Looking for buddies who have / want to quit smoking

@petrichor

now that's a tough one... I know I SHOULD... but do I want to?

went to rollies nearly 2 years ago because it was getting too expensive... now that's becoming unaffordable.

I know all the risks I'm taking when I make the choice to smoke... it's the money that will clinch it for me in the end, but I'm not mentally committed to stopping right now I don't think

S

@SJT63 @Former-Member @Mokepoke @Mokepoke @JamR @TAB @SJT63 @BPDSurvivor

https://www.cancer.nsw.gov.au/prevention-and-screening/preventing-cancer/quit-smoking/ten-tips-to-quit-smoking

Found this link for NSW Quitline support.
@petrichor 🤗

Hi All!

@rivergal @SJT63 @Former-Member @Mokepoke @JamR @TAB @BPDSurvivor

Yay! A nice little group 😃

well I've done it! I quit! Woohoo!

Hi @petrichor, @rivergal, @SJT63 and everyone else who passes through,

Thanks for the welcome, we don't actually smoke though, we just couldn't sleep so we went looking for people to chat to and @Mokepoke looked like they needed someone to talk to.

We tried smoking in the eighth grade but ended up in hospital for 4 weeks. Guess I should have been smarter since my parents were smokers and being near them while they smoked set my asthma off but I was silly and gave in to peer pressure from my friends. Needless to say though a few teenage girls gave up smoking that day after seeing me pass out and basically stop breathing. It was either that or the school contacting their parents.

Glad @Former-Member you survived in the eight grade....

That is very good news. Hope you're feeling well.

It's hard to know what to say, when sometimes I don't know if it will help or not. But I ended up buying a packet earlier today.

I had run out yesterday... and felt alright. But got some... I've had 3 today.

I'm setting a date. I won't give up. I don't know if by not smoking too many, (ie, not doing the Alan Carr thing of smoking us much as you feel like when reading the book) It will make them "seem" more precious.

They taste so bad. After one puff I think why on earth did I light up? They interfere with my breathing.

Arghhhhh!

Hope no-one minds me feeling the remorse so openly. I have to do it, and it is good to have buddies who are on the journey.

Any ideas are welcome, but I think I'm going to read Alan Carr. Although last time (when I quite for 10 years), I just ticked off the calendar for one month. Someone said you just have to last one month... then you're right. So I trusted in that and it seemed to work... for 10 years.

So maybe that... just one month. Draw up my calendar and then just do it.

Well done @petrichor and @JamR and @TAB

thanks @rivergal I stopped years ago though

Hi @JamR

We can both do this 🙂

Maybe you're struggling now but I'm so glad you're sharing this with me, there's no shame, we're trying to make a change and I think to quit smoking is a massive change. I've been on the stop start roller coaster ever since I started smoking after my long break, around 10 years too. I won't give up quitting 😊

We've both quit before. It took me years as well and a many failed attempts until I stopped.

Back then one of the patch companies had a little 12 week booklet which I used (many times over until I finally managed to get through the first 3 months). Nicorette has an envelope at the pharmacy now that's for free and there's quit smoking help & diary in there too. It's for free. I started that today.

I've read Alan Carr years ago and it did help then. I don't think you necessarily need to follow the book in detail. Whenever I read about quitting smoking I have the urge to smoke so yep, I smoked a lot when I read it.

There's an app called 'smoke free' and I like how it guides me through the preparation to stop and keeps me accountable when I stop, showing all the benefits etc. it hasn't been foolproof but I read my reasons and add to them as I go.

I'm in the for me most triggering environment at the moment and I hadn't smoked for a couple of weeks before, but started again. I'll be in the same environment for the next few weeks and think if I can stay smoke free here, I can stay smoke free anywhere.

What was your most helpful strategy when you stopped smoking before? I realised back then that contrary to the advise to change behaviours and avoid situations, to continue what I used to do and just not smoke. I continued to be in my smoking circles and just didn't smoke. I felt lonely before when I stopped smoking and smoking is a huge social connection factor for me.

Hope to stay in touch with you 🙂