Giving up smoking

[21QUEST]

I've tried giving up smoking a few times now but not been very successful. I'm not far off smoking like a chimey. I don't enjoy it that much anymore to be honest but it's soooooo hard to quit.

Any previous smokers on here and if so how long did you keep trying before finally jacking it in. More importantantly what methods did you use to help you quit for good.

Anyone used Hypnosis to help them quit?



Cheers
Ben

[Beenz]

Yup, smoked 20 a day for 20 years, gave up new years eve 2001. No patches or gum, just stopped. Yes it was not easy.

Took many tries for me to really stop but that time it worked. In an ale fueled moment at the AR I did have a couple of roll ups though. No ones perfect. I class that as a holiday thoughy. A good one at that.

[21QUEST]

=D>

Superb especially just on will power.

I'm probably smoking 30 :oops: . I'll be happy with a couple every 5 years.

Cheers
Ben

[mac99]

OK, hands up I've never been a smoker.
But I've quite a few friends who've given up successfully and some who haven't . Seen them try all sorts of methods. Patches, Gum, Pills from the GP, the Alan Carr books.
The only thing that all the ones who did mange had in common was that they did it as part of a overall health kick. Ie started running or going down the Gym, signed up for a half marathon or something. You'd think it'd be harder doing both at once, but it seems to work.

[the_runt69]

dunno gave up for a year for a bet, then went back stupidist thing I did, have tried three or four times since, might try again at new year, tried the patches and they didnt work with me.

H

[hovis]

dunno gave up for a year for a bet, then went back stupidist thing I did, have tried three or four times since, might try again at new year, tried the patches and they didnt work with me.

H

i bet you cant give it up again :wink:

[the_runt69]

i bet you cant give it up again

You might be right but I'm having another go

H

[hovis]

I BET YOU cant give up again :wink: :wink: nudge nudge

[the_runt69]

cheers mate

H

[philipMac]

I never smoked.. but. a lot of mates did.
One method to get off which a few of them had was when they felt that they needed a smoke, they would look at the time. They would say to themselves, I can last for 6 minutes without a cigarette, so I am going to wait, and think about it for the next six minutes. If, after that time, I still feel the same way I will have one.

If at any point in that time though they think that they dont really need one, the clock is zeroed again. So they always have to wait a least 6 mins per smoke, having wanted it for the whole time.

They seemed to generally get off them.
Apparently the sort of waves of wanting a smoke are more or less defined in length. If you can get through a wave, ie wait a few minutes, you are going to be through it, and not really want it so bad any more.
Or something. :?

[hovis]

my father smoked 25 a day went to the Docs with chest pain, had a scan & was told he had a shadow on the lungs (cancer) gave up smoking that day.

found out it was not cancer. he was a builder & it was dust from knocking down walls :shock:

[philipMac]

my father smoked 25 a day went to the Docs with chest pain, had a scan & was told he had a shadow on the lungs (cancer) gave up smoking that day.

found out it was not cancer. he was a builder & it was dust from knocking down walls :shock:

I went to the medic for a routine check up. And got a diagnosis of a very nasty type of blood cancer, and it is the most unbelievably terrifying thing that can happen to you I think.

The diagnosis was wrong, but I had to wait 5 days to be confirmed. Basically I didnt sleep at all for that time, and was a wreck when I was told I was in the clear.

Your father will remember the moment he was told he was in the clear like it was yesterday for the rest of his life. As I will. (NYU Fire escape, 8th floor, Browne Building, with my mate who was having a smoke at the time :lol:)

[21QUEST]

mac99, I've thought of that as well and think that would be a big help(especially with the 6pk disappearing fast) :lol: .

the_runt69, you have two bets now :wink: . :thumbsup:

Interesting one philipMac. Looks almost too simple that one can't help think 'that's not going to work' :? . I'm getting desperate frankly so might just give that a go.


Cheers
Ben

[the_runt69]

One of the blokes at work took a herbal remedy that didnt use nicotine to stope the craving trying to get him to get the details for 2 of us at work who are desperate to give up, when he does will post it.

H

[21QUEST]

Will appreciate that.

Cheers
Ben

[philipMac]

mac99, I've thought of that as well and think that would be a big help(especially with the 6pk disappearing fast) :lol: .

the_runt69, you have two bets now :wink: . :thumbsup:

Interesting one philipMac. Looks almost too simple that one can't help think 'that's not going to work' :? . I'm getting desperate frankly so might just give that a go.


