Mac's quitlog

govinda

Macros42 wrote: »

I did 8 full days. I can do it again. Starting tomorrow.

This is the most important thing. Pick yourself up and try again as soon as you can, today is another day. My big regret is that everytime I fell, it took me a long time to try again.

What I finally learned is that everytime I went back to smoking, it was always for a different reason each time (stress, loss, curiousity about taste, to test myself). It took me countless attempts trying various methods but I did eventually quit cold turkey and now know my 'danger points'.

It mightn't feel like it now, but this experience will actually make your next quit stronger - best of luck to you.

(If you haven't already read it, I really cannot recommend Mark Jordans free e-book 'Break the chains' highly enough).

terenc

Macros42 wrote: »

Hello. My name is Steve and I'm an addict. It has been one minute since my last cigarette.

Tomorrow is Day 1 again ... maybe ... hopefully. I hate myself right now.

Steve believe me you haven't failed, its all part of the process of quitting cigarettes. Most ex smokers/smokers have been in same space. You just have to get back up start again and I do believe you are a stronger person next time round.
And reading the post above you have the right attitude. I would leave it to long between smoking and quitting each time.

dolliemix

I'm loving this log Steve - pleases don't quit quiting!

I'm a day behind you so I love reading how you're getting on.

If you manage to start again after your little relapse you will be doing super and remain an inspiration to the rest of us!

I'm like Govinda described. I give up for a short while, then slip up and think 'ah what the hell, I obviously can't do this', am disgusted with myself - and comfort myself by going for the cigarettes!! WHY?? :mad:
Then I end up going back to my old habits for a few months again.

This time round though it's going to be different cos even if I slip up, I'm going to start all over again the very next day.....and this time go for double the time I managed first time round.

So Steve, you got through one week.

This time go for two.

Orion

Well this is not quite Day 1 again yet. I talked it over with the missus and I made the decision to finish this box. I smoked about 10 last night before going to bed which means I've smoked 9 today - 1 left in the box. My reasoning? I have not enjoyed a single one of these. They taste awful. So it's kind of aversion therapy. Every one of them was horrible. I've just gone 4 hours without one because I can't face the thought of smoking that last one. Maybe I won't ... maybe I will. But if it's not smoked today it's being thrown out.

Tomorrow is Day 1 of "Mac's Quitlog II" - This time it's personal

syngindub

Great Log Steve and i know you'll succeed on attempt II.
On day 6 myself without the cig. I went back on them about 2 years ago having been off them for 3 years. Have to say Alan Carr is the way to go, it gives you a whole new way of looking at the whole smoking / nicotine addiction. Recommend it, I read it during the first few days off them and really gives you that extra bit of confidence.

Anyways, best of luck

Jules

COME ON STEVE!!!!!!

Orion

Jules wrote: »

COME ON STEVE!!!!!!

LULZ - that was fairly demonic bitch

Orion

syngindub wrote: »

Great Log Steve and i know you'll succeed on attempt II.
On day 6 myself without the cig. I went back on them about 2 years ago having been off them for 3 years. Have to say Alan Carr is the way to go, it gives you a whole new way of looking at the whole smoking / nicotine addiction. Recommend it, I read it during the first few days off them and really gives you that extra bit of confidence.

Anyways, best of luck

Thanks for the wishes

I don't do self-help books tho. I'm a bit of a smug bastard in this regard. I actually have three on my desktop: Mark Jordan's Break the Chains (recommended earlier today), Never Take Another Puff by Joel Spitzer and Freedom from Nicotine by John Polito. I downloaded all three - they're free - get them if they'll help you. But I've read nothing past the covers. I have one of Alan Carr's books in the house somewhere too - don't think I ever even opened it. I do read - constantly - never without a book. I love reading. But I don't do self-help books. Or self-help TV. Or Jeremy Kyle I prefer to help myself. Don't get me wrong - read the books yourself if they will help you - horses for courses. They won't help me - that's all. I'd have to believe they will help for them to do so and I don't.

Anyway - I've upgraded today from Day 0 to Day 0.5. That last cigarette is in the bin already. On my way to Day 1 already. For anyone else out there reading this who's done what I have done - tomorrow is not Day 9 - it's Day 1. Again. Don't cod yourself. I tried to persuade myself that this was just a little aberration and it doesn't really count. Bull****. It does count. Tomorrow is Day 1!

And I haven't had a craving all night. Not one. Aversion therapy may be the way to go. I don't want a cigarette. For the first time I genuinely believe I may never want a cigarette again. That's a leap. Let's see how I feel tomorrow. It's looking fairly reasonable tho

Orion

Is mise ar meisce. Very drunk. And I'm not craving a smoke. I haven't smoked since about 2 this afternoon. And I'm drunk not wanting a smoke. This is good. Is mise sona.

