I am quitting smoking - but I feel a strong urge to smoke

jxspxr

Ok, so I quit smoking last Friday (last smoke was on Thursday) - so, now I am on day 5 and let me tell you - Pyhysically, I really want to smoke now. Yesterday I felt the same. But; the trigger for me to quit is that I got a strong cold because of the smoking (before that day I quit for a week - I smoked a lot on Thursday so that really hit me).

What often triggers me to smoke: stress from my study (which peaks close to exams), boredom from studying long days to succesfully make the exam. Coming Friday I have an exam and I am studying really hard, it will be fine (that's not the problem), but still it's an important exam so I feel a bit more stressed.

The thing is - I don't want to smoke, I know that it may be helpful for my study, but I should stop using it as a stress control, because it is bad for my health on the long term (common knowledge), and I notice it now on the short term (my cold. But also it's bad for my breathing during sports).

Any tips on how to control my stress levels and how to deal with the urges to smoke?

BTW; my experience is that as time passes it gets easier to do no smoking. I think the first 3 weeks are the toughest. Unfortunately, there's an exam after week 1 and a deadline for a thesis after week 3, making these weeks quite tough.

Writing this I really feel like going to get a pack of smokes only thinking about these deadlines. But I should not!

_Resolve_

I promise you it will get better soon. The first week of no smoking is the HARDEST, after about 10 days you will stop wanting one as bad. I quit after a 20 year habit last February, the craving and insomnia are the worst.. stick with it..

Oh and drink lots of water.. it helps with the urges. Every time you want to smoke, drink water.

Good luck!

delicious_cocktail

How frequently do you wake during the night to have a cigarette? Why is it that you can sleep undisturbed for hours at a time without smoking?

When you smoke, you never feel better - - your withdrawal symptoms just stop. When you put it out, they come creeping back. When you're not smoking you feel worse - - not the other way around.

This is all a trick. The reason that you have a building compulsion to smoke is because you're thinking about it. The actual physical withdrawal symptoms are already over, my friend.

When you feel that compulsion to smoke a cigarette, just imagine that feeling as the dying screams of the future tumor that you're preventing from murdering you right now. It will shrink and shrink until it disappears; both this self-inflicted compulsion to smoke, as well as the potential that you'll experience emphysema, cancer, etc.


*Proper attribution: concepts in this post are adapted from Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking

jxspxr

Thanks for the advice. I will drink water right now!!

I will not get cigarettes this evening. No way. It's better to go through these hard days now then to do it later. I've been smoking for 3.5 years now and most of the time I thought I was close to quitting. I should stop fooling myself and actually get it over with.

I did quit for 4-5 months earlier this year. That was good, now let's do it again and now forever.

healthyornot

YOU CAN QUIT. Stay strong. I used an electronic cigarette to help me :-)

jxspxr

Thanks delicious! I never wake up at night for a smoke, so I agree with you there.

I also believe that is not really physical, but more mental. It has to do that I remember smoking really well (it was only 5 days ago) and that I feel stress now, that I associate strongly with getting a smoke.

Good metaphor - the dying screams of a tumor. Will think of it as that, helpful!

Myhaloslipped

I just went through this a few months ago, and it was the worst! For the first three days I craved cigarettes pretty much whenever I was awake. It sucked, and it was torture! You've just got to suffer through it like a soldier. I suggest:

Running (or any exercise that makes you feel out of breath)
Gum
Carbonated beverages (I drank soda water to avoid calories)
Stay busy and distracted
Avoid being around smokers for a while

But mainly, it just takes pure willpower and determination. You will be thanking yourself for making this decision soon, I promise. If it makes you feel any better, I quit months ago, and I still crave a cigarette from time to time. It does get easier though. Good luck!