Cheers
Ben

I know. It is a weird one. A couple of lads swear by it though. You have to stop, sit there, watch the time pass, and wait all the time thinking do I really want this one, its been 3 days / hours now, I have been clean etc. Then, and only then are you allowed.


I never really see many people talking about it though as a method though, so who knows.

[weazelz]

I quit ~18 months ago from ~40 marlboro red / day

I went along to one of these:

http://www.givingupsmoking.co.uk/nhs_sss/Stop_smoking_groups/

I used patches to keep my background nicotine level up & a nasal spray when I needed a hit. came off the patches after a couple of weeks, kept the nasal spray going for about 8 weeks in the end

haven't had a cigarette since the quit day & couldn't be happier :-)

[the_runt69]

Have tried the time method but end up with tooothache as if i dont get my fix tend to grind my teeth together, so looking for something that replaces nicotine as all that does is allow you to smoke if the patches are heavy enough,
Mind you had some weird dreams with them on

H

[Rog]

18 months here and counting. I used gum and found it worked for me. I actually hate chewing gum so it was quite easy to come of the gum once I had got rid of the habit for a smoke.

best thing I ever did !! Money saved bought me my shiney blue pointy one over there <------

[gettin2dizzy]

i was just determined. Decided i didn't want to do it. But everytime the craving came i just thought about the reasons i was giving up. It wasn't hard once in that mindset.
Hypnosis has lots of common misconceptions about it.
1. They do not 'pick' their customers - everyone who wants to do it can. They're not screened to keep the high sucess rates.
2. Its not a miracle cure - you need to want to give up
3. Its not expensive. 1 hour is about £300 which normally comes with a guarantee. If that hour doesn't work (which it does in 90% of the reputable places) you'll be asked to go back for free. These guarentees vary by practice- some offer a life time guarantee. Compared to the cumalative price of cigarettes its nothing
4. Hypnosis does actually exist, screen hypnosis is utter rubbish. Ask any asian doctor who performs open heart surgery (or his patients for that matter!) under hypnosis at all if he believes it.

My mum runs a hypnosis centre in Newcastle - i was Mr sceptical when she started but i can't argue with the results. People who smoke 60 a day, for 40 years give up within an hour- and actually don't want to smoke without feeling the need to.

and i make no money from this- and she only has one practice so i'm not ttrying to advertise it. But make sure you go to a reputable place. It makes ALL the difference :)
good luck!

[gettin2dizzy]

oh and something i found interesting. Hypnosis for smoking takes 1 hour, for weight loss it takes about 8!

[timwilky]

It is about 12 years since I gave up.


I woke up one morning and decided I didn't want a cig any more. no patches gum or any crap. In the past I had given up for others and would crack after a week. This time it was for me and it worked. I guess after the first week was up that it got slightly easier.

The strange thing was even after 8 years I would get the "I could murder a fag" type thoughts even though I knew it was my brain playing silly buggers and I had no nicotine dependency. Doesn't happen any more though

Major issue was mates who would try to tempt me back onto the evil weed. So I stayed in for the first week. and then was open and up front. "I am trying to stop, please don't offer me any cigs or I will go home".


The twin brother stopped 2 years after me. He used hypnotism and has now been free of the things for 10 years.

[Apophes]

40-60 a day in june 2002 used patches for 3 weeks to take edge off

found after first few days it was easy and as the days clocked up just lost the need

wife's relative had hypno and he's ok 99% of the time just the odd night on the beer
seems to overwrite it

[tricky]

Go and see your GP.
You can get any patches or stuff on prescription (if you want them).
I quit about 5 years ago after smoking about 20 a day for 10 years.

When I quit I used an NHS program which I found really helpfull.

However:
It is hard
You have to want to quit
You will put on weight !

[tricky]

The strange thing was even after 8 years I would get the "I could murder a fag" type thoughts even though I knew it was my brain playing silly buggers and I had no nicotine dependency.

I still get this, I sometimes even have one, I normally take one drag, start wretching and put it out, remembering why I quit in the first place.

[Ping]

I was smoking silk cut silver. They're like smoking air at first but eventually you get used to it. I gave up (again) just over 3 weeks ago.

I've been to the pub a good few times but only ever sponged one off a mate. This friday just gone I had a drag off a mate's cigarette and it was nasty. :lol:

I'd say I'm cured except for the boredom of NOT being a smoker. Sometimes I just want to start again because it's naughty... :lol:

So, you could go cold turkey, or you could drop down onto the lightest ciggies possible (only smoking what you'd normally smoke) and then when you find they're making you cough after a night out on the booze and ciggies (that's when i'd find I smoked more), that's the time to quit (cold turkey).