Jules

\o/

dollyk

:( im starting day 1 again. 3 weeks down the drain for 1 fooking drag. looking back over my posts i was really sure i could do this . well here goes again . good luck steve

dolliemix

Good luck Dolly K.

When you end up giving up longterm - this one slip up won't feel like such a big deal

mariebeth

Good luck Steve & Dollyk - I'm on day two and so far because I'm stuck at home, and don't really smoke at home anyway I haven't been doing too badly. Some minor cravings but I know that because it's snowing & the roads are dodgey that I won't be driving anywhere to get fags!

I've set myself a few incentives for not smoking - one month & I buy an ipod touch, 6 months and I'm going to buy a Nikon DSLR camera for myself and one year and I'm going to go on a holiday to Australia for a month or two It's the first time I've set myself incentives when I've quit, so hopefully they'll make me more determinied.

dollyk

Some minor cravings



im getting to the stage where after years of stopping starting, im not sure if im having real CRAVES , or just thoughts of umm a cig .. anyone ever have this..

also ive forgot hoW to quote a bit of a sentence, CAN ANYONE EXPLAIN in english please. thanks:P

Orion

Day 1 went very well. No real cravings at all. Spent the afternoon in Carton with the kids sledding down a hill. Great craic. Even after they went to bed which would be a big trigger for me - no cravings. Roll on tomorrow.

mariebeth

Macros42 wrote: »

Day 1 went very well. No real cravings at all. Spent the afternoon in Carton with the kids sledding down a hill. Great craic. Even after they went to bed which would be a big trigger for me - no cravings. Roll on tomorrow.

Good luck today! I'm on day 3, not doing too badly today. Had a couple of serious cravings last night when I was trying to get to sleep but I got through it.

jozi

Good luck with this Steve! Seen your post on unreal.ie, been awhile, and I had to look at your quitlog. Inspiring stuff, it's much harder (judging by what your typing) than I ever imagined quiting with smoking would be. Keep up the not smoking :thumb:

Orion

Thanks Jozi - been a long time mate

mariebeth and dollyk - keep it going. We're all in this together. Soon enough we'll be sneering at those gombeens standing out in the rain for their fix :S

Day 2.2 (Day 2 - 2nd Attempt): Not much to report really. This log might start to fizzle out. No real cravings at all. Went for a good swim at lunchtime - really feeling the difference in the breathing improvements. Want to go for a cycle or run in the evenings but the paths are still crap here - and don't want to run (well ... jog) on the roads. But as for smoking - I don't want one. It's weird. I did last week - a lot - cravings galore. I gave into them on Friday night after drink and a row with the Mrs. But since then - none. I know they say that one drag is bad - but maybe that box I had was great. I really haven't had a major craving since then. Let's hope that keeps up.

Tomorrow in work HR have arranged the VHI to come in for a 1 hour "Stop Smoking for Good" session. I wasn't going to bother but I think I will. It can't do me any harm anyway. But apart from that - I am feeling so positive about myself ... since my ... intermission last Friday ... that it may be good for me to attend. I may get an added boost from the session - I hope so - every little helps. But I was talking to a lad in work today who says he wants to quit but I know he isn't ready yet (when you are ready you know yourself as any smoker can attest to). But he was amazed when I told him I'd quit cold-turkey. I admitted to my dispo on Friday but told him what I've told you guys - that I didn't enjoy a single one of those smokes. I could see that he was genuinely interested - so maybe he might join me tomorrow. His wife is pregnant with their first child too which is probably his motivation.

I'm not turning into an ex-smoker militant wanker. I was just chatting to this guy - saying nothing I haven't said here. But people who know me well are amazed that I'm not smoking. I've always held that if you really want to quit you will. My dad did it - from 80-a-day to nothing overnight. And he never tried to persuade me to stop. My mother did but he didn't. He understood. He wanted to quit as he did. He's fully supportive of me now and he does want me to quit for good. But he knows from experience that I only will if I want to. Luckily I do

dollyk

I went for a drink last night , came home after 2, really if id have had the 3rd
one , i would have sumersaulted across the bar, bit the fag machine off the wall, pulled it apart with my bare hands and smoked every single smoke regardless of brand all night non stop. Im amazed today how strong that feeling was. still day two over. Some times i think i will be trying for the rest of my life. a little voice in my head says . go on you can do it . then i hear .aw have a quick one you deserve it . Dont know which one to listen to .:P .. ok will have to stop drinking till i get this sorted

Orion

Just went to that session on freeing yourself from smoking. She gave an interesting metaphor:
An old man talking to his grandson tells him that he has 2 wolves at war inside him for the last 20 years. One wolf is good and helpful but the other wants him to do bad things. "Which one is going to win?", asks the grandson. The grandfather replies: "The one I feed!"

