watching tv
I have smoked for 33 years and at 48 I'm several attempts down the road of trying to quit, today is day 5 of stopping smoking. Even though I have tried to stop before, I always end up starting again when under any form of stress, cigs are my 'go to' and even though I know this I haven't found anything else to do as my 'go to'. This time feels very different, Ive never done drugs and I drink very little alcohol and for some reason I have never understood peoples addiction with these, Ive always thought to myself, why don't they just stop its killing them!! But the same goes for smoking, and as ridiculous as it seems Ive never viewed smoking in the same way...until now. I watching a tv programme, and the actor was an alcoholic who was clean but was under stress and almost had a drink, but didn't. That was a real light bulb moment for me, and made me realise I was exactly the same as the character being portrayed, just a different vice. The character was told that she had everything she needed inside of her to get through the situation she was in and didn't need the Vodka to get her through. This made me realise that I have everything I need inside of me to stay stopped, it may well be a fight I have for the rest of my life (like an alcoholic) but its a fight I have decided I'm going to have!
I'm so glad you are not running from this fight rungirl You have seen the light, the truth of the cigarette. Yes we were just as much an addict to our nicotine which hi-jacked our brains. We kept on smoking, knowing how unhealthy , but we were so afraid we couldn't just quit. For years we stuck our heads in the sand because we could not bare to admit that we were weak, addicts, and slaves to the cigarette.
You already have a great advantage over the nicotine monster. You know the truth about it. The cravings are merely pleading cries from it. "Feed me, feed me ...pleeaaassssseeeee??????? If you ignore the cries, they go away. Or just smile and know you are the winner. The mindset is powerful, and you have it. You do need to keep busy and find other things to do. That is the hardest part about quitting smoking, the living as a non-smoker. Plan a busy day, take a walk, a shower, pet your furry friend, make a phone call. Soon you will adjust to being a HAPPY NON-SMOKER.
You have come to a great site with caring people, great advice and support. Read some posts and learn. You can do this!
P.S. We were addicts and as such learn NOPE .Not One Puff Ever. Just one can send you back into the rut of being a smoker again. Don't think for one moment you won't become addicted again because you will. There are many people on this site that come just to spare you from their mistake.
I'm hoping your on your merry way with your quit. I'm at 7 weeks quit and feeling healthier but I'm still on guard against that filthy Nico Monster.
Especially at this time of year I'm Saying NOPE . NO THANKS I DONT SMOKE