:)

Saying that though, I took the opportunity of a nasty cough I caught to quit this time.

[Bear]

Sounds weird, but I found something else to do with my hands (insert smutty comment here...) Looks a bit strange folding origami in the pub, but better that than cancer, right?

[DoubleD]

It's been 3 years now for me, and I was 20 a day and if I went out to bars or clubs then it was another 20!!!!

The way I did it was pure will power, I just decided one night that I smelt like a ash tray and my girlfriend was fed up with kissing an ash tray so I just finished the cig I was smoking and threw the last few in a cup of water so I couldn't dig them out the bin and smoke them!

Then it was a battle with myself to brake the habit of lighting up, have the 1 in the morning with coffee, having the 3 in the car on the way to work, the 2 smoke breaks, the 3 at lunch time..... just break the habit of lighting up helped me.

After I gave up you would not believe the smells and tastes that came back to me, so worth it as I love my food!

You can do it if YOU really want to, no one can do it for you.

Good luck with it.
DoubleD

[STRAMASHER]

Set yourself a date for when you want to chuck it. Get your head straight before this date . Don't tell friends and family. Make it a competition. (most my mates are all smokers). Patches and all that for me, were just a crutch . By any means necessary tho'............

If you are from dan'saf , stop before "the man" tells you to. Youse get an indoor ban next year?

Bought a 2nd bike with the savings( also seen to the left! :wink: ). Been off them for over a year.

The cravings do subside the longer you go.

I still get "pangs"(milli-seconds).

As to what to do with your hand in the pub? Stick another drink in it! I turned into a beer monster for a coupla weeks :)

[Razor]

My Dad still smokes, even tho he needs an oxygen cylinder to breathe. One of these days he's gonna forget to close the O2 valve when he lights up and blow the whole house apart...

[peanut]

Saying that though, I took the opportunity of a nasty cough I caught to quit this time.
Ditto.

Got sick just after new years in 2004. Stopped there and then, and haven't looked back since. Walked around with a full pack in my pocket for the next six months - my reasoning being that if I knew that at any point I could reach into my pocket and grab a fag and yet still manage to knock it on the head, I was going to be OK.

The habit is the hardest thing to break. "The one on the walk between the bus stop and the office" was the hardest one for me. Once I got rid of that one the rest followed. Days turned to weeks turned to months turned to years - the thought that kept me going was that if I caved in and had one, the last three days/weeks/whatever of effort would have been completely wasted.

Good luck with it mate.

[the_runt69]

Right got a couple of packets left, after that gonna try again so should have stopped by Friday.
(heres keeping me fingers crossed)

H

[lukemillar]

I'm pretty bad - I don't smoke a lot (unless I'm nervous) - usually 1 or 2 a day. Keep on giving up for 6 month periods and then back onto the 1-2 a day. Having said that if I go down the pub and get ****ed, I tend to smoke loads! I should give up for health reasons, but at the moment I don't want to and when I'm in that mindset, no amount of nagging from anyone will change my mind!

[hovis]

if you smoke 20 a day @ £5? a pack £2500.00 a year

[Ed]

if you smoke 20 a day @ £5? a pack £2500.00 a year

£5 X 7 = £35/week

£35 X 52 = £1,820/year

[hovis]

if you smoke 20 a day @ £5? a pack £2500.00 a year

£5 X 7 = £35/week

£35 X 52 = £1,820/year

:oops: errrrrr......urrmmmmm........ :oops: :stupid:

[flibble]

Spotted this today :shock:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6194670.stm

[UlsterSV]

Good luck with it. And remember, the less you smoke the longer you'll live, giving you more time on the bike :thumright:


Good to see hovi5 on the ball as usual :P :lol:

[21QUEST]

Right got a couple of packets left, after that gonna try again so should have stopped by Friday.
(heres keeping me fingers crossed)

H
the_runt69, good so far?



I'd say I'm cured except for the boredom of NOT being a smoker. Sometimes I just want to start again because it's naughty... :lol:

:roll: :lol:
I've tried the lighter cigarettes but I just end up smoking more . Don't see the point of smoking air myself :)


Varied experiences and ways folks have used to give up for sure but I've decided to give Will power another go.

Today folks, at close of business I shall cease to be a smoker. Once the night goes with me having any, I'll definitely be on my way to a completely cigarettes free existence.

