How Long Are You Trying to Quit Before...

cyrusdvirus

How long are you saying that you are trying to quit before you can say you have actually succeeded??

I know in terms of alcoholism (not really comparing smoking and alcoholism here) you are never recovered, and are always a recovering alcoholic, as that is regarded as a disease, rather than an addiction such as smoking..

The reason I ask is that i have been off them for 11 weeks now.

I did have a little slip up 3 weeks ago at my cousins wedding, had 3 in the entire day, but I'm kinda sweeping that under the carpet!!

cyrusdvirus

oh I'm fine with being off them. I'm just wondering how long would someone describe them selves as trying to quit before they describe themselves as an actual ex smoker?

I'm in the middle of "The Cough" at the moment, which is a bit of a pain in the arse, but other than that I'm doing fine.

The little slip up at the cousins wedding was more me allowing myself have a ciggy or 3 at the cousins wedding than me giving in to a craving/need. And boy did i enjoy them 3!!

But other than that I'm doing fine... first 3 weeks were hard, and I've deliberately given up at the most stressful time of year for me in terms of work, and i've managed fairly well.

cyrusdvirus

saliviya jonathan wrote: »

It's right

??

coffeepls

I don't know if this will help you - I've been off the ciggies for over 3 years now (smoked for over 20 years), and that plagued me at first, wondering when would I ever be able to get up in the morning and go about my day without thinking about cigarettes (never mind wanting them).

I really wondered what my life was like before them - how did I have a day where they never ever would cross my mind.

Ok - broad timeline -
After 6 months (and other ex-smokers agree with me on this) - you will be surprised how you won't miss them. You'll think about them a lot - but not like you've disowned a friend.
And you'll really begin to notice silly little improvements that you would never have put down to ciggies - feet and hands don't get as cold (improved circulation), you run for a bus and you don't feel like you need a defib on standby (I always said it was because I was unfit... rubbish... I had no lung capacity).

Some websites are very encouraging (I found the British ones to be very good) - and make you feel good about your acheivements too.

11 weeks done - you are doing brilliant - you've already got past the awful first few weeks -so you're winning - you are an ex-smoker from day 1. Keep up the good work - I have never felt better and my only regret is that I didn't give them up years ago.

Keep fighting

Orion

Feel free to recommend a book - anything that helps is valuable.

coffeepls

Thanks Orion - I wasn't sure - its 'The Stop Smoking Secret' by Mark Jordan. I just liked his approach - he was down to earth.

Personally I really couldn't get with the hypnotism type ways or being self critical (the approach other books & cds take), because to me, I wasn't stupid when I started smoking or daft enough to think that it wasn't bad for my health. I didnt need to hear how awful smoking was, I knew that and still smoked.

I gave up primerily because I was fed up with being at the beck and call of a cigarette - didn't like that they controlled me, my workbreaks, waiting for a bus, did I have enough till the morning - everything centred around the power that this thing had on my life. It's an addiction, and it is no longer my boss - that more than anything, keeps me well away from them. I love being my own boss of my life (not work work mind you, just my life!)

SlimCi

I too gave them up and am off them twenty months. I had been smoking for 26 years at approx 20 a day and then up to 30 a day and more when I stayed at home with my son. I had tried half heartedly on a number of occasions and then my mother died of lung cancer, it STILL took me 2 years to convince myself to give up but by that time I had developed asthma, allergies and chest problems due to sinus issues. Anyway I now feel fantastic, don't think about them at all and I reached for them and had my first one sitting on the side of my bed every morning! I did put on about 2 stone weight but have now got it back off. I feel I have given myself a real present for myself and my family. I really hope you succeed as its the best thing you could ever do for yourself. Mind you I'm a real reformed smoker now.....can't stand the smell at all now! I never think about them at all anymore.:)