Giving up Smoking

[Planky1]

I am a smoker :o But as of this morning, I am trying to think of myself as a non smoker.

I need to give up for various reasons;

A) It stinks
B) It's disgusting and I hate it and obviously bad for my health
C) It's selfish when I have a son's health to think of more importantly (not that we smoke anywhere near him but we still stink of it when we come in from outside )
D) It's costs us a small fortune every month, this money can be saved
E) I DO NOT want to still be a smoker when I open my beauty room

I know all of the above in my head, I know how disgusting it is, I hate smelling of it, I HATE it full stop. I have stopped, started, stopped, started, I just want to STOP!! I have tried cutting down but if they're here, I smoke them, so now trying cold turkey and just chewing Nicorette gum. I stopped smoking for several months and felt great but as soon as something remotely stressful happens, I reach out for them again.

But I am already struggling and it's only 9.30am :sad: Although I know all of the above, I also feel completely controlled by this horrible little stick and feel I am not ready. Could really use some encouragement and moral support, this is so hard!

 

[Pedifan]

I know exactly how you feel, I am a smoker too and I hate it, I never smoke in public just at home.

I really want to stop, i did stop for 6 weeks but gave in, so i know I can do it.

Good luck x

 

[Pinkbunny28]

My boyfriend has been trying to give up for me (no I didn't ask him he said it himself lol) so I can kinda half understand what you're going through.

I think you need to not think about them and busy yourself so you're not having nothing to do and reaching for them.

Another good 1 is have little post it notes in places so for instance when you open your purse 'dont buy any' and when u get in your car and stick maybe a picture of your son or someone/something else sentimental next to it. Also in any other place you think you might get them from. (let me know if you try this and it works please!)

Patches if you havnt tried them work out cheaper if you're smoking 20 a day. Also less but I don't know the amounts lol

I hope this helps and I hope you give up soon, you obviously can if you have before. Good luck!! x

 

[Planky1]

The note idea is a good one, whether I'll remember to do it is another matter Lol! I tried patches before and they did nothing, I remember once when I was trying to give up I had a patch on, was chewing some gum and still lit up a cigarette!!!! :o
Have just called my husband and he has bought some already! He has even less willpower than me. I've told him he's not to bring any home with him and we've just talked about it, egging each other on and so I'm feeling a bit more positive again at the mo. It's just breaking the habits. When I'm on the phone, first thing in the morning, after meals, with a cuppa etc. The first few days are the hardest so just need to really try and get through these few days without caving. Am going to my Mum's tomorrow so this is going to be hard as she smokes too. At least at home I don't have to be around it. Damn these horrible addictive little sticks!! :grr:

 

[CynthiaFandango]

Good luck with quitting. I wish you loads of luck, it's not easy. I know.

I don't know if you've thought of it, but I would thoroughly recommend hypnotherapy to give up smoking.

I had one, 1 hour session it cost just under £200 and haven't smoked since (that was 15 September last year, so just under a year ago) I put on 4lbs only and it's been amazing!

I can share the place I went to if you want to know PM me, but it really did help.

I was a bit snarky and ratty for about 3 days (whilst nicotine left the body), but I can't tell you how easy it was. I'm amazed still to this day!! The only thing NO-one tells you when you quit is you get super-dooper constipated (TMI sorry) which was the most uncomfortable thing about it all!! LOL! But all sorted eventually!

It really will be the best thing you can do for your health and that of your family.

Good luck if you go cold-turkey method!!

PS - I was a 20 a dayer for 20 years - I can't even imagine how much money and damage I did to myself However, I've never felt better since quitting.

 

[jcpark]

Best thing I did was go on Allen Carr's stop smoking clinic. It's not cheap - around £200 for the day (with a money back guarantee) but compared with the cost of cigerettes - pays for itself pretty quickly.

Good luck.

 

[Planky1]

Thanks for your reply. I tried hypnotherapy, didn't work for me. I had an hour session, walked out and lit up nothing really works for me. I managed to give up before by doing some tablets called champix from the GP, they make you feel like you're going to be sick every time you light up a cigarette, they were great. But second time I tried them they didn't work as well, also not helped by the fact I can never remember to take tablets! I think this time, it will have to be sheer determination and willpower with some gum so my mouth is doing something, all these help methods just don't seem to work for me. I just have to keep telling myself how disgusting and selfish and expensive it is. I wouldn't even like to tell you how much we spend a month on cigarettes, it's really disgraceful :o and when we're already struggling financially it's just ridiculous to keep trying to find extra money just to pay for this revolting habit! :o

 

[CynthiaFandango]

That's such a shame hypno didnt' work for you. I didn't expect it to work as well as it did.

