Quit day 15/06/2015- Any support for a serial quitter?

[whenthereisawill]

Hello All,

 

I am hoping to try quitting again from Monday. I have tried several times before and the longest I went without smoking was a few months. I have smoked since I was 18 and I am now 28, I am the only one in my peer group who smokes and I feel really ashamed particularly as I hate the smell, what it does to my health and the money I spend.

 

As soon as I get to the day I am meant to quit I just find an excuse and say tomorrow but tomorrow had never comes and I am starting to feel quite down about it and disappointed in myself.

 

I feel like I have to try something different so I found this group on line, The SOS really drew me as i may cave in if I am not accountable to anyone....

 

Is anyone else quitting from 15/06/15 onwards? I think it would really help me mentally if I felt like I was sharing the experience with another person and if they can stay strong then so should I...

 

Any input is much appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Carly 

[sgt.barney]

Monday?

 

What's wrong with today. Right now?

 

 

 

 

Easy Peasy

[ChRiSpY]

Get you mind right first.  You are not a serial quitter... no more.  You are a non smoker.

 

So much of this quit thing is mental... you get to a point in your quit when you say "o hell... I done this 10 times before...I might as well do it now.

 

You have to make smoking no longer an option...it just isn't

 

Do you want this really?  If so.. it will take some effort and an "all in" mentality.  

 

It is possible.

 

Make a plan for when you get craves or triggers.  Deap breathing...walking... cold water/juice.  ARe you using an NRT?

 

Keep on keepin on.  No more backwards...only forwards.

[larklibby]

I'm only in my quit by a few months so no pro!

 

But I would say get in the mindset of you are not 'giving something up' you're actually gaining a lot - and that's very true. I think that's why it took me so long to even try and stop smoking, I saw it as losing something and I can honestly tell you now, you gain so much.

 

Also what helped me was to look at why I smoked, and what I saw was I never had a reason to smoke, I wasn't making the decision. You gotta take control, be prepared for a bumpy ride in the early days, but you know what, it's FRIGGIN WORTH IT. Imagine not being chained to something? - Take control back.

 

ps. I smoked for 25 years from an early age.

[action]

Hi Carly, nice to meet you.

 

Sorry to hear that you have struggled in the past, but by joining a support community could change all that. It might still be hard, but it's certainly a lot easier with some like minded people to talk and hangout with.

 

Maybe you can try to use more positive words, and avoid ones like 'hope' and 'try'. Instead, tell yourself that you WILL :)

 

And you already admitted that tomorrow never comes, but have chosen to quit Monday... I agree with what others have and are going to tell you - why not today? Catch yourself by surprise, and just stop now. By this time tomorrow you would have been nicotine freedom a whole day ;)

 

You've already proven you can do it if you put your mind to it - anyone who can go 2 months not smoking can go forever not smoking, I promise.

 

We have all been where you are now, and that's why we are here, to help as best we can. It's a great community here, and I hope you like it and stay and have a successful quit. We will be here for you no matter what :d

 

Please, keep us posted :)

[JeepKuntry]

Planning ahead never worked for me. Smoked before bed and said this is it. Day 3 here. Today has been rough but it's to be expected.

[buMbLeB]

Day 3! Day 3! Day 3!

[Nancy]

Welcome, Carly.  You will just need to take it one day, one moment at a time, if necessary.  Make up your mind that you will not smoke under any circumstances...Not One Puff Ever!  Educate yourself about the addiction...you have to understand that there is not one single benefit of smoking...it is all a big lie.

 

As of Monday, you are a non-smoker...no going back!

[DCCXXVII]

Welcome aboard Carly... never take another puff... not one puff ever... your new mantra... you can make this your last quit for good

[Still winning]

Hi Carly, Hopefully you will pop back before Monday.

 

If you do you could maybe get some ground work in, or start early ;)  Whatever feels right for you.

