It is just over two weeks since I had my last cigarette. Sometimes it feels like I just stopped about ten minutes ago and at others it feels like I have never had a cig in my life – really odd.
I am happy to report that I have not physically touched a cigarette and neither have I lost my temper with anyone during this time – the latter does surprise me. Previously when I have tried to stop smoking one of the biggest problems was how angry I was, and as usual it was the people closest to me that heard most of my rants – and that always makes me feel ashamed, so I do try to avoid.
Another thing about this time was not using any of the nicotine replacement therapy junk. Now I call them junk for a reason. I had used this junk before to help me stop smoking – but really looking back on it, this stuff just continued my drug addled nicotine addiction symptoms. When trying to stop smoking using patches, gum, etc it just had me craving nicotine for longer.
So far it has been cold turkey. This was kind of hard for the first few days and then eased off quite a bit. I was lucky in that I was not well, Anna had just left to visit family for a week, so I was on my own and I was off work – the last part being easy as I’m not an employee.
I am not quite celebrating, however ever day is getting a bit easier. all the stuff in the photo was mine, none of it was used this time to stop and is all in the bin – but what an amount of money spent on nicotine replacement products – though that pales in significance to the amount spent on cigarettes over the years…
Congratulations Leslie! I gave up smoking when I was pregnant with my first child (35 years ago) and it was the best thing I ever did.
The 3rd month was the hardest for me. Why? Well, because that was when everyone stopped asking me how I was coping. Nobody cared anymore that I was a recovering nicotine-aholic. The little fag-demon kept saying, “People who smoke live into their nineties. Its your last little pleasure. Why torture yourself?”
Get past the three month mark and you’ll be away!
Suerte,
Sil
Thanks Sil.
We have all heard the saying “one day at a time” – my God it really is.
And today we are heading out walking in the Dublin Mountains. Our first walk this year – work and weather has stopped us so far – so looking forward to some fresh air.
Started on cigars…
All downhill from here I think.
You gave up cigarettes – nothing about cigars!
I gave up on the 1st Jan 2010 and will probably restart on the 4th September 2010.
The reason I will restart is that I will be starting out from St Jean (again) and contemplating that bloody great hill to Roncesvalles!!!!!
My first year down the trail, I divided the hills into categories. Was it a one cigarette hill or a three cigarette hill, or was was it bad enough to need five ciggies and a stiff Gin & Tonic!
The problem with giving up smoking is I am putting on weight which is not good news especially when contemplating that bloody hill to Roncesvalles, but pride will not allow me to stay at Orison!!
Hey ho.
Covey
Why do you have to start in St Jean?
If you have time, start further back. That way you’ll be trail fit when you hit the wall – er, I mean the Hill – and will sail up it without problems! If you start further back you could actually walk through St Jean and have a good excuse to stop at Hunnto or Orisson.
Dax is a good place to start. You’ll have four days to get into your stride with 22km to Peyrehorade, about 30km to Saint-Palais (best pilgrim museum in France) 15km to Ostabat (very famous on the pilgrim trail) and 17km to St Jean – or 25km to Hunnto.
Take a Hubbly-Bubbly with you! You’ll look cool on the side of the road with your hookah!
Well I did say it was all downhill after the cigars – for the last 5 days I am back on the evil weed.
I will try again.
I am still on the straight and narrow (ish) but the feel of a chocolate hobnob between the fingers aint much different than a ciggie, they both do you harm in the long run. I have to admit I have smoked 3(ish) ciggies one evening when I was trying to unscramble an email archiving system and get SQL to work. At 2.30am a chocolate hobnob just did not do it for me, so I bummed some smokes from one of the team!! Sad really.
There is no way I could contemplate the hills to Roncesvalles on anything but the first day. At least one is fresh and full of vim and bullsh1t. Can you imagine those hills coming between Cebriero and Sarria.!!
Ah well, back to work! sad Git that I am working on a Sunday (Double time is good!!)
Take care all.
Covey