Hello people
Well, I've been a smoker since I was about 14. That's over 25 years.
Recently, I feel like I've been getting ready to stop smoking. I've tired
to quit once before, probably about 8 years ago, but failed after a few
weeks. I'm not one of those people who tries to stop every few months.
If
I try to stop, I'm going to really try to stop. I can't actually remember
how long I "really" stopped for last time. I would smoke the "odd one"
now
and again, so I'm not sure for what the longest I didn't smoke any for
was,
maybe three or four days.
So, the last few days I've been feeling pretty rough with a heavy cold. I
always smoke when I'm ill, but this time, I just didn't feel like smoking.
Still, my "smoking head" convinced me to have a couple, so I smoked maybe
5
or 6 on Friday, and a few less on Saturday. I have no idea how many I
smoke
as I roll my own, but I used to be on about 20 a day when I was on
"tailor-made" smokes, and now 25 grams of rolling tobacco will last be
about
3 or 4 days.
Then Sunday morning I realised I only had enough tobacco for one. I had
this idea in the back of my head that now would be an ideal time to stop
smoking, as I said, this idea has been building inside me for the last few
months anyway. So I rolled a cigarette, and popped out to the garden to
smoke it. That was just over 24 hours ago now, and I haven't had one
since.
I haven't gone this long without a smoke for about 8 years.
The thing is, I feel remarkably well. I'm not saying it's easy, but I
just
don't feel like a cigarette at the moment. Work was always going to be
the
hardest because I have a "smoking buddy" who I pop out with for a
cigarette
every hour or so, but even that's been okay. I popped outside with her
earlier while she had a cigarette. I just stood there chatting, without
smoking - I didn't even tell her I'd stopped as such, I just said I was
trying to cut down.
So, what can I expect? I'm really trying to be positive about the whole
"not smoking" thing. If I have any cravings I'm trying to enjoy them (eg,
thinking "hey, that must mean my body is getting over it"), but I don't
really know how long they last, or how long it will take until I go my
first
hour or day without thinking about smoking. I guess I'm looking for
achievable milestones to look forward to!
Oh, part of the reason for really wanting to stop this time is that we
found
out, on Friday, that we're going to have another child. My current little
boy, who is three, sometimes wants to come outside with daddy to "have a
cigarette". I don't like hearing him saying that, and I figure if I stop
now, by the time the new baby is born in 8 months time (touch wood), I'll
be
over I'llsmoking enough to handle the sleepless nights without wanting to
smoke. If I don't stop now, I know I won't stop for several years because
use the "sleepless nights" excuse (to myself) as a reason for not smoking.
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