Quitting Smoking Journal

[The Truth]

31st July 06

I have been a smoker for 7 years. I hate being a smoker, I hate the taste, the way it makes me smell, the way it makes me feel, the lack of energy and how it affects my sex drive.

I have decided to try again to quit and thought I would post a journal along the way to keep me motivated and share my experiences, cravings, noticeable benefits or any lapses. If anyone else wants to join me the support would be nice and we can all post here and try to help each other out.

So far I have tried giving up using hypnosis tapes, willpower, cutting down, patches and gum, but have never succeeded. Right now I am attempting Allen Carr's Easy Way and I am feeling quite positive about it. It tells you to continue smoking until the end of the book so I am still smoking at the moment and hope to finish the book and finish smoking by the end of today.

Since I have been reading the book I am noticing a lot of things about smoking. I am aware that I dont actually enjoy it and a lot of the time I dont even know I'm smoking. Im noticing the phlegm in my throat after and the stale taste in my mouth and my pulse racing and the smell on my hands. So it is doing a good job of putting me off at the moment.

Whether I can give up and not smoke again remains to be seen, but better to try and fail than not to try at all!

 

[Yuriy777]

31st July 06

I have been a smoker for 7 years. I hate being a smoker, I hate the taste, the way it makes me smell, the way it makes me feel, the lack of energy and how it affects my sex drive.

I have decided to try again to quit and thought I would post a journal along the way to keep me motivated and share my experiences, cravings, noticeable benefits or any lapses. If anyone else wants to join me the support would be nice and we can all post here and try to help each other out.

So far I have tried giving up using hypnosis tapes, willpower, cutting down, patches and gum, but have never succeeded. Right now I am attempting Allen Carr's Easy Way and I am feeling quite positive about it. It tells you to continue smoking until the end of the book so I am still smoking at the moment and hope to finish the book and finish smoking by the end of today.

Since I have been reading the book I am noticing a lot of things about smoking. I am aware that I dont actually enjoy it and a lot of the time I dont even know I'm smoking. Im noticing the phlegm in my throat after and the stale taste in my mouth and my pulse racing and the smell on my hands. So it is doing a good job of putting me off at the moment.

Whether I can give up and not smoke again remains to be seen, but better to try and fail than not to try at all!

I used www.quitnet.com for support and the patch (accelerated program) to get off the habit. I've been a non-smoker for about 2 months and have since then replaced my smoking urges with doing things like push ups and running rather than the chewing gum or toothpicks thing lol.

I have also read that hypnosis by a licensed psychologist is statistically the best way of quitting but since that required at least 4 trips at $200 each I didn't go for it. I'm cheap lol.

Best thing I can say is stick with it, plan your quit, and definitely plan yourself a busy schedule for 2-4 weeks after your quit date. The less spare time you have at first, the less you’ll have time to smoke. After that, just do what you have to in order to keep from smoking. You’ll succeed as long as not smoking is very important to you.

Now, Get to it. :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

Edit: Oh, and I smoked for 8 years before I quit. Aside from my affinity for breathing, I was inspired to quit because I wanted to do the following activities again (and some for a first time); parkour (urban running), swimming, workout, soccer, wakeboarding, etc.

 

[Desdinova]

So far I have tried giving up using hypnosis tapes, willpower, cutting down, patches and gum, but have never succeeded. Right now I am attempting Allen Carr's Easy Way and I am feeling quite positive about it. It tells you to continue smoking until the end of the book so I am still smoking at the moment and hope to finish the book and finish smoking by the end of today.

Right on! That's how I quit, and I've been smoke free for 4 months now.

 

[The Truth]

Thanks for the input. Have you guys noticed any obvious health benefits since you quit? That's my main inspiration as I'm sick of getting out of breath and feeling so lethargic all the time.

 

[EFFORT]

Check this out


http://quitsmoking.about.com/cs/afterquitting/a/after_quitting.htm

 

[Spiky]

Good luck dude, i havent touched a ciggie for 4 months now.

It does get annoying at school breaks when all my mates head down for durries but you get used to it after a while.

The big thing is how much you want to quit. If you want it bad enough you'll do it. Plain and simple.

