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Gem's Quitlog

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  • 30-10-2012 9:28pm
    #1
    gem898
    Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭


    Hi All,
    Yesterday I made the decision to quit smoking. I haven't stopped yet. I'm a preparation freak so I feel that to do it correctly and successfully I need to prepare. D-Day is Friday

    Bit of background for ye: I'm 24, female, living and working in Madrid. I've been smoking since I was 13. I smoke on average 10 - 15 cigs a day. Sometimes more, sometimes less. My whole family smokes bar my youngest brother.

    Reason for quitting:
    My mum had a stroke 5 months ago and hasn't smoked a cigarette since. She was a heavy smoker 20 - 40 a day. I'm going home in 7 weeks for christmas and I want to enjoy it without stressing over when I can sneak outside for a cigarette without her noticing

    Preparation:
    Yesterday I said it out loud that I was quitting and told everyone in my office. (Accountability is important!)
    Today I bought Allan Carr's book from Amazon which will be delivered on Friday.
    Tomorrow I'm going into the chemist after work to ask for something to help me with cravings. I've read a lot on here but will see what they advise as well.

    The plan:
    I'm not going to do it cold turkey. I am going to do it gradually.
    • Weeks 1-2 is no smoking while at work. I won't be bringing my cigs into work and luckily there is only one other smoker in the office so its not a social thing for me at work.
    • Weekends 1-2 will be cutting down to max of 5 cigs in the day and trying to keep busy so I will hopefully need less.
    • Week 3 is to have 1 cigarette in the morning before work instead of the usual 2 or 3 and 1 cig after work. Same goes for weekend 3.
    • Week 4 is the week where I cut out that god awful morning cigarette.
    • Week 5 I will cut out the second cigarette in the evening and be completely smoke free.
    • Week 6 will be my second week completely smoke free.
    • Week 7 I will be at home and smoke free.

    The plan may be changed. I think I might be able to move things along a bit quicker but for my sanitys sake I chose to be realistic about it.

    Sorry about the long post but it is important for me to have it written down and for me to be accountable for my actions.


Comments

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    #2
    username123
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,484 ✭✭✭username123


    hey there.

    No offence, but I think what you are doing is just torturing yourself and I honestly dont see how anyone could quit following such a drawn out plan. Your desire to quit right now is strong so take advantage of that and, eh, quit!

    Seriously, when I quit in January, it was 3 days of big hell, 3 weeks of small hell, and then I was free and that was it. And the 3 weeks of small hell are not that bad.

    Theres no way I would have done a long drawn out plan because I know that somewhere in the 6 or 7 weeks something would happen and because I was still smoking a bit, I would justify smoking a lot more, and it would become the long finger quit attempt.

    The thing to know is this:
    You imagine that life is going to consist of your brain constantly torturing you to smoke ALL THE TIME. And that all the time you have to be vigilant in case you walk by a smoker and mug them for their cigarettes or you become weak and run into a shop to buy some etc...

    Its not like that though. Thinking about quitting is much worse than quitting. The reality of it is that your brain doesnt shut up for 3 days - but you know that, and you are prepared for that. After the 3 days, your brain just gets sick of thinking the same thing all the time and slowly you start thinking of other things and forgetting about smoking. That happens more and more til one day you realise you havent thought of smoking at all for a few days.

    And when you do get a craving, its not like you imagine that you are tearing your hair out and in mental and physical torture for hours on end, it lasts a few minutes then thats it, you move on.

    Best of luck, but I would implore you to think about what Ive told you above because I think you are setting yourself up to do something in a way that makes it too hard to do.


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    #3
    username123
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,484 ✭✭✭username123


    gem898 wrote: »
    Each to their own. This is the way I want to do it and who are you to tell me I'm wrong to do it the way I want to.

    I dont appreciate your comment username 123.

    Best of luck to you on your journey.


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    #4
    bladebrew
    Registered Users Posts: 1,673 ✭✭✭bladebrew


    gem898 wrote: »
    Each to their own. This is the way I want to do it and who are you to tell me I'm wrong to do it the way I want to.

    I dont appreciate your comment username 123.

    Im sorry but that is a terrible attitude towards someone trying to help you, i found boards members to be a great help to me quitting,

    im with username123 on this, do let us know what happens,


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    #5
    gem898
    Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭gem898


    Look I understand where you're coming from but when I read usernames first commment... it started with "no offence" that puts my back up straight away and then he continued to berate the way I have decided to quit smoking. I'm not saying my way is perfect. I'm not saying that I'm going to follow that route. as it says in my plan, it is subject to change depending on how I'm doing with it.
    I have done my research, I've read the boards and found it a great help.

    Username123 I apologise, at that particular moment. I had woken up and I was about to start the morning without my first cigarette.. So I'm sure you can appreciate I wasnt in the best frame of mind and your comment just hit a nerve and I felt as though you were belittling me rather than supporting me.

    So I wont be posting here again about my journey.


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    #6
    Missy Moo Moo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 240 ✭✭Missy Moo Moo


    gem898 wrote: »
    .

    Username123 I apologise, at that particular moment. I had woken up and I was about to start the morning without my first cigarette.. So I'm sure you can appreciate I wasnt in the best frame of mind and your comment just hit a nerve and I felt as though you were belittling me rather than supporting me.

    So I wont be posting here again about my journey.

    I think it was pretty obvious with the long detailed post username123 took the time to put together, they were doing anything but belittling you.

    Best of luck.


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    #7
    username123
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,484 ✭✭✭username123


    gem898 wrote: »
    Username123 I apologise, at that particular moment. I had woken up and I was about to start the morning without my first cigarette.. So I'm sure you can appreciate I wasnt in the best frame of mind and your comment just hit a nerve and I felt as though you were belittling me rather than supporting me.

    Thats because of the way you are torturing yourself. If you actually listened you might be past all that by now :)

    But dont worry, post away, Ive no further interest in wasting my time posting trying to help or encourage someone with such a bad attitude.


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    #8
    Love2love
    Registered Users Posts: 1,257 ✭✭✭Love2love


    Can I just add that I found Username123's posts to be a complete godsend to my quitting. She is a month ahead of me on quitting and I know in the first 3 weeks reading her comments and encouragement were at sometimes the only thing keeping me from smoking. 9 months off them over the weekend :D:D


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