Day 7. Yay but its hard!

[kendranz]

Hiya. Am new to all this but just looking for someone else who is in the same boat, which I know you are. Day 7 and was all going well but for the past few hours the urge has been insane! How long will I get these urges. I know it's mind over matter but if I know there is an end date in sight I could breathe a bit. I'm away in 4 days for a week staying with a smoker so really need to be confident about saying I'm a non smoker!Up until today I have been super! So weird this nicotine demon. Thanks for reading. :-)

[El Bandito]

Hey Kendranz

 

Welcome Aboard!

 

Congratulations on getting to Day 7 - First week is the toughest and you are all but through it. Great work!

 

The answer to your question is that it gets easier and easier.

 

It sounds like you are stressing yourself out. Chill!

 

You have done it. Sure you will get the odd craving. Ignore it.

 

What happens?

 

It just goes away. No drama, no worries.

 

I know it is tough to do - but trust me. Every day it gets a little bit easier. 

 

You are doing great!

[Wendy]

.

[kendranz]

Thanks for your prompt replies! Just been on rowing machine, feeling good again so phew. Wendy I do think you are right. Last time I was with my friend - only see each monthly, we just drank and smoke. I am not going to do that again but a little voice saying oh go on you on holiday. Silly but I'm already thinking of caving in! But I'm not. Read on here the NOPE so that's my mantra. Considering he has said oh but it's holiday smoking. Lol. I'm going to prove it to him that I am a non smoker! Sorry for my ignorance re rules but can I just post on this post while I'm away just for that extra support?

[Wendy]

.

[Still winning]

Post everywhere, any time you want to. We've all been where you are today, quite literally this board was made by ex smokers for new non smokers and some older ones too. So yes, post minute by minute if you need. Other then that post like now when it's hard, or go check out the social forum or quit smoking discussions and join in there too.

 

It seems odd to say but our biggest enemy is our own thoughts. It helped to recognise one part was an addicted to nicotine brain, that part will try to catch you out. It will offer a kinda smoking amnesty, "only one", or "holiday smoke", or "social smoke" and so on. It will change the rules so you can just quit again if you give it one inch of room.

 

Decide smoking is not on the table anymore, then just take each day as it comes. Nope is your mental baseball bat to bat those thoughts back out. Youalready saw exercise is your friend as that knocks out craves too.

 

When you feel a bit better go into the pre respond to your own sos thread and write one for yourself, and it would be great for you to do an intro in that section so we can start to get to know you a bit more, might help us help you if and when :)

 

Massive congrats on week 1!!

[action]

Hi kendranz - nice to meet you, and congratulations on your quit! 

 

There are a few others here who quit when you did, like Wendy.  There are also a few quit a week or so before you, so hoping that they can offer their assistance, too ;)

 

With regards to craves - they really do only get better over time!  When you see your friend, I would suggest a few things, just to keep your sanity!  I would ask you friend to not try to encourage you to smoke; quitting is hard enough without that, and you don;t need to make it even harder with someone offering you one every 5 minutes... tell them that you are serious about quitting, and they will hopefully respect your decision, and not smoke right in front of you all the time.  If they don't, just excuse yourself while they smoke - not smoking is number 1 priority this weekend, because it could save your life... don't worry about looking like a party-pooper, because it really doesn't matter.  Remember that there is no such thing a 'just 1'... if you smoke 1, you will most probably go back to smoking a pack a day, and have to start your quit from scratch (if you even can start again).  Try to watch your friend - when they do have that smoke, do they look like they enjoyed it?  Did it seem to do anything positive to relieve their withdrawal, or are they already thinking about when they will have the next one?!  What is the point of smoking?!

 

You really can have a great time without smoking - my drinking sessions are so much more fun than they used to be, because I don't have to keep grabbing my coat, going outside to be miserable, and coming back to find out that I missed everything!

 

If you think that drinking is going to be an issue and lower your resolve not to smoke, then don't drink... your quit is the most important thing reight now, and you need to protect it!

 

And please, post here as often as you want!  Either update this thread, start new ones, or there is a section called the SOS Board - please post here in an emergency, and wait for at least 3 responses before doing something you will regret!  We will all be here for you, and we want to see you succeed!  You can do this!