Gracias all and to a healthier ME :? http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/musik/n015.gif :lol:

where's me running shoes


Cheers
Ben

[krazykim]

Hey ya, gave up smoking 4 1/2 years ago. Cold turkey. I do have the occasional one when i'm in a bar or club but only if the people i'm with are smoking. When i'm around someone else that smokes it's so hard to resist the temptation so, in the name of my health, can you all please give up smoking...or you may be adding to the early retirement of my lungs. Guilt trip fully intended :wink: . It'll be so much easier next year when they ban smoking everywhere. Can't wait.

[the_runt69]

Actually started yesterday after a weekend out, not had one yet fingers crossed but my teeth hurt where I keep clenching them

H

[jenni]

i had my first sober one in over a year on saturday.... not that fussed about starting the habit up again, but i ain't gonna beat myself up for giving into temptation

[Well Oiled]

Look into my eyes...not around my eyes....but into my eyes...now repeat after me:

"I want to give up, I can give up, I will give up"

3...2...1... and you're back with us.

There - that's better :P

[TT Dee]

I gave up Sept 2004 after 23 years of smoking roll-ups like a chimney. Personally I think that nicotene replacement - patches, gum etc just prolongs the agony.

I went cold turkey. The first three days - the physical withdrawal, was hell. After that its just a case of dealing with the psychological withdrawal. Most folk are fairly ritualised about when they light up: specific times of the day, activities, even emotions; recognising your personal habit triggers and setting in place modes of distraction is always a good thing (just go easy on the sweeties)

There's an excellent article here:

http://www.whyquit.com/whyquit/A_Symptoms.html

[Foey]

I last had a rollie on 18th Feb after smoking on & off for 30 years, first few weeks were quite hard but lately i havn't even thought about having one, the difference this time compared to other times i have tried to stop is that i gave up for me, i felt that it was the right time as i wasn't enjoying them so much plus my employer has banned it on site which i'm sure has helped as i used to feel like an outcast when i stood outside the gates puffing away.
Orbit sugarfree gum is the only aid i have used to get me this far, it just gives me that little something & i'm now down to one pack a day. :lol:
I think, if you have decided that you should give it a go then you're halfway there already, the only bit of advice i would give is avoid the pub for a while, beer with no ciggie is a killer.
You will miss it a lot, even after i stopped once for two years i still got the craving, you've just got to be strong & every once in a while sniff an ashtray. :lol:

Good Luck.

[the_runt69]

Climbing the walls at then moment, weather is ****e cant do what I want to and am so bored this is hard work.

H

[Beenz]

Just found this on the Beeb:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6207176.stm

[JediGoat]

My tuppence worth here.....

I gave up December 1999. Not because of the new year thingy, but because of a severe chest infection. I was working in Dublin at the time, and a really helpful pharmacist spent over half an hour with me, telling me I'd done the right thing, then flogging me some patches.

On new years eve, I was getting ready to go out, and went to put a patch on.....then decided to put a normal sticking plaster on my arm instead - I never noticed the difference :lol:

Started smoking again a few years later (foolishly thought it would help me lose weight). I was going on a mountain biking holiday in November 2004....and had decided to give up just before it began. I posted on a cycling forum that I was worried about the lack of ciggies ruining my holiday - and some clever chap pointed out that I had reasoned that I could never enjoy anything again, unless I had a ciggie :shock: The realisation of what he said hit me quite hard. I stopped that day.

On both occassions, I actually found it easier than I'd expected to give up. I must point out that I have failed in giving up plenty of times before. The difference with these occassions was that I wasn't 'giving up', or 'trying to quit' - I had become a non-smoker from the moment I stubbed out the last fag. (This is the essence of the Allan Carr bookts, BTW). When I really wanted to do it, it happened, and I carried on with my life.

Annoyingly, I got v.drunk at a party last summer, and started again - or rather had a couple, and in my head I'd now become a smoker again :roll:

I'll be giving up again in the next couple of weeks....

Jo
P.s. in the early days, I found this chart helps a lot: http://www.givingupsmoking.co.uk/stay_stopped/Your_body_on_the_mend/

[mpaton2006]

My Dad still smokes, even tho he needs an oxygen cylinder to breathe. One of these days he's gonna forget to close the O2 valve when he lights up and blow the whole house apart...

Reminded me of a thing on Braniac - caravan filled with Oxygen.

The guy said "Watch as the oxygen explodes [...] "

How the hell can O2 explode? Where's the oxidiser? Have they not seen the fire triangle?