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I've tried repeatedly to quit smoking. I was going to use these four days off work to try to get through the withdrawals but I sit here smoking. My very real concern is what is going to happen emotionally if I quit. I am afraid I won't know how to handle the stress on my job and I'll go off on someone and get fired. The very first thing I do when I walk in the door at night is poor myself a glass of red wine and light a cigarette to wind down from the day. I know I could go for a walk or get on my elliptical cross trainer but when I am tired from working that is the LAST thing I want to do. If I don't smoke, there goes the wine, as it's impossible for me to drink wine and not smoke.
Help please! I know these cigarettes are shortening my life span but I just don't know how to quit and stay quit.
I've tried repeatedly to quit smoking. I was going to use these four days off work to try to get through the withdrawals but I sit here smoking. My very real concern is what is going to happen emotionally if I quit. I am afraid I won't know how to handle the stress on my job and I'll go off on someone and get fired. The very first thing I do when I walk in the door at night is poor myself a glass of red wine and light a cigarette to wind down from the day. I know I could go for a walk or get on my elliptical cross trainer but when I am tired from working that is the LAST thing I want to do. If I don't smoke, there goes the wine, as it's impossible for me to drink wine and not smoke.
Help please! I know these cigarettes are shortening my life span but I just don't know how to quit and stay quit.
Well I guess that means you have three things to worry about now. Sounds like a lose-lose and another lose situation to me. Choose you weapon...smoking, drinking or stress induced coronary!! Oh, I'm a smoker by the way and I don't feel like strangling anyone, and I'm not stressed either funnily enough! Perhaps you should get rid of that 'epileptical whatever the hell it is' and join a group activity, get a hobby or something. The bottom line is, if you *want* to give up you *will*, and you'll find a way to do it!! I know I'm not going to be a pretty sight when, or if, I reach 80 so what the hell, I will just add shortness of breath to the long list of other ailments I will most certainly have by then. I'm not going to be around for a long time in the scheme of things anyway so I may as well have a good time while I'm here.......I will pass this way only once! Drink up, light up, and enjoy the rest of your life. Have a crack at making a New Year Resolution if you want, but make sure you check back here to let everyone know how you get on.
Thanks all. I have done the patch, wellbutrin, cold turkey. Last year when I quit cold turkey I was a walking zombie for the first four days. Quitting cold turkey might be to much for me this time around, all things considered. I work in social services with a tough caseload, unappreciative parents and kids in sad shape. My company is not supportive at all and they have these demands they make (or else we'll be shown to the door) so I just may have to put the patch on. Perhaps I should just focus on baby steps. If I could even half the amount I smoke it would do some good.
What I am going to do this a.m. is go back and join weight watchers. Last year at this time I was a size 4/6 and now I'm just a "large." Not smoking will make me even larger if I don't watch it. I did join WW last year when I quit and lost weight.
I know it CAN be done. Heck, I quit for 10 years once. But things are just more stressful in my life right now.
Well, I appreciate all the thoughts. What's worked before was an attitude that no one better get in my way and I gave myself permission to be a giant biatch, if that was what it took. In this job market and in this job, I don't feel I have that luxury.
I've tried repeatedly to quit smoking. I was going to use these four days off work to try to get through the withdrawals but I sit here smoking. My very real concern is what is going to happen emotionally if I quit. I am afraid I won't know how to handle the stress on my job and I'll go off on someone and get fired. The very first thing I do when I walk in the door at night is poor myself a glass of red wine and light a cigarette to wind down from the day. I know I could go for a walk or get on my elliptical cross trainer but when I am tired from working that is the LAST thing I want to do. If I don't smoke, there goes the wine, as it's impossible for me to drink wine and not smoke.
Help please! I know these cigarettes are shortening my life span but I just don't know how to quit and stay quit.
Movin'on,
I agree, you'll have to stop the wine, too. I know how it is to rely on a bad habit to get you through. It's like, "Now what am I going to do if I can no longer xxxx?"
I think a walk in the evening instead of the wine and cig is a good start. In the beginning, it's no fun and you have to make yourself do it. So go for a small walk at first, maybe around the block. Set small goals, for example, the first week let the focus be just putting on the shoes and getting out the door.
It comes down to will power and discipline. Is your will stronger than the nicotine? Who is going to win here?
I've given up unhealthy things cold turkey in my life a few times. At first it is difficult, but then you develop new and different habits. Unfortunately nicotine is powerfully addictive, and it takes a long time to work that drug out of your system, but it can be done.
You are very smart to realize that losing the ritual probably means more than losing the actual nicotine.
We all get into our unwinding rituals - especially when we have a tough day at work (and for some of us, every day is a tough day).
I think this is the part where you force yourself to replace an unhealthy habit with a healthy one. I know you don't want to go work out after work b/c you are tired. I know exactly how that feels, b/c I am on my feet and literally run around all day at work.
But you will have to force yourself. And this is where your inner strength and will power come to play. Don't even drive home. Drive to a gym and force yourself to go in there and work out.
You are very smart to realize that losing the ritual probably means more than losing the actual nicotine.
We all get into our unwinding rituals - especially when we have a tough day at work (and for some of us, every day is a tough day).
I think this is the part where you force yourself to replace an unhealthy habit with a healthy one. I know you don't want to go work out after work b/c you are tired. I know exactly how that feels, b/c I am on my feet and literally run around all day at work.
But you will have to force yourself. And this is where your inner strength and will power come to play. Don't even drive home. Drive to a gym and force yourself to go in there and work out.
Yeah, the gym is a great idea, except that is one more unnecessary expense to pay for. I have a gym grade elliptical cross trainer that works great - if I would use it, and I used to all the time.
I guess I need to find a way to replenish what I feel gets sucked out of me each day. Working with people who have such giant needs can get to me. And then I work for a company that actively discourages me from taking care of me. I put my foot down once and stayed home when sick and got written up for it and I had a Dr's note. Ugh. I miss my banking job more than I can say - life was much more simple. I had the energy to do a four hour commute each day and STILL WORK OUT at the end of the day, which if a person is not going to refrain from doing unhealthy stuff - at least I had that going for me back then.
Well, do not want to make excuses here. Yes, it can be done. I just have to figure out a way to take care of me emotionally and physically in the process.
Movin'On, several folks here on CD have quit using Chantix, which is a Rx drug. There are 2-3 threads all about their experiences; you could find them by looking around, if you are interested in reading about how they did. I think it is VPCats who has been nicotine-free for over a year now, and others, but I can't remember their names right now.
Chantix works in a very powerful way with some people and has a high success rate. I think it's worth it for you to check it out.
And.........I'm trying to curb my envy over the fact you have your own elliptical trainer thingy....wow. What's to stop you from hoppin' on that baby to work out all that stress??
Anyway, I'm hoping something works for you...!
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Oh, I'm a smoker by the way and I don't feel like strangling anyone, and I'm not stressed either funnily enough! 
Perhaps you should get rid of that 'epileptical whatever the hell it is' and join a group activity, get a hobby or something. The bottom line is, if you *want* to give up you *will*, and you'll find a way to do it!! I know I'm not going to be a pretty sight when, or if, I reach 80 so what the hell, I will just add shortness of breath to the long list of other ailments I will most certainly have by then. I'm not going to be around for a long time in the scheme of things anyway so I may as well have a good time while I'm here.......I will pass this way only once! Drink up, light up, and enjoy the rest of your life. Have a crack at making a New Year Resolution if you want, but make sure you check back here to let everyone know how you get on. 
....I'm trying to curb my envy over the fact you have your own elliptical trainer thingy....wow. What's to stop you from hoppin' on that baby to work out all that stress??
