I Will Stop Smoking, I Will Stop Smoking..........

[Guest Emily R]

Failed already

So yesterday I smoked my last cigarette at 6.45pm or so I thought. Today at around 11.30am I went to get my food shopping, ended up paying at a checkout where the Gosh darned things were staring at me and gave in

My approach is to go cold turkey, I've tried patches, gum and lozenges before but started again. How will I do this, at home and work by using a mirror. Its some wacky thing I came up with lying in bed last night, when I desperately want to smoke I will go to to the nearest mirror and tell myself

'If you smoke you will never become the woman you are'

and keep repeating it until feeling goes away. Will it work? I don't know, but if it does I'll patent it As for shopping I'm keeping away from shops where you have to pay with the dreaded things staring at you, so only large supermarkets from now on

The time here is now 2pm I've destroyed the cigarettes I brought and have stopped smoking. My money jar for hair removal remains at £0.00

Hugs

Emily

[Guest sarah f]

It will be hard but you remembered what you have to do to become what you have always wanted to be. Try to remember that each time you see someone smoking or at the store with them staring you in the face. I hope you can break the habit.

Love,

Sarah F

[Sally]

Breaking a habit is difficult and breaking an addiction is doubly so.

You have got to channel all of your energies into something other than smoking if you are going to be able to stop.

Please remember that smoking is a self destructive behavior and add that to the list of reasons to quit - you cannot transition fully while smoking and you cannot transition if you become one of the smoking statistics.

We are all here for your support.

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest nymphblossom]

Congratulations on your decision, Emily! I was told at a class on creative thinking that it takes 21 days for humans to establish a new routine. Once you get over the actual first few days of nicotine wirhdrawl, it will take that long to accept the new behavior.

And remember, do not take an all or nothing attitude. Just becuase you slip, doen't mean you have failed. Smoking is very hard to stop because of how ingrained it becomes as part of a person's life. I do not smoke, but know many people who have quit and after years, still light up when they go to a bar for a drink. Be proud of the time you have avoided your habbit. You will find yourself falling off the wagon less and less.

Blossom

[Guest yvonne]

Hello Emily,

Welcome to a wonderful place and thank you for sharing your concerns about smoking.

I hope I can help. I smoked 2 packs a day for 40 years and tried every means in the world to quit, but could never make it more than a few hours without lighting up again.

I accepted my true self a little over a year ago and within the last 6 months set a goal to start hormone therapy. I've done a lot of reading on the subject and one thing that really jumped out at me was the risk of coronary thrombosis (blood clots) to males who take estrogen. Another term is DVT (I think that is Deep Vein Thrombosis or something). Anyway, the risk of DVTs go through the roof if you smoke. You'll find that most Doctors will not prescribe estrogen to men who smoke....

OK, so if I'm ever going to become the true woman in my mind, I can't smoke. I think you're with me this far.

I made my first appointment with a Gender Therapist (GT) to get the process started. The moment I hung up that phone, I told myself that this was my last day of smoking. I bought nicotine patches, available in a 3-step program. Used them before, they didn't work.

This time was different. When I got up the next morning, I put on the first patch and told myself that if I had a smoke, in only 10 minutes I'd want another one even worse than if I just didn't have one at all. That was what I kept telling myself.

I also told myself that if I did smoke again, I'd have to stay a boy. I'D HAVE TO STAY A BOY FOREVER! Girlfriend, I don't have to tell you what that means in terms of pain. There's no greater pain in the world than that.

Here's a few things I did differently this time: First, I didn't tell a soul about it. In the past, I've gotten a load of bad things from non-smokers over my inability to quit. People have used that against me a lot just to make me feel bad. When I've tried to quit before, people have asked me, "why aren't you smoking?" They're just waiting to jump on me for being unable to quit, once again. So, this time, it's my own secret. I told no one, not even my wife, who also smokes.

Second, I hate quitters and I really hate reformed ex-smokers. So, I resolved to never be one. My personal statement on smoking is: "I don't smoke". It's not "I've quit", it's a very emphatic, "I don't smoke". So, put away the ashtrays and don't smoke. For some reason, it was easier for me to resist the urge to smoke by telling myself I'd just want one worse, I could never become a woman and, besides, I don't smoke anyway, so why would I ever light up?.

