Page:
Ali-birdmember
102 posts
Location: London


Posted:


I just thought I'd blow my own trumpet and say that I've decided to stop smoking. As of yesterday.

Tis alright so far actually.

If this thread doesn't disappear too quickly I might come back and rant if it gets difficult. Which I hope it won't.

Yay!

Why is it that everthing which is fun is illegal, immoral, or fattening?


bubblenutterSILVER Member
member
29 posts
Location: United Kingdom


Posted:
Good luck. I've lost count of how many times I've tried and failed.
I hope you've got more will power than me, actually scratch that, I hope it goes real easy and you don't even need that extra will power.

Paddyback from the dead...sort of
884 posts
Location: 43°41'N 79°38'W


Posted:
We'll bump this for you if you start slipping!

Best of luck, it'll be well worth it in the end. We're all here to help support.

Now all you've got to do it stop that pesky firespinning habit...fuel fumes are never good for ya...

flokiGOLD Member
member
183 posts
Location: brussels, Belgium


Posted:
easy ... i stopped 23 times by now ... the harder part : starting again ...

no ... really ... i cross my fingers and if you start again you should start a thread on this and invite everybody to be angry with you and to insult you ... perhaps then it will be aesier to stop (... again ...)

water ... lots of water ... this helps !
good luck to you ...

DomBRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,009 posts
Location: Bristol, UK


Posted:
Good luck!

A friend of mine who's been smoking for 8 years is going to get hypnotised tomorrow to try to give up. Extreme measures

Nathdaninjamember
271 posts
Location: Manchester, England


Posted:
Nice one! I stopped after Uni, thought it was a good time as any. I found sucking chupa chups was a good diversion...keeps the fingers busy..plus it's good for pulling when your clubbing. i once had a bird come upto me on the dance floor, pull my lollipop out of my mouth and launch herself down my throat...she stole my lollipop tho'.

Good luck!

N

boing...boing...When the naive man admits his naivete, he is no longer naive.Thus, all people are regarded by society as either ignorant or a liar.Wonders never cease, as long as you never cease to wonder.


onewheeldaveGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,252 posts
Location: sheffield, United Kingdom


Posted:
For anyone who wants to give up smoking I totally recomend getting hold of Allen Carr's 'Easy way to give up smoking'.

If you really want to stop, and you understand what he says, then you will be freed, and it will be a pleasant experience.

However, you have to accept that nicotine is forever out of your life- I know a lot of people who've read this book, stopped (and stopped easily), then months or years later have had a toke on a spliff or something else with tobacco in; pretty soon they're on twenty a day again.

Allen Carr really knows what he's talking about- he was a 120 a day man. Once you understand the way nicotine works you can literally walk away from it, stop dead and experience no withdrawal; just make sure that you stick to what he says.

I speak from personal experience, over ten years I attempted many, many times to quit; in the last year I lost any illusion that I actually enjoyed them, yet was compelled to smoke one after the other.

When I succeeded in escaping it was amazingly easy- like the monkey fist jar trap: -

a monkey puts his hand into the jar to get the nuts, then he can't pull it out cos his hand is full of nuts and too big for the neck.

He pulls and pulls with all his might for hours on end as tears of despair roll down his cheeks.

Then he reads a copy of Allen Carrs 'Easy way to escape from the monkey fist jar trap'; he sees that by letting go the nuts he is free in an instant, and knows to never again reach into small necked jars containing nuts.

"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."

--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32


Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!


GlåssDIAMOND Member
The Ministry of Manipulation
2,523 posts
Location: Bristol, United Kingdom


Posted:
monkeys can't smoke if they have their hands trapped in jars.

SterlingspiderBRONZE Member
Senator by day, Sith Lord by night.
128 posts
Location: Suffolk, New York, USA


Posted:
A week from friday will be two years for me. I went from a 10 yr pack a day habit to NILL while living with 2 very heavy smokers and dating another heavy smoker, all the while going through grad school. Not the most ideal situation to quit but I did it. I found the first month or so was the hardest because I had to get rid of all the automatic smoking habits. Once your past that all you have to think about is how much the first month sucked and how you never want to go through it again and it makes it ever so much easier not to pick up again.

Really for me the desire to keep smoking has nothing to do with the nicotine, it's the habit of it and knowing that when you are edgy a cigg will calm you down. I never get cravings to have a cigg anymore (they smell utterly disgusting to me now) but I do get tempted by sweet pipe tobacco cigars and cloves on occasion. I will admit I did become a bit of a raving hell bitch for a while but *shrugs* now I'm over it and I'm far less likely to put up with peoples crap so I figure somthing good came of it.

