So, 23/06/2009, 15:00 and I've decided to give up smoking.

L-M

3 years later, having tried a few times before and not lasting very long, I've decided to finally give them up once and for all.

This time three years ago, I was playing soccer recreationally for about 2 hours per day. Now, I can't run for 20 seconds without feeling tired, and I've decided to bring a bit of fitness back into my life. Gym, swimming etc. etc. and I really see no point in doing all this with the cigs still hanging about.

Another factor is the money, I love my car and I'd much rather have the money each week "wasted", as such, on my car rather than something I won't ever see again.

It's the health effects that worry me the most, and for the most part most of the people I hang out with don't smoke, so that can be of help to me.

I don't mind if people aren't reading this, but I need to jot some where or else I'll have no hope.

Wish me luck

L-M

3 hours in and it's starting to hurt. My mind is playing tricks on me, "Ah what are you giving up for" etc., tempting me to go to the shop and all that.

I'll keep going though. Tonight could be tough...

xp90

Stick at it like a good man, I know its tough trust me, but theres so much help out there (books, nicorette etc.) that whill help you along! Hang in there!

Broad

Good luck

Think:

Lung cancer
Osophageal and throat and oral cancer
actually increased risk of all cancer......

Emphysema - driving around in little cart with oxygen pod in tow until you eventually suffocate to death

Arteries stuffed with sticky fatty gunk - smoking doesn't make cholesterol rise but makes it stick together into lumps. Closing up the arteries leading to - joy of joys - heart attack! And paralysing and disabling - strokes! Fantastic.

I know this sounds terrible but this is how I stopped smoking after years and years, concentrating on the potentially appalling results of it. It made me quite depressed for a few months but eventually worked for me and am now over three and a half years off them.

Really good luck with it.

xp90

Also think about the other benefits, more cash (at 20 a day your spendin €60 p/week, spend it on something else you enjoy, i used to put the price of fags in a jar, at the end of the week I bought something nice ),plus youll be more attractive to non-smokers!!

L-M

Thanking ye.

I still haven't had one. Normally by this time I would of had one, but I haven't. Although, I'm going out tonight and I don't think I'll last. I'll see...

Pal

So far so good.

You are nicotine free for 20 hours now.

52 more to go then you are over the withdrawal line.

Get a piece of paper. tick them off.
You won't regret it.

Just get yourself thru the next 52 hours whatever it takes.

L-M

Having one cigarette will start the whole process over again, won't it?

Just curious...

Thanks also

ronanos

well how are you doing now. Nothing since 8.30am monday mornin for me. So anytime I get the urge now I tell myself I can have one. Sure no problem. I can have it in an hours time though. Ha. And then the cravin goes away fast and in an hour I dont want it anyway. Best of luck at it.

L-M

In the past three days I've smoked half a fag. I'm very happy, although it's getting harder and I can honestly say I miss them

ronanos

Dont go there. Go to the PC World and buy the 20 euro is all it costs ( 3 days of fags ) the DVD for Allen Carr. It takes 1 hour to watch it on your PC. So if you hate reading like me this is the business.

Dont waste your time messing around with half cigarettes, if your off them your off them simple as that.

Get that CD. Good day bad day but you will be so depressed with yourself if you put in all this effort and end up smoking again.

Allen Carr if I could only bring you on the magic carpet to the mysterious day 3 weeks from now where you have not smoked ANY (not even 1/2) a cigarette.

Well you wont know that good feeling day unless you do it. Give it a shot. Sure **** it. If its not worth it you can go back smoking then. So why not figure out if he really is talkin rubbish. Give it 3 weeks with no smokes and see if what he says is right. If it is great. If its not you can go back smoking then....

L-M

I only smoked the one due to having drink in me, and I took a puff off one because 20 people around me were.

Saying that, I don't really have a longing for one any more. I would normally smoke when I went in the car for a drive, or after a meal etc. but now all that is gone.

Dido1

Best of luck, i know how difficult it is. I gave up a few months ago and lasted almost 5 weeks, was really proud of myself but then got made redundant, I tried to tell myself that it would be ridiculously stupid to go back smoking, especially while not working and money being tight but the stress got to me and i'm back to my 15-20 a day, even though i am back working again so no excuses such as stress!

I am contemplating giving up again and I think a tread like this would be really helpfull so us "addicts" could give eachother some encouragement along the way.

Again, wishing you the best of luck!

L-M

Thank you!

I was just at a party, and I didn't smoke so I'm fairly proud of myself:D

Didn't think I would last this long, and I'm happy to be rid of the addiction

Beruthiel

Limerick man wrote: »

I was just at a party, and I didn't smoke so I'm fairly proud of myself:D

That's fantastic.
If you can do that at a party, then you've licked it and you now have no excuse if you ever take another puff!
With each week that passes, it gets so much easier.
I hardly ever think of them anymore. (Off them since Easter)

Lisnagry

Limerick man

I smoked 60 a day for 20 odd years tried many many times to give up using all the crap patches ,inhalers etc,etc nothing worked until I changed the way i taught about somking and cravings.Go to www.whyquit.com website it saved my life .Read all joel has to say about smoking it will put you thinking straight and i found it was not hard to give up at all.I have no taughts or longings at all anymore for smoking and know i never will again.I have not smoked for over 2.5 years and never will.