[Sazerac]

Welcome Kendranz.

I am so glad you are here.

 

You are doing so great ! 

Please educate yourself all you can about Nicotine addiction

(there are a ton of great videos here on the site)

and post often,

pledge to N O P E.

These are a few components that will assist your successful quit.

 

No worries, it gets easier and a smoke free life is a beautiful Free life.

love,

S

[Pippa]

Hi Kendranz - congrats on a great quit to date! You have already received great advice so I will just say welcome aboard and encourage you to stay close to the board - you will find great support here !

[Tink]

Hi Kendranz welcome to the board :)

 

congratulations on your quit, maybe the fear of you going to stay with your friend is bringing on the craves a bit I know for me any fears made things worse

 

take it one step at a time, one day at a time

 

keep busy and read and post, work it through it does all pass and become easier

 

as reguards to your friend, have a plan talk to them so you both feel comfortable

 

you are a non smoker and maybe you can be an inspiration to your friend :)

[SanDar]

Welcome Kendranz!

You've been offered some really good advice here.

Just keep the NOPE going!  Post whenever you need to. Someone is always around to respond.

And congratulations on getting past that first week!

You can do it :)

[Devil Doll]

First, welcome Kendranz!

 

Congratulations on getting through the hardest week! At this point in your quit the nicotine is out of your body and it is a mind game from now on. It gets easier from this point on. Keep busy, drink ice water, exercise (if you can), read here, post often, our games are a great diversion from the thoughts. All of us were where you are and if we can do it than you can too! 

 

Again, welcome!!! 

[ChRiSpY]

Congrats on your awesome new quit.   So...ofcourse it all goes away....but it is not a sprint (unfortunately.)

 

I looked at it as being sick.  Good Lawd it sucked to be sick... but when you feel better...life is good.  When you quit smoking and you realize you have beat it... It is AMAZING!

 

Do in a couple of days you are going to stay with a smoker... that is a hard spot to put yourself in so early...but not impossible.  Stay strong....don't let your guard down (i.e. drinking)  If you get through staying somewhere where there are smokes readily available and you don't not break... you quit will be twice as strong as it is now.... Trust.

 

Keep on keepin on.

[Nancy]

Welcome, Kendranz!  So glad you found us!  Just hang tight to Not One Puff Ever, and you will be fine.  Remember,  a real physical craving only lasts 3-5 minutes and you can stand anything for that long.  Be sure to have frequent snacks or juice as quitting plays havoc with blood sugar.  Congratulations on 7 days!

[Doreensfree]

Hi and welcome aboard......congrats on your 7 day quit...this iis great

Read all you can read.....get to know this addiction,what keeps us hooked....knowledge will help you fight....

Stay close to the board,post as often as you want....we all have been in your shoes.....

Maybe tell your friend before you arrive you have quit.....and maybe not smoke in front of you.....

Good friends will understand.....can you keep in touch with the board while you are away...

Have a plan all ready for yourself before you go......

Your quit is the most important thing in your life right now....guard it well....

[Still winning]

Also to say I lived with smokers and I used it to focus my quit like this:

 

When you have to, really watch them smoke. Mentally note how there's a "catch" in their throat and then a cough. Remember, they are inhaling poisons and chemicals (70 of them proven as cancer causing!) with that cig. Also note they do not look blissfully relaxed, they are not smoking cause they are lovin it - they are smoking because they are a nicotine addict and after 20 minutes from putting out the last cigarette, the craves are beginning and get bigger until you remedy it with yet another fix of nicotine, complete with chemicals and poisons. 

 

You find if you start thinking of it like that when you have to be around smokers you feel sorry for them and it actually gives you strength to not smoke. 

 

Drinking really inhibits the brain, be careful if you drink.  It's perfectly ok to run away and have a nap, or a walk. Walking is great, step by step repeat in your head "nope, nope, nope" until the crave has passed.

[Holski]

Welcome aboard the Quit Train, Kendranz!

You have quit smoking and that is totally awesome!

:D

Now hang in there!

It can be a roller coaster but you got it!