But always always /always/ remember that just because you may slip and have a cigg DOES NOT mean you failed and might as well start up again. The nicotine addiction to ciggarettes lasts 2 weeks. Thats right, only 14 days. Which is why stuff like nicorette doesnt really work that well, the craving has nothing to do with the amount of nicotine in your body. The gum acts as a psychological boost but a chemical crutch. The thing that will keep you going is your decision to simply not have another one.

Oh, and do yourself a favor, if you were in the habit of going out for "smoke breaks" at work or whatever DO NOT STOP. Go for a walk around the block, have a chat with a random person, dont sit for that 10 min or so you are used to being free and wallow in the fact that you're stuck there. That will not do you any good. If you think you can deal with it go out and chat withthe other smokers, this is actually surprisingly easy as long as you're not stressed out.

All the willpower in the world to you.

"If the human brain were simple enough for us to understand, we would be too simple to understand it"
-Emerson M Pugh


RandyBRONZE Member
member
42 posts
Location: Long Beach, CA, USA


Posted:
I'm at about a month and a half. It gets a LOT easier the further in you get.. That first couple weeks I thought I was going to go completely bonkers, but that fades little by litte.

Good luck.

Oh yeah, a pierce of good advice.. sounds silly but it works. Every time you want a smoke, just say to yourself "That's funny, I don't even smoke."

Astarmember
1,591 posts
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada.


Posted:
I don't smoke but ill never understand why smokers don't use every method they can when they quit.

Statisically you are a lot more likely to quit if you ween off slowly (as slow as you can is best) instead of cold turkey. secondly why not take nicorette gum, the patch and zyban all at once? The companies put a disclaimer on their packages saying you can't use the gum and patch together but my mother has done research on this and has been told by our doctor that you can. Really, the amount of nicotine you get from the patch and gum together isn't close to what you get from smokeing.

onewheeldaveGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,252 posts
Location: sheffield, United Kingdom


Posted:
Allen Carr in his book goes into a great deal of detail in explaining why he considers gradually weaning yourself off nicotine is the worst thing you can do.

He is also opposed to gum, patches and any other substitute.

I don't want to be dogmatic, but from my personal experiences, and from many years of watching a lot of friends of mine trying to quit, I have to agree with him 100%.

"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."

--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32


Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!


CharlesBRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand


Posted:
For me (smokefree for about 4 years now!) the most important thing was not to give up when you do give in and have a smoke.

so you go cold turkey for 4 days, and then have smoke? That's great! 4 days without smoking is a wonderful achievement.

But so many people focuss on the fact that they could only last 4 days and then, after that first cigarette think "oh its too hard" and go back to smoking a pack a day.

Don't let the setbacks get you down! Once you've had that once cigarette, say to yourself "right, I'm now not having another one for 5 days"

If it's not five days, stick to the five days until you do. Then make the next one 10 days etc etc.

I found this to be amazingly effective in limiting my setbacks to one cigarette, and one cigarette only...

HoP Posting Guidelines
* Is it the Truth?
* Is it Fair to all concerned?
* Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
* Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?


coza-Why-
126 posts
Location: uk, Newcastle / Chester


Posted:
Its a hard thing to do as both of my rents have tried recently, and their stress levels went through the roof, so just try and keep calm, and be cool, and good look

If money is the root of all evil, then why do people sell Bibles?


Nathdaninjamember
271 posts
Location: Manchester, England


Posted:
I found the best bit about having given up is that stage when your tempted to light up again...I have done it a few times, and then stopped myself after half a fag cos I felt so guilty...but better than that, when you know you've really done it, is when you know there's no point no matter how much your tempted cos you know it'll just make you feel really sick....that's quite satisfying.

...anyway look at me boasting
They always say the worst non-smoker is the ex-smoker...but that's cos we "know", and we know how nicotine makes you kid yourself.

Keep up the good work all those trying...I am genuinely proud of you all

N

boing...boing...When the naive man admits his naivete, he is no longer naive.Thus, all people are regarded by society as either ignorant or a liar.Wonders never cease, as long as you never cease to wonder.


Ali-birdmember
102 posts
Location: London


Posted:
OneWheel - I know, I've been reading the Allen Carr book and I can't recommend it highly enough!! Stopping smoking is NOT hard. You just have to have the right mindset for it. Anyone who's trying or wants to try, buy that book. It really is very good.

Passed my first big test yesterday - went to Poi at Spitz and didn't smoke anything!

