Ran out of cigarettes yesterday .... shall I just .... give up?

[spacedonkey]

Well I know the answer is "yes", but the problem is this. As soon as I say "I Am Giving Up Smoking" to myself I panic. And when I panic the first thing I want is a cigarette. Vicious circle etc etc.

Ran out of cigs yesterday lunchtime, so I haven't got any in the house.

Any top tips from ex smokers on how to trick yourself into not panicking? I can cope with cravings, it's the panic and the (apparent) enormity of the task that is my biggest problem ...

Tell your self that if you get desperate, you'll get some.
Each time you do get desperate, just think that you'll get them next time.
I gave up 7 months ago and the only way i keep sane is by telling myself that i'll smoke when i'm over the baby years.

Just starting this thread has made me want one!

I have to trick myself that it's no big deal (will try your tip angeliz and well done you for staying clean for 7 months)

last time i tried i'd read allan carr and did a big build up to it. Managed 5 days before i caved in. I was psychotic!

I would really like to be free of it. I can't afford to smoke even if i wanted to. I feel imprisoned by it.

maybe I'll just carry on this pretence I've got going that I'll go to the shops "later"

(and then never go in a shop again)

Theres a thread here where there are a few MNetters egging each other on and one of us has decided to take the plunge today...feel free to come and chat and talk over your fears with us...
You are over the worst bit now...the nicotine, the reason you keep smoking, is out of your system now and all you need to do now is not have another fag...
Well Done!
In a few days you will be soooooooooooooo proud and chuffed with yourself and you will enjoy getting out of bed in the morning and nor reaching for the death sticks..its liberatting...GO FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!

I totally understand how this would make you want one. When i hear about support groups and the like i jus think that would be torture for me anyway.
To sit and talk about it would've driven me bonkers!!!

Good luck++++++

thanks fp

\link{http://whyquit.com/Heres a good site...}

oops here

If you truely feel imprisoned by it then really STOP...dont have any more...your just keeping the chain going. Come and chat with us...you dont have to even talk about fags...just type instead of reaching for the fags...even if its just to go AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good Luck!!!!!!

beet, i've read allan carr (although not since last year)

agree he is good, but I have been smoking for an indecent number of years and over that time have built huge delusional fortresses in my mind that even he can't breach

angeliz, agree with you in that i am automatically feeling worse by drawing attention to it!

that's why i feel i need to trick myself into it rather than take the direct approach

I knew this would be you

Sorry, I didn't mean to throw allen carr back in your face - I am looking at website and have book on shelf which I may re-read.

I'm just wondering whether to take a different approach with myself.

Am I that transparent and predictable madame?

blimey his website could do with an overhaul!

Allen Carr is Fab , I agree , But its you thats got to stop smoking, so you need to find your way....
Would having to read This outloud inspire you?

god that's so true (when you are a smoker) isn't it FP

I have that pinned to my wall..to remind me why im not smoking.

One tactic I find quite effective is to stoke the fires of self loathing to such an extent that you just can't carry on doing it.

Why don't you work out how much you spend on smoking in a year? You might shock yourself! I only say that because a woman at work was moaning that she couldn't afford to go and visit her mum in Australia. She was quite a heavy smoker so I asked her what she spent and she was really surprised when she added it up. Within a year she got her holiday.

Is there anything you would love to do that would give you a bit of incentive?