I'm Worried I Can't Do This
Hi, I'm 51 years old & have been a smoker for over 30 years. I gave up abt 15 years ago for 9 months but relapsed & have been smoking a pack a day since. I have bought patches & gum & plan to start my quit campaign this Monday (20/1/20). I'm really concerned about whether I can do this, I don't have a strong will power but I really want to quit. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
hi tigerjim I gave up in November 2011 after having a heart attack , I used to smoke about 20 - 25 a day. I went cold turkey it was the hardest thing I ever had to do they say that cold turkey is the most successful way. I think for me a good distraction is a good strategy also every time you feel like one have a drink of water , also take a deep breath and say to your self I choose to be a non smoker. I found the first 3 weeks the hardest don't give up even after a setback eventually when you kick the habit you will feel a whole lot better and save a lot of money good luck mate.
Thanks heaps for your reply heart rehab, it means a lot to me. I know i won't be able to quit cold turkey which is why I have bought the patches & gum. As I'm single & don't have any friends or family who have had to quit smoking your support & advice is very helpful to me. I'll keep you updated on how I'm going. Once again thanks for getting in contact with me
Welcome tigerjim all you need to succeed is to want to quit more than you want to smoke. You have come to the right place for support, this is an awesome group here. Heaps of successful quitters recommend the Allen Carr's Easy way to stop smoking book. I just bought it myself and have started reading it. I am 13 days in and going strong. There is also a free link where you can read it online, under Happiness, one of our members she shares the link. You can do this, you just need to see the smokes for what they are, they're not your friend, they rob your time, money, health and do nothing for stress. It's just an addiction that we get fooled into thinking we enjoy. Time to take control back and you should really read Allen Carr's book😊
Hi Tigerjim, you have to let yourself go through the withdrawal. Don’t be scared of the withdrawal. It will only be temporary. If you find yourself thinking about smoking switch your brain to another topic. When you get nicotine out of your system your body is going to feel so good. I’m on day 13 of my quit and it feels so good. I have two cravings a day but they are temporary. I tell myself that just because I crave a cigarette doesn’t mean I have to have it just like when I crave a big piece of chocolate cake I don’t go out and buy it.
https://www.icanquit.com.au/story/15640/easy-way-to-quit-smoking-by-allan-carr YOU CAN DO IT
i was scared. i am laid up but i do not even think of smoking. i will recover.it is a battle won in the mind.
Hello tigetjim! Nothing to be scared of. Just take this one crave at a time. Always remember - a thought is NOT a command!
I was a serial quitter. I have had breast cancer and lost all of my teeth due to smoking and still I always went back to smoking. That was until a health professional told me I needed something to back up the patches - I chose the lozenges - and hey presto here I am 8 and a half years quit. Believe me when I tell you tigerjim if I can do this you can too! Just believe.
Make yourself a quitkit - patches, gum, sugar free gum, toothpicks to chew on, hard candy, bubbles to blow, puzzle books, straws to suck on. You get the idea.
Whenever a craving hits that you feel you can't handle practise the 5 D's - Delay having a cigarette until you have read at least 10 experiences on here, Distract yourself by doing something like a puzzle or cleaning out a corner of a messy drawer you have been meaning to attend to, Drink cold water, Deep breaths, Discuss by coming on here and telling us how you are doing. In reality a craving only lasts minutes at most and contrary to how you are feeling and what your addict brain might be telling you - it will not kill you if you don't smoke. On the contrary the next cigarette you light up might be the one to trigger a heart attack, COPD, cancer you name it your name is on every single one of these if you light up and continue to smoke.
I have faith in you tigerjim! As I said if I can do this you can too. Come on here every day, several times a day and tell us how you are doing. Preparation is the key and you have a plan now.
I won't wish you good luck tigerjim because there is no luck attached to quitting just sheer gut felt determination.
If you don't take the first puff you will succeed.
NOPE - Not One Puff Ever!
KYQ! - Keep Your Quit!
I used to say to anyone who’d tell me that I should quit that I have a will and I have power but I have no will power when I came to quitting. But guess what? If you really want to quit you’ll find internal strength to quit. Keep telling yourself that the time to quit for good is now and you will succeed.
Thanks so much for all the replies. You've all given me really good advice, which I will take on board. Hopefully this time next week I can report back on my 1st week as a non smoker
How's it going tigerjim?
You have been given alot of great advice from some very happy ex-smokers.
Has any of of it washed away any of your original concerns?
In any case We have to want to Quit more than we want that one puff.
And be prepared for a little discomfort if an urge pops into your mind.
I'm half way through reading the Allen Carr method and still not totally sure when to jump out of the addiction.
Have you?
Hi guys.
We are going on holidays tomorrow. So I will say bye for awhile. Apart from today and the rest of the night, I will probably not be online for quite a while? Ive got every thing sorted. Mindset, No fear, Food, Distractions, Mantras, even so looking forward to the pangs of the addiction hitting me physically.
Thanks to all that have tried to offer help.
I am supremely optimistic and confident this time.
Thank you!