For when you are ready to have another go, here is my strategy for quitting cigs.
But first some preamble....
They say it takes about 6 attempts before most people are successful at quitting cigarettes. That was about true of me too. It might have more or less, i can't remember exactly but i do remember a number of attempts quite clearly. I think the reason is because we have to learn how to quit and each time we refine our personal strategies. So here's mine.
I used to get excruciating laryngitis and at these times inhaling was so painful that i simply had to stop smoking for a few days while my L turned into a mere cold. I would then be sick for a week or so and then end up with a cough that lingered for sometimes months.
Well when i was 33, i decided that this year I would give up smoking. I didn't know when it would be but i had an idea that it would be when i got sick with L since it seemed easier but i can't now quite remember if i had already decided that i would do it then or if I decided in the moment.
It was important not to put myself under pressure about quitting.
So I didn't bug myself about quitting. I just had this resolution and waited for the day to arrive.
In advance of that day, i had my strategy worked out and this was it. I KNEW, deep down, that once i quit, i could never have another cigarette again. The first cigarette had always been my downfall. I would have one, not like it very much and gradually i would think, i can have one a day. But always, soon one a day turned into the pack a day i was used to smoking. And always, within a month, i was back to that pack a day. Hence my resolution that when i quit,
i would NEVER have another cigarette again. I am sure this message went right down into the deepest parts of my psyche becuase it has never let me down. And its now been nearly 15 years since my last cigarette.
The day came. I got sick. My chest felt as though i had a knife in it when i coughed or took a drag on a fag. I saw my moment and went to bed. I stayed in bed for about two days, maybe three. I slept. I didn't drink tea or coffee, i didn't smoke. I don't remember what i ate but i must have eaten something sometimes.
When i got up after two or three days, i had worn through that initial hard phase of the physical addiction. I recently read that it took 5 days to get the nicotine right out of your body but i think its two days to get over the addiction part of it.
Sorry this is going to be a long story... I hope you don't mind and that you can use it in your own quitting arsenal one day.
Feeling free of cravings, i set about putting other strategies in place and then day by day i noticed i had some really good messages i was automatically feeding myself about being a non-smoker. Every time i saw someone smoking in the street, i was able to say to myself "gee i am glad i am not smoking anymore" . I really was glad and i felt the mood lift. And i found myself saying this a great deal. Each time i said it, i think it was only strengthening my resolve.
I would enjoy the fact that i no longer smelled of cig smoke. My flat smelt better. My clothes smelt clean. I was really enjoying the smoke free atmosphere around me.
The other main part of my strategy was diet and exercise. I did this because the previous time i had quite smoking, i put on a lot of weight and was up to size 14 trousers. I didn't want to go back there again. So this part of my strategy started by walking down my street to a small park. I would walk around it five times and then walk back home. I think it was about 5km round the park. I enjoyed the walk and the park.
My food was good. I seem to know how to eat good food. Must be my background. So yeah, i would eat three healthy meals and never felt hungry. Something about the excitement of all these changes made it easier i think. But its only exercise that makes me not overeat cause otherwise i get bored.
I had an oral addiction that i had to beat and that wasn't going to pass in a few days or a week. This was the hard part of quitting and exercise in combo with enough healthy food is the solution.
Gradually i started running one lap of the park and then one more. I was coming from a really low base of fitness so I had to increase my exercise slowly. I think i added one lap per week for the running. And soon i was running quite a long way.
I hadn't been overweight when i started these changes so i probably didn't lose any more but i can't remember to be honest. I also can't remember why i stopped my fitness and diet. It could have been because i got a new job - 9-5 in the city. But i did stop my good diet and exercise and gradually put on weight. But i didn't resume smoking again.
I decided i liked being a non-smoker so much more than i liked being skinny and a smoker so i stuck with my non-smoker status. I liked feeling healthy. I felt a huge difference in my breathing in my well being. In everything. I didn't have that disgusting smokers cough any more. I didn't have yellow fingers (I actually smoked rollies and these make your fingers really yellow ugh).
At work when we were having drinks at the end of the day, which we would often do and my boss would smoke in her office. I would feel a twinge of mmm that smells nice - i still like the smell of a fresh cigarette. But i had this message come up to my brain "
i can never have another cigarette again" and within a very short space of time, the craving would pass. And i usually didn't get it back again either. Until another similar occasion.
One other funny thing in this story is that sometimes but not very often, and for years afterwards, i would have smoking dreams. I dreamt that i had smoked! Horror! I was always so glad to wake up and realise that i hadn't smoked after all.
Now i feel a bit guilty for writing this very long post about quitting cigarettes when you didn't invite me too but i hope you won't be upset with me for doing it. Cause i think it can help you in the long run and it may also help someone else who may read it.
