For the last 3 weeks I have gone from being a 15-20 a day man to having literally one or two a week when I'm drunk at the weekend. I am quite proud of myself for getting this far and I am trying to take the next step and make it through a weekend without smoking.

The trouble I am having isn't really a craving for cigarettes it's more a sort of depression. All I want to do after work is lay around watching tele, and yesterday me and the missus had a full on arguement about how I cooked a piece of toast.

How can I get over this and get my personality back? I get through the work day with no problems as I am busy, and I go running at lunchtimes and that gives me a real buzz for a while, but on the evenings and weekends Im just not right. I dont think it helps that the missus still smokes so I cant get away from it.

Give me some inspiration guys

Nicotine substitute.

Pretty soon, you'll find that you're fed up kissing a mouth that tastes like an old ashtray, then the sh1t REALLY WILL hit the proverbial… 😯

No insperation, just some sympathy. Quit smoking ciggies two weeks ago, and the fun stuff at the beginning of the year.

My thing is not being able to sleep for more than about an hour at a time. Was up at about half 4 this morning, when I wouldn't normally be up 'til gone 7.

I've starting hitting the gym like a mad man after work. This means I'm not home and fed until about 9, then I come on here and talk sh1t. Or go see friends who don't smoke. Reading some of the anal rubbish that people bang on about on here makes me feel better.

Your Mrs is really not helping you though…. b1tch.

displacement therapy.

I have moved my cigarette addiction into about 15 litres of coffee a day.

HTH

Yeah coffee consumption has gone up, whilst it seems my cafeine tolerance has gone down. Ive knocked red bull on the head as well as the smokes.

Im sure my GF will give up, when she smokes in the evenings tho its like i said I dont get tempted to smoke, I just get moody/downers

Kick her out?

tell her until she stops smoking she's getting no more kisses on the mouth and the only bedroom action she's going to get is doggy.

Save up all the money you would have spent of tabs and buy some smack.

Hi,

I'm up to 11 days now. Started with gum which is worse than cigs themselves. Trying to preoccupy with riding and gym to stop thinking about it. Gum now gone. Urges to kill have now passed.
Things are slowly improving. I guess that helps..? :-/

Oh BTW – got my teeth polished, very motivational. 🙂

Nicotine substitute

This

I've never had trouble giving up the tabs unless there's ale involved. I can go months without a cig but when the beer starts to flow then the fags come out.

neil's-on-wheels – Member

I've never had trouble giving up the tabs unless there's ale involved. I can go months without a cig but when the beer starts to flow then the fags come out.

If you're in company, think of something to say instead and carry on a conversation. Maybe nibble on some peanuts or the like.

If alone, second option.

Worked for me. 😉

Problem is you're still under the impression that you're 'giving up' something. Youre not giving up anything, only gaining the advantages of being a non-smoker.

Now that you only have a smoke every now and again it makes you believe its even more precious than it was and you're still addicted to nicotine….a treat if you will.

Read Alan Carrs book – it worked for me:)

Displacement Therapy = get a PS3 and find an online game that you like, lots…

Do you get the stop smoking ad in the right hand column too?

You need to stop smoking before you can stop smoking. If you are still smoking, even one, you haven't stopped smoking.
Its easier to just stop, and be determined that you will never smoke again.

I stopped 5years1month ago and did it cold turkey. I wanted to stop and once I had convinced myself I was stopping, it was easy.

Tried everything to quit a 20 a day habit, all the usual gimmicks and nothing worked.

The some one suggested accupncture, it was amazing, like a switch being flipped!!

Now smoke free for 5 years, and never felt better.

Give it a try as you are not substituting fags for anything, althoguh you do need to get your head aet like Steve_Austin says above.

I stopped exactly 1 month ago, admitidly have used patches but find they do help, nomatter what anyone says we are all different and different approaches work for different folk. When I get a craving use one of the nicotene mints things and has worked so far. All be ok so far even when out in the pub, think why you smoke and understand that it will kill you (directly or indirectly). Good luck mate.

Allan Carr +1, not just useful for giving up the fags.

This could have been you. 😯

I've just got a proper hookah pipe and I'm gonna just fire that up of an evening should I feel the urge to smoke, its not all that portable though…

/wanders off wondering if he could fit it in the car

Keep up the good work! 6 months here now altho still using a bit of NRT. I do wonder if some nicotine replacemnt would help you. Nicotine withdrawal gives me a really bad temper.

Putting the money aside is good – it soon builds up. NO way could I have stopped unless my Mrs did – I was a really bad addict tho. But no more 🙂

I'm one month in and so far have had flu and a chest infection so haven't really felt the health benefits that I was hoping would motivate me! I'm now at a weird stage where I'm not so much craving a fag, more having weird moments where I feel like I've forgotton to do something, or feel like I 'should' be doing something… Oh yes that's what it is… SMOKING. I should be smoking. Hoping that goes away soon. 🙁

c – it just about has for me.

You will soon start to notice the health benefits to – I am.

Good. I think it's not smoking and not being well enough to exercise in last week or so, not a good mix. Better than emphysema though!

OP: could it be just a general rut? It's January / February, the gloomiest time of year (for me). It's cold, dark, dank. Get some sunshine somewhere, if you can. Go and do something in the evenings you haven't tried before. Take a spontaneous weekend break somewhere different. Anything to take your mind off the fags and tv.

As an ex-smoker, I would also guess that your partner's smoking will become more of an issue the longer you have stopped…

Some one remind me why enjoying the occasional cigarette is bad?

One or two a night isn't that bad, is it?

I gave up almost a year and a half ago, cold turkey, and I promise you that the mood swings are merely withdrawals and in time you will feel even better than before. Do more exersize, endorphines are good! 🙂

You're doing bloody well fella. Surely you can start acting smug, self-satisfied and superior. That should cheer you up. Thats what all reformed smokers do, isn't it 🙂

I'm giving up in two weeks (my 40th birthday). I've just been to the smoking cessation place this morning. I've got all my patches and stuff on perscription. I intend to spend the next 2 weeks camped in a pub doorway, smoking like a chimney and annoying people

haven't really felt the health benefits that I was hoping would motivate me

I wasn't a 'heavy' user, 10-a-day or so, have been off them for a month now too, with no chemical assistance, & have noticed improvements in the lung department. Clearer tubes when cycling, no 'restrictions' when breathing. Looking forward to seeing if the cardio / stamina improves too (once warmer air arrives).
Still finding I have to keep busy in the times I'd regularly smoke – mid-morning at work's probably the worst. Just have to keep the brain pre-occupied so you don't give it too much thought.

I stopped smoking so long ago that I can't remember when it was. Went from 15-20 a day to zero overnight. The hardest part about giving up was going into newsagents because they are sitting right behind where you pay for your paper. Thank god they're banning that in Scotland.

I was quite an angry pain inthe @rse for a while but it's just like people have been saying, it's nicotine withdrawal. Try and tough it out. It doesn't last forever.

Ask your other half to stick with you through it and remind her and yourself that you're going through this for a very good reason. Think of the money you'll have to buy nice shiny new bike bits!

i still think about smoking – i still want to smoke.

i haven't smoked 'full-time' since the smoking ban came in july '07!!

I still plan on starting again when i retire (i'm 25 btw!!)

So no one has said why enjoying a smoke occaisionaly is bad then?

Apart from bad spelling

Tell her in no uncertain terms that your way of preparing toast is correct and she had better get used to it!