I am quitting smoking - but I feel a strong urge to smoke
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I agree that it is difficult to start exercising while smoking - I do find it difficult to keep doing it. Anyways, my trick is to expect not too much of myself, but make exercising easier, so it doesn't take so much discipline to do it. Instead of running long distances (10 km or so), I just try to run 5 or just walk for 30-60 minutes. If I have to go to campus and I am not in a hurry, I just walk there (20 minutes, so back and forth it's 40). Those little bits of exercising add up and once this smoking requires less willpower, I'll expand the exercising again.
That's definitely something I have difficulty with also. I want to exercise, but it's hard when it takes such an effort to jog let alone run. I feel like I could do more if I could breathe. My legs don't necessarily need to stop but my lungs do. It's horrible. But just doing what you can is a good approach. I have always overdone it and got discouraged and stopped working out then start again.0 -
I agree that it is difficult to start exercising while smoking - I do find it difficult to keep doing it. Anyways, my trick is to expect not too much of myself, but make exercising easier, so it doesn't take so much discipline to do it. Instead of running long distances (10 km or so), I just try to run 5 or just walk for 30-60 minutes. If I have to go to campus and I am not in a hurry, I just walk there (20 minutes, so back and forth it's 40). Those little bits of exercising add up and once this smoking requires less willpower, I'll expand the exercising again.
That's definitely something I have difficulty with also. I want to exercise, but it's hard when it takes such an effort to jog let alone run. I feel like I could do more if I could breathe. My legs don't necessarily need to stop but my lungs do. It's horrible. But just doing what you can is a good approach. I have always overdone it and got discouraged and stopped working out then start again.
Your graphic says that during the first 2-12 weeks and 1-9 months, walking will become easier, shortness of breath will decrease, lungs will self-clean better, overall energy will increase, circulation will improve, coughing will decrease, etc.
So, the good news is that breathing will become easier!
In the meantime, walking is good. If you walk now, you'll run later! I run a bit, but I mostly stick to walking to because my lungs are still in the process of cleaning themselves, so I cough a lot - feels bad but it's a good thing that my lungs are cleaning themselves this way. Probably you have the same now or in a few days.
Stay strong!0 -
Any updates from the people who mentioned they quit in this thread? Or anybody else? You still quit? Or started again (which would be understandable, but unfortunate)?
I am on day 13 now. I am at parents place and got people around me smoking (fortunately they do that outside) through the day, mostly my father and brother; I've been here for 3 days now and I thought it would be difficult to resist smoking in this environment. I have to say that it isn't that hard, I have no desire to smoke when I see them smoking. Don't understand why this is, but I am happy about it.0 -
Any updates from the people who mentioned they quit in this thread? Or anybody else? You still quit? Or started again (which would be understandable, but unfortunate)?
I am on day 13 now. I am at parents place and got people around me smoking (fortunately they do that outside) through the day, mostly my father and brother; I've been here for 3 days now and I thought it would be difficult to resist smoking in this environment. I have to say that it isn't that hard, I have no desire to smoke when I see them smoking. Don't understand why this is, but I am happy about it.
I caved unfortunately but going to try again. I heard it's good to set a "quit date". I didn't do that before when I quit for a year but it seems like a good option. And good for you for making it 2 weeks! Lately my symptoms have increased a little bit (tight chest, coughing a little bit which I've never done before) so I know it's definitely time. It's incredible the power an inanimate object has over a person. Good for you for keeping up the good work! Add me if you'd like.0 -
Thanks! I added you! If I can be of any assistance in your quitting, let me know!
Your health getting worse because of smoking seems like a good reason to quit. The nice thing that if you quit now your body will repair itself!0 -
I quit a year ago in April and I still dream that I am smoking once in a while. Just one day, hour, minute at a time. You can do it!!
I can tell you that I had the best way of quitting - I got strep 4 times in 5 weeks. I didn't want to smoke because I was so sick and went through withdrawels by feeling that sick as well. It really isn't something I would recommend for anyone, honestly.
I still crave, but I just do something to take my mind off of it. My cravings are the worst when I am royally ticked off. It is just about calming down........
We all have the same destination, we just have different roads to get there.0 -
I am just over 3 weeks into quitting ..... I have quit a crap load of times before sometime for over a year :frown:
Hope you're doing ok with it, I am also studying and find that my toughest time as I generally chain smoke and eat my way through my course work. I'm also around smokers daily which is beyond hard but I want to do this, I want to start to run again and was finding my lung capacity terrible plus it's damn expensive to smoke so as much as I love my bad habit I'm determined to kick the habit ....... Wish I could be so focused with my diet :ohwell:0 -
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!