I've not had the slightest problem. I've had a couple of pangs, yes, but it's almost been a pleasure to beat them off.

Rah!

Thanks for the encouragement guys and good luck to the others!

Why is it that everthing which is fun is illegal, immoral, or fattening?


UCOFSILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales


Posted:
RAH! indeed.

well done.

now you know what i felt like for 8 weeks...

the_mods_stole_my_nameSILVER Member
travelling without moving
1,286 posts
Location: Maghull, Liverpool, United Kingdom


Posted:
i had my last smoke on sunday night. i didn't intend to give up, but my sister is in the process of giving up using patches and i couldn't be bothered getting off my ass and going to the shop to get some yesterday. so i decided to go cold turkey! yesterday was fine, this morning was ok as i kept myself busy in work, but this afternoon is killing me! i did so much work this morning keeping my mind off the fags, that i now have no work left! as a result of this i have already had an argument with my boss, who was pretty understanding after i told him that i was giving up smoking! help me HoPpers! PLEEEEEEZE!

Heilige Scheiße, Batman kommt!

Reality is just a state of mind which occurs through a lack of lsd

XxX owned by devilsarmy XxX

O.B.E.S.E.


Bek66Future Mrs Pogo
4,728 posts
Location: The wrong place


Posted:
I have been smoke free now for a little over 8 months...

I did use patches for the first week, but then just gave them up and sipped chamomille, catnip, and lobelia tea for about another week. (Wonderful, btw....calming and curbs drug withdrawals)

I still crave one occasionally, but have not given in. I smoked for 25 years...it had a very strong hold on me, indeed. They still also smell sooooo good to me but I've loved the smell of cured tobacco since I was knee high to a grasshopper. I come from a long line of tobacco farmers, so I almost feel like a traitor.

The benefits are all worth it, tho. I am actually able to save a little bit of money each week....I have breath that I never knew that I was missing....and me and my household don't smell like an ash tray anymore.

For all those trying.....keep at it.....you'll be so glad that you did!

"Absence is to love what wind is to fire...it extinguishes the small, enkindles the great."
--Comte Debussy-Rebutin


SezzieSILVER Member
journeyman
54 posts
Location: Bristol, United Kingdom


Posted:
Alan Carrs book is really good and after reading it I gave up after 12 years of smoking and many attempts at stopping. Cutting down just doesn't work, because you are addicted. You just crave cigs because you're not getting your usual fix and then the next one you have is soooooooo great that you feel desperate that you've given up something that is great. Alan Carr teaches you how nicotine works and that you're not giving anything up you're gaining a healthier, cheaper, less smelly lifestyle. But the biggest bonus I found is your hangovers are so much less severe if you don't smoke - wahey!!!

Just watch out for the spliffs - if you smoke with tobacco that is. I got hooked again briefly because of those. You will always be addicted so the just one is very hard at keeping at just one, but like someone else said it can be done!!!

Good luck anyhow smile

Life moves pretty fast and if you don't stop and look around once in a while you just might miss it!


DrBooBRONZE Member
I invented the decaffinated coffee table.
453 posts
Location: Cornwall, United Kingdom


Posted:
 Written by: Sezzie


Alan Carrs book is really good .... you're not giving anything up you're gaining a healthier, cheaper, less smelly lifestyle.



This is such a great way to change a lifestyle - positive psychology at its best.
It's the same with dieting, exercise - those other things we try and change all the time but are often difficult to keep up. If you say "I'm not going to have...." "I'm not allowed" you automatically want it. Much easier on you to focus on what you're getting out of it, rather than what you lose.

Good luck to all the lovely folks trying to quit the nasty stuff.
hug

Boo x

I intend to live forever - so far, so good.

If it costs "a penny for your thoughts", but people give you their "two-pence worth", who is getting the extra penny?


Groovy_DreamSILVER Member
addict
449 posts
Location: Australia


Posted:
Has anyone noticed how hardly any twirlers smoke?

the_mods_stole_my_nameSILVER Member
travelling without moving
1,286 posts
Location: Maghull, Liverpool, United Kingdom


Posted:
where have you been looking psyrush? virtually every twirler i know smokes, wether it be fags or spliffs, they definately smoke!

Heilige Scheiße, Batman kommt!

Reality is just a state of mind which occurs through a lack of lsd

XxX owned by devilsarmy XxX

O.B.E.S.E.


onewheeldaveGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,252 posts
Location: sheffield, United Kingdom


Posted:
 Written by:







Just watch out for the spliffs - if you smoke with tobacco that is. I got hooked again briefly because of those. You will always be addicted so the just one is very hard at keeping at just one, but like someone else said it can be done!!!









