Can anyone help me quit smoking?

[violetbloom]

I'm so keen to stop. All advice and tips very gratefully received.

thanks so much violet, I just feel really despondant, and still wanting a fag. have been so mean to the children, who dont deserve it and to dh who does. Just hope that you are right and that I will stop feeling like this. Still got that awful ache and tightness. Beginning to realize how much I masked with smoking, my life seems alot more stressful and crap. But that's something I've got to deal with, but obviously don't feel confident enough to do so at the moment.

thank you depeche - i really need the comfort - how are you doing?

hope all is okay

I was definitely the same, much more ratty with dd. In fact, I was just plain horrible a couple of days. I did explain to dd though that I was stopping smoking and was in a very bad mood so she should ignore me if I was grumpy.

In some ways, I've remained more ratty even now because when I smoked, I used to diffuse my irritability by going for a fag. I can't do that now so the irritability doesn't have anywhere to go so it comes out of my mouth instead! It's a small price to pay though and I'm hoping it will also be something that disappears at some point.

Oddly when I left for work this morning, I don't know if it was because I'm tired and a bit washed out feeling, I really really fancied a fag! First time in ages. The thing is, if I had one now it would probably make me feel really sick and light-headed. It would be ridiculously strong-tasting. It wouldn't give me the reassuring scratch-an-itch feeling it used to so there's no point.

hi guys how are you all doing?
I keep reading Allen Carr - still finding it hard......just want my life back now. Terrified I'm going to slip.
Ledology - I dreamed about smoking too!

Hello all.
Can I join you please?
Day 2 of no smoking.
Have smoked off and on for 10 years, giving up for a year here, a few months there, always restarting. Stupid silly bloody habit.

2 nights ago I was brushing my teeth and saw a dark spot in my mouth. Of course my first thought was CANCER.

Fortunately it was a blood blister but that was the wake-up call for me.

If I keep smoking it's only a matter of time before there really is a tumour somewhere.

Nicotinell gum, Bach Rescue remedy and lots of sugar-free sucky sweets for me now.

So Allen Carr seems to be the hot tip then?
Should I pick up a copy from Amazon?

Hi all! I'm past the three week mark now, and it does feel easier. Everything has calmed down, I'm not so irritable or emotional, and I feel as though I'm living life for real now.

Still eating a bit too much, but that desire to stuff my face is fading too.

I could not have done it without this thread. You have all been so supportive, and it's been such a help having you guys to turn to, especially when I was feeling really mad.

Thank you violet, DP Fan and everyone. Stick with it, I promise it's not as hard as it seems. It's SO worth it.

PS Hi arses (great name!) - I would recommend Allen Carr, yes. Great for getting you into the right mind set, and beating the psychological demons.

Good luck.

Hurray for you, CJ! It will get easier and easier from here on. But you will still get the odd glitch in the next week or two.

2.5 months for me, somehow or other.

I also couldn't have done it without this thread.

I hope you're doing okay, Depeche. Still come back even if you're struggling?

Arses - come and join! The more the better.

beautiful day here today, was bloody desperate this morning, and ate loads. god it's like warfare. still finding it hard, but not the absolute agony it was. still worried i won't ever really enjoy life without fags. if someone came in now smoking i'd definitely want at least a couple of puffs, think about smoking all the time, with the odd five minutes off now and then.

have NO patience and want eveything done my way NOW. really really resent dh, he's the one who really makes my blood boil. happy families!

hope you're all handling it - well done to all of us

3 weeks CJ, that's fab! Are you smelling/tasting things more intensely now?

2.5 months violetbloom - do you feel like a non-smoker? That's bloody good going!

Here's to another smoke free day for all of us

Stick with it bs - it really WILL get better and you'll never have to do this again.

I won't be online for a few days so good luck to you all!

bad bad day today.
feel desperate for a fag right now.
can't understand while i'm still having such strong cravings as it will be 4 weeks on monday.
will it ever stop?
really not enjoying life.

So sorry to hear that. It must be really hard if you've still got cravings. Mine have completely gone - I was just thinking today how incredible it is that only 3/4 weeks in, I feel like a 'normal' person again. Sorry, I don't mean to sound smug - it was difficult for the first week, but then it did subside.

Are you using any substitutes? Do you think that might help? Please try to keep it up if you can - you've done so well!

thanks cj - not using anything, wanted to do the quick sharp shock, but obviously that hasn't worked. feeling so demoralised.
feel really far from normal.
Glad you are okay - you don't sound smug at all. You're free! Fantastic!

just hope i can do it. sometimes i just think i can't bear it any more, it's too bloody much. horrible feeling horrible.

basking, keep it up if you possibly can. It would be such a shame to 'lose' these four weeks, and although you're finding it hard you HAVE done really, really well.

I have allowed myself lots of treats, which I think has helped. Some new clothes and rather too many sweets, but it has done the job. Now I'm just about ready to go on a diet!

Take care of yourself and remember how far you've come.

day 8 today!! feel great and I am not missng it much

Go, GothKat, go!

I was invited out last night for my sisters birthday but decided that I would be too tempted to smoke if I went out so stayed home instead it was just too soon after giving up to try a night out.

Hi all, I'm back!

Basking - I really feel for you. And for what it's worth I'm a big advocate of no NRT even though cold turkey can be tough. I hope you managed to get over the bad moment. I wanted to say to you that after one month fag-free, if you were to have one now, it would taste absolutely horrible, not at all like it used to, not like what you're missing...

Well done Sparkly. hang in there.

And great news for you too CJ. Are you using NRT?

Hi - can I join this thread? I'm a real social smoker and desperate to stop for good. My big weakness is when I have a drink and I just need a daily reminder of why it's NOT a good idea. Been stalking this thread all week and you guys are all doing really well! at what stage does it get easier and you start feeling like a real non-smoker? Ledodgy you sound like you're really on top of it - any top tips?

Yes, come and join!

I don't know much about social smoking. does that mean that you can go for a few days without craving a cigarette and only smoke when you're out at the weekend?

If so, to be honest, you're probably the envy of most smokers as I think that's what we'd all like to be able to do.

But if you wanted to stop then I guess it's the psychological addiction you have to tackle rather than the nicotine addiction? Do all your friends smoke? Could you go to non-smoking places or try to hang out for a while with non-smoking friends?