I'm sure you all know this...

froosh69 · 03-12-2007 12:26pm #1

I'm studying neurophysiology and we are studying the effects nicotine has on your mental and physical state. I'm sure you all know about the mental side i.e. mood swings, finding it difficult to concentrate, difficulty sleeping etc. but the physical side is the interesting one.

when you have been a regular smoker for a few weeks, your body becomes used to having a constant amount of nicotine in your blood. Therefore, if the nicotine levels are dropped, your body does not know what to do. So it gives you a craving to tell you something aint right.

It takes a full three days at least for all the nicotine in your body to be flushed out in urine, sweat and feces (it is, after all, a toxin).
The interesting thing is, the lower the nicotine levels in blood, the stronger the craving.
Alcohol, believe it or not, is a cleanser of blood. it washes alot of salts, fatty acids, proteins, water and nicotine out of your system, alot of which are vital to a healthy body (hence a hangover). This is why most people crave something fatty and salty(a kebab for example) and also cigarettes after a night on the sauce.
Nicorette and patches work by supplying a small amount of nicotine to the blood. This is why these methods do not work for many people. Remember, if there is a small level of nicotine in the blood, there will be a strong craving. Using an aid to give up smoking can be comforting because you believe that you are being helped, and it works for many people. After about a week of going cold turkey, all nicotine should be out of you system and its just a psychological battle from then on.
Good luck to you all,
Smoker

P.S. I stand to be corrected on any of the above points.

Terry · 03-12-2007 1:50pm

Interesting if true.

Any chance you could delve a bit deeper into this for us?

ali.c · 03-12-2007 2:43pm

Terry wrote: »

Any chance you could delve a bit deeper into this for us?

+1

froosh69 · 03-12-2007 3:14pm

ok, here's another fun fact.
According to most studies, nicotine is more addictive than heroin, cocaine and alcohol.
Even thought the withdrawal is more severe with these class A's, it is the potency that makes nicotine so addictive.
To illustrate my point, a Marlboro light contains .5mg of nicotine, this is a tiny amount. Coupled with the fact that most nicotine is destroyed in your heart, only a fraction of this gets to work in your system. If you were to inject a syringe full of pure nicotine or snort a line of it, you would instantly fall into a coma and suffer severe brain damage.

Nicotine is absorbed through your skin very easily (as with patches) and I read a true story about a farmer that accidently spilled some pesticide on a bench and sat down on it. He started feeling nausous and dizzy and three minutes later he passed out and went into a nicotine-induced coma. He came out of it and put on the same work clothes without being washed and it happened again.

Its as dangerous as rat poison in high enough doses.

Terry · 03-12-2007 3:29pm

Didn't really mean the fun facts, but they are welcome nonetheless.

What I was asking was if you could use your position to look into the withdrawal side of things a bit further.

It would be nice to get some clarification on the amount of time it takes nicotene to leave your system and other such facts.

If you want to, of course.

froosh69 · 03-12-2007 3:37pm

no problem, im kinda busy with exams and stuff at the minute but i'd love to help. Im new to boards but i can see myself becoming an active poster in this forum. Is there a thread where there are interesting facts about smoking and/or tips to help people rather than people's stories?Ive tried every method under the sun (exept councilling and hypnotherapy) and knowing the facts, although interesting, hasnt helped me give up.

Terry · 03-12-2007 5:10pm

There is the sticky at thye top, but feel free to start a new thread and we'll see where it goes.

Hellrazer · 11-01-2008 2:11pm

Froosh69--how does Zyban tie into all this.Like yourself I tried every product out there in 2007 to give up the smokes--hypnosis,acupuncture,gum,patces,inhaler etc etc etc.Cost me more in trying to give them up than I was spending a week on smoking.

I had used zyban 4 years ago and stayed off the smokes for 2 years with it and tried again 13 weeks ago--Its a scary drug because literally within 10 days all my cravings were gone even though I was still smoking (this is the way that you take zyban)

Im off them 13 weeks now but the thoughts of a drug messing around with your neuroreceptors always frightened me.

Apologies for thread hijacking but I always wanted an answer and most doctors dont even know how it works.Maybe someone studying neurophysiology might have an answer.

Thanks
Richie.