E-cigs really helped me quit. I could still have the oral fixation, get a dose of nicotine, but without a LOT of the other chemicals in regular cigs. I don't even use my ecig anymore really.0 -
PS...once you quit, you will really start to enjoy the increased endurance you have, etc, and that will help keep you quit. I still wish I could smoke, but (and it's been almost 6 months!) I like having more energy and less sinus problems better!0
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I've quit/started a few times since the 80s and my most recent way (June 2008) was to use patches. This is because (disclaimer: I DO NOT recommend anybody to try this!!!) I did patches many years ago and saw the warning on the box about not smoking while wearing a patch, so of course I lit up while I had one on (nobody's ever accused me of being a genius). About 1/2 way through the cigarette my heart felt really weird and not in a good way. I yanked the patch and snuffed the cig but the lesson was learned: label warnings are there for a reason!
So, this last time I decided to quit I bought patches knowing there is no way I'm going to smoke if I have one on. Fear of likely, imminent death or at least a trip to the ER was a great motivator for me. I haven't smoked in over 5 years!
Good luck to anybody who is quitting or planning on it. Your body and your wallet will thank you!0 -
You're doing really great don't give up now. I know its really hard at first, but once you get past that wall its smooth sailing.
I went cold turkey, haven't had a ciggy in 2 years? My uncle is finding it harder to quit so he used the gum? Maybe that's something you can try?0 -
I love all of the advice. Today is my Day 1 of quitting smoking and I am going to use your advice to help me get through this!!0
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I first decided to quit smoking about six months ago. I was doing well for about a month, then I did it again. But I wasn't a chain smoker or anything, I didn't even do it daily.
I decided again to quit smoking two months ago and so far, so good. Not a single stick has touched these lips. What motivated me was my goal to lose weight by exercising and training. I can't train harder if my lungs are not functioning properly, right? Yeah, I think that's good enough motivation.0 -
Thanks! Well I really think it was hard when I wrote the OP - I was quite desperate and very close to giving up - but now that time has passed, my body forgot about nicotine - I hardly have any cravings anymore.
This is great and I think this is the same for most people - nicotine addiction requires nicotine as a fuel - when the flow of nicotine stops for more then 7-10 days, the addiction is gone.
What's left is the memory that smoking is a nice thing to do - that is the thing I am challenging right now. I don't have any good reasons to smoke left. The other thing that's left is the occasional craving in extreme situations - for me under extreme stress. These are the moments that I pick up smoking again. Well, now I know that those cravings are coming back during the rest of my life, but they will be only a couple of minutes long. I am willing to pay the price of the discomfort of those short cravings, intense how they may be - smoking would create so much more discomfort in my life, it is in no a solution to those rare uncomfortable moments.
What I've also learned since starting this thread is that the solution for me is just to chew gum, take a walk and/or drink some water - those actions actually help to keep stress low, smoking doesn't. I actually believe smoking may increase stress.
So, it's going well!
Good to hear that others quit too (emsoquena, Iludeking, kloekiss, beachgod, alienredqueen). Great to hear! Keep on going, never let your guard down! Iludeking - good to hear that the advice helps you and that you started to quit! Feel free to keep on posting! The first week will be tough, but remember after that it will be so much easier! I hope you get there!0 -
Hi Kate, you may want to try this to help you quit smoking for good - a better alternative - something natural, non-chemical (medication) and relaxing to stop / quit smoking - http://www.energetixhealing.co.za/content/stop-smoking -
I hope this information helps!
Best wishes
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Well done! You have strong will power 0
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I quit
but I always want one0 -
Yikes ... that's hectic! Hope you've quit smoking for good now?0
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I quit 13 months ago, cold turkey. I quit marijuana at the same time too. For me, I was just done with it. I am 27, smoked since I was 13, weed since 16. I was just disgusted and mad and done with it. I quit and on day three I had a puff which made me want to vomit, and I knew I would never go back. In 13 months I have never craved one. I am around smokers all the time, and pot smokers. It's never even a thought in my head.
I think you just have to want not to smoke more than your body wants the nicotine. You're on day five, so all the cravings and urges are in your head. Mind over matter: If you don't mind, it don't matter.
Here is a surefire way to quit. Buy a pack of cigarettes. Lace one with arsenic or something equally deadly. Have a buddy mix it into the pack so you don't know which one it is. Then every time you go for a smoke, remember that it could literally be the one that kills you.0 -
Hi Lauren, as you want to quit smoking, try this natural, non chemical and relaxing alternative http://www.energetixhealing.co.za/content/stop-smoking - I hope this helps you to reach your goal. Best of luck 0
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Thanks everyone for your posts!