[Still winning]

Hey, how's day 8 going?? x

[kendranz]

Thanks for your replies. It's really helpful! Day 9 now. Little kiwi land we are a day ahead. Last day of work as it's school holidays. Should be excited but all I'm thinking about is buying a pack when the bell rings! Aaaaahhh. My friend is supportive and also saying I'm being too hard in myself especially when I said I'm looking forward to seeing him but not seeing him due to temptation but I'm just in two minds. I so desperately want and need to be a non smoker for so many reasons but the amount of people I talk too say the urge never leaves you. God how can people live like that? A girl I know has quit for 6 months but would happily start again as it's so hard. So it's a hard fight! I need to buy milk after school, am a teacher, hence the holidays but don't want to go to a shop. I only had 4 hours sleep. Kept in having nightmares and waking up thinking of smoking. I need to find another addiction. Lol. Enjoy your day people. :-)

[joe]

 I so desperately want and need to be a non smoker for so many reasons but the amount of people I talk too say the urge never leaves you. God how can people live like that?

 

 

 

I cant speak for everyone, but I have been quit for 10 months, and even though the THOUGHT may enter my mind, thats all it is...a thought.....it is easily pushed aside without any trouble...Its not about "NOT SMOKING"..its more about RETRAINING how you go about daily business....pretty soon when smoking isnt "routine' anymore, you dont think about it...you just go about your normal business..just like in the classroom...smoking doesnt enter your thoughts much, because it isnt part of your routine....HOWEVER..as soon as the bell rings, thats your signal to light up...its WHEN you smoke thats the hardest to break.....Find a new routine for those times..you may be surprised how much time you have to fill...

 

with that said...9 days is a great start...keep busy!..you have heard it before..and will again....it DOES get easier...trust me...keep moving forward!

[action]

Hi Ken, good to see you :)

 

I think our Gabby is from NZ, so she will probably be happy for the company (in her time zone)!

 

And I'm not sure who those people are who you are taking to that say the urge never leaves... It sure does leave - I haven't had an urge to smoke for months... I think there are 2 types of people who quit smoking - one would be someone who doesn't smoke, but really wants to smoke - this would be someone abstaining from cigarettes, and I imagine that their life is pretty miserable, denying themselves of the one thing they really want, day in and day out. One day they will go back to smoking. That is the girl you know. The other type of quitter is the educated quitter, like what you will become - you will live every day happy that you quit cigarettes, and you probably won't think of them most days... The best quitter is someone who wants to quit, like you :)

 

Try not to think of it as missing out on something - smokers don't GET to smoke, they HAVE to smoke!

[Devil Doll]

I recommend that you read as much as you can about addiction to cigarettes and nicotine and also watch Joel's videos. If you feel that you are denying yourself something then this is going to be a rough quit. The moment that you realize that smoking offers you nothing, no relief, no good feelings, no benefits is when your quit will become infinitely easier. 

The benefits and good from quitting will soon outweigh every crave and withdrawal that you are going through now. Everyone of us was in your shoes at some point. Please stay close to the board and post with us we will definitely keep you occupied. :D

Enjoy your final day of class and congratulations on 7 days free. 

 

[natalie_3]

Hi! Nice to meet you. Guys here have told you pretty much everything that´s important, so I´ll just tell you I´m glad you´re here and you can count on us  :) 

 

-Nat

[Still winning]

Hi again

 

I'm 6 months, wouldn't ever pick up a cigarette again.

 

I don't know about your friend, maybe she needs some support??  I wouldn't be able to live like that and I don't.  This is what happens to me... I get in the car and think, oh I used to smoke here...but I don't smoke now.. and I start the car and drive off. It's literally a fleeting thought. Week one and two I could have pulled off the car door handle!  TOTALLY different types of thought. 

 

The only way out is through, but you can really help yourself by reading up. The more knowledge and reasons you have for not wanting to smoke (ie health, financial, fear any reason at all) the easier it will be to mentally bat those thoughts away. Hope that helps you to know and maybe tell your friend about this site or to find one that works for her as wow, that sounds tough.

 

x

[Pippa]

Howdy - hope you are feeling better ! trust me - that nagging want to smoke does pass and over time the urge definitely goes. Sometimes a thought will enter your mind - but it is easy to acknowledge and let it go. It will get better but in the interim - stay close to the board and we will provide whatever support you need !