What did you guys find being the hardest part when you stopped smoking? 

 

Was it the actual physical craving, absolutely need to have one now?

Was it the social aspect? Did smoking become a part of you?

Was it the change you would have to make?

Was it because it was just what you were used to?

Something else?

 

-- For me it was mostly the change and that I was used to it. But mostly change, I'd now suddenly have to cope in situations where I'd smoked before, I thought I'd lost some level of comfort. I remember feeling like it was a proper new day every day in the beginning, as I was basically fighting against the comforts that I knew at the time. Oh how distant all of that now seems. 

My hardest part probably was the insomnia and the constant thinking about cigarettes

I had a number of short quits lasting from a few days to a few weeks.  

 

After my first failed quit, I think I had an idea of what to expect early on.  I was usually able to make it through the first few days (when it is said that nicotine leaves the body) but I had trouble remaining focused and vigilant long term.  After a few weeks and starting to feel a bit better, I fell into the old trap of thinking that one cigarette wouldn't hurt (which is a horrible trap to fall into).

 

I guess what I'm saying is that it was easy for me to quit but it was hard to stay quit.  Remaining focused and accepting that smoking was not an option, regardless of what life threw at me, is what kept me quit long term...it just took effort and a change of mindset.

It was a challenge to banish my smokey thoughts and break up my patterns.

 

I hollered, FREE YOUR HEAD.  All The Time.

 

Then, I purposefully replaced smokey thoughts by looking at something beautiful.

Like, that light on that leaf.

or listened to a favorite piece of music

or spent a moment in a happy memory.

These became my rewards.

The emptiness of it all. Sooo much more time on my hands and nothing to do but think about how I wanted to have a smoke. I did no planning on getting into some new activity to fill all that extra time I suddenly had. Had I to do this all over again now, I probably would have bought some puzzles to do or joined a gym or something that I could have thrown myself at. The early days were tough ..... no question. Feel your way along a day at a time and remain true to your own self commitment. Those are the thoughts that got me through I think. That and the fact it was so uncomfortable, I never wanted to go through it again! Had I failed that first time, i'm pretty sure I'd still be a smoker now.

4 minutes ago, reciprocity said:

The emptiness of it all. Sooo much more time on my hands and nothing to do but think about how I wanted to have a smoke. I did no planning on getting into some new activity to fill all that extra time I suddenly had. Had I to do this all over again now, I probably would have bought some puzzles to do or joined a gym or something that I could have thrown myself at. The early days were tough ..... no question. Feel your way along a day at a time and remain true to your own self commitment. Those are the thoughts that got me through I think. That and the fact it was so uncomfortable, I never wanted to go through it again! Had I failed that first time, i'm pretty sure I'd still be a smoker now.

 

I remember thinking I had all this time suddenly. I didn't know what to do with it or with myself or with my hands and I felt so silly for that. I remember wondering what people do in X situations, how do they cope?

I had smoked the best part of my life ...

I had to adjust to just being me ....without my crutch....I match it ,to  a toddler learning all about life for the first time ..

Everything was new ...

I didn't even know how to be ...just me ....it felt so different ...

Of course if I knew all those years ago ...how wonderful being smoke free would be ....I love the new me 

 

10 hours ago, greenlight said:

What did you guys find being the hardest part when you stopped smoking? 

 

Initially, the obsessive thoughts.  I had the ability to focus on other things and temporarily not think about smoking.  However, if I wasn't tuned in completely to something else, the smoking thoughts were always at or near the surface.

 

The only long-term issues I dealt with, which I would classify more as annoying rather than hard, were: the desire to smoke after finishing a job or task and the inability to fully identify as a non-smoker.  I was several months into my quit before the thoughts of wanting a cigarette upon completion of a job began to cease.  The identity issue was, I suppose, a combination of a lingering addiction and a bit of self-doubt.  Even as I put more milestones behind me, it often felt like I was just taking a break from smoking before I inevitably started smoking again.

 

In hindsight, the "hard" parts weren't really all that hard.  And considering what I've gotten in return for my efforts, quitting smoking is one of the best bargains of my life.

The Hardest Part, barre none, is deciding:  "It's Time To Quit ==>  NOW " ... 

All the rest is pretty easy. 

EZPZ

Trying to get thru all the familiar times that I would smoke  -- The times that I "enjoyed" smoking and getting that type of thinking out of my head, that I really could be a non smoker!!!!

 

As well as much of what is said thru out this thread!!!

Edited September 3, 20197 yr by Martian5