152 days smoke free
I now class myself as a non smoker and feeling good about it.
I have been reading other newcomers stories and I have to say don't compare yourself to other people that are going through the same thing.
I think this is a personal journey and while it's ok to read and get advice and inspiration from other people, you have to do this for yourself. You have to have a reason to give up whether it be health, or you are just sick of it any reason is a good reason and you have to keep this in your mind daily because giving up is a daily battle, if not an hourly battle for some.
My reason for quitting was my 20month old grandson. I was on my daughters balcony having a smoke one day and he was watching me through the glass door; I immediately thought to myself "this is not good". Other reasons for quitting were my health and the cost of the smokes always going up.....I couldn't afford them anymore.
I also think you have to be in the right head space and really want to give up. It took me a few goes but to be honest I didn't want to stop them. My first attempt I used the patches and lasted 3 months and that bloody nicotine devil convinced me that one puff wouldn't hurt....I should have ignored the little bugger. The second attempt I tried Champix but that didn't last long as it made me so sick, the loo became my constant companion.
Then I woke up one day and thought "I'm sick of this cough and foul taste and I'm not enjoying them anymore" so off to the Dr and got some more Nicabate patches and I haven't looked back.
Sure there were times when I wanted a smoke but I just focused on my grandson. Even now if I'm doing something I will start looking for my smokes and then the penny drops so I just continue with what I was doing.
If you really want to give up, you can!!! It's not easybut if I can do it anyone can.
Good luck to everyone that is battling this dreadful nicotine devil and just keep kicking him off your back.
Hi, am a newby and looking for any words of wisdom. I have been smoking for about 15 years and have been "quitting" on and off for years now. I have always battled with the excuse of "it's not the right time" and that one more pack won't hurt. I guess I'm looking for advice from a person that struggled getting it through their head that it has to stop. I know it has to stop if I want to stick around for my kids. I am in the military which has always been a hard environment to quit in, well that's one of my excuses anyway! The money has always been a kicker as far as I can afford to buy smokes, but I don't think I know anyone that can not afford to quit when it cost $10,000 a year to support it. Anyways any advice would be appreciated.
when we are ready we find something inside like Alleycat said and we quit.
easy right :) no not easy.
I needed to know what I was dealing with so I searched the net for all info on smoking quitting etc.. then come here and been here reading and sharing for the last 85 days nicotine free.
so when we stop fighting it the nicotine I mean and accept I am an addict and I don't know how to stop something changes , so its an inside job my insides have to change. and for me that came when I had had enough of being sick and tired.
not easy but its doable plenty of people on here doing it :)
good luck.
well done Alleycat keep up the good work !!
IC
Well done to you and everyone else who is fighting the good fight. As Alleycat says, it is a daily battle and it is hard to front up each day to fight that battle. But if we win all those daily battles we will have won the war and that is worth all the stress and heartache. And, the daily battles get easier (for the most part).
I agree everyone has their own journey but I do think that the support I received from this site in the first six months was the thing that got me through those six months. That's why I come back from time to time - to be inspired by fellow strugglers.
Sorry I haven't replied sooner but the health hasn't been the best.
Thank you for all the lovely supportive comments that have been left. I have been tempted by the nicotine devil all last week as I suffer from chronic pain and that week and this week has been extremely bad, but I shrugged him off and told him where to go.
Good luck everyone that is on this journey and reading everyones' stories does give you strength and inspiration.