Stop Smoking Today

I went for a walk last night and during the walk I considered what could possibly be one of the most stupid ideas ever – to reward myself for not smoking by having a smoke.  It’s just amazing the lies and manipulations your body and brain will try and put you through.  While I can understand the vertiable misery being experienced by my nicotene receptors right now – I’m sorry but you’re just gonna have to get through it.  So apart from this moment of mental madness, yesterday was quite easy to get through and we now move on to today … one day at a time.

Well, don’t mean to sound smug but I feel great today.  I even had a pint of beer last night (one of the things I have always associated with smoking) and that wasn’t too bad, although I don’t feel ready for a trip to the pub just yet.  It’s certainly getting a bit easier and the mood swings are becoming manageable so lots of positive feedback from my body.  I’m even going to have a coffee this morning, will report how I get on tommorrow.

Now, your first reaction to the comment ‘it gets easier’, may be that it sounds like the sort of thing either a smug non-smoker says or a smug ex-smoker says.  Indeed, that’s my own reaction.  However, I’ve been saying it to myself today and I’m tempted to agree.  So while I’m likely to have problems giving up smoking for quite some time, the intensity and frequency of the cravings is likely to diminish.  This is quite reassuring during a period when you are suffering from not smoking.  I’ve been a bit nicer today – which is a result for those round me although I fear I may have a few more unacceptable outbursts over the next few weeks.

Well 8 days in, I’ve finally recovered from the flu and haven’t touched a cigarette.  However, today I did note that I was being a bit short with people, including shouting at my mother when she asked me how the ‘not smoking’ was going … I seem to remember shouting something along the lines of ‘don’t talk about smoking’.  I followed up with a little shout at the girlfriend – sadly this sort of behaviour makes you feel like an idiot so I’m going to start going for a walk whenever I feel annoyed – I may also buy a karoke machine or similar and do some karoke … WATCH OUT WORLD.

Well, it seems that the flu was  a blessing in disguise.  Can’t really think about smoking, because all I can think about  is how crap I feel in general.  Will review how I feel once I’m better.  Only other thing to report is the fetid looking mucus that I am coughing out of my lungs.

Well – it seems that the flu and smoking are unlikely to be related.  Just so happened I got the flu at the same time I stopped smoking – so it follows that stopping smoking does not lead to flu like symptoms.   As it happens – being ill makes the no smoking a bit more manageable – as smoking is the last thing on my mind right now.  We shall see how I get on once I fully fit.  Day 3 … here we go….

Even if you’ve made the decision to stop smoking, during your time as a smoker there were cigarettes that become habitual (smoking after dinner, smoking during a break etc etc).  For me, having a cigarette with a coffee was a particularly habit forming combination.  I wonder how i’ll cope without the double whammy of nicotene and caffeine simultaneously first thing in the morning.  More importantly, will I stop enjoying coffee without the cigarettes….

As things stand, I’ve added a spoon of sugar to the coffee to see if that does the trick…

Woke up today with a flu like ache across my body.  Those bleedin’ nicotene receptors are clever little buggers.  In any event I’m hoping the physical withdrawl will be over within the week and then I just need to deal with the demons that creep up during ‘challening’ moments.
Something I’ve been giving a bit of thought to is alternatives to smoking during times of stress and irritation.  I actually quite like the idea of buying a load of plates and smashing them in the style of greek wedding … sadly I’ve had to put that idea to bed because of the danger of potential collateral damage, not to mention the mess.  The hunt continues…..

It’s actually quite a pressing concern, assuming I can stop smoking – what will I do with all this extra time.  The main concern is that I will balloon, anyone got any suggestions?

I seem to remember by last post had the rather euphemistic ‘see what happens’ line in it.  Well, what happened, was, I started smoking again and didn’t stop.  So much for pick it up and drop it.  Anyway, I’ve always been a firm believer that there is nothing wrong with failure as long as you are happy to try again.  So on that basis let me say the following

I tried to give up smoking and failed have not yet succeeded

I think when you try and quit smoking, there is a very real fear that you’ll end up looking like the prawn who said I’m gonna quit.  So what?  I think you learn from each experience.  Do I feel more confident this time? Not really, I thought I had the demon cracked last time, nonetheless I actually do want to stop smoking so I’ll keep trying.