Hi, 

I smoke for 11 years (cigarettes and now iqos) and try to quit at least once per month, lately every day :) I can be without cigarettes for many hours in a row, but then I fail. Usually, when stressed, tired or bored. Last year I was here, just reading posts, today I want to be one of you, smoke-free people. 

Start date 11.03 at 11:03am

Yes, come along and join this gang! You will get a lot of support and encouragement here. Start by reading the articles at the very beginning of this folder, on page one. There is a spot on first page from one of the Mods called “Homework for New Ex Smokers”. It is highlighted in blue and says “start your reading here”. The articles are very readable and it will really help you to understand the addiction. None are very long. Arming yourself with knowledge is key!

Welcome to the March ex-smokers club. You can do this!   Mentally deciding is one of the biggest hurdles to overcome. The fact that you are here and said you want to quit is huge. It is work, but I have no doubt you can do it. I smoked for 25 years and finally decided no more!  

Thank you for support, understanding what's going on is helpful.

Hi and welcome to the forum! It’s a huge help for quitting (it made all the difference in my success to getting free after 15 years of smoking). Read lots and post on here. Distract, breathe and trust in your decision to quit. It’s a really horrible addiction but you can get free with determination, education and support. Good luck!

Katie

Quit 4th March 2017

Hi there,

I quit on 8th March, so am only a few days in front of you.  So far it's not too bad, but I am using nicotine lozenges which make it a lot easier.   Obviously that means I'm not addressing the nicotine addiction yet, just the method of delivery  but at the moment I'm grateful to be where I am.  Even on Day 5 I'm breathing more easily and coughing less.

How are you doing this - cold turkey or with NRT?  And - much more importantly - how are you feeling?   Maybe we can help one another through the difficult bits!

Best wishes,

Suzy   

Hi Suzy, I've heard that NRT can be useful. I used nicotine pills once, but seems that for me the physical addiction is not so bad as psychological (milestone/ritual in many situations stressful and not really). I wanted to quit cold turkey, but honestly I smoked after I last posted, because I figured I didn't have that last cigarette (I know its junky thinking which I should have predicted). Today I feel melancholic and sad, I think my mind is trying to rationalize smoking again, this happened in the past too.

So proud of your day 5, one day at a time!  

Hi Oxan (no idea if that's your name or not but not sure what else to call you, and 'Hi there' felt a bit impersonal, especially when you feel melancholic and sad - I am so sorry you're feeling that way, and wish I could give you a big hug),

Here's what I think, for what it's worth:  there is no shame in having that last cigarette, and then the next last one, and the next.  We're not bad people - we're addicted, and that's different.  I have lost gazillions of quits by feeling that I hadn't quite said a proper 'goodbye' to smoking, and then felt really miserable afterwards, and like I could never do this.   But we CAN!  We really can.   Loads of people on here have done it and we can too.  And by the looks of it, life is much nicer as a non smoker.  We might not believe that right now, but what possible motive would there be for people to lie about it?

I agree with you that the psychological addiction is the biggie (that's why I'm saving the physical one till later).  I hope you'll get back on the wagon, and that we can help one another get through this.

Suzy

Hi!

Getting started on a quit is hard, feels like starting to climb a huge mountain. Take it one day at a time - each day congratulate yourself on your achievement. It might feel like a loss but really you’re gaining so much and in time it will feel so good.

You can do it!

Katie

Quit 4th March 2017

Welcome! We are glad that you are here!

As was stated above there is a lot of information here for you to read. When quitting smoking knowledge of nicotine addiction is very helpful. Come back and post often. You will find support here. If I may ask, what is iqos?

Good Luck!