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1. evak

   

   1 posts
   Registered:
   05 May 2022
   05 May 2022

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   My first journey to quit. After 50 years can’t imagine my world without cigarettes but determined to master quitting
2. airmaiden

   

   3 posts
   Registered:
   03 May 2022
   05 May 2022 in reply to evak

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   Hi Evak
   Im in the same boat as you. Kindof. I have 35 years of smoking in me. So Its going to be very tough to quit. But I am suuper determined like yourself and Im preparing a month in advance. By cutting down, smoking outside, only smoking half cigarettes etc. My quit day is June 1st. So far Ive cut down from 45 cigs a day to 15 which is huuge for me. Im hoping to get it down to 5 -10 on my quit day to make it an easier transition. In the meantime Im trying to find hobbies that not just keep me active but are smoke free as well. I wish you the best of luck in your journey and I hope you are successful. If you live in Ontario though you should check out some of the local resources. Im getting a couple of months of Nicoderm from CAMH free of charge to help me. So I recommend looking around and seeing if their are any additional resources you can access to help you quit. Stay strong. Sending positive vibes your way : )     
3. wimporswim

   

   69 posts
   Registered:
   29 Nov 2017
   05 May 2022 in reply to evak

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   Hi evak,
   I was also a 50 year guy.  I can really relate to how you feel about picturing yourself as a non smoker.  That was a huge obstacle for me, picturing myself without a cigarette in just about any, or all situations.  It was hard for me to reinvent myself after 1/2 a century.  After 5+ yrs smoke free I still would love to light up and inhale that first drag....but I won't.
   
   Congrats on the first big step -deciding to quit and even better, being determined to quit - that's a real biggie!
   
   I'm not sure I have any great advice and am certain there is no magic bullett ..... But just a few things that helped me.
   
   
   
   Committ - committ - committ.... I had to be all in - previous "attempts" to quit lasted mere hours because I just was not serious enuff about it.  Much is said about being kind to yourself while attempting to quit and I will agree to a point, but for me, I had to get tough with myself first.  "Am I going to wimp....or....Am I going to swim?"  I had to "choose", many times a day not to smoke.  Commit every minute, every craving, every hour.  Commit, committ, committ!
   
   
   Try to find some one  that is quitting at the same time you are.  It is good to share all that you are going to experience - the frustrations that you might feel - the cravings - tips that help you or them - and maybe the most important thing to share is the successes that you both have and celebrate them.
   
   Read as many posts as you can on this site as you can.  There will always be some or maybe many that strike a chord with you.
   
   Sleep is a weapon (I stole that line) - get it when you can.  Can't smoke when you're sleeping.
   
   Don't look ahead too far. Concentrate on keeping your quit in the present.  This minute this hour this day.  Don't start to think about how you're going to manage not smoking at a social function where others will be smoking that is months away.  Cross that bridge when it comes.
   
   Saurkraut.  Keep a jar around.  Helped me.  Took a huge forkfull when I had a size 10 craving, stuffed it in my mouth and concentrated on every chew until it was gone.  Pretty hard to smoke with your pie hole full of saurkraut!
   
   As we all say around here, "If I can quit, so can you"  You can do this evak! 
     
4. treepeo1

   

   255 posts
   Registered:
   06 Feb 2020
   06 May 2022 in reply to evak

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   Hi evak,
   
   It's great that you have decided to quit smoking.  I smoked most of my life, too, so I know how daunting the mere thought of quitting can be.  But as long as you are determined, you CAN quit.  You just have to grit your teeth and tough it out.
   
   Here are some things that helped me:
   
   1.  I drank lots of water to get the toxins out of my body.
   2.  I did things to keep busy and distract myself.
   3.  I slept a lot, because you don't crave when you sleep.
   4.  I kept reading about all the benefits of quitting.
   5.  I made a list of all the reasons why I wanted to quit.
   6.  I lived, and still live, by NOPE (Not One Puff Ever).  If you never take that first puff, you will be a non-smoker forever.
   
   As difficult as it is to quit, it is also really exciting to make such an important change in your life.  And you might find that quitting leads to other positive changes, such as getting in more physical activity and eating healthier.  As a smoker, I couldn't climb a flight of stairs without huffing and puffing.  When I quit, it got so much easier, and I started going out more because I had energy that I never had before.
   
   Quitting will give you a whole new lease on life, and you deserve that.  Believe in yourself, evak.  You can do this!