HELP! Smoking while sleeping

[natalie_3]

I´m on a gradual smoking cessation program and I´m doing quite good, I´ve been able to control my cravings except when I sleep. I wake up 2 or 3 times in the middle of the night to smoke. I´ve tried everything, hiding my cigarretes, locking them on a safe, sleeping pills... This is ruining my quitting efforts, putting my in risk (I sometimes fall asleep with the cigarette still lit) and I´m tired all day long. Anyones else going through this? Any advice?

[Dentalfloss]

What is a gradual smoking cessation?

 

My advise would be to get rid of all cigarettes before going to bed. You can't smoke if you don't have any.

[natalie_3]

Thank you for your reply. 

It means I´m  quitting slowly and not cold turkey. I used to smoke 30 a day and now I´m in 13 a day

[Jenny]

Gradually cutting back on smoking does not help you to quit.  It's just torture for one thing and makes you obsess about smoking even more IMO.

 

Set a quit date and stop all together.  Use a quit aid if you feel it will help, but not cigarettes.  The only way to quit smoking is to quit smoking. 

 

Stick around and check out the videos and other threads that can help you on your journey to a smoke free life.  It's not as hard as you think.

[Jenny]

I should clarify as I fear I may have sounded too harsh that most of us have tried the "cut back method" at one point or another.  It just never works.   That's why I feel the way I do about it.  Just have never seen a successful quit doing that.  It seems like, especially since you are getting up in the night to smoke that it's not working the way you were hoping either.  

 

Oh and welcome to the board!! Very happy to have you here. 

[natalie_3]

Hi! Thank you Jenny!

So I should go cold turkey? It really scares me... 

[Paul723]

Welcome, your nicotine addiction will not let you do what you think you can.

[Colleen]

Welcome Natalie :)  I hate to say it, but gradual withdrawal is gradual torture.  Don't do it!  Why go through withdrawal every time you put out that cigarette, instead of one time?  

 

Check this out.

[natalie_3]

"Welcome, your nicotine addiction will not let you do what you think you can"

 

Thank you. Can you explain me what do you mean? 

[natalie_3]

Welcome Natalie :)  I hate to say it, but gradual withdrawal is gradual torture.  Don't do it!  Why go through withdrawal every time you put out that cigarette, instead of one time?  

 

Check this out.

Thanks!! 

I think I need to switch my quitting method but it really scares me... I´ve been smoking for 11 years, I don´t know if I can function without it

[natalie_3]

Welcome, your nicotine addiction will not let you do what you think you can.

Thank you. 

Can you explain me what do you mean?

[Dentalfloss]

I should clarify as I fear I may have sounded too harsh that most of us have tried the "cut back method" at one point or another. It just never works. That's why I feel the way I do about it. Just have never seen a successful quit doing that. It seems like, especially since you are getting up in the night to smoke that it's not working the way you were hoping either.

 

Oh and welcome to the board!! Very happy to have you here.

 

Yep. The cut back method. Also known as the non-quit. We would find anyway to keep smoking but feel like we were doing something good by cutting back. I remember saying something like " oh, I only smoked 12 today instead of 20 so I'm doing good"

 

Hi! Thank you Jenny!

So I should go cold turkey? It really scares me...

 

.

 

That's completely normal. The fear is worse than the quit.

I feared I would constantly crave all day everyday and that fear kept me from quitting for a long time but the truth is, it's not like that. Yes, you will crave but it's not all you do all day. Read all the info on here and anything you can find about quitting and addiction and have an arsenal of coping methods and you will so find out that it's doable and well worth it.

[Frezflops]

dont let it scare you the withdrawal is only temporary and quitting is doable I smoked for 20 years quit cold turkey (I tried the patch but it wasnt working the way I liked so did away with it after the 2nd day) It is great on the "other" side :) read a lot, post a lot, pick a date, drink lots of water, if you exercise when you have a craving exercise (it helps) if you run run for 10 minutes the crave will go, drink juice, eat healthy snacks. some use straws, suckers, read posts, post a lot (I know I said this twice but am stressing the importance) I understand the fear (had it myself) but it is definitely doable you are stronger than you think you will find :)

 

Cutdown is torturing yourself as others have said. 

 

And most important welcome :)

[Dentalfloss]

Thanks!! 

I think I need to switch my quitting method but it really scares me... I´ve been smoking for 11 years, I don´t know if I can function without it

Not only can you function without it but you will find out that you are more productive since quitting. You will no longer spend hours a day smoking or use it as I did. A way to procrastinate. I am actually getting all my chores done in the morning and relaxing for the rest of the day instead of spending most of my day smoking then rushing around to finish everything later in the day.

[natalie_3]

dont let it scare you the withdrawal is only temporary and quitting is doable I smoked for 20 years quit cold turkey (I tried the patch but it wasnt working the way I liked so did away with it after the 2nd day) It is great on the "other" side :) read a lot, post a lot, pick a date, drink lots of water, if you exercise when you have a craving exercise (it helps) if you run run for 10 minutes the crave will go, drink juice, eat healthy snacks. some use straws, suckers, read posts, post a lot (I know I said this twice but am stressing the importance) I understand the fear (had it myself) but it is definitely doable you are stronger than you think you will find :)

 

Cutdown is torturing yourself as others have said. 