Lance111 · 19-01-2008 11:29pm

Using an aid to give up smoking can be comforting because you believe that you are being helped, and it works for many people. After about a week of going cold turkey, all nicotine should be out of you system and its just a psychological battle from then on.

has any one had a go of giving up, using patches and cold turkey at different times in their life??
If so was there any difference in ways of feeling better or worse etc? I am talking after that intial week, when all the nicotine is flushed out of your body..
Because if you wore a patch wouldn't that mean you would still have nicotine amounts in your body? and by going cold turkey there should be nothing.... anybody has any suggestion on this matter...?

ttaylor · 20-01-2008 11:23pm

Hey Lance,

I smoke 30+ ciggs a day & I tried them all: hypnosis,microtab, acupuncture, zyban, gum,patches,inhaler and cold turkey. I stayed off them longest (five weeks) by going cold turkey but it was HELL for the first week, I had the shakes, sweats and couldn't sleep at night! I found that the patches took the edge off the craving but you are still supplying your body with nicotine, therefore the cravings last for longer. I never finished a course of patches though, I always gave up and started smoking again. I am going off them again tomorrow and the plan now is to wear the patch for 3 days, then use will power

Lance111 · 21-01-2008 12:58am

Hey good luck this time! Keep going..
I was reading and everybody says that after 72 hours you are clean! So that would mean that's it, no more cravings only mental battle, but with the patches gum etc giving you a small dose into your blood stream this could make the craving worse and keep them going for longer , so suffereing becomes longer lOL Rather than struggle out over the 72 hours and after that its all down hill..

dazberry · 21-01-2008 11:53pm

froosh69 wrote: »

It takes a full three days at least for all the nicotine in your body to be flushed out in urine, sweat and feces (it is, after all, a toxin).
The interesting thing is, the lower the nicotine levels in blood, the stronger the craving.
Alcohol, believe it or not, is a cleanser of blood. it washes alot of salts, fatty acids, proteins, water and nicotine out of your system, alot of which are vital to a healthy body (hence a hangover).

That is interesting. When I quit a few years ago - I took a week off work - and every evening to take the edge off - I went down to the off-licence and bought some beer. Obviously the initial hurdle was the association with drinking and smoking together, but beyond that - I didn't find the withdrawl all that bad - and subsequently had no problem drinking and not smoking.

Of course a bit of planning and fore-thought (i.e. getting it all square in my mind beforehand), picking a date etc. was key.

D.

martin84 · 24-01-2008 1:00pm

ok well as I have stated in a previous thread im off them two weeks.
This is my third time trying. The first time I used gum, the second time I used patches. First two times I lasted about three months and went back on them. Both times I went back on them I was drinking.
This time I'm going cold turkey. I'm just really worried that I will start again when I'm locked.

Martin

sonners · 24-01-2008 1:25pm

hey Martin,
I'm off them eleven days now, going cold turkey and doing ok so far. I had a few drinks at home with my sisters saturday night who both smoke, soon enough I was smoking too. I must've chain smoked ten cigs in about an hour, along with a fair few cans of cider. The result?.....me being Violently sick for about five hours!! It was horrible, I just kept throwing up, sorry to be so detailed but I tore my throat and everything I got sick so much. Was'nt well all day Sunday and even the smell of a cigerette turned my stomach.

Moral of the story is, I know It would've been better if I had been able to say no in the first place but because I went to town on it and was so sick I know for a fact I wont be making a repeat performance of saturday night

Next time I want a cig when I'm drinkin I'll remind myself of the horrible night I had saturday night and the pain I was in on Sunday

martin84 · 24-01-2008 2:10pm

Hey,

Thats sounds prity bad. But if it puts ya off the next time your drinking then its well worth it.
Best of luck anyways.

Martin

LaVidaLoca · 24-01-2008 3:55pm

Its largely true that nicotine leaves the body completely after 72 hours (3 days), and it is laregly the case that once your over those three days, quitting is a peice of piss.

The mistake people make I think is associating the very minor withdrawal symptoms of nicotine, with the incredibly major, physically painful withdrawal one experiences from something like heroin.

Nicotine withdrawal is a mild feeling of physical and mental discomfort that can be largely dissipated by eating some food, having sex, or going for a walk, or doing something else pleasurable.

The difference is that most smokers choose never to go through those symptoms cause they can easily go to the shop on the corner to buy some fags to make 'em go away.

