Stopped last week.

oleras

Stopped a week ago today, feel really good about myself, no lasting cravings just the odd "ill have a quick smoke before I do this...." and realise I don’t smoke anymore.:D

I had smoked for about 20 years, the last 10 years maybe 30-40 a day, would open a third pack if it was a long day and a long night ! My only other serious attempt was Allan Carr’s easyway book, read it , put out my last cigarette and didn’t smoke for 5 months, that was over 4 years ago. I don’t know why I smoked that day, it was a conscious decision to buy a pack and start again, no alcohol involved, no cravings, I know I felt disgusted with myself for starting again.

Last week, june21 I had an opportunity to stop again, I went to an Allan Carr seminar, I was ready to stop and had been putting it off for a few months and this was the push I needed. Felt real positive about it that morning, knew I would walk out of there an ex-smoker. When I left and had an urge for a smoke it kinda kicked me in the teeth ! I think I expected some kind of miracle to be honest, the woman giving the seminar would click her fingers at the end and as long as I listened and payed attention I would be cured ! But it didn’t work like that for me.

I really had to work at it the first night, they were the physical withdrawals looking back on it, the next couple of days were mixed with headaches, not too bad and the psychological tug of war in my mind. It is really only today I can say, and more importantly mean it, I will never smoke again.

I will update this over the next few weeks !!

patrickolee

Good man, sounds very hopeful.

I've had similar experiences, gave up the smokes for 4 or 5 years. Somehow managed to get back on them, concious decision, smoked for about a year, gave them up for another 4 or 5 years... and have been back on them now for about 1.5 years. Just gave up two weeks ago, fingers crossed i'll get over the 5 year hump this time :-)

Good luck with your battle.

barrett1965

Good luck to you.

Chuchu

Well done and keep it up!! I'm off them one year and two months, still get a slight shock when out with some mates for a drink and I'm not joining them outside, but its followed with a mental pat on the back and 'good for me' thought!
I know everyone has their own methods, but I went cold turkey after having tried and failed for the previous two years to stop, the key factor for me was replacing it with doing something that made me feel good about myself, first of all long walks then I went back to playing a sport I had played as a kid, badminton, do it twice a week now and it really does stop me from wanting to smoke again, smoking and being fit and healthy (even if its just walking more) don't go well together in my head, well its working for me at anyrate!
Good luck!

oleras

Cheers guys, i suppose if it was easy everyone would be doing it !! As for the exercise thing, i am going to start cycling, what better chance to get fitter. And have to stop eating peanuts.....:D

peckerhead

Hey oleras, keep it up. I'm one day behind you!

And peanuts ain't the worst thing you could be overeating...

I'm going to do whatever the hell I feel like — except smoke, obviously! — for the first three weeks. Then it's holidays, and time to lay down some kind of pattern of regular healthy activity — long overdue.