I can tell you with with 100% confidence that, trying to 'smoke one' of anything containing nicotine, whether cigarette or spliff, goes totally against Carrs method.



Unfortunately, Carr mentions cannabis only briefly in his book- i suspect that this is because, unlike many here, Carr never really encountered much cannabis use either in his own life or that of his clients.



He does however, very clearly and repeatedly state, that a fundamental part of his method is that the quitter does not use anything containing nicotine, whether that is cig, patch, chewing gum or spliff.



In the eyes of the Carr methed, there is no such thing as 'just one' cig- neither is there 'just one' spliff.



This has been very much backed up by my own experience (before successfully quitting, many of my attempts were ended by 'just one toke' on a spliff/cig).



And I've seen many others fail because they thought they could have an occasional spliff- as well as some who did pretty much cut out cigs, but ended up continuously caned as their spliff intake went up to cover their nicotine addiciton.



And I've known some who could actually stretch out their 'not-smoking-cigs but having-an-occasional-spliff' for long periods, in one case, for several years; however, every single one of them ultimately ended up back on a cigarette habit.

"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."

--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32


Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!


faith enfireBRONZE Member
wandering thru the woods of WI
3,556 posts
Location: Wisconsin, USA


Posted:
cutting down is working for me

was at a pack a day and now working on 4 a day for a few weeks

considering stress...i am not ready to give those up yet

Faith
Nay, whatever comes one hour was sunlit and the most high gods may not make boast of any better thing than to have watched that hour as it passed


the_mods_stole_my_nameSILVER Member
travelling without moving
1,286 posts
Location: Maghull, Liverpool, United Kingdom


Posted:
ok, s i found myself smelling a ciggarette last night, in the hope that maybe some nicotine may fly up my nostril and into my bloodstream....it did help the cravings though! i think i may sellotape a fag under my nose to have this effect all the time!

Heilige Scheiße, Batman kommt!

Reality is just a state of mind which occurs through a lack of lsd

XxX owned by devilsarmy XxX

O.B.E.S.E.


TinklePantsGOLD Member
Clique Infiltrator, Cunning Linguist and Master Debator
4,219 posts
Location: Edinburgh burgh burrrrrr, United Kingdom


Posted:
Me and sunbird are on Day 2 of giving up.

I've had a withdrawal headache since 4am now frown (thats 6 hrs btw)

Always use "so's your face" and "only on Tuesdays" in as many conversations possible


the_mods_stole_my_nameSILVER Member
travelling without moving
1,286 posts
Location: Maghull, Liverpool, United Kingdom


Posted:
i feel soooooooo stressed out! according to all the stop smoking websites and leaflets, day 2 and 3 are the worst for cravings and mood swings etc. so just keep at it. it's supposed to get easier after a week or so.

Heilige Scheiße, Batman kommt!

Reality is just a state of mind which occurs through a lack of lsd

XxX owned by devilsarmy XxX

O.B.E.S.E.


The Tea FairySILVER Member
old hand
853 posts
Location: Behind you...


Posted:
Keep going! Just imagine how much cleaner and healthier your lungs are getting, how much less your clothes smell, how many years of lifespan you may be gaining...

hug

Also, people who are giving up deserve extra helpings of chocolate and ice cream for dessert every day!

Idolized by Aurinoko

Take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind....

Bob Dylan


CelticHippynewbie
12 posts
Location: California


Posted:
It IS one of the hardest things to do! Especially the habit itself - not so much the addiction. Trying not to light up when driving, or after a meal or other standard things you light up for.

Everyone is different - me, I quit cold turkey, and I still grab a drag from my girlfriend's cig once in awhile, but that's it!

Good luck to ya!!

~CJ~
Shut up and Drum!


the_mods_stole_my_nameSILVER Member
travelling without moving
1,286 posts
Location: Maghull, Liverpool, United Kingdom


Posted:
i'm goin cold turkey, it's hard, but this is day 5 now, so i think i'm getting over the worst of it. i'm coughing soooo much today, apparently that's my lungs trying to shake off all the tar and crap that's built up inside them.......nice...

Heilige Scheiße, Batman kommt!

Reality is just a state of mind which occurs through a lack of lsd

XxX owned by devilsarmy XxX

O.B.E.S.E.


Page:

Similar Topics

Using the keywords [stopping smoking] we found the following existing topics.

  1. Forums > Stopping smoking [57 replies]

      Show more..

HOP Newsletter

Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more...