healthygreek

Ex smoker here. 10 years free of my addiction.
The thing you must realize about smoking is that the stress you are feeling is withdrawal from nicotine. The addiction aspect is what causes the stress and drive to smoke. Once you are free of the addiction you will no longer feel that intense anxiety or stress to inhale the poison into your lungs.
When you feel the urge to smoke take slow deep breaths of air I to your lungs and that will help to calm you down.
Also drink lots of cold water to flush all the nicotine out of your body.
Take walks or some other exercise.
Call someone and talk about your grief at stopping smoking. Do NOT hang out with or talk to smokers.
It is a journey like losing weight is a journey. It takes time to feel steadily calm again without cigs but it can be done.
Try to give yourself lots of love and kindness and remember you are doing the single most important thing you could ever do for yourself health wise.
In addition to deep breathing, drinking water and exercise, buy a jar of whole cinniman sticks and suck on one when you get a nicotine attack. It gives you a sweet tasting oral preoccupation.
It helped me till I felt better. Also I chewed lots of sugar free gum.
I'm sure others will have better suggestions but I know you will feel amazing when you kick it for good.
Congratulations!

cwolfman13

I quit smoking September 25, 2012 and haven't looked back. I was a 2-3 PAD smoker there at the end...depending on how hard I was partying. The first couple of weeks are definitely the hardest, but it does get better. I'm now "addicted" to fitness instead as that is how I initially got over those urges...I'd have an urge to smoke and go for a walk..or drop and do some pushups...or jump rope or whatever. Ultimately it all evolved into a solid fitness plan and I hardly ever think about smoking anymore...there are occasions, but they are rare these days and it's great to be free.

jxspxr

Thanks monkey3253 and healthygreek - I have read all your excellent advice and will do what you say, they are good ideas:
- taking walks
- exercise/running
- gum
- carbonated beverages
- staying busy
- avoiding smokers
- drinking a lot of cold water
- calling someone to talk about stopping smoking & the difficulties
- taking slow deep breaths of air

Actually, I will go to get water, a coca cola and gum now soda/sweet machine (or whatever you call that thing in english), take some deep breaths and when I leave university I will take a long walk (in the fields -the opposite direction of the place where I can get smokes).

Thanks for this huge amount of good advice! Will check this thread tomorrow again and inform if I made it (of course I will). If I fail during the coming weeks, I will post it! Also if I make it.

Will log out now - should stop thinking about smoking.

Thanks again everyone!

Edit: cwolfman - also thanks to you - pushups are a great idea too, will also remember to do that!

SwitzEngine

I smoked for 18 years at least 20 a day. Then I stopped from one day to another. Without anything. It's been 6 years now and I am very happy. Now I like to chew sugar less chewing gum :-)

But I feel much better, my taste is a lot better and I don't smell and I save money.

Kepp on doing the nice work and quit smoking. Good luck to you

HollisGrant

I quit smoking many years ago. Like others have said, the first week is the worst.

Remember the phrase, "This too shall pass." Wait a few minutes and the craving will go away. It will ALWAYS go away.

Chew gum
Eat sugar free candy
Eat carrots or something similar for stress (low cal with some density)
Drink water
Drink some fragrant tea like peppermint (it smells great)
Take a walk

Good luck! You can do it.

jxspxr

Thanks for the support.

I've not done any smoking. I am on day 6 now!

I called a good friend to tell him I am seriously quitting now, so that he knows. I said I have cravings for smoking, but that I don't want to fall back. I told him that he may hold me accountable. So, by telling him I made this quitting a lot more serious, because if I fail, he will know (I don't lie to him), and that would be embarrassing!

And I have my gum! So, with that in my pocket, I will start day number 6!

jxspxr

by the way I don't have any urge to smoke right now. It's morning and I still have a cold, so I don't feel like smoking. Will probably get cravings later in the day, but it makes it easier that it's not all the time.

This too shall pass, indeed.

Kate_Brown_123

Hey I quit smoking last Weds (last smoke on Tues) so I have made it 1-week smoke free. I hadn't been too tempted to smoke...until yesterday. I woke up and really wanted a cig in the garden with my coffee before having to leave for work. Then I fancied a smoke when I got off the train in London. Then I wanted a smoke mid-afternoon. Then I went to the gym...and I didn't want to smoke.