Cork Boy

First off - big congrats to Marcos and everyone else.

Even if you only managed to quit for 1 day you've lost nothing and gained €8.50 and a bit more health so yay to everyone

I'm on Day 5 now after reading Mr Carr's book (which i highly recommend, even if it doesn't work - what have you lost?).

The cravings are abating gradually and i think i've found a motivation i've never thought would be possible - COFFEE IS WAY MORE ENJOYABLE WITHOUT A SMOKE!!!! :eek:

This is my third serious attempt (i'm 26, smoked for 50% of my life, roughly 20 per day, Fck you Benson, and Fck you Hedges!) but this time I'm enjoying quitting, i'm excited for my future, and i'm really confident that this time is THE TIME!

Now the big question is... what to do with my €2200 saved at the end of the year? (new thread idea right there!)

dollyk

so then macros, which one you gonna feed

Orion

Well I didn't feed the nasty one today. Day 3.2 complete. Again no major cravings - only a couple of minor ones.

As I mentioned I did that session today. It was good. Most of the stuff covered I'd learnt already but some interesting bits. One suggestion was to keep a bowl of oranges/tangerines/satsumas handy. If you get a craving grab on and peel (and eat ofc). It's something to do with your hands and when you're finished the craving will have passed. Good for you too

One other bit she mentioned which is now a goal. While nicotine takes three days to leave the body habits take 28 days to break. That's the new goal. Day by day to Day 28.

dollyk

28 days:eek: . ok min by min for me then. youve given me some food for thought .. pun intended. ill buy some oranges vitimin c;)

dolliemix

Macros42 wrote: »

Well I didn't feed the nasty one today. Day 3.2 complete. Again no major cravings - only a couple of minor ones.

As I mentioned I did that session today. It was good. Most of the stuff covered I'd learnt already but some interesting bits. One suggestion was to keep a bowl of oranges/tangerines/satsumas handy. If you get a craving grab on and peel (and eat ofc). It's something to do with your hands and when you're finished the craving will have passed. Good for you too

One other bit she mentioned which is now a goal. While nicotine takes three days to leave the body habits take 28 days to break. That's the new goal. Day by day to Day 28.

I keep eating chocolate

donna1000

Hi Dolly and Macros, just came across this thread WELL DONE, i gave up a year ago, it was hard in the beginning but now no desire what so ever for a ciggie, i feel so much better i can run with the children without stopping for a ciggie, i can go for a nice meal with the oh and not want to rush out for a ciggie, i can go on holiday get of a plane(And not wonder where can i light up) I can go to a airport then through to departures and relax(usually fly ryanair furthest away terminal then walk back to security and ask can i go out for ciggie and then q then on the way back to get back into departures beleive me done this a few time) And most of all being a public sector worker i have only felt small cut as the money i save on ciggies go back to the bl***y goverment:mad:.
I wish you both luck, oh another thing my life insurance has just gone down 75% as a non smoker.
Stick with it, if at first you dont suceed try try try again
GOOD LUCK YOU CAN DO IT!!!

mariebeth

Well done guys. I'm on day 5 and today I only had one strong craving, and that was going out the door when i'd finished work, and just wanted one but I didn't give in

So I've 23 days to go before I've broken the habit, gonna keep going, because on day 31 I'll let myself buy an ipod touch if i stay smoke free incentives and bribery work with me!

dolliemix

Thats brilliant mariebeth. One ipod touch on the way

I had no cravings today. I'm on Day 12. But tomorrow I'm going to have a few drinks so thats a big test. Hopefully I'll be nicotine free on Friday. I'll be so proud of myself if I am

TomTom

On day 11 now for me. It's getting alot easier for me now. I have been shamefully smoking since I was 11 (parents have pub/offlicence so I kept nabbing them) so at 28 I have spent more than half my life smoking.

Two years ago I gave up for 6 months and 4 months the year before. Both times I gave in while drunk abroad. This time I am very determine to stay clear of them.

I worked it out the other night I can buy my wife a brand new VW polo for the same price a month as smoking was costing me.

Orion

Yesterday went well. Couple of cravings last night but manageable. Very tired this morning - my sleep patterns are very disrupted at the moment. That's probably why I've had a couple of cravings today already. Just ate an orange instead of smoking. Just as well I like oranges It's strange when they hit. When outside I can watch people lighting up and not want to join them. But sitting at my desk working I get sudden urges. Still they seem to be decreasing in intensity as well as frequency - hope that keeps up.