Canadian Koala

Congrats Coz on TWO WEEKS!

An interesting post I found that explains why quitting is so hard...

Does cigarette smoking offer any benefits?

Succeeding in quitting despite all the mechanisms put in place by the tobacco industry is an achievement in itself!

Be very proud of yourself

Coz

Thanks so much CK - I am really happy to have got this far.

I had a read of that article. I guess I agree, but really, those benefits are really minuscule - just ask any non-smoker or ex-smoker. A cigarette to enhance the pleasure of a nice meal? A cigarette to enhance the pleasure of sex? A cigarette to wake you up? In my mind it is just a drug that we have trained our receptors to 'need' at certain times, places or activities. Anyway, I guess I still need to keep myself convinced that they offer nothing positive and I don't need them. Hopefully one day I won't want them too!

I really appreciate the support and encouragement you are providing -

And an aside - from an Aussie wildlife lover, why your Avatar and user name?

Canadian Koala

I'm happy to cheer you up Coz if this helps you to go through one more smoke free day!

I never ever thought I was going to quit smoking someday, I would have left anything instead of not smoking anymore.
Then Life decided it was time to stop : I was stricken with a severe pneumonia which took me to the hospital between life and death for 10 days.
I had two options when I started to get a bit better : continue to breathe and live or continue to smoke and die pretty fast.
The choice was obvious...I've quit drinking on the same date since there was no way I could drink and not smoke.
That was 3 ½ years ago.
I still have cigarette cravings here and there but they don't last long...I'll have them till I die probably, I was a fanatic smoker lol

My nickname/avatar comes from a long time ago (2004) because I love koalas and I add a "Canada" tag on this website I was hanging so "Canadian Koala" was born.

I won't say it enough : I'm very proud of you Coz, I rarely see anyone doing more than a few days before going back to smoke.
You are really doing good with two weeks done, it will get a lot easier from here, the worst part is behind.
Hang on mon amie!

Sorry for my English btw, I'm a french Canadian and I make ortograph mistakes too often

Have a good weekend ☼

tomls

I saw a Koala on film struggling in the fire. It was terrible! 24 more clean and sober hours please.

Coz

One happy Coz going into day 15 - a smoke and nicotine free day ahead for me!

Great to see you here Tomls. And yes the fires over our last summer were devastating. Many of our native species are still in trouble and their recovery is tenuous. It's a bit like what smoke can do to us.

CK - good choice on the giving up smokes and drink. The alternative was not a good option. I can really understand why people struggle with the first few days and even the first few weeks. It is a really tough habit to break. But at the two week mark, the cravings are fewer, so it is getting easier every day. I can't say it enough - thanks for being here and giving me so much support and encouragement.

Happy weekend to all that are giving up,want to give up, or have given up smoking!

Coz

Awoke this morning with doubts on whether to commit to not smoking today. Scary to wake up to doubts and not even get as far as getting out of bed before the cravings hit.

But - I have decided to commit to not smoking again today. One day at a time.... Here goes smoke-free day 16

Canadian Koala

Good decision Coz!

Vino88

Day 2 and it's my 32th birthday. Haven't got drunk nor anything else. I'm reading mr. Carr's classic Easy Way to stop Smoking. I believe and feel that's the right way to do life.

Coz

For Vino


All the best for a lovely birthday Vino.

Really pleased that you are giving the quitting another go. Congrats on getting to day 2. One day at a time....

Vino88

Thank you very much! I really appreciate your wish!

It's day 3. I can't believe how good I feel. Nicotine withdrawal is really more ( ) or less psychological. But it's toughhhh!!! :O Now I'm mentally preparing my dad to consider living a nicotine-free life.

Dear Coz, I hope you are fine, too! Best wishes to you! I'm sending you positive vibes.

Libby06

Vino! I do so wish that I had quit smoking at 32. Congratulations on your decision. The benefits are tremendous.

Oh dear Coz! Wanting to smoke as soon as you wake up isn't good at all. That makes for a very long day. I hope that you made it through. That smelly, overpriced thing is not going to do anything for you. Smoking is a great big lie! I struggled hard the first few weeks, and the weekends were brutal. Sometimes I would put a nicotine patch on for a few hours just to get past the craving. Anything to not inhale the hundreds of toxic chemicals that are not nicotine. 2 weeks is a huge accomplishment! Congratulations! Just keep reminding yourself of why you are doing this, and KNOW it gets easier!

Nice job on quitting smoking and drinking at the same time CK. I understand quitting for medical reasons. I had a brain aneurysm repaired and they sent me home telling me to never smoke again. I smoked on the ride home, and two years more with the exception of 30 days shortly after my surgery. It was hard to get those 30 days back! Please dont give your time back new quitters! You can do this.

Coz

Libby - you are fantastic! Thanks for your wonderful post!

It is day 18 of no cigarettes for me. Nicotine and smoking addiction is really hard to escape, but I know it is the best thing I can do for myself.

Vino - I hope that we can both support each other and make smoking a thing of the past.

I'm committing to another smoke-free day today!

Coz

Really pleased I committed to not smoking yesterday. We had a friend over for dinner - a smoker. Dinner done - one of those many times that I associate with smoking - and he stepped outside for a smoke. It would have been so easy to join him and bum a cigarette, but I had committed to not smoking for the day and so resisted the temptation.

The after a meal smoke is one I am going to need a plan to replace. Without that 'finished eating' smoke, eating continues trying to fill that void. I did promise myself to not care about weight gain for a month, so I'll stick with that, but will start putting together a plan to fix my diet next month.

No smokes for me today.....

Hope you are still with me Vino.

Libby06

Nice job Coz. I found not getting to full helped a lot. Not for diet reasons, more because I found when I ate too much, the craving was much stronger. I started going for a walk after dinner, or cleaning up the mess immediately after helped too. Lots of ice cold water too

You've passed two weeks, so it's all mental now. I know your body is thanking you! It's hard when friends smoke. I had a friend visit last week that I haven't seen since I smoked, and she was just amazed that quit. When she asked if I mind if she did, I said "knock yourself out, I'm good". Lots of questions followed on how I quit. Sometimes we influence people without even trying. You never know.

Coz

Thanks again Libby. I'll try the smaller meal to see if it works - I somehow don't think it will as even after a big meal, I keep eating despite not being at all hungry. Distraction is the key I think, but even if I tidy the kitchen and then sit in front of TV (a place where I never smoked), I still want a smoke so eat more instead. I will keep trying different things, but I'm not beating myself up about eating just yet.

And I think you are right in influencing without trying. It might just be words, but last night's dinner mate says he wants to give up. I offered him my pack of nicorette chewies (I only used a few) and he took them. Who know's, maybe my quitting might make a little bit of difference in inspiring someone else to quit? I'm not going to be an anti-smoker crusader, but if I can help anyone that really wants to quit, that would be a bonus.

Really sincere thank you Libby.

Coz

I am not going to smoke today - three weeks of smoke-free at the end of the day .

Coz

My fourth weekend of not smoking coming up.

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Dee74

way to go Coz

D

Canadian Koala

You are doing great!

Coz

Thanks so much Dee, Libby and CK.

That is one clever image CK - you are really good at posting fabulous pictures!

Really appreciate your support here. Giving up cigarettes is much harder than giving up the drink for me. There are many moments that I think it is too hard - but somehow I am hanging in there.

Here goes another smoke-free day .