 

Make a list of all the reasons you want to be smoke free to carry with you. Helps to look at your own words. Notice when your bigger triggers are, ie where you smoke consistantly like with first coffee, after meal etc and make a new plan for a new "habit" at those points. For instance I had cough sweets for the car and this page for the morning cup of tea and some fabulous dance moves to distract etc etc. Write a list of things to do when a crave hits, again these should include physical and mental things from googling a fact to cleaning a worksurface. This is useful when a thought to smoke takes your brain and you have a back up plan all ready. Notice where previous quits have gone wrong and plan for that, are there certain people or situations you can avoid or make a new thought process around pre quitting?

 

For sure you can't plan everything but some of these PLUS this board and making a conscious choice that no matter what I was not going to smoke really helped focus me. And shhh, but quitting was easier than planning it actually lol.

 

You'll be fine as long as you make the choice to quit and keep reading here and on whyquit.com about why and how we became addicted smokers. 

 

xx

[El Bandito]

Hey Carly.

 

Welcome.

 

The 2 stage plan.

 

1. Not One Puff Ever...just for today.

2. Return to 1.

 

Put this into action on Monday.  :D

[Doreensfree]

Hi and welcome aboard....

Jump right on.....window seat....take in the view.....non stop to ferrdom.....

Read all you can....find out why we are hooked....know the enemy.....learn the tools to fight....

I was a 52 year smoker....it is doable I promise....

[queen greenlover]

Sorry you have such a "bond" with your smokes, maybe this & being not prepared to find cig freedom is why you're a serial quitter?? Back in 2009 when I made attempts "to try" to quit cause I had a heart attack I would go between a few days to 10 months & I had this fantasy that if my dr. saw how "unhappy" I was for being forced to quit he'd change his mind or God forbid suggest a E CIG BUT I finally got my head out of my @ss & listened to seasoned quitters & got with the program. I hope you won't wait for an health issue to crop up before waking up & realizing that YOU want to control your life & not allow 3 inches of burning crap rule your life.

[Ria]

Hello All,

 

I am hoping to try quitting again from Monday. I have tried several times before and the longest I went without smoking was a few months. I have smoked since I was 18 and I am now 28, I am the only one in my peer group who smokes and I feel really ashamed particularly as I hate the smell, what it does to my health and the money I spend.

 

As soon as I get to the day I am meant to quit I just find an excuse and say tomorrow but tomorrow had never comes and I am starting to feel quite down about it and disappointed in myself.

 

I feel like I have to try something different so I found this group on line, The SOS really drew me as i may cave in if I am not accountable to anyone....

 

Is anyone else quitting from 15/06/15 onwards? I think it would really help me mentally if I felt like I was sharing the experience with another person and if they can stay strong then so should I...

 

Any input is much appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Carly 

Hello Carly!

 

Having just quit for the LAST TIME EVER, I class myself as an 'expert' smoker/quitter/junkie/excuse maker or whatever you want to call it!

 

If you're 'nervous' about quitting, then don't even try!! PLEASE! In order to quit successfully, ie quit with happiness and relief in your heart, one must be ABSOLUTELY SURE it's what you WANT to do!!!! Not should or have to, but really WANT to!!!

 

Watch this....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDJo1vfEqlo

and/or read "Allen Carr's EASYWAY to stop smoking"....

 

My history in a nutshell....had  been smoking for over 38 years!! so heard from my hairdresser how "easy" it was with this method... read it,

followed it to a "t"... (smoking while reading it is important) and on the worst day of my (then working week), deadline Tuesday, I simply quit!

Was elated, happy, resolved and "freeeeee"!!! ...... it seemed like a 'miracle'..!!!

 

18mths or so, down the track, I can't tell you EXACTLY what happened, but my 'ex' still smoked (he's dead now from Cancer) so I shared 1 with him.... without even realising it, I was hooked again!!!!

 

What I'd missed the 1st time reading the book, in 2005, was his sentence "the easier it is to quit, the easier it will be to start again"....

