Lilly

Nice to meet you Sammy. I used to think smoking helped with my mental well being. My Psychologist told me if that was the case then they would be prescribing packs of cigarettes instead of packs of medication. We have reached for cigarettes for so long that we need time to get used to not having them. When it got late at night and I saw I only had maybe five in my pack I'd panic a bit. What if I couldn't sleep and I got up and had two of the five? Should I go to the garage and buy some? That's how I feel on most days now. I'm not smoking but I still get that uneasy feeling. Just remember that the longer we go the easier it gets. Every single person who posted before me (apart from Ankush) felt how we did and is now so happy they are smoke free. The answer is simple - if we hang on we will be feeling just like them. Please don't think I am trivialising your thoughts. I know that depression is not an easy thing to live with and you can't just switch it off. I know that quitting can magnify all those feelings but use the forum to talk. It's a great place for distraction, advice and makes this journey so much easier.

CONGRATULATIONS on 2 years quit Joe. Thank you for all the support and help you give to everyone. We are very lucky to have you. I hope you do something lovely to mark such an enormous achievement x x

He has a full driving licence

He's not the full ticket

I don't watch films more than once except for Bridesmaids. I just laugh so much and I love Melissa McCarthy

Like Rozuki I haven't watched any but it has a massive following. Literally everyone I know loves it.

Thanks Martian x I must confess I've never used the SOS system before because I always believed if you're planning on smoking an SOS post won't change that. Jillar is always so passionate about it that yesterday I posted here when I felt very shaky. I'll be honest I didn't hold out much hope of it helping but I did it for her really. If I hadn't posted I know I would have just let that thought grow and I would have been back to smoking. It worked for me so I would urge people to use the SOS system. It really does stop you making a stupid choice.

That is so beautiful it looks like a painting from someone's imagination - just wow

Thanks everyone for your posts. I did read your messages today and i am glad to say my quit is still very safe. Christian I found a lot of comfort in your post. It always used to be that quitting was about not smoking a cigarette but the goal posts seem to have been moved. Now it means being nicotine free from day 1 which is probably due to the teachings of Allen Carr and Joel. Thanks again to you all x

Thanks Jillar. I'm not sure tslking about this was a great idea to be honest. I appreciate you trying to help me though. I'm going to go to bed x

I've been feeling really down and all I want to do is go and buy some cigarettes. From Day 1 I have heard nothing but people criticise my quit because I'm using NRT. I had the guy at work who really brought me down telling me constantly how I hadn't really quit and it has just been brought up ever since. My sense of pride was enormous and I've tried hard to ignore the negative comments but it has had an effect. My brain is telling me just smoke - you haven't really quit anyway. What does it matter if you smoke - you're a fake quitter really.

Linda 9 months is just wonderful. Thank you for sharing the photos. What a lovely looking couple you both were and still are.

Congratulations Edna. Three years is an epic amount of time.

I have seen so many successes with chantix in real life. The fact you are loving your quit is such a positive. You're doing great.

I'm still not sure how I will be when the patches go. I've quit enough times to know they are doing the work. Thanks for checking in though Doreen x

I still haven't smoked.

Nice to meet you @QueenB Are you quitting cold turkey or using some additional help? You'll find lots of support and encouragement here.

Congratulations jack x

@Linda Thomas what s nightmare. Do they not have some sort of warranty with them where they are sorted free of charge. Implants done privately here often do for the first year. Definitely get put under!!!

So pleased you didn't disappear. Relapse sucks and it's easy to go down the black hole and just wallow in self pity while chain smoking. You didn't do that so you should be proud of yourself. I love Reci's post above ^^^

Kate I love reading about your quit. I haven't experienced bi-polar personally but someone very close to me has it so I have watched the changes they go through. It's not something you can plan for or avoid so I am sending you strength and good wishes x

For me personally I found it hard to post anything resembling support on your relapse thread. I've seen posts from you where you belittle relapsers and brag about how "easy" your quit was so I put my hand up and admit my first thought wasn't I'm sorry to hear that, it was more a "you look like such a horses ass right now." You should start from Day 1 and reset your ticker otherwise your quit dates are a big lie. You smoked and there's no way to play that down. Why should you get the same fanfare at two years quit as someone who made it and didn't relapse. It's as stupid as someone calling themselves a vegan but picking up a hot dog on the way to a game.

Glad you're ok.

Welcome to the forum. I think it's great that at 27 you are quitting smoking. My only advice would be that you have to do this for yourself. Unless you are about to become a priest then your lifestyle changes could be different down the line. What if next month you decide to have a big fat burger and a few drinks because you are getting bored of being so good - could smoking be a part of the picture too? You need to have a plan in your head so this quit sticks. Please post if you need any help and I hope you keep us updated with your progress.

Have you tried the breathing method in your post?