giving up smoking

nellykelly

I am contemplating giving up smoking Monday with a friend of mine who is also a heavy smoker.I am bricking it!Ive tried giving up many times before lasted a week to 9 months but always seem to go back on them. This time I'm thinking of totally torturing myself and going cold turkey without all the razzamatazz of the giving up smoking aids as I've tried them all! The drink on the sofa on a Sat nite will be the killer any advice

rushian

Hi Nellykelly

I gave up on the 1st and nearly up to day 11. I gave up many times before using patches, lozenges etc but always ended up going back on them.
I was smoking for 16 years averaging 20 a day
This time I am determined to stop and I think that is the difference. I am giving up for me and not someone else.
Dont get me wrong - the 1st 3 days are hell but it gets easier. I ended up out drinking last Friday and Saturday night. On friday it was horrible for half an hour - after that I didnt care. Pretty much the same Saturday night. I found I was drinking a lot quicker though.
I still feel like I have a cold and my lungs are clearing out but my bank balance is definitely better off and I just feel healthier. its a great feeling to wake up in the morning not having smoked the previous day.
I am not going to pretend that I am now a non-smoker but it does get easier every day.
Just remember - one day at a time

barney4001

good luck with it

Sp00ky

Stopping smoking is not so much about "Giving up" but more about stoping the cycle of adiction.

Usually, when we smoke we get a nice feeling, and when we can't smoke for some reason, we don't feel good. Even the thoughts of stopping is uncomfortable. The nice feeing we get from cigerettes is due to our addiction being fed and the cigerette is the hypo for that addiction. Nothing new in that I agree, but I think its worth pondering on it. I think its worth reflecting on the fact that we are slaves to a drug.

When you think about that for a few weeks, ask yourself, do I want to be a slave? do I wan't to be ruled by a stick of tobacco for the rest of my life?

Don't get bogged down with the dammage it's doing to you because thats a road to nowhere.

Make a decision, who is boss? you or it?

Whatever you decide, decide., and move on with your life.

Best of luck with it!

Jonybgud

The very best of luck to you. I think if you focus on the positives it might make it easier for you.

I gave up on the 5th of January, last year and concentrated on my breathing, the taste of food and drink, the smell from my cloths and my breath, not having to find an open shop at 11pm, not spending a fortune, being able to walk a half mile without wheezing.

It is taking a while but my health is getting better and that alone is keeping me off them..:), I've also noticed I cut down dramatically on salt usage as I can taste my food again. My fascial skin is not red and blotchy anymore and after a really heavy night my fingers and toes would tingle. All that has stopped, I feel about 20 years younger.

I used to only smoke when I had a drink, funny thing was I would have to have a drink every night. When I gave up I discovered I didn't need a drink every night, in fact I found out I was having a drink so I could smoke not the other way around.

Anyway it worked for me, so good luck.

pauline o mahony

i want to give up smoking so much,is there anyone out there that is trying at the moment:(

Bearhunter

Put out my last fag at 7.25pm on January 31 and haven't smoked since. Not the easiest thing I've ever done - I've been a smoker for 30 years (early starter) and a pack-a-day man for the past 20 years. Went cold turkey and five weeks on I can honestly say that was so much easier than I thought it would be.

The first week was hellish, right enough, and I nearly mugged a passerby for a drag, but diversion worked, keeping busy and avoiding my usual "have a fag" scenarios. By the end of week two I was flying.

What kept me sane was telling myself that I was only giving up for a month and that I could, if I felt like it, have a fag on March 1. Of course, by then the craving was long gone.

pauline o mahony

well done i hope il be as good,i have picked my day so fingers crossed,you did very well congrads to you.pls if u have the time keep me posted on your up and downs.regards pauline

Cazzie_5

Bearhunter wrote: »

Put out my last fag at 7.25pm on January 31 and haven't smoked since. Not the easiest thing I've ever done - I've been a smoker for 30 years (early starter) and a pack-a-day man for the past 20 years. Went cold turkey and five weeks on I can honestly say that was so much easier than I thought it would be.

The first week was hellish, right enough, and I nearly mugged a passerby for a drag, but diversion worked, keeping busy and avoiding my usual "have a fag" scenarios. By the end of week two I was flying.

What kept me sane was telling myself that I was only giving up for a month and that I could, if I felt like it, have a fag on March 1. Of course, by then the craving was long gone.

Small world and I didn't think I would come across an old friend from other forums.

I'm just thinking how many cigs we must all have gone through while laughing and crying on a forum, anyway well done.

Bearhunter

Cazzie_5 wrote: »

Small world and I didn't think I would come across an old friend from other forums.

I'm just thinking how many cigs we must all have gone through while laughing and crying on a forum, anyway well done.

How are you me ould mucker? Still puffing away yourself?

brendansmith

I gave up mid feb 2010.
I had tried quitting before but always failed.
The thing you have to do is change your routine. As the OP says, 'the beers on the couch on sat night will be difficult' yes of course it will. But instead of sitting on the couch going mental maybe you should give the beers a miss and go for a long walk and get into bed when you get home. Just for the first while so you are not sitting thinking about how lovely a fag would be for hours while getting drunk and more likely to relapse.

The key to keeping focused is iving yourself a pat on the back after reaching key milestones.

brianthelion

I gave up smoking in 2003 cold turkey after smoking for over 30 years 2 packs a day,when I held my grandaughter in my arms for the first time,I thought I want to be at her wedding and I haven,t smoked since.Just 3 years ago I had a heart attack and I had to have a triple bypass and the Doc told me only that I gave up the smokes when I did,I would not have made it,when ever I had a bad moment I prayed to St Therasa to help me.Its not easy but you can do it You are bigger and better then they are.

Cazzie_5

Bearhunter wrote: »

How are you me ould mucker? Still puffing away yourself?

Not bad at all, and no been off the cigs for 33 days now , not that I'm counting hahahaha

Orion

Ha - no - we never count. I have no idea how long I'm off them at all. At a guess I might say that it's 14 months and 11 days ... give or take an hour or two.

susanweir

Very funny Macros42!!:D
(......63 days 12 hours)