I've only been asked a few times about it and I said "I don't smoke". My good friend, who's tried as many times as I have, couldn't believe it and really pressed me for how long has it been. I told him I really didn't remember (which was a total lie) and it didn't matter anyway, I don't smoke.

I've not held a package, smelled a package or an individual cigarette. The smell of the smoke itself doesn't bother me a bit, nor does it increase my urge to light up. The urges keep coming, but they last shorter and shorter periods of time. I can outlast an urge now in less than a minute and can go for hours at times without even thinking about it.

I just know that a lady doesn't smoke. I don't smoke. I'm a lady...

I'm nearly done with my gender therapy, been to an Endo, gotten my starter prescription and I'm on hormones right now!!!!!

Oh, and I don't smoke. (It's been a few months since). Personally, I never thought I could stop, either.

I just hope this can help you. Once I was looking at the real process to leave the man (me) at the curb, it seemed to have been relatively easy to not smoke.

Power to you, girlfriend. Become the woman you truly are.

Yvonne

[Guest Donna Jean]

Emily, smoking is not just a habit, like fussing with your bra straps all the time...

It's also a drug addiction!

I quit smoking because I wanted to...simple, but I only smoked a pack every week and a half...

So, it wasn't too hard for me.

Ciggies contain nicotine...an addictive drug that affects you physically!

That is why it is so hard to quit, your body reacts to you're trying to quit!

I've read that recently studies were done where the nicotine content of ciggies has been raised by the manufactures. Why? Because with the price of them going up recently the tobacco companies want to make sure that you stay a customer and NOT quit!

Devious!

Also, in WWII, GI's were sent packages with milk, crackers, food items and candy bars in them.

Also ciggies! Why? Well, the knew that when the war ended, there would be hundreds of thousands of boys coming home already hooked and instant customers!

Devious!

The tobacco companies do not have your best interest at heart...

Good luck, Honey...

You'll do it, I just know it!

HUGGS!

Donna Jean

[Guest viv]

Hi Emily,

I can feel for you there hun, I was on and off those little x@<>$7"s for years.

Then I came across an Alan Carr Clinic, heading into my 5th year now and I know I

will NEVER smoke again.Worth a look IMO. Dont forget hun, there is no such person

who cant quit ,thats propaganda to keep you hooked, you can and you will quit.When

you do you will be healthier and richer. BTW, the beauty of the Alan Carr system is,

if you dont quit you get your money back,,,,best of luck , viv

[Guest Emily R]

Time for a little update, I'm still smoking

Not anywhere near as much 1 or 2 a day instead of the 20 a day, but its still smoking Its only at home as well, I need to find things to do to take my mind off it.

when I stopped the drinking and drugs I took up cycling. Whenever I felt like drinking or taking I went out for a ride no matter what the time or the weather and kept going till the feelings went away. Cant really do this now as I already cycle 200-250 miles a week just for fun

Downloaded a few apps for my phone today, one stop smoking hypnotherapy app and one to track my progress, which told me I've spent near £29000 in my smoking life. So I've given the tobacco companies and the government, the biggest drug dealers in world, all that money. That would of covered all the ops I'll be needing, they should be locked upped along with the the other drug dealers

I will stop just need to kick this 2 a day habit

Money in my hair removal jar is £60

Hugs

Emily

[Guest Donna Jean]

I KNEW that you could, Girlfriend...I just knew it...

And those two a day will be history soon, too!

You know...when you add up the money spent over the years, it really makes your eyes get big when you hit the total button!

I have confidence in you, Honey...You have goals now...you CAN do it!

With love...

Donna Jean

[Guest Emily R]

Thanks Donna

I just need to stop caving in to the cravings. Today has been good, I had plenty to do to take my mind off it, nice clean house and polished floors. Off to bed now to let Andrew Johnson subconsciously attempt to reprogram my mind

Hugs

Emily

[Guest viv]

Emily,

Good on you girl, you have made your start.Some people

successfully quit by slowing down first. Do not put yourself under

pressure . One way or another you will kick these things into

touch. I know it can seem difficult, it is NOT, you can and will

quit . luv,viv