After the first month or so you'll notice an improvement in your sense of taste and after about 3 months you stop coughing all the time and feel heaps better.

I really feel for you dude, quitting can be difficult but stick with it, you will eventually stop feeling a need to smoke.

 

[Yuriy777]

Thanks for the input. Have you guys noticed any obvious health benefits since you quit? That's my main inspiration as I'm sick of getting out of breath and feeling so lethargic all the time.

Well after 2 months and miles or running later I finally feel my mucus production slowing down (My biggest anticipation). Aside from that…
The fact that I can run miles again (I’m still out of breath at times but I’m working on it)!
I also don’t have that tar taste in my throat anymore… :woo:

 

[EliteLegends]

quitting smoking is the best thing you can do ...

i smoked for 8 yrs ( about 6 was heavy i.e a pack a day)
from 13-21

i quit about 2 yrs ago cold turkey
i just put my mind to it and did it

i used a calendar for about 3 weeks marking an X over each day
and i refused to start over again
so after a few weeks , im like screw this i dont need a calendar anymore
and i told myself , ive gone this long , my habit has been broken ...

see i dont understand why ppl quit for months or even years and then relapse ... besides lack of willpower

when i quit i thought of all of the positive benefits and how my life
would be w/o all the negative ...

every time i would smell a cig after those few weeks i would be like ewwww
thats smells like **** , i cant believe i used to smoke those
then i just kinda pretended i never smoked in the first place

a few months ago i picked up the habit for a few weeks
( i know i was just talking about a relapse , but this wasnt one)
a phase maybe , anyways i quit again after about 3 weeks


but end of story .... ITS ALL IN YOUR MIND

if you cant beat a little cancer stick , if you cant overcome tobacco

then wtf in your life will you be able to overcome

thats how i saw it , and thats what got me through it
raw ****ing determination

peace
srry about long 1st post

 

[Yuriy777]

...
if you cant beat a little cancer stick , if you cant overcome tobacco

then wtf in your life will you be able to overcome
...

It's not that easy for everyone man...
But, that's why we support each other. :cheer:

 

[The Truth]

Thanks for the advice, info and support guys! I haven't quite finished the Allen Carr book yet, so haven't smoked my last cigarette, but expect to do that tonight. I'm already looking forward to it though!

 

[Desdinova]

Thanks for the input. Have you guys noticed any obvious health benefits since you quit? That's my main inspiration as I'm sick of getting out of breath and feeling so lethargic all the time.

No more horking up lung 5hit, no more yellow fingers, your breath don't stink as bad in the morning, no more coughing, you don't smell funny anymore, and you save HEAPS of cash!

I didn't notice any change in my taste, probably since I've always brushed my tongue. I did go through a "substitution phase" afterwards, but those substitutes are much easier to quit than smoking.

 

[EliteLegends]

i understand that it isnt as easy for everyone as it was for me
but what it takes changing is your mindset and learning how to commit to something ...

you werent born with a smoke in your mouth so theres no way anyone can convince me the addiction is anything other than in your mind ...

cigs,weed,coke,alcohol ... its all the same
the problem is in the mindset

but anyways , he will only do it if HE really wants to ...

 

[The Truth]

11th August 2006

I have been on holiday this week so haven't added to this journal. However I finished the Allen Carr book on the 4th of August and smoked my final cigarette.

I left it till 11pm to smoke my final cigarette so that I would wake the following day as a non-smoker. The cravings were very intense that day and it was hard to break my usual habit. However, the day after I went on holiday so the change in my surroundings helped break my routine and habits and give me a distraction.

While on holiday I often found moments where I wanted a cigarette just to chill out and enjoy the quiet moments, but I held out. I constantly reaffirmed that smoking is not as enjoyable as my mind was making out. I knew that as much as I craved it that lighting up a cigarette would actually be disappointing (it always is after you try to quit) and focused on the negative sides.

I did this every time I got a strong craving and it helped put it in perspective. To my surprise, it only took 4 days for the cravings to settle. They haven't gone completely but after 4 days the temptation had passed. Now, I have no desire to smoke and I'm feeling confident I will stick to it.