I resisted the urge all day and then after the gym the urge was gone. I know I wanted to smoke as I was anxious about something at work, but I also liked to smoke in order to break the bordom. I am studying too and having that 5-10mins away from my desk was my 5mins of peace. I miss that. I am keen to keep away from the ash so if oyu are looking for a friend to help keep you stron please add me, as I know I could use the help!

Kate

jxspxr

I've added you as a friend. Let's go for it!

How do you stay smoke-free? Are there people who hold you accountable? How do you plan to deal with the cravings, like the one of yesterday that you describe?

Anyways, it's really good that you finished the first week. My experience from quitting for 4-5 months earlier this year that quitting smoking gets easier and easier. The first days are the most difficult, the first weeks are still difficult (but already less), and then the first months become quite easy already. I think cravings is something for life, but the frequency will go down exponentially. My experience was that it was something like this:

First week: many cravings per day
After 1 week: some cravings per day
After 1 month: cravings only some days per week.
After 3-4 months: cravings only once every few weeks

It went that quick, it was quite easy to not smoke after I got through the first month.

What will eventually remain after months is those moments that I think will be there for life: friends having a social smoke together (and you want to join), people smoke cigars at a campfire or something (I am a student so this happens ) and they offer you one or you get a lot of stress and need to pull yourself through that period and you know smoking was helpful there. The first 2 that I mention tempted me, the last thing I mention is what got me back to square one; first I smoked a package in a week (and that was enough) and then I got back to my old quantity.

But, anyways, those situations are not the norm. My point is that if you pull yourself through the first month and then the first 3-6 months, it'll be a cakewalk - but you need to stay on your guard for those situations that you know are difficult - not for some time, but for life. I made the mistake to let my guard down and will not do that again.

Ok you see I am telling you this, but I am also telling myself all of this . Anyways, good luck!

Cheers,
Jasper

tekwriter

go to whyquit.com it has excellent documentation on what is happening to your body at each stage of quitting. It also has information about how long each crave lasts. Not as long as you think. I would also join quitnet.com. I have been there for 7 years but never paid the fee. I stay in the free side. It is good to be in the forums with others going through the same thing. You will never regret not smoking, but you will regret it if you do smoke again.

Kate_Brown_123

Hey Jasper, thanks for the add

I'm quite similar to you as I also stopped for a few months recently before picking it back up again (when things got extreme)! I'm looking forward to when this gets easier too! Like you, I'm a student, so social smoking is/was my biggest downfall. I liked to smoke with a drink in my hand, outside in a beer garden or at a house party/ BBQ, with or without my friends. More recently I ended up being the only one smoking and that's not cool.

My tongue feels funny today, I had a look in the mirror and it's not furry, so I guess something good is happening?! ha, I'm coping with cravings by drinking water and crushing my teeth! Ha sounds like a weird thing but smoking has stained them a little so I guess this is penance! I need something to do with my hands though, especially at the pub...

Kate

Yogi_Carl

I can't tell from your profile whether you are UK or US, but is there a Stop Smoking Service in your neighborhood? It may be useful to have someone on board who can discuss your way forward and possibly medication (nicotine replacement or smoking cessation products) to help you through to being smoke free.

National UK number: Call Smokefree: 0800 022 4 332
Website: http://smokefree.nhs.uk/ways-to-quit/local-nhs-stop-smoking-service/

all best

(ex-smoker)

benjib84

If youre on day 6 mate then its more the habit your body is craving in my opinon. To ease this you can get nicotine free ecig oil.... its what helped me quit and it made the process easy.... dont even use the ecig anymore... couldnt have done it without that tho

Crappy garage brought ecigs dont work tho - imo only the ones with the clearomisers and actual ejuice work

jxspxr

@C4RL05 - Haha, I'm neither from the US or the UK, I'm Dutch . Thanks for the great advice! I found an organisation that offers coaching to stop smoking for free - 8 conversations over 3 months, the first one 30 minutes, the others about 20. Professional coaches, paid by the government. They also have a free number that you can call if you have difficulty. I have saved that number on my phone and will call it if I am close to failing or if I have an important question.

@benjib84 - I prefer to do it without any nicotine. Should I fail, then I'll get an icig. Promise .