DO you think those smokers would go through the same privations as heroin users to get their fix? **** no. I wouldnt have broken into a shop or commited a major crime to get fags when I was addicted to them. After 15 minuts the craving goes away anyway.

If your trying to quit you will experience roughly 2 or 3 major cravings a day for the first 3 days. These last about 15 minutes each and then simply slink away. Find something to do for those 15 minutes: Anything at all, punch something, jerk off, whatever it takes.

But dont beleive you are gonna spend those 3 days in a sweat-soaked junkie delerium, cause you are'nt. Your body will largely be sending you big waves of thanks for releiving it off the years of stress you've been putting it under by smoking.

syngindub · 24-01-2008 8:56pm

LaVidaLoca, great post and very true representation as to what happens when your tackling the Nicotine addiction. As the Carr man would say, the cigarettes are the easy part. it's the craving from nicotine that’s only challenging thing really. Being honest. it's a piece of piss

Gemini Sister · 24-01-2008 11:04pm

LaVidaLoca wrote: »

Its largely true that nicotine leaves the body completely after 72 hours (3 days), and it is laregly the case that once your over those three days, quitting is a peice of piss.

The mistake people make I think is associating the very minor withdrawal symptoms of nicotine, with the incredibly major, physically painful withdrawal one experiences from something like heroin.

Nicotine withdrawal is a mild feeling of physical and mental discomfort that can be largely dissipated by eating some food, having sex, or going for a walk, or doing something else pleasurable.

The difference is that most smokers choose never to go through those symptoms cause they can easily go to the shop on the corner to buy some fags to make 'em go away.

DO you think those smokers would go through the same privations as heroin users to get their fix? **** no. I wouldnt have broken into a shop or commited a major crime to get fags when I was addicted to them. After 15 minuts the craving goes away anyway.

If your trying to quit you will experience roughly 2 or 3 major cravings a day for the first 3 days. These last about 15 minutes each and then simply slink away. Find something to do for those 15 minutes: Anything at all, punch something, jerk off, whatever it takes.

But dont beleive you are gonna spend those 3 days in a sweat-soaked junkie delerium, cause you are'nt. Your body will largely be sending you big waves of thanks for releiving it off the years of stress you've been putting it under by smoking.

True. But really true? I'm not so sure.
I've certainly gone through a fair bit of humiliation for cigarettes. Haven't quite mugged anyone but have chosen to spend money on cigs before food, bummed off strangers, stood outside in the rain... Nicotine is a very serious addiction. People with emphysema still go on smoking... Yeah 'slight feelings of discomfort...' so why is it so difficult?
...On day 4. Have tried about 8-12 times before, longest I lastest was seven months. But I have a good feeling about his time

LaVidaLoca · 25-01-2008 2:06pm

I too did the "getting out of bed at 2 am to go to the petrol station to buy some fags in the rain" thing.

I would class nicotine addiction as rather like wearing a pair of painfully tight shoes so that you have the pleasure of taking them off at the end of the day.

You know when you have an itch and you get that "Aaaaahhhh" feeling when you scratch it? Would you call that feeling pleasure?

Well, sort of, yeah. But we know that it's not pleasure in the real sense. I.e. if the itch hadnt been there in the first place, there'd be nothing to releive. Inherently, even the most addicted smoker knows that real pleasure, (a sunny day, a kiss from a loved one, that bit where the guitar solo kicks in on "Stairway to Heaven") is about far more than just relieving discomfort.

I dont think Heroin is quite in that piddling leauge. Heroin is a chemical isomer of endorphins, the chemicals that flood your brain whenever you're happy or in love. It has been described to me by a user friend of mine (now alas dead), as being like the first time you fall in love mutiplied by a thousand. A feeling of absolute and total peace, love and serenity fills your entire body and soul, and you feel that this is the way that your body was 'designed to feel'.

As a result it eventually takes over your entire life, your body stops producing 'natural' enorphins, and you become more interested in heroin than in anything else. After a while, if you cant get it you will do 'anything'. You will sell you body, commit crimes, steal an old ladies handbag, the need is that strong. Even if you were once a normal nice guy who wouldnt say boo to a goose.

I challenge anybody to tell me a cigarette has ever made them feel this way, or ever taken over their soul to such a degree.

Really, giving up smoking is about as hard as giving up biting your nails.

Sure it's hard in a way, and you may fail. But dont put yourself in the wrong mindset by thinking it's "more addictive than heroin".