 

And most important welcome :)

Thanks a lot! 

Well...I´m going to give it a shot. Set a quit date and go with it. You´ll be hearing from me a lot  :)

[Devil Doll]

Hi Natalie, welcome and congratulations on your decision to quit. You've gotten a lot of great advice from everyone so there isn't much more that I can add other than it really is easier than you think. Come to the board and post about it we are here to help. We've all been where you are and can offer some great advice and support. ;)

[natalie_3]

Hi Natalie, welcome and congratulations on your decision to quit. You've gotten a lot of great advice from everyone so there isn't much more that I can add other than it really is easier than you think. Come to the board and post about it we are here to help. We've all been where you are and can offer some great advice and support. ;)

Thanks a lot!  :)

[natalie_3]

dont let it scare you the withdrawal is only temporary and quitting is doable I smoked for 20 years quit cold turkey (I tried the patch but it wasnt working the way I liked so did away with it after the 2nd day) It is great on the "other" side :) read a lot, post a lot, pick a date, drink lots of water, if you exercise when you have a craving exercise (it helps) if you run run for 10 minutes the crave will go, drink juice, eat healthy snacks. some use straws, suckers, read posts, post a lot (I know I said this twice but am stressing the importance) I understand the fear (had it myself) but it is definitely doable you are stronger than you think you will find :)

 

Cutdown is torturing yourself as others have said. 

 

And most important welcome :)

 

Thank you!

I´ll be posting. What did you do to quit? Can you tell me your experience?

[BAT]

Step 1 - Get rid of everything and I mean everything associated with smoking.

 

Step 2 - Do it Now. The Sooner The Better.

 

Step 3 - Enjoy your New SmokeFree Life. Embrace The Quit.

 

Welcome To The QuitTrain Nat  :)

[natalie_3]

Step 1 - Get rid of everything and I mean everything associated with smoking.

 

Step 2 - Do it Now. The Sooner The Better.

 

Step 3 - Enjoy your New SmokeFree Life. Embrace The Quit.

 

Welcome To The QuitTrain Nat :)

Thank you! It's so hard to picture my life without smoking...

[Sazerac]

Hello Natalie,

You have come to the right place.

Please read all you can and learn about nicotine addiction.

It is gruesome,  YOU have the power to quit !  It isn't as hard as you think.  

I smoked for what, 45 years ?! and quit last October just to see if I could do it.

Guess what ?  I am free !!!.  and the freedom is so beautiful !

You can do it too if you want.

I am sleepy right now, but I look forward to more communication with you.

Hoping you listen to these wise people here, they have taught me so much.

love,

S

[Still winning]

HI natalie,

 

Cut back method of smoking, blimey, tougher then quitting and that's my honest opinion. For me, I would spend all day counting the hours and holding on waiting for the next cig. Gradual torture is correct but it seems less scary then a really real quit - but it's not. Here's why... your brain does it's nicotine reflex between about 20 mins to an hour after your last smoke, so from that point you have a craving. It starts mild and builds up (this is probably what's actually waking you in the night!).

 

When you actually quit it's really not the same. Your thinking changes quite quickly. So instead of thinking when you would have a cig, you distract yourself and keep busy and the craves are less (remember now, as a smoker, if you are busy you smoke less don't you) so you just prepare some stuff to do so you think about it less and get the nicotine out of your system, hey presto, then there's less craves anyway and you just have to put in new habits, so when you would smoke you now do xyz instead. 

 

A load of guys and whyquit.com is also a great reading site that says it, advocate cold turkey. Others will say they used a patch, or gum, or zyban and so the list goes on...the truth of it is the fact you have posted here means you are really not liking your smoking habit at all. Totally understandable, it steals our health and money and we don't really even notice how bad it is in truth, until we kick it out and our thinking starts to change. A number of these guys also used a book you read while you still smoke called Allen Carr. What works for one won't always work for another so don't worry about a one size fits all approach, go with your gut instinct of what feels right to you.

 

Welcome!! x

[JackiMac]

Natalie welcome on  board the QT, you will find lots of help and advice here, the gradual withdrawal from cigarettes just doesn't work hunny we have all been down that road, I'm afraid that's the addiction keeping hold of you, in a year's time you will still be cutting back...trust me on that one, if you are seriously wanting to quit, do it, the fear is also part of the addiction its the one thing that kept us all smoking for years, the fear of missing something, what will I do without my smokes....you will be a lot healthier and happier for a start, no more dipping your feet in the water, close your eyes and deep breath and jump in, we are all here to catch you and be with you on your journey, its wonderful xxx

[Doreensfree]

Hi and huge welcome to this wonderful,place.....

I smoked 52years,tried the cutting down method quite a few times....and failed

My advice ....read everything you can,then read it again......education is the answer....

Don't over think....jump in here.....we will support you....

The actual quit...is not as scary as you think......you just think it is....

You can do it.....believe in yourself.....xxxx

[Pippa]

Hi Nat - everyone has already given you great advice so I will just say welcome and reinforce you can do this! Like almost everyone here I made efforts to cut down and that never worked - but after over 30 years of smoking I said enough and quit cold turkey - the truth is the thought of quitting is much worse than the actual quit. There will be some rough times - but that is what we are here for - to support you through them ! You can do this