To be honest, I knew after several half-hearted cold-turkey attempts I couldn't give up without help.

With hypno, I guess your subconscious only takes on what you want, and maybe even though you thought you were ready to quit, you weren't quite?

I know I tried for a year to give up - at the end of the day, I wasn't ready.

I admire your determination and you really sound like you want it this time.

If you really want to scare yourself etc, have a look at these and the crap that we put into the little sticks and then breathe in - it's really rubbish when you think about it.

I sound like I'm an anti-smoking nazi, I'm really not, I DO still on occasion, get a whiff of smoke and think ooooh I fancy one of those, but I just don't thank goodness

Harmful Chemicals In Cigarettes

Sounds like you've given lots of methods a go, can you speak with your GP and they put you in touch with your local smoking cessation service? They may be able to offer you something different to try?

I really do wish you luck, I know it's not easy.

I had the Alan Carr book too, which my friends swore by, but I wasn't ready to quit, so never read it.

 

[rachael204]

It is so hard to give up - well done for giving it a go!

I was a 20 a day smoker for nearly 20 years and I managed to stop by using hypnotherapy too. I definitely don't think it would have worked if I hadn't wanted to give up and you really do have to be in the right frame of mind.

I had all the same reasons for giving up, the cost, the smell etc and of course the health risks. I am 35 and we want to start a family soon so I really wanted to give up before we started trying.

Unfortunately there is no easy way but just sheer will power - but you CAN do it!! I still smell cigarettes and sometimes think hmm I could do with one and in times of stress its still my first thought but I just have to stop myself! Now if only I could do it with food................

Good luck xxx

 

[Planky1]

Thanks for your help and encouragement ladies I'm a nightmare, nothing stops me, not even knowing what goes in them, have seen pictures of arteries oozing with fatty deposits from cigarettes, still doesn't put me off. Once I collected loads of butts and put them in a jar of water, then opened the jar to smell it every day. It was VILE but still didn't put me off I really am addicted in such a bad way!! :o I have the Alan Carr book, felt really empowered by it but still didn't give up. I give up giving up!! Lol. Really hope I can do it this time, am having another difficult few minutes wanting one really badly, have to go out in a minute so hope I don't cave and buy some out of habit!! But I won't, no, no no!!

 

[deanosnana]

Here's another reason to quit: smoking ages your face, drastically. You will get facial wrinklling and those lines around your mouth. Smoking will age you before your time. My sister can spot a smoker a mile away.

I was a 3 pack a day smoker. I quit in 1991 for several reasons but mainly, I didn't want my kids to be raised in that environment. It's a struggle, to be sure.

I went to a hypnotist and have never looked back. Sure, there was the occasional craving but nothing that I couldn't resist.

Best of luck to you! :hug:

 

[Planky1]

Here's another reason to quit: smoking ages your face, drastically. You will get facial wrinklling and those lines around your mouth. Smoking will age you before your time. My sister can spot a smoker a mile away.

I was a 3 pack a day smoker. I quit in 1991 for several reasons but mainly, I didn't want my kids to be raised in that environment. It's a struggle, to be sure.

I went to a hypnotist and have never looked back. Sure, there was the occasional craving but nothing that I couldn't resist.

Best of luck to you! :hug:

See when I hear of really heavy smokers giving up, it really makes me feel like I can do it. My Dad was terrible, he too was a 60 a day smoker, just chain smoked in his office all day, then the new regs came in about it now being illegal to smoke in public places and he hated going outside so decided it was time to give up. He did it using the inhalator and has now not smoked for years. He is however, now addicted to the inhalator's Nicotine is a BAD BAD drug!!

 

[deanosnana]

Nicotine is a BAD BAD drug!!

I've read several articles stating it's more difficult to quit smoking than it is to quit heroin. Since I've never used heroin, I wouldn't know if that is true or not. However, I DO know, you can do it. Best of luck!

 

[Planky1]

I've read several articles stating it's more difficult to quit smoking than it is to quit heroin. Since I've never used heroin, I wouldn't know if that is true or not. However, I DO know, you can do it. Best of luck!

