Day 5, and I have been hit with the mother of all cravings this morning. I'm trying to see it as if I have hit a wall, I've got to get over it and things will be better on the other side - it had better be. Amazing to have done this to my body and either be completely ignorant or just clueless to it. HappyFeet - hope all is going well. Did you get the pataches in the end?

Yes, the patches are helping with the cravings. Sleeping and concentrating are really hard, not sure if that's the not smoking or the patches. But then again, there are some really positive physical changes that have already shown themselves. I suppose the hardest thing is the mental side. My brain hasn't broken the habit and I find myself thinking "I havee one now" and then I end up reaching for cigarettes that aren't there. That's hard. Part of me feels like its Christmas morning and someone's taken away my pressies:eek:. The rest of the time I feel kind of lost. But I have already saved £20, my house smells gorgeous and my son hasn't stopped grinning at me (the first thing he says when he comes out of school is "How was your day, did you smoke Mum?", when I say no his face lights up). I can't wait to get to the two week mark, everyone seems to say it's easier by then (and I'll have £77 in the jar!). It amazes me how much money I've spent smoking. I can't think of any situation where I would be happy to pull a note out of my purse and watch it go up in smoke on a daily basis!

Got through day two! My mind feel a complete mess, like I'm losing the plot a bit. Concentrating is almost impossible at times. But I did get a fair amount of work done, and a fair few of the jobs I've been putting off for ages. Still not gone near a cornershop. Brought petrol from a garage that let's you pay at the pump, just don't trust myself. Still got plenty of milk! So I'll be ok for a couple more days!

I'm a day ahead of you in the quitting department. My mind is so busy arguing with itself ("have one", "NO", "Go on") I feel like I'm losing my marbles a bit. Can't quite seem to get a decent handle on things before my mind goes a wandering back to cigarettes. Thing is if you don't give in, then it's a day you'll never have to do again and tommorrow will (hopefully) be a little easier! Good luck

Thank you, your support means alot. Thankfully sitting on the loo is never a quite experience in my house - someone always has an emergency that need my attention and can't wait a second longer. The thing I am struggling with is just after my "hmm this isn't SO bad" I have a moment where I think "oh I'll have a cigarette now", just like any other day when I wasn't trying to quit. For just a few seconds it catches me off guard, I've even reached for a cigarette box that isn't there. How bad is that? This morning I was taking my son to school and suddenly thought "oh no, did I put my cigarettes in my handbag?" then I realised I was quitting and it felt good to no have to panic or go back home. I let my son screw up my box of cigarettes this morning. He's wanted me to quit of a while and the look on his face when he did is one I am trying to hold on to. Also it meant that I didn't have that safety net for when things got "Too bad". And I was so busy tidying up that I managed to throw the rubbish bag away without realising what was in there. So I guess it is swings and roundabouts, and will be for a while. I just have to tell the voice inside my head no and find something else to occupy my mind. As sad as this may sound i am proud of myself, I faced three situations today which have been instrumental in my relapsing before, and I didn't falter. Now if I can crack going to the corner-shop then the sky's the limit. One thing at a time though, no need to rush. Got plenty of milk...

I do crave something awful during the night and first thing in the morning. Sad I know. It was probably the worst part of my last quit attempts because come the morning I was exhausted. But I've made it this far. It wasn't easy, but if i give up now then it will all have been for nothing (or a very good lesson in never ever putting myself through quitting again - says my unconscious mind). NOT LISTENING!!!

Thanks. Well I made it through today. I seem to go from "this really isn't all that bad" to "oh my god, I ama diluted scene from Trainspotting, although there is a distict absence of chicken soup!" Hmm, maybe I should get some in, although that would require going to the corner shop - so maybe not right now.

Thanks. I had a quick read through and it does make alot of sense. It's also nice to know I am not the only one who *used* to fall victim to such excuses. It certainly has given me a new perspective on things.

Hi All, This will be my first post in this forum (although I have lurked for a while). I started smoking 13 years ago, quit at 7am this morning. I've tried to quit more times than I care to remember, always fall down when it comes time to go to the corner shop - "I'll just buy 10 and then if it gets really bad I'll just have one. What harm can one do, technically I'm still quiting". And on it goes from there, until I'm back on 20 a day. I'm using patches, as they seem to have the best effect on my cravings. And being plain stubborn. I have also stocked up on milk and bread - what usually draws me to the corner shop, so no need to go there for a while. I read in one of the other threads exactly what I am spending a month and that has shocked me. I've decided to put the money I would normally spend on cigarettes in a jar. And I will be tough, one cigareete and I have to empty the jar - so no reward. I will do it this time. I really want a cigarette, but I won't have one. This will get easier. Right?