Help, I'm stopping smoking! I need your support!

[Radicalmommy]

Hi Everyone,

Well it's just past midnight and that's when I smoked my last cigarette. Only 18 minutes have passed and I am already nervous. I do not want to fail again. I really want to stop. It is my birthday today 7/20 so I can say I quit smoking when I turned 45. God I can't believe I am this old already? Where did the time go? Well, it's just imperative that I stop smoking once and for all. I'm coughing at night from it and I can't jog past 2 miles anymore. So if anyone can lend their support, it would be really helpful.
Cheers,
Sandra

[Tasek]

Congrats on stopping smoking, excellent choice you made!!

[Angela]

That's great! Congratulations, and lots of personal power to you in keeping your word to yourself! Yay!!!

[Radicalmommy]

Thanks Tasek and Angela. I really am going to try to do it this time. It's not hard just yet but the next two weeks will be the test. The last time I really gave it a good effort (last month) I made it 5 days and then caved in. It was heartbreaking to make it through what should have been the hardest part (I thought the nicotine was out of the system in 48 hours) only to fail. The breaking point for me was when my kids were fighting and I screamed at them. (which is so not okay with me) So I said to myself I would rather smoke than yell at my kids. I just could not shake the irritation factor and I think my entire life felt like one big frustration. Well, I'm off to bed soon. You will no doubt hear from me many times in the coming days but I feel like I need to go to any length to finally drop this habit. Honestly it just doesn't fit me anymore.

Thanks,
Sandra

[goodhealthmed]

Hello there.. I wonder how you're doing? I also have a friend who wants to stop smoking but really lacks motivation. I hope to read more from this thread so that I can be able to share something that might motivate him. Thanks.

[TMS]

I'm on the same boat, hun! Day 1 of no cigs was today.

[Peek]

I quit 2 years ago. (2 package a day vs. cold turkey)

the first 72 hours are the most difficult.

If you can find the power in your gut feeling.
Make your self as happy as possible with your decision.
THIS IS THE BEST THING YOU DO FOR YOURSELF.

Take it day by day and at the end of the day be glorious about not doing something for a change!!!!

I wish I could be the good voice in your head.

[lookcloser]

If you can quit smoking successfully, it would really inspire me to quit too. I kinda gave up days back which was the last time I tried to quit. The biggest problem is I guess that all my friends smoke and my dad has been a chain smoker ever since I was born. I find it very very very difficult. The longest I was able to take was one month (using the 30 day trial period) but I just couldn't go longer. And all the women smokers I know haven't quit yet, a lot of guys have. It is apparently much harder for women to quit and its harder if you have started smoking at a younger age. I started about two years back. I smoke upto 6 or 7 a day. It really doesn't feel good when I smoke but I think its high time I stop.

Good luck to you girl!!! I hope to be hearing from you again, counting on you for some motivation

[3afash]

You need to get a lot of vitamin B3 as that will help with the addictive personality and balancing your neurology. Also, try to make many other positive changes in your life. In other words, go through a complete transformation. I'm sure there are many areas in your life where you can do better and live up more to your potential. Start making changes and quitting smoking will be effortless since it will be one change among many and by going back to it you will feel like you lost all the investment that you put into your transformation and therefore it will loom larger than if you didn't have all these changes going on. That's how I quit. I started making changes by switching to a raw food diet, starting to workout, reading a lot, and improving my social life, almost all at once, along with quitting smoking. All of this made quitting so effortless that I didn't feel that I exerted any extra will power to quit. Also keep posting here and keep us updated on your progress to hold yourself accountable.

[lookcloser]

Originally Posted by 3afash

You need to get a lot of vitamin B3 as that will help with the addictive personality and balancing your neurology. Also, try to make many other positive changes in your life. In other words, go through a complete transformation. I'm sure there are many areas in your life where you can do better and live up more to your potential. Start making changes and quitting smoking will be effortless since it will be one change among many and by going back to it you will feel like you lost all the investment that you put into your transformation and therefore it will loom larger than if you didn't have all these changes going on. That's how I quit. I started making changes by switching to a raw food diet, starting to workout, reading a lot, and improving my social life, almost all at once, along with quitting smoking. All of this made quitting so effortless that I didn't feel that I exerted any extra will power to quit. Also keep posting here and keep us updated on your progress to hold yourself accountable.

