Quitting take 2
Today is day 1 of my second major quitting attempt. I tend to take smoking back up during times of stress, so I have found other ways to cope with stress. I'm feeling strong today. Likes cigarettes aren't controlling me.
Have you realized that stress is an essential element of life? You obviously realize the answer is not in nicotine. In fact having a cigarette is merely a distraction, a waste of time and merely distracts you from dealing with whatever yo need to address. You and the rest of us know nicotine is a pathetic excuse when dealing with a problem. Hope you last the distance. If you got over day 1 why would you ever like to relive that agony and certainty about the future...
straight to the point Lia , and very true nicotine is a drug that hits the dopamine receptors in the brain and lets us not learn how to deal with a lot of life drug free, so yes there is much more to stopping smoking than stopping smoking.
easy to say and harder to learn and having some sort of understanding of how to deal with situations smoke free and staying smoke free.
so well done Sophiiieee and let us know how day 2 treats you :)
IC
Thanks everyone. Day 1 went well. I found the evening a bit difficult, got a bit snappy, but I didn't cave. My husband smokes so I find it a bit harder to quit when there is still smokes in the house.
But heres to day 2!!! May it be full of strength :)
Hope that day two is going O.K. It is harder when there are still smokes in the house, but in some ways, that is good as you make the choice to resist.
You can do this.
It is a scary time, but time moves on without the smokes. We all have had a different journey to address this addiction and ingrained habit and want to stop it.
Please keep posting. You have come to the right place where so many people understand the struggles. No-one else does.
Good luck on your journey to a smoke free life.
Just keep coming back here. The stories of those who have done the hard yards for so long are inspiring.
Hi Anne,
Thanks for your comments, they were so inspiring and true. Day 2 went okay. I find the evenings the hardest to cope, I can't go for a walk, have time out, and smoking was my escape during the busy cooking, cleaning, getting the kids ready for bed routine. Now I feel like I get no break and I get really crabby and irritable in the evenings, poor hubby and kids!
Any tips to get through the evenings would be great!
Evenings.. I used to come home from work where I had not smoked all day. Figure that. Reward myself with a smoke if it had been a stressful day and believe me they were stressful. Each bit of stress was rewarded.
I now know that was so stupid, I did not address any of the issues I had.
So, now I have changed. I don't believe any more that having a smoke will fix anything.
I try and reward myself for not smoking. Just a thought that it will not change things if I smoke. It is the hardest thing to do. But it can be done.
Reward yourself for not having a smoke. All of the work you have to do at night, each time you would have had a smoke, have a smile when you chose not to light up.
Hope this helps