You can do it

Mike

IrishSerf

Good site but won't help me much 'cos I can't find the "I've been off cigs for two weeks now, but I really need help! or I'm gonna kill someone" section.

They are lovely aren't they? NO NO NO NO NO iwillwiniwillwiniwillwiniwillwiniwillwiniwillwin

Spurs101!

Congrats .......Trying to quit myself.
Went out Fri and smoked loads as my last nite on them, really annoys me that they could have that much of a hold on me - kept having reasons for the last few years like weddings, holidays, exams etc to smoke for another few weeks .......anyway havent had one yesterday or today so will keep an eye on this thread.

Is this a Limerick thing with Lisnagry trying to help you out ?

Who can stay off them longer ??

karasu

Lisnagry wrote: »

Limerick man

I smoked 60 a day for 20 odd years tried many many times to give up using all the crap patches ,inhalers etc,etc nothing worked until I changed the way i taught about somking and cravings.Go to www.whyquit.com website it saved my life .Read all joel has to say about smoking it will put you thinking straight and i found it was not hard to give up at all.I have no taughts or longings at all anymore for smoking and know i never will again.I have not smoked for over 2.5 years and never will.

You can do it

Mike

I praise you for showing me this page

cruizer22b

That is some website, Im off them 3 weeks now myself.

Lisnagry

Hope it helps ye

Mike

L-M

Thanks all.

Again, I was at another party last night and I didn't smoke.

I've actually completely blocked them out of my life, it's strange. Ok I get the odd craving, but nothing major. Something turned me completely against them (maybe it was the shame of coming back here to say I've began smoking again), but I just don't even feel the need for them.

I'm fairly routine based, and I smoked in a routine. Ie. when i was going to work, at my break, coming home, going here etc. etc. so once I've a week down, and the habit broken, I think I'll have it cracked.

Thanks to all again.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

I've decided to quit smoking today. I don't really know why though, I've known all about the health benefits to quitting and the general badness of smoking since I started but they've never really fazed me. The only thing I can think of that's changed recently is that I read this thread a few days ago when i saw it on the boards mainpage.

so thanks for that.

jesus, am I really that impressionable

L-M

The main reason I gave up smoking is I want to become healthier, and I started jogging. It didn't make sense for me to jog and smoke at the same time, so giving up was the only option.

It's strange, the only time I even think about smoking is when I read this. It's also strange the amount of people that have shook my hand and congratulated me on giving up.

I feel much healthier, and my breath doesn't smell like fags and also my pocket is that bit heavier

Best of luck to you in giving up.

My advice is if you have any routine where you smoked, as I said going home in the car, lunch breaks etc. try and get out of those first.

L-M

Spurs101! wrote: »

Congrats .......Trying to quit myself.
Went out Fri and smoked loads as my last nite on them, really annoys me that they could have that much of a hold on me - kept having reasons for the last few years like weddings, holidays, exams etc to smoke for another few weeks .......anyway havent had one yesterday or today so will keep an eye on this thread.

Is this a Limerick thing with Lisnagry trying to help you out ?

Who can stay off them longer ??

Sorry, didn't even see your post.

I was in the same situation as you. I always had something on that made me smoke for another few weeks. As you say, parties, exams, etc. etc.

I don't know if this a Limerick thing, but it could well be a Spurs thing too :P(Going by your user name and assuming to support Spurs:D)

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

I generally smoked one every hour so mysmoking routine was pretty hard wired in at this stage Ive been planning on getting on my bike for some exercise the last week or two, but every time I think about doing it I just had a cigarette and thought 'nah'. Hopefully now I'll actually get out and do it.

Spurs101!

Hope everyone's getting on ok .........

I'm still off them, only 4 days I know but find my head/sinuses getting freer already !..........I spend an awful lot of time thinking about them though, even dreamt about them last night - weird dreams and cold sweats also.

L-M

I've gotten very bad cravings last night and today, it's strange. Very, very tempted.

Spurs101!

Same here bigtime.
I think you convince yourself that during the week will be easier ..... seeing as you got over Sat/Sun - you expect Mon/Tue to be very easy in comparison and it isn't.

Thinks sites like this keep me hanging in though, I've come here and read threads,messages, forums etc and think I would have fallen if I hadnt - read through previous threads on sites like this and gives you some extra resolve, reason to continue.

IrishSerf

Hope you spurs fans haven't given in! I've been off them about 17 days now and you 2 won't want to be bettered by a Gooner, will ya?

Smoker for 25 years and REALLY trying this time for my daughter (only child) - want to be around to see her grow up. Anytime I'm tempted I think of her and THAT website picture, jeez. Wishin yall strength!

Spurs101!

Cheeers,
Best we could have hoped for against the Gooners over the past few years is a draw - so heres hoping we all stay off them. (Oh, besides that 5-1 hammering we gave ye in the semi final of the Carling Cup last year
;-)):D;)