Stopping smoking is HARD
 

Today is day 2. I knew I'd get cravings and want a cig, but I hadn't banked AT ALL on feeling physically so rough. I feel like I'm coming down with a bad case of flu.

This is HARD!

Any kind/encouraging words please to help me get through this? Any tips from people who've experienced this?

Thank ye kind people.

You can do it!

I'm on day 26 without smoking now and going strong! I can definitely understand how you feel right now. Everything Irene says, I second. Especially the bit about imagining the phlegm - bleeeegh.

My dad was a smoker for 15 years and quit cold turkey, luckily on my 3rd day of quitting he was visiting and he gave me three good bits of advice. The first was to treat your pangs as reminders of how far you've come. So rather than thinking about how badly you need a cigarette, think instead about how that pang is a reminder that you have managed to go x many days without one. Secondly, whenever you're with people who are smoking/see people smoking on the street/on the TV, think to yourself "what a sucker." It seems callous but you just need to say it in your head, associate smoking with negative things rather than anything positive. Finally, if you're offered a cig on a night out, say "no thanks, I'm not a smoker." This one I find a bit odd, but I see the sense in it. You need to disconnect any identity of being a smoker from yourself.

I've been using an app called Smoke Free and I've found it so useful. It gives you tasks for each day, a diary to fill in noting your cravings, and a timeline showing you things like when nicotine is totally expelled from your body, your circulation should be back to normal, your risk of a heart attack should be back to normal. It also tells you how much money you saved (and you can set yourself reminders to buy something you've been wanting for a while once you reach a certain target). I find the whole thing really motivating!

Good luck!

Thank you both. The fluey symptoms are passing but today I've been feeling extremely low and depressed. I've been lying in bed all day feeling miserable which isn't like me at all. Yesterday I was hearing things - voices, noises etc. On and off. It really freaked me out.

I can deal with the cravings but if this is going to mess up my mental health then I'd rather smoke. I cannot afford to get ill again, not now. Please somebody reassure me this will pass soon.

Thanks for the great suggestions about imagining how minging a cigarette really is, and thanks for the app recommendation! I found one called Quit It which I really like and you're right, it is really motivating.

Have you mentioned to your prescriber that you're quitting smoking? I don't know if you're on meds or not, but rarely smoking can affect the levels of some medications and if you're getting symptoms it could be that there's adjustment needed, or that you just need a little bit of time for your body to get used to the lack of smoking chemicals. Of course, it could just be that the stress of giving up is making your mind play tricks. In which case, it's another thing that'll just take a bit of time.


I definitely think this is worth doing! I admire you for giving up. My Dad gave it up and had a really tough time, so i've seen what it can do. Stick with it and it'll get easier. Making the decision is one of the hardest steps to take, so you've got over a bit mountain already. :)

Thanks. Yes I'm on lithium, and I will mention it to my CPN next week.
Thanks for the encouragement :)