Getting motivated to start all over again

[steamvessel]

I've been up and down this quitting smoking thing. The longest I have gone in the past 6 months is 30 days and then 23 days. I just can't seem to keep up momentum now and it is hard to believe myself when I say I am going to quit. Does anybody have any advice on what gets them started. I read the Allen Carr book and it's great once you really decide, my problem is sustaining my motivatin after about 3 days or so. And I really do want to quit, I think smoking is disgusting and I feel horrible after smoking. Any support would be appreciated.

[JigOvLife]

I've got chest pains in a morning at the moment, not just wheezing but a pretty hard pressure I'm letting it worry me enough to have another bash. The hysterical panic of my last 2 days are still fresh though.
Hope you have a go soon Steamvessel, 'cos I like seeing it can be done.

[comfortablynumb]

I don't think it's motivation beyond 3 days that you lack, but for some reason you have given yourself permission to smoke.
For some reason you perceive that it's giving you something.

If you can figure out what it is, and the plan ahead HOW you will combat that feeling of giving in THAT is the approach I think you need....
In times of extreme craving, I pretty much gave myself permission to do almost anything ..................
I found daily rewards too...
Often in the morning, I'd pop a cinnamon Jolly rancher in my mouth the instant I got up..........those things satisfied my mouth.......I had them after meals and just in general.....
I did not make myself do the things I didn't feel like doing............
And I told myself basically that I could do anything ...........just NOT smoke...smoking was NOT an option..........
once you take smoking OFF the table, you get creative....

You can only do this.........if you are completely committed....

Best of LUCK...

cn

[Saxony]

In your previous quits, what method did you use? CT, NRT, chantix? Maybe using another method might work better for you? Personally I prefer CT as I just wanted the nicotine out of my body but I know it's not for everyone.

If you really want to quit then the only reason I can think of for your lack of motivation is simply baddict thinking. If you have read Allen Carr then you know there is no benefit to smoking except to ease withdrawal symptoms. Cravings are still withdrawal symptoms and the only way they are going away is to not smoke. I am at 21 days this quit, and a couple of days ago I felt like you describe, I had no motivation to keep quitting and honestly thought I wanted to smoke again so I very nearly gave up, but after doing some reading I realised it was just my addict voice trying it on, it can be very persuasive especially if you don't recongnise it.

I read it takes at least 90 days to start feeling normal again, so I think you just do what you have to to get through those first 90 days (similar to AA's 90 in 90 I guess). I believe the reason for this is that the brain takes that long to start sorting it's self out chemical wise. On another site people tell me it gets way better around 100 days so I guess there is some truth in what I read about the 90 day thing.

I think if you want to quit you just have to get through it, there is no short cuts, it sucks, but imagine how good it will feel in a year when we don't have to think about smoking anymore.


Sax

[AliceinWndrland]

Steam, I know exactly how you feel, I'm starting over yet again today. I just try to tell myself of all the times, THIS is THE time, and I will make it happen. I have my patches and gum and candy, and I've been trying to do some visualization, of myself in certain situations where I would normally smoke - not smoking. Nothnig can do but keep trying...

[chippa]

Wow!

30 days?!

That's pretty much it- if you can do that, you have the 'key to victory' or whatever it is- basically, what comfortablynumb said seems to sum up exactly what I would have put as well- you're 99% of the way there, just don't look back-

You can do it- I just killed eight months without a cigarette- I was hanging out with a buddy oover the weekend on Saturday night and he made the observation that a year ago, I'd have gone through half a pack ion the time we hung out....

Alice good for you as well- maybe try to post your way through cravings, I certainly did that and found it super helpful- kept my hands busy!

[AliceinWndrland]

Feeling good on day 4! Got plans for the gym tonight and then to sit in the steam room and relax a bit... a little worried about tomorrow since I'm spending the day with some friends who smoke, but I think I will be ok! Declined an offer to go gambling this weekend because I "know" at this point I would end up smoking, and I don't want to put myself in that position... so doing good!

[chippa]

Alice I feel your pain- I was surrounded by smokers when I quit, but I can tell your resolve is strong! You can do it-

I loove the steam room- it's a great motivator to push that extra few minutes out on the treadmill or a few more reps or what have you when you know in ten minutes you'll be sitting in the steam room- I think it's great for your skin too, especially in the first couple days when you're purging the checmicals and weirdness out of your system-

Good work, keep it up

[chippa]

Alice, how was the weekend?

I swear I'll start generating a buzz around here

[AliceinWndrland]

ugh - the weekend was fun but no good on the smoking front. I decided to go on the gambling trip - and smoked, as predicted...
well back on the wagon, (and the patch) today... I have 2 friends who decided to quit smoking this week too, so hopefully we can all inspire each other...

[chippa]

Good for you getting right back on it-

be careful- I'm sure your friends willgive you support, but I've done it with other people where you are DYING for one of the other guys to cave in and then you can justify going back to smoking because they did

Either way, any day you don't smoke is a step in the right direction

WTG

[soidog]

One thing that was very helpful for me when I quit was to 1) use the patch; and 2) exercise exercise exercise. I was so out of shape as a smoker, which was horrible for me because I had been in good shape prior to that. Getting back in shape and remaining there was a huge motivation for me to keep off smoking. Plus, it just made me feel better, to the point where I just thought to myself that I don't ever want to smoke again.

Hope this helps.

[steamvessel]

I want to quit again. I am setting Sunday as my new quit date, I promise I learned my lesson and will come on this board more often, I almost made the same mistake with my drinking and came close to relapse.

[chippa]

The funny thing about lessons in my experience is the ones that are really meaningful I ALWAYS have to learn the hard way-

WTG Steam, keep us posted- think about your quit ahead of time, be mindful of your daily routine and think towards your quit- 'how will I handle being done with breakfast and NOT smoking when the time comes' and such

You're doing a great thing for yourself

[jenniferchristy]

Its up to you dude you should control yourself... no noe can say keep on to quit it... you have take a challenge of it and quit...