5 weeks in!
Hi All,
My first post just thought I should as I have read others and found them helpful. I an in my sixth week of no ciggs have smoked for upwards of 30 years.
Basically slowly cut cigs per day from 2 50g packs of tobacco per week to 1 every 3 weeks and then set a date to quit period. Have being off them now for 5 weeks with the use of Nicorette quick mist and eclipse mints.
I am finding weekends the hardest with the worst being one just gone and attending a wedding where there were quite a few smokers including roll your own which I was tempted to bludge one, but didn't.
Biggest motivation is the cost for me I just figure I really can not afford to smoke any more.
Any how just thought I should try and contribute to the quitting stories.
David James
Well welcome David James and we appreciate the post. I am sure we all enjoy reading how each other is doing and comparing notes. I hope you will take an active part in the community in the future. Giving support to someone in their first days especially is very uplifting for them. Some are prepared and others are not. It seems you have joined a while back and learned the ropes. I hope some tips made your journey easier. Perhaps you would tell us what had the most impact on your journey.
I live in Canada and we have packs of 20 or 25 cigarettes for about $15 . I gather than there are only 15/pk in Australia. That shocked me when i read it recently given how much some spend smoking. I can see why it is difficult for some to quit out of necessity rather than choice. The only real choice they are making is to maybe eat instead of smoke.
Like anything else in life, it goes better when we put our heart into it. There are many rewards that we did not expect when we quit smoking. Our self esteem rises for one. Be proud that you made a great decision and that you have been sticking with it. Enjoy having the time to yourself without having to sneak off for a fix. While I still go outside with friends who smoke, I can also decline in inclement weather. I look better, breathe better and smell better (in both senses....lol)
Its a pity our taste buds recover too and make us more inclined to eat. Did you know that quitting smoking is the same as losing 80 lbs. That is how much of a strain that smoking puts on our body, and no wonder with all the chemical additives some of which are poisons in weedkiller.
I think the biggest myth busted was that smoking did nothing to relieve stress except for the stress (cravings) it itself caused. That we did not enjoy smoking, we came to enjoy it because it relieved the cravings.
I think we did enjoy some more than others, but then again maybe those were the longer intervals and we just appreciated the relief more. How many were just fixes and how many were simply out of habit and mindlessness. Just be aware of what we are doing can be a great place to start. Realizing why you smoke can point you in the right direction for a successful journey.
You are doing great David and I expect you have a plan to stick to. I think Softly is right about a plan taking some of the emotion out of it. Goals are achievable when they are approached appropriately and with purpose.