 

Anyway.... 10 years down my smokey track, now 48 years, and SEVERAL failed attempts to quit for longer than 2 or 3 weeks, and still without learning THE most important "rule".....

"there is no such thing as ONE cigarette"!!!!!

 

All the rest I've known for 10 years, but for whatever reason/s couldn't/wouldn't apply them...

 

My point, Carly... if there is ANY doubt in your mind, all you'll end up feeling is "deprived"... will power is NOT the way to quit!!

We must understand and BELIEVE that there is absolutely NOTHING beneficial in smoking!!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDJo1vfEqlo  (just in case you missed it :D )

 

The taste is AWFUL!! it's mind over matter!!! The nicotine is addictive, but so mildly.... it's a psychological thing... and I knew that but STILL smoked!!! LOL!! how stoopid is that??

 

Anyway, I'm FREE now, thank God!!! I was going to 'finish the pack' and that's it... done that SO many times... but once the feeling of true 'disgust' filled my mouth and mind, I simply scrunched up the remaining few and threw it!!!

THAT'S how I know that I'll never smoke again!! ......not even 1.... to make my friend (who puffs about 100 a day on a bad day) "feel better"...

 

 

I wish you all the very best of luck, but if you read the book (I've got the 20th anniversary edition) and/or watch that video, with an open mind, you're on the right path!!!

 

Ria ;)

[Markus]

You have written here that feel you need be held accountable to someone besides yourself for your quit and that you feel that this will make the difference? 

 

You and only you are entirely responsible for your quit. 

 

Nobody but you will ever be accountable for your failure or your success.

 

Smoking is always your choice, as is quitting and staying quit.

 

My answer to your question is no, I can't support you, because you can't hold yourself accountable for your actions.

[buMbLeB]

If you're 'nervous' about quitting, then don't even try!! PLEASE! In order to quit successfully, ie quit with happiness and relief in your heart, one must be ABSOLUTELY SURE it's what you WANT to do!!!! Not should or have to, but really WANT to!!!

 

Sorry, but I don't agree with this advice at all. I was nervous as hell when I quit, and pretty pessimistic about my chances. That was more than three years ago. Having observed many quits besides my own, the only thing I'm sure of is that there is no "one way", and what works for one person won't work for everyone. If I'd taken the advice above, I might still be smoking.

 

Quit. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

[Ria]

Sorry, but I don't agree with this advice at all. I was nervous as hell when I quit, and pretty pessimistic about my chances. That was more than three years ago. Having observed many quits besides my own, the only thing I'm sure of is that there is no "one way", and what works for one person won't work for everyone. If I'd taken the advice above, I might still be smoking.

 

Quit. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

 

 

Oh REALLY!!??? That's FANTASTIC!!! So there ya'go!!! GOOD FOR YOU!

 

I STAND CORRECTED!

 

My sister also quit 'the hard way'.... so now, reading your response, I should take back what I said to Carly!!!!

Here's the proof, Carly!!!! and who knows? Maybe it should be called the "Easy- ER" way....   I mean, how incredibly STOOPID was I?

After over a YEAR....to smoke a 'few' thinking I wouldn't get hooked again!???? How wrongly "cocky" was I????

 

As Colleen would say NOPE!!!! Not One Puff Ever!!!!!! not for ANY reason.... :P

[El Bandito]

Hey Carly.

 

Monday for me. And hopefully for you too.

 

Your first day of freedom from nicotine.

 

My advice.

 

Keep a bottle of water close by. Sip.

Juice. Cranberry was my favourite. Your blood sugars can go a bit nuts. Again sip.

If you can. Walk. I got up and walked when a crave came. Helped offset some snacking too ;-)

 

If you feel a 'need' for a cigarette, just take a deep breath, a sip of water and wait it out. Rejoice, this is a sign that the nicotine is leaving your body. A crave never hurt anyone Carly. Smoking kills.

 

Come on here, read, post and laugh.

 

You can absolutely do this Carly.

[Markus]

,

[Ria]

Has Carly not been back? :(