Nicabate

Jemma, 33.

Quitting with Nicabate® Patches

It’s been a bit stressful this week – actually, I think it’s been the hardest week of them all. I’m not keeping count anymore of how many days and hours have passed since I gave up… probably because this week’s been so hard. The Patches have been really good it’s just that it’s been so stressful and everything has seemed much harder.

The toughest part has been letting myself down on Saturday night. I had a few drinks with some friends and I started feeling like a cigarette… and then I had a couple of puffs. I didn’t have a whole one, just a few drags from a friend’s cigarette. I didn’t think I would slip-up so I’ve just tried not to dwell on it. I think that I’m still doing really well and determined to become a non-smoker. Actually, I AM a non-smoker but I think I got a little bit cocky. One of the girls at work said it’s like being on a diet: you may have a chocolate one day but you get straight back onto it. That’s how I feel.

I had a real pick-me up at a staff meeting the other night. Before we started going through the agenda, a few people asked me how my quit attempt was going. I told them I was getting through it and everyone said, you know you’re doing a great job, Jemma, and keep going because we’re all really proud of you. It’s really, really nice to hear that stuff. It’s great to know that people care and that they can see you’re trying really hard with it. Because it’s not easy – I still believe it’s one of the biggest decisions I’ve made in the last few years. Even my little nephew’s noticed and it’s really sweet. He’s seen me fail once before and that kind of interest just makes you stronger.

I’m really excited now because I’m off to Melbourne this weekend with a few girlfriends – we’re all going to a great conference and staying together in apartments. None of them smoke so that’s going to be really good and hopefully we’ll just have a great time together. I’ve just got to stay strong and keep on telling myself what a let-down a cigarette’s going to be. So it’s all good. I can’t believe it’s a month since I stopped smoking. It’s all gone really quickly and I can’t believe I’m almost half-way through!