This is great advice man!! My friend told me to do the exact thing, she told me that your focus will go into these other really productive goals and you wouldn't wanna start smoking again and jeopardize the other things. Thanks a lot for reinforcing this idea

[Radicalmommy]

Good morning everyone and thanks for being here. I'm up after only 4 hours of sleep, mainly because today is also my daughter's birthday and I needed to wrap her presents before any of the kids woke up. So I had a cup of coffee and got that done. I can feel the scratchiness of my throat and a feeling all the way down in my lungs that is already itching for a smoke. It's weird to think how sucking in smoke would make that feel better. Well, I'm so tired. I was starving so I had a bite to eat and I was thinking of going for a 3 mile walk but now I'm too tired. I need more sleep. Going back to bed. So far so good.
Sandra

[Lionman]

Good stuff, after 3 days you will have gotten over the worse and feel a lot better. Notice how your energy levels are increasing over time.

When you make 2 weeks you're pretty much in the clear and it really is smooth sailing after that. You will start coughing up all the tar in your lungs and your lung capacity will start increasing again. It's a really great feeling when you can take a massive breath of fresh outdoor air again.

[Tesla]

I really need to quit smoking, too.

[Radicalmommy]

I did not quit. Just twelve hours into it I started acting like a complete moron. I was even aware of it, just looking at myself thinking what the hell is wrong with you, just shut your mouth. You are acting like a total BI***. Being that it was my daughter's birthday I started smoking again. I did not want to ruin her day. Sorry for the bad news.

The good news is that I will start again when I am out of cigarettes. I have 4 left. (I don't know why I feel like I have to smoke every last one until they are gone but I've always done that.) Anyway, I am not giving up if I have to start over every day until I do it.

One thing I will do differently tomorrow is to keep my mouth shut no matter what. One or two weeks of relative silence won't hurt anyone but words spoken out of the irritation I feel do. So I am resigned to not comment on anything that's making me feel mad. Now is not the time to fix anything or demand that my children say please when asking for something.

Also I bought a 30 day cleanse that I started tonight to help rid me of the toxins. Well, thanks for all your support. I will let you know how I fare tomorrow.

[anghel]

withdrawal syndrome? Why don't you try e-cigarette instead? Problem is, it's somehow expensive. I hope you'll be successful next time.

[Minimabs]

Why not work on the reasons why you smoke before you give up? I know for me I thought I needed to smoke to cope with life, my emotions, other people, the highs and the lows.

I read Alan Carr's book and watched his DVD and it made me realise that I didn't actually need to smoke to cope with life. Everything that happens to me will continue to happen and smoking doesn't help me to cope - it just gives me something to do with my hand for 5 minutes. If I was upset - I was still upset 5 minutes after I had smoked a cigarette, the pain didn't go away.

Once you start to rattle the belief that you think you need to smoke and then start to question it, then the illusion of smoking starts to lose its hold over you.

Yes you will need 3 or 4 days of willpower in the first instance to break the habit, but it gets easier if you really want to give up.

[fellow traveler]

Mark Twain once said; "It's a piece of cake to quit smoking. ... I've done it a thousand times."

I think 3afash has given you some good advice. .... and the emotional detoxing that you are experiencing is very normal. ....... It will pass if you just allow yourself to ride it out. ... Remember, your kids will be done a lot more harm by you smoking than they ever will by you being a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ for a few days. ... Allow yourself to be a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ and quit anyway. ... You can always explain to your kids what is happening inside you. Kids are extremely forgiving when people are honest with them, .. and they will learn from your example.

