Stories & experiences

Hello Wendy, i am on 7and half mths almost. Cravings for me are not a problem far and few between. I think it is the psychological mind that keeps thinking abd saying something is missing. Wendy , for me the biggest problem is the physical habit. Need to train my brain to do the things i have always done without holding a cigarette at same time. Some smart people have told me that urges and habits will eventually stop but it takes a long time. I was advised that i needed to go back to where it all began and ask myself "what made you take up smoking?" "what were the influential signs that i was seeing"? In my time smoking was all over...even on planes..so as a 16 yr old i would say "if they do it ....then why can't i" hope makes sense. However , over the yrs smoking has declined and still being outlawed with basically "no smoking everywhere". Also, the advancement in technology and science ....fast forward 50yrs for myself has shown that smoking is really bad for you and will eventually lead to problems that will prove fatal. So, when you get the urge tell your brain "it is not right to smoke.. because you know more now than you did back then" and for the sake of a little pleasure it will be bad news for you in later times . If we can think this way i feel we have a good chance to train our minds to seek other form of past times whilst socialising , travelling etc. Hope this helps All the best. Cheers.

Hi WendyOhNo. You said it. The cravings will come and then go. At day 63O something for me, and $13 300 something saved the memory of smoking is a positive on, but not as positive as the knowledge that I no longer smoke. Just enjoy the ride and don't look back. It is like leaving someone you loved in the past and then realised that was a toxic liaison. Wish you well.

Hey Wendy, after reading your post I'm in awe that you have been smoke free so long. I'm not sure how I would cope with cravings every day but you are doing this so a HUGE pat on the back to you.
My cravings are few and far between.

hi

well wendy it has been for me since my last cigarette 18/10/2010 and I still have cravings for them. but you will feel better for not having one. I should know because I smoked for 56 and a half years.

Johnf, that's incredible! Almost seven years for you. Yes, I still want a cigarette every day, but I don't want all of the suffering that comes with smoking. I'm not interested in that part at all!

Hi Wendy... I have been thinking lately that the more I allow myself to think about smoking, the more "deprived" I feel and the more I crave a cigarette. It is like a snowball effect. If we don't look at it as we gave something up we won't feel as deprived? I read something similar to this in Alan Carr's book. I am going to reload myself and read the book again. Did you read his book?

Hi Wendy... I have been thinking lately that the more I allow myself to think about smoking, the more "deprived" I feel and the more I crave a cigarette. It is like a snowball effect. If we don't look at it as we gave something up we won't feel as deprived? I read something similar to this in Alan Carr's book. I am going to reload myself and read the book again. Did you read his book?

Yep - at 560 days plus there is still a craving. On a good day, it's just Friday night at 6.30pm and in a bad day, it is the moment stress and despair set in. On those really tough days, I only cope by rewarding myself - shopping, cooking, a drink or a movie. For those of us who loved it, it will continue to tickle us from time to time but eack day without gives me strength to resist the next bout of longing. It does get easier but it's never easy. Good luck.

Hi Wendy. You asked on one of my postings if my skin is brighter and smoother. The answer is an absolute yes! I have been doing other things in combination to quitting smoking that would also be having an effect on my complexion. I have been doing hot yoga, sauna's, exercising, juicing, eating a lot of green vegetables, cut red meat out of diet, cut sugar out of diet, went from 3 cups of coffee to 1/2 cup of coffee, reflexology, massage therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, aromatherapy with detox baths at night, making sure I get 10 hours of sleep a night and drinking around 3 litres of water a day. All of these lifestyle changes were ignited by quitting smoking. It would be very easy to fall back into my old lifestyle and bad habits but I am determined to make these changes stick.