This is me
This is must be one of multitudinous attempts to quit. My doctor recommended me to this site. He makes out that it will make everything better, and I'm desperate enough to want to try. However there are many reasons to quit. The money, the suffering and the pain. Smoking has become my captor. Everyday within seconds of getting out of bed I reach to roll a smoke; this is the first smoke. I smoke at every opportunity, while drinking a coffee, before and after a shower, when I'm stressed, when I'm bored, when I'm happy. I finish off the day by having a smoke before I sleep, but this isn't the last. I will toss and turn and then go out for another one. The fact that I can't sleep at night just triggers me all the more to smoke. All my friends smoke, so that makes it hard. I find solace in the cigarette and that makes it harder. Although I really want to quit. I have for years. I've been smoking for four, and it shouldn't be that hard, but it is. Today is a fresh start. I've finished the last of my tobacco and I'm going to give it my all to quit; one day at a time. I miss the days where I was happy going to the shop to buy chocolate and not cigarettes. Incase anyone were to ask, I've tried every quitting medication. The prescriptions, the sprays, the inhalator. I need to do this cold turkey. I quit for two months once, it was cold turkey. I had a smoke one night when I had a drink and it was a slippery slope. I don't know if writing this out has helped at all, nor if anybody will read it, but I'm glad I have. The desperation in my own thoughts seems to be a good reason to quit. I really hope I can do it. Mostly, so I can be happy.
Hi Tisticus,
I hear you. I used to be the very same as you , smoke at every opportunity. I often woke up in the middle of the night to make a smoke, convinced that is why I can't sleep. You have a few quit attempts under you belt, so you have a fir idea of what to expect on this journey. The key thing for me was one day at a time. Plus that having one smoke,is not gonna happen , it will never be only one, so no point fooling yourself. It's a harsh NO.....never going back. for me it had to be final. I used the Champix for the first month and it really helped,it was my first attempt to quit so I knew it had to be harsh. I am over five months smoke free and no going back. I never in a million years believed that I could do this, never. This site is a massive support I know that without it I would have had that 'one'. I found listing to other people experiences of that helped me learn. I came close many times to having the one, but I knew it was all part of the game that nicotine plays..... it played a big part of my life for so many years and had a firm grip on me, so no point in kidding myself and going back for more. There are loads of posts here to read that are so helpful. Keep going and well done on deciding to quit , great decision and you will not regret it. One day at a time, or even one hour at a time if you have to. Stay strong ... you can beat this .
Hi Tisticus,
I hear you. I used to be the very same as you , smoke at every opportunity. I often woke up in the middle of the night to make a smoke, convinced that is why I can't sleep. You have a few quit attempts under you belt, so you have a fir idea of what to expect on this journey. The key thing for me was one day at a time. Plus that having one smoke,is not gonna happen , it will never be only one, so no point fooling yourself. It's a harsh NO.....never going back. for me it had to be final. I used the Champix for the first month and it really helped,it was my first attempt to quit so I knew it had to be harsh. I am over five months smoke free and no going back. I never in a million years believed that I could do this, never. This site is a massive support I know that without it I would have had that 'one'. I found listing to other people experiences of that helped me learn. I came close many times to having the one, but I knew it was all part of the game that nicotine plays..... it played a big part of my life for so many years and had a firm grip on me, so no point in kidding myself and going back for more. There are loads of posts here to read that are so helpful. Keep going and well done on deciding to quit , great decision and you will not regret it. One day at a time, or even one hour at a time if you have to. Stay strong ... you can beat this .
Your dead right about it being your captor . Being a slave to tobacco began to really sicken and disturb me . I have become a Christian over the last year and while I did not seek to "give up" anything . I simply spent one hour in prayer and bible study every morning, things just fell away or were taken from my life .. From within . I have been a substance abuser my entire life and this has been the thing that enslaved me more then anything . It has been 16 days now and with much prayer and earnest seeking for power I have been released from the filthy grip of tobacco . One day at a time really is the only way . Every day I pray for new strength . Not I but Christ in me . Bright blessings :)
Hi and welcome, your doctor was right this is the place for you, most of us on here feel very similar and had at one time been just the same smoking at every opportunity. I too have tried many times and am on day 4 today, staying strong keeping positive, using everybody's posts and support to get me through another day. You will read of many who are succeeding in their journey and that can help to inspire. Congratulations on taking that first step, good luck, keep posting and reading it helps!
Hi! Tisticus, I got the flu in July, then again in October
and got Bronchitis, went to the GP, and he referred me onto a Cardiologist for being short of breath who ordered a number of tests.But that visit recently mid October was
enough to make me think seriously about quitting, and I came across this site one day after googling Quit smoking
and have found it really encouraging to read the quit smoking journey of others and what gives me hope the most
is the honesty at how people find it hard, but keep pushing on, dont give into the voice of addiction to nicotine and keep on going.
On Sunday this week it was to be my Quit smoking day 1, cold turkey, because I had tried to get organised all set up ready to start right, got so far, got into turmoil,
and a muddle, and old habits die hard, so I delayed, did what I could, but started to get agitated, frustrated,
then did not know how to deal with it, tried to hold out,
but started getting angry then lost it and had a smoke.
Then I was mad at myself for losing it letting myself down, then got disappointed, believing that voice at the back of your mind somwhere that always seems to say you will never do it, or that Ive let everyone else down and
a vicious cycle of thinking goes on.
so i did not get a good start, but I can learn in this and from it better prepared for next time.
Yesterday was a very busy stressful hectic day, helping out
a friend I have known all my life who still smokes and
yep! we sat chatting eating and smoking afterwards.
Today I will get NRT support and use a combination of strategies not just rely on cold turkey alone because I had no idea how strong those withdrawl cravings can really get and a friend said not only am I addicted to nicotine but the chemicals too and mind over matter alone, will not work to stop making myself believe I can quit on cold Turkey alone but to get other support strategies in place too dont just rely on will power.
The woman at the smokes shop said she used the electronic
smoke to stop and found it worked for her and helped her
quit. So next time I get tempted to go to the smoke shop
I'll buy one of those and not a packet of smokes, because
I dont want Bronchitis again, I got too sick recently with it and I know this will help pervent that by quitting.
So keep going Tinictus, just keep on going and never give up on yourself or give up on giving up and quitting smoking. I know I got out the gate to a rocky start that
was a disaster, but something I do have going for me is
a simple belief to never give up on giving up, and that why I'll have to start quitting and never give up even to day 1. Next time I start again, I will take one day at a time and do it one hour at a time to reach the goal of 24 hours smoke free. Then start again the next day.
I have been a smoker many years and that is a barrier I allowed mentally to stop me having a go at quitting that it was too late for me. But I dont think like that now after reading all the stories of people who have quit,
who smoked longer than I did, and that gives you hope and
inspiration and encouragement to keep going.
Hi Tisticus this site has really helped me i find i just write and write and it makes me feel better. I feel like i clogg up the site with all my writting but it helps me and it might help you so write about how you are feeling and what you are expereincing you never know you might just find out that your dr was right. Good luck keep us all posted
I am ashamed to say, I did not last the day. Although I like to think I was going good despite the length of my quit attempt, I had a sudden realisation that quitting during my exam period was not the best idea. (Excuses, Excuses.) I would like to say thank you for all the support and I will most definitely be trying to quit again when I do not have deadlines. Thank you and goodnight. May your journeys be more blessed than my own.