I must admit that I smoked another cigarette about 1.5 week ago. And a cigar 2-3 weeks ago. Quite stupid, on both occasions I saw people I knew smoking and we had a good time, but I should have resisted.
The good thing is that I haven't thought about smoking since and before those "sins" I didn't smoke for 2 weeks or so.
Smoking is really not on my mind, I don't feel a need for it in my everyday life; smoking seems like something I did in a previous life.
Now I am doing a lot of sports and I feel that exercising help to remove the need for smoking; exercising gives good feelings, reduces stress, it's a time alone to think, or a social time when doing sports alone. All of these things I also had while smoking, but instead doing sports is healthy - so the idea to go smoking again is really ridiculous to me. If I feel stressed, I just take a walk or a run - works a lot better.0 -
YOU CAN QUIT. Stay strong. I used an electronic cigarette to help me :-)
^^^ This. I am over a month with mine and haven't felt the urge to smoke at all.
In fact I have reduced the nicotine level in the e-liquid and am now investigating no-nicotine liquids.
It does get easier. Hang in there the benefits are amazing.0 -
Please try to keep it up, smoking is so bad for you! My mother died at only 58 because you had emphysema and wouldn't stop smoking.She got pneumonia and coupled with the emphysema it killed her.
IN Britain the NHS promote October as 'STOPtober' month for smokers. If you Google STOPtober you might find some good advice.0 -
I quit 4 years ago. I have a mother who is on oxygen and had several health issues from smoking, it scared me straight. The first 3 months were all about changing habits, chewing gum in the car, talking on the phone after dinner, making a nice cup of tea during a time I would smoke. For me it was like breaking up with a friend, so I had to find ways to fill that time and void in a sense. Once I established new habits and routines it got much easier. I avoided alcohol and smokers for that three month period too which I found can be triggers. It gets easier but cravings still occur for me occasionally. I love being a non smoker so every time I think about starting again or buying them I smell my hair or my coat, go for a run with ease and remind myself to never look back. Good luck to all of you! Watching my mother suffer from the effects of smoking and the guilt she is tortured with for doing this to herself is heart wrenching. Keep at it and don't look back, establish healthy new habits, you will never regret it!0
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I always admired people who were able to 'just quit smoking'. I tried several times, but ended up gaining weight, loosing concentration, feeling terrible, and switching back to cigarettes. It's all about having the will, and making it a must for yourself (finding enough reasons to quit) - I guess I never managed to do that.
But what I did manage is to switch to electronic cigarettes. I know it's not the same as quitting, but I feel like I never smoked in my life. I regained my fitness and condition, my skin looks great, my teeth are white again, I breathe with all my lungs...
I reduced the amount of nicotine to minimum, and am planning on switching to 0% nicotine now. There was no stress, no side-effects, no weight gain…
I'm not trying to say that e-cigarettes are better than stopping smoking, but they are definitely better than going back to regular cigarettes. So if anyone is having doubts, I would recommend giving them a try.
The best brand I tried so far is V2 ( http://ismokehealthy.net/ ), although there are a lot of quality brands available on the market today.
Either way, I hope you stick to your decision to stop smoking and bring your life to a new level.
Cheers,
Zara0 -
I've known several people who have told me the same thing about their new life with electronic cigarettes. Not all of them have agreed, though. So it appears the reviews are mixed. My dad used to smoke and did a detox program that was quite successful. Especially considering that he had quit three times before and ended up smoking again (each time was different, but it was within six months to four years later). So it seems the detox program on http://haltsmoking.net was the thing that helped him stay a non-smoker for good.0
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Good for you. My first day without a cigarette was May 22, coming up to 6 months soon. Some of the benefits are, I feel cleaner, I don't stink like cigarettes, health, etc.
I used the patch to take care of the physical part, like nicotine withdrawals. For the behavioral part, I chewed on cinnamon toothpicks, sucked on sugar free hard candy, stopped going to the same smoke break spots, and I told everyone as to keep me accountable.
Again, good for you and hang in there. You may be irritable and uncomfortable but go ahead and be irritable and uncomfortable.0 -
I have been smoke free since December of last year. I did it with Chantix and I still had cravings. I have cravings to this day sometimes. And you will too. And that is okay. The key is to recognize them as cravings and just try and control yourself. The cravings will get easier to combat and won't last as long the longer you have been quit. You just have to find a way to combat them. For me it is thinking about how picking back up smoking will basically be me tossing the half marathon I just did into the trash and chosing instead tar filled lungs.0
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