[lifetimelearner]

Originally Posted by Minimabs

Why not work on the reasons why you smoke before you give up?

this is great advice ! obviously -like with all addictions- there is an underlying reason

let me leave you with a quote from Martha Beck -
"All addictive behaviors are attempts to suppress and avoid feeling "

so what are you numbing yourself to ?

[Angela]

Hey, radicalmommy, I and many other members here have loved Alan Carr's techniques (mentioned by minimabs, above). I highly recommend his book on quit smoking!

[Radicalmommy]

Okay, I quit again at noon today so it's only been two hours. I talked to my kids all about it last night and this morning. (They so want me to quit.) I told them that "I am going to try to keep my mouth shut when I feel (NUTS) and that if I don't manage that then you can help me by telling me that I need to go for a walk or take a 5 minute meditation break. Please remember that I am going to be feeling really nasty for awhile and if I say something mean, that's not me (you know that right? They did.) I don't mean it. Also, the more you get along with each other the next few weeks (these are great kids anyway but we all have our moments) the easier it will be for me.

Well, I know it's only been two hours. I started my 30 day cleanse last night and I can feel that difference already. (Amazing, I think there is more than physical toxins hiding out in my cells, toxic emotions, memories, attitudes somehow I'm feeling like it's all connected ) I am eating very healthy and drinking green tea or water with lemon. My mother has some natural vitamins she is going to give me so I'll add that as well. I will check back in a few hours.

I will definitely get the book by Carr if I fail again. I can justify the cost by the cost of cigarettes $6.50 a pack where I live. Or I can pay my $18 fine at the library and get it that way.

Sandra

[Angela]

I would recommend getting the Carr book to support you now; don't put it off.

[ssandra]

And also look at your success.

Don't see things as failure. 1 cigarette in 2 days is a lot less then what I'm guessing you normally would smoke.. Improvement is improvement


It may also help to buy some straws or something to chew on when you're feeling edgy.

Or some carrots to munch on. Just something to have in your mouth that could help you with the not feeling so well emotionally.

[Radicalmommy]

Just 5 hours now and I've had none of the extreme agitation that I had before. The children have been little angels. (I should have tried this before. LOL) Well, so far so good this time.
Sandra

[Radicalmommy]

It has been 28 hours without smoking. I feel like absolute crap. The inside of my chest feels like it wants to kill me. I have a slight headache and there is tension in every cell of my body. I don't like this at all. It is very hard. I wonder when it will end if ever. Maybe it won't and I will start smoking again in 5 days because it never goes away and you always want to smoke. Of course , no one could continue to live like this indefinitely. This really sucks but I'm holding on. I know I can do it. I just don't know if I want to. I can't remember what my reasons for quitting were anymore but I'm sure I had one or maybe two or even more than that.

Last night I went jogging and I went farther and faster than a I usually do. I was surprised that I would have such an increase in fitness after just 12 hours of not smoking. I ran some this morning too. I think I will go out right now and see how far I can go even though it is so damn hot. It feels good when I am pushing myself and breathing hard. Then afterward I feel better for a few hours. I'm amazed at how much better my breathing feels so soon. Well, just wanted to check in and tell you I'm doing it this time. I hope I can keep it up.

Sandra

[Angela]

Wow, that was a lot of movement from the beginning to the end of that post! Keep going, woman, we're with you, pulling for you. And you cannot fail -- just choose in the moment, and if doesn't all go exactly according to plan, forgive yourself and choose again. You're taking on something huge for yourself, for your family, and for the world. I'm grateful to you.

[AlmostGodess]

Hello, beautiful woman! Just wanted to tell you the story about how my uncle quit smoking. He was caring a cigarette in his suit pocket and he was talking to the cigarette. He was saying something like "I know, I know you want me to smoke you. But I am stronger than you!". This lasted for a month. He never started again and it's been more than 20 years!

Good luck and keep going!

