every time I was offered a ciggy I had to Cluck and Run around flapping my arms.
He thought it would make me keep away from the fags.

When anyone asked if I wanted a ciggy I'd start to cluck.

It only stopped me from buying my own as my mates at work were lining up to offer me one.

Keep up the good work, Cheers Handy.

PS I eventually got it reversed, now I only think I'm a handyman

[di30]

Re: Quitting smoking - The first day of the rest of my life!

Hiya

You can do it and you will.

A great start by posting on here, well done.

I see you have had good advice already.

Stick with it and imagine that jar getting fuller with all those spare pennies, adding up.

Wishing you the best of luck and whever you feel like you want to light another, just think of that money adding up, and we are here for you too.