Thank you

 

[annie:)]

I had my little boy in oct last year and from the minute i gave birth my OH stopped and hasnt had one since and he says A.he didnt want my son to grow up thinkin smoking was ok and B. Passive smoking is worse than smoking so why would he want our little boy breathing smoke in and although people say 'oh i dont smoke round my child' its rubbish because its in your hair,clothes,car ect. So maybe if you have a child then use them as your encouragement?just a thought xx

Sent from my X10i

 

[birdgirl101]

So glad to find this post!! Well done all of you for quitting! .
I'm on day 7 (10/15 a day for 10 years) tho stopped in pregnancy & started again after baby came!.
It is tough, iv joined the stop smokin plan @ my local chemist (£31 for 3 months of nrt, iv had £50 worth already) but u can get what ever u like, I'm on patches & gum.

Everyone says it gets easier after 2weeks I hope so!!!. I am enjoying not being paranoid I stink (my husband hates smokin) & my clothes still smell fresh at the end of the day, & am £25 better off after a wk, tho u always find cash when u smoke skint or not!.
Web forums have been helpful to me 2. My dad quit 40/50 a day 4 as long as I can remember by goin cold turkey, so I think if he can I can.
Xxx

 

[birdgirl101]

The note idea is a good one, whether I'll remember to do it is another matter Lol! I tried patches before and they did nothing, I remember once when I was trying to give up I had a patch on, was chewing some gum and still lit up a cigarette!!!! :o
Have just called my husband and he has bought some already! He has even less willpower than me. I've told him he's not to bring any home with him and we've just talked about it, egging each other on and so I'm feeling a bit more positive again at the mo. It's just breaking the habits. When I'm on the phone, first thing in the morning, after meals, with a cuppa etc. The first few days are the hardest so just need to really try and get through these few days without caving. Am going to my Mum's tomorrow so this is going to be hard as she smokes too. At least at home I don't have to be around it. Damn these horrible addictive little sticks!! :grr:

Not sure if uv been on any no smokin forums, but they cover a lot of the things uv mentioned, even how it's best not to quit with a pArtner, As If one falls at the first hurdle the other tends to. It's so hard, the most stupid thing I ever started. Apparently I've spent £13,500 on fags in the 10yr iv smoked! Xx

 

[smooth]

Well done on taking the first step into quitting!! Take each day as they come, make sure you use the services that are out there, teh NHS smoking cessation services are great. If you need it you can get a patch either 12 or 24 hour, there's other things too if you don't fancy the patch.

If you normally do something at the same time of smoking then try to change that habit, for example if you normally on a Friday go to the pub and have a glass of wine and a cigarette, break that habit, try to do something different that won't get you lighting up.

Don't beat yourself up if you do slip, just get back into thinking and believing you are a non smoker adn you will get there in the end honey x

 

[KAC1977]

Im in the same position. so badly want to give up, have tried many times, but fail miserably. I have now set a STOP DATE for 9th August as im going in for an op that day, so wont be able to smoke that morning, and i figure if i can go all day, i can go the night too?
I have labelled a jar- " Cash is better than ash"!!! i plan to put the mney i would spend on fags in there, and i hope watching it build up, knowing that i can use the money i have spent at Olympia in sept will help?
GOOD LUCK! WE CAN DO IT!!!! x

 

[Planky1]

Im in the same position. so badly want to give up, have tried many times, but fail miserably. I have now set a STOP DATE for 9th August as im going in for an op that day, so wont be able to smoke that morning, and i figure if i can go all day, i can go the night too?
I have labelled a jar- " Cash is better than ash"!!! i plan to put the mney i would spend on fags in there, and i hope watching it build up, knowing that i can use the money i have spent at Olympia in sept will help?
GOOD LUCK! WE CAN DO IT!!!! x

Great idea Good Luck to you too, I have caved already but went 12 hours without one yesterday, then only had 2 roll ups (BLEUGH!!!!!) yesterday evening, so only 2 all day!! Hubby came home with the tobacco and I was really struggling. Have had about 6 today so far but considering I was having 20-25 a day I'm still quite proud of myself! If I can continue having less than 10 a day for a week or 2, then I'll probably do better at quitting all together. Am useless but at least I've cut it down I guess