[Phil Watson]

There's no reason to quit cold-turkey. Like ssandra said, improvement is improvement. However, if you've been smoking heavily (I was smoking over a pack a day at one point) then that's going to help get the ball rolling. Every time I tried to just up and quit all at once, I failed. After so many times, I came up with a new strategy; I started keeping track of how many cigarettes I was smoking each day. Or rather, I was keeping track of how many times I gave in to the urge to smoke, because for me it was about habit and psychological dependence, not physical dependence. At first I was just keeping track, and once I felt like I had some control over it, I started to shoot for specific goals. i.e. 'I want to limit myself to x times per day by this time next week' or 'I want to go x days without smoking'. It was all a progressive effort, and I never beat myself up for giving in or for not quite meeting my mark. It really helped to put it in perspective. There's a part of us that feels like if we beat ourselves up enough, we'll stop [insert habit here], but for me it's always been easier to stop when I didn't hate myself for giving in. I just recently discovered a cool little mental trick for dealing with those sudden urges where it feels like it would be fulfilling to go have a smoke: when the urge hits you, and you're feeling 'ah man it'd be nice to go smoke right now', just decide 'yeah, I'll go have a smoke' as if you were shamelessly giving in to your desire, then go right back to whatever you were doing. I find that when you decide to give in to the urge internally, rather than resisting it, and then decline to act on that decision, you're left with the delicious feeling of a shameless relapse without the consequences.
Good luck to you!

<3

[ssandra]

You're doing wonderful!

The reason that you are doing this is for yourself, to feel better, and for your children!! Remember how happy they were when you were telling them that you were quitting smoking? That's the reason you are doing this!!

You can do this. Absolutely you can!!

[reapwhatyousow]

Originally Posted by Phil Watson

There's no reason to quit cold-turkey. Like ssandra said, improvement is improvement.

Hmmm... not so sure about that one. So long as you are still putting Nicotine in your body, it will crave it. Cold turkey is the only way to get rid of the nicotine - once you've done that then then it's all psychological and re programming your brain/habits.

I smoked for around 15 years - at my peak 30 odd a day.

By the end i was so fed up with bad health, smelling clothes & bad breath etc that one day i wolk up and said enough is enough and that was that - November 29th 2008 was my last smoke. The first couple of weeks were bad, but nothing ridiculous - more like an itch... something at the back of my mind. Having a drink was pretty tough - again because of the habit my brain had formed (drink = smoke)... but once passed that i was sailing. If i get really drunk i get a little tingle of a craving... But that's it.

Interesting story was my father was a heavy smoker 40+ a day for around 35 years.
He quit over night - simply by changing his habits. His routine for decades was wake up, get the mail, read the mail with smoke... get to work, have a coffee with smoke.
So instead he left the mail till he got home. The habit was broken. It sounds a bit ridiculous but it worked for him... perhaps look for habitual smoking - when and where you do it and change up those situations.

As i say - once the nicotine leaves your body (couple of weeks) then it's all psycological.
Those couple of weeks are the crucial point - once your past that you're home and dry!

Good luck - you can do it

[Radicalmommy]

Day 2 is almost over, just a few more hours. I've got this whole house almost spotless today. (except what the children have already turned back) We had a bad experience with the cable company. God it just drives me crazy when people outright lie just to make a commission. (this one's not getting paid) That is damn sad. So we sit without TV for another day not that I care but the children do. We have some new movies to watch so I'm thinking a big bowl of popcorn. Eating is a great way to not smoke though I haven't been over doing it. Just eating even better than usual because it might actually mean something to be healthy now. Who knows I might even get to improve my running where I'll be able to join the local running group.
The vitamins and shakes I've been wanting to try by isagenix that I couldn't afford I'm getting $200 worth for $20 from someone who didn't like the stuff. For $20 I will try it. I feel this need to pump myself full of vitamins and fruit and lots of greens as if I was starving. I still feel out of it, now tired. Popcorn, movie, sleep. Tomorrow morning? I'll leave that alone and just deal with this moment. Talk to everyone tomorrow and thanks so much for your support. It has been more helpful than you know. Night!