35 + years as a smoker, eleven days as a non-smoker
I had been smoking at least 25 a day for more than 35 years. I knew I wanted to quit. I asked my doctor to prescribe me champix, but she said they were unsuitable. I had tried nicotine replacement therapy before, but they never seemed to do the thing they were supposed to do - reduce the cravings. Twelve days ago I started to Listen to Allen Carr's 'How to quit smoking without gaining weight for women' as an audio book (I just do not have time to sit and read). He advises that you don't have your last cigarette until you finish the book, which was fine by me.
I expected I would drag out the book a bit, because it was a sneaky way of looking interested in quitting, without going through the scary part of actually quitting but I didn't. I actually willed myself to get to the end of it so I could have that last damned cigarette. As I got further into the book, I had noticed how disgusting they tasted, anyway. The last cigarette, far from being a pleasant goodbye to a lifelong friend, was gross, and more of a good riddance.
I stubbed it out and I knew I wouldn't have another.
I have experienced a couple of days when I was itching with cravings, but it's nothing I can't handle.
Last week at the farmer's market, I found the pineapple by following my nose. This is amazing. I had gotten so used to having to put my nose right up close to things in order to smell them.
Yesterday I pulled a sapling from the ground and then realised it was a seed-grown mandarin, just by the smell of the leaves.
If you are thinking you couldn't quit, I urge you to read the book. (There are a couple of versions of it)
Thanks Rachel2011 :-) My suggestion would be to pay attention to the things he says about smoking and what it does and doesn't do. It made it so easy for me to 'get it' once I began to pay attention to that, while I was smoking my last couple of cigarettes. Good luck, follow the rules and you'll be fine :)
(I consider myself a rebel, but in this case I won't colour outside the lines)
You're onto it Red - 67. You didn't even need to read the book. That's pretty much the gist of it, though. It tastes disgusting, it's a trap designed to hook you for life, and the only winners are big tobacco and governments. Are you sure you didn't read the book? One of the tricks is not to let cravings take hold, but to acknowledge them and remind yourself that it's great that you're free :-) Good luck, not that you need it. I'm surprised at how quickly the days are going, I was hoping to slow down time a little bit, lol
Hi Zandyness, You have made a great decision! I had been quit for 2 days when I came across the easy way to quit smoking. After reading it I had very few problems dealing with the physical and mental cravings. I have been quit for 105 days today and have to say the mental cravings are much more difficult to deal with than the physical withdrawal. I had bad cravings after around the 70 day mark and decided to read the book again. It helped and I imagine I might have to read it again in the future!
Hi Zandyness, You have made a great decision! I had been quit for 2 days when I came across the easy way to quit smoking. After reading it I had very few problems dealing with the physical and mental cravings. I have been quit for 105 days today and have to say the mental cravings are much more difficult to deal with than the physical withdrawal. I had bad cravings after around the 70 day mark and decided to read the book again. It helped and I imagine I might have to read it again in the future!
Hi Zandyness and Red and all
Wow , this is so exciting to finally meet others who get it! Today is Day 12 cold turkey and No cravings. My story is almost unbelievable but true. It is posted for all to read and i hope it will enlighten others. I also found the door to being a HAPPY NON=SMOKER Zanyness. I think Robn is on board too from what i have read. Surely we are proof that it is possible if you Believe, if you Open your mind to see how we were duped, How the MINDSET is the key to unlocking the door to being truly happy to being a non-smoker . Read my story... you may just start believing and be free from cravings too. Otheer that Red-67 helped along the way believe too. It is hard for us to explain what took Allan Carr 400 pages. All we can do is try to convey the essence . I had not the read the book before i quit, and i have not finished the book. My hubby is reading it now, saying he wants to quit by Christmas.... almost done he is, and probably quit come Sunday!
A Powerful Read. 86% rate of quitting. And its free at your library. What are you still reading this for?