I would credit a lot of it to going on holiday and changing my routine and to spending all week with a non smoker (my GF). I knew that if I wanted to smoke, my GF would know about it and I'd feel like a failure, so that helped.

In terms of benefits. I feel a lot cleaner and smell a lot better already. I am not exactly ready to run a marathon yet but I do feel healthier, more energetic and my breathing is much clearer. My sex drive has also been on top form (and boy it's a good job!) and I'm feeling very excited and positive.

So far so good!

 

[sjchris]

Thats awesome man, keep it up. There's so many reasons to quit; money spent, long term health, increased cardio ability, not labelled as "smoker", clothes and car dont smell, etc.

 

[BingoBango]

sometimes u have to think outside the square, and consider other factors.

like for me, i had a group of friends (about 5 ppl) who i hung out with and smoked with ALL the time.

I had to stop hanging out with them for a month when i stopped smoking, and that really helped.

Whenever i tried to quit but still hung out with them, it would only last like a day or two lol.

And yes i was a heavy smoker, 1 packet a day.

It's funny how when ur quitting it seems like THE HARDEST THING U'LL EVER DO, but when u look back on it like a year later... u think "it wasnt actually that hard, it wasnt such a big deal."

 

[The Truth]

25th of August

I have gone 3 weeks without a single cigarette now! It is said that by 3 weeks the nicotine has completely left your body and you are free of the addiction, but I felt free in the first week. I have been out in social situations, I've had a lot of stress and grief lately, but I still haven't been tempted to smoke. In fact, I barely even think about it and whenever I think about smoking I force myself to think about the smell and the horrible aftertaste and it loses any appeal.

In previous attempts to give up I always tried to cut down or I would give up then have 1 or 2 on a night out. I'd try to cut down to a few per week at special occasions, but when I did that my mind was constantly fixed on my next cigarette and I had a constant craving. The key this time has been to give up 100% and not put a cigarette near my mouth.

I am noticing a lot of benefits now, but they are quite gradual. On the downside I am eating a lot more and am finding it very hard to control. That's something I need to stop before I get fat!

 

[The Truth]

On a sad note, I recently found out that Allen Carr has been diagnosed with lung cancer. Talk about cruel irony!! It is not known whether it is due to his former 100 per day habit or the passive smoking at all his clinics. It could be unrelated altogether.

The first thought that hit me was if I'm going to get lung cancer even after giving up I may as well continue smoking. But then I thought about it and realised he would have died much sooner had he continued, and he is most likely in this situation because of the passive smoking, which happened to British TV presenter Roy Castle.

I have no regrets about giving up and would recommend it to everyone!

 

[The Truth]

6th of September

I'm still a non-smoker!

It hit me this weekend how much my lungs have recuperated. My car broke down in the middle of a deserted country road, at least 15 miles from home. It was late and no one was around, my girlfriend was at work, my parents were on holiday, my breakdown cover had expired, my mobile phone battery was dead, so I decided to walk as close to home as I could manage and then call a taxi to take me the rest of the way.

15 miles probably doesn't sound a big deal, but as a smoker it was unthinkable for me to make the whole distance. Yet as I started walking, I noticed that I wasn't getting tired or out of breath as I normally would. Eventually I found my legs start to ache, and yet I was still breathing steadily. I continued walking and actually made it all the way home!

Now I would not have woken up and said "hey, I feel like I can managed a 15 mile walk today". The benefits of not smoking just seem to hit me every so often when I realise I'm not as limited as I thought I was.

 

[The Truth]

14th September

For a few weeks after I quit smoking, I was constantly thinking of cigarettes and trying to fight off the temptation. But the last few days I don't think I've even thought about a cigarette and it's like I've totally adapted to being a non-smoker now as if this is how it's always been.

The past week I've been going for walks and yesterday and today I decided to make it a run. I managed a decent 20 minutes before I started to get out of breath and think I can keep pushing myself further.

The combination of exercise and being nicotine free has made me feel so alive!

 

[Doggystyle]

I keep cracking when i'm drunk, don't have any cravings when i'm sober any more, but I associate drinking with smoking so much that whenever i even think of beer then i want a smoke, a few pints down the line and i don't care any more and crack. regret it in the morning though, need to stay off the booze really but can't see that happening.