Sunday Express Skeleton 22Nd December...
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giving up smoking (again)
11 Answers
2nd day on patches but still craving.Any advice? Its driving me mad...................�
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Make sure you don't get them wet, they say they're waterproof but i found out they don't work if they get wet.
Are you on the right strength patches for you? That could make a difference. I used Niquitin CQ ones and found them brilliant but lapsed after quitting for 4 months (just wanted 1 so had to buy a pack of 10 and it was all downhill from there). I find they don't work for me when I've tried them again :(
I made a diary to keep me occupied, adding the hours and money I had saved and writing down when how many i woudl normally have had (scary!). Had some great friends who kept me occupied on my lunch breaks in non-smoking places.
Found other things to do with my usual cig breaks such as making everyone a cuppa or getting a nice cool drink of juice.
Bought myself some nice smelly stuff to make the most of being able to smell and joined a new gym as I could breathe properly again.
I made a note of all the positives such as feeling more confident and holding my head up and the fact I didn't have that constant frog in m throat that annoyed me when speaking and was not as paranoid about smelling and such. People remarked on how much more confident it made me seem.
I associated the smell with making me feel physically sick, didn't even want to be near smokers as the smell made me feel ill and the thought of smoking made me feel ill.
I also looked at all the sad smokers stood out in the cold puffing away and reinforced that I was not a slave to addiction and that I could not be held prisoner by little white cancer causing sticks anymore.
Try Allan Carr's easy way to stop smoking for the psychological bit.
Hope this helps :) Inspiring me to sort quitting again!
Are you on the right strength patches for you? That could make a difference. I used Niquitin CQ ones and found them brilliant but lapsed after quitting for 4 months (just wanted 1 so had to buy a pack of 10 and it was all downhill from there). I find they don't work for me when I've tried them again :(
I made a diary to keep me occupied, adding the hours and money I had saved and writing down when how many i woudl normally have had (scary!). Had some great friends who kept me occupied on my lunch breaks in non-smoking places.
Found other things to do with my usual cig breaks such as making everyone a cuppa or getting a nice cool drink of juice.
Bought myself some nice smelly stuff to make the most of being able to smell and joined a new gym as I could breathe properly again.
I made a note of all the positives such as feeling more confident and holding my head up and the fact I didn't have that constant frog in m throat that annoyed me when speaking and was not as paranoid about smelling and such. People remarked on how much more confident it made me seem.
I associated the smell with making me feel physically sick, didn't even want to be near smokers as the smell made me feel ill and the thought of smoking made me feel ill.
I also looked at all the sad smokers stood out in the cold puffing away and reinforced that I was not a slave to addiction and that I could not be held prisoner by little white cancer causing sticks anymore.
Try Allan Carr's easy way to stop smoking for the psychological bit.
Hope this helps :) Inspiring me to sort quitting again!
Sip iced water when the cravings get really bad or go brush your teeth.
As Jenna says, are you on the right strength patches - the cravings shouldn't be awful if you've got that sorted out, what you'll miss is the inhaling bit and the *something in your fingers*.
Stay well away from other smokers and smoky places.
Launder all your clothes, your bedding, your curtains, even the covers on your soft furnishings (seriously) to remove the smell of tobacco (this was the most important one for me when I gave up).
Take one day at a time, think, "Yes ! I got through another day, I am brilliant, I do not smoke! !
Go do something else when a craving starts - anything, from looking to see if there's washing up to do, to sorting out your CD collection.
As Jenna says, are you on the right strength patches - the cravings shouldn't be awful if you've got that sorted out, what you'll miss is the inhaling bit and the *something in your fingers*.
Stay well away from other smokers and smoky places.
Launder all your clothes, your bedding, your curtains, even the covers on your soft furnishings (seriously) to remove the smell of tobacco (this was the most important one for me when I gave up).
Take one day at a time, think, "Yes ! I got through another day, I am brilliant, I do not smoke! !
Go do something else when a craving starts - anything, from looking to see if there's washing up to do, to sorting out your CD collection.
I'm also on my second day and im feeling ok, maybe it's because ive ate so much that i can't even think of putting anything else to my lips. Felt like ripping someones head off earlier but the strong urges to smoke come and go. I find visualizing a rat on the floor and stamping as hard as you can relieves some of the torture but i wouldn't advise doing it in public. The patches are itching me like crazy but i tried the tabs and they burn and taste like the contents of a filled ashtray so i'll settle with the itching. My mum's on her 5th day and shes doing alot better than me so i guess it will get better as time goes on. Which means tomorrow will be easier, good luck Wizard.
thanks all for your replies.yes, i am on the right patches but guess that it is the habit im actually missing.dont fancy taking zyban as ive heard a few horror stories about it.maybe as a last resort.Will have to try and get a copy of alan carrs book-have heard so much about it. Justasking...ive found that taking pirirton takes away the itching of the patches (and they do bloody itch).
once again thanks for your support and advice
once again thanks for your support and advice
Hang in there both of you, and keep posting, every day if you wish. Many of us are ex-smokers and know what you are going through.
I found little walks very helpful. It drove my partner crazy going for a walk around the block at 10pm at night, but I made it.
You can also make it, I guarantee it. It helps to try and think about yourself as being a non-smoker, instead of one trying to give up.
I found little walks very helpful. It drove my partner crazy going for a walk around the block at 10pm at night, but I made it.
You can also make it, I guarantee it. It helps to try and think about yourself as being a non-smoker, instead of one trying to give up.
OK, just saw your reply re itchy patches - it's probably the alcohol in them that causes that, so .....
when you open them up and take them out of the wrapper, wave them around in the air for a few seconds (ignore all the sarky comments from friends and family), then apply them to a new bit of skin (ie not somewhere you've put the patch before). I think the important bit is the waving around (to dissipate the alcohol) but you can say it's cos they need to say "hello" to everyone if you prefer....
when you open them up and take them out of the wrapper, wave them around in the air for a few seconds (ignore all the sarky comments from friends and family), then apply them to a new bit of skin (ie not somewhere you've put the patch before). I think the important bit is the waving around (to dissipate the alcohol) but you can say it's cos they need to say "hello" to everyone if you prefer....
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