Once you've really decided you dont want to be a smoker anymore, it's largely about goin through those tough first couple of days, and then simply, enjoying how it feels to not be a smoker:

Taking great big lungfuls of fresh clean air every day, feeling the sun on your face, enjoying your heart beating a nice warm throb in your chest, not banging against your ribs in an insanely stimulated state all the time. Watching your skin get better, those stress lines on you face melt away. And ultimately the wonderful JOY, of REAL relaxation filling you body: Watching a sunset without the desire to ruin it with a smoke. Playing with your kid, or playing a sports game without the evil part of you thinking: "Cant wait till this is over so I can have a smoke."

Gemini Sister · 25-01-2008 3:22pm

I know where you're coming from with the tight shoes things.

And yeah heroine is much more enjoyable than a cigarette.
But in my younger years I took heroine (but without ever getting a habit or drug problem), also every other drug from hash to horse tranquilliser. Yet cigs are the only one I've ever struggle to do without. I know several other former drugs users who feel the same way. What's that all about?

Gemini Sister · 25-01-2008 3:33pm

To answer my own question (upon reflection), I think the prob is you can get away from other drugs, but its much harder to do that with cigarettes, when the evil dealer is the government.

dirtyharry1971 · 25-01-2008 3:42pm

Ok I gave em up for 2 years while living abroad (smoked for a few years previously) then went back on em when I came back to Ireland this was ironically partly down to the smoking ban

was out in pubs and every 5 minutes all my mates would leave me alone while they went for a smoke so I ended up walking outside for the craic this was fine but after a few nights of this and while on the piss I gave in and started "smoking when I'm drinking" which lasted for a few months before I cracked and went back on em full time up until about 3 months ago when I realised how stupid I'd been after lasting for 2 years previously so went cold turkey. (the only method that ever worked for me) and doing ok don't think I'll go back on em again but unlike the previous poster have a harder time with the class A's :eek: so no cigs (nicotine) are not harder to give up than other more fun drugs (at least they do something) btw not into H but everything else :rolleyes:

Lance111 · 25-01-2008 4:23pm

You know when you have an itch and you get that "Aaaaahhhh" feeling when you scratch it? Would you call that feeling pleasure?

Well, sort of, yeah. But we know that it's not pleasure in the real sense. I.e. if the itch hadnt been there in the first place, there'd be nothing to releive.

I like that!!!!

peckerhead · 10-03-2008 6:31pm

You'll like this, then...

froosh69 · 03-12-2008 6:53pm

ha, I started this a year ago and forgot about it! It is quite interesting, don't ya think...Terry asked for more info on how nicotine leaves the body...well hope this helps!

Cigarette smoke is less acidic than pipe or cigar smoke, therefore, we need to inhale and from the lungs its taken into the blood and up to the brain. Cigar and pipe smoke can enter the blood through the mouth so no need to inhale.

Depending on the type of cigarette (light or regular) about 15-30ng per ml concentration is reached. This is very quick and accounts for the "rush". However, this drops to about half within 10 mins, even quicker if youre drinking/eating or putting any other chemical in your blood at the time...(how many times have you been out at the pub and chain smoked 3 fags in 15 mins??)

Nicotine is metabolised is the liver within 1-2 hours of smoking. Another substance is formed called "cotinine". Its inactive but stays in your blood for a long time and is used as a measure of ones smoking habits.
Soooooooooooo...

An average nicotine patch will give ya roughly 10-20 ng per ml of blood over a six hour period. It will stay this much for about 20hrs. Keep in mind that this is LOWER than your average cigarette, although provided with the constant amount, you may not crave anything...or will you?

froosh69 · 03-12-2008 7:11pm

ok, time to meet Anne. Anne is a regular woman average weight/size that smokes on average a pack a day of marlboro lights. She smokes 20 but doesnt CRAVE 20. If asked only to smoke when she craved she would only smoke about maybe 10 a day. this means on a 16 hr waking day, her liver metabolises 150 ng of nicotine per ml of blood (at 15ng per ml every time she finishes a fag ten times a day). She buys patches that give her a constant nicotine:blood concentration of 20ng per ml...which, over 20hrs is 400ng per day.

with me?

Because the nicotine supplied to her by the patch is equal to or above her nicotine intake, she will get no PHYSICAL withdrawal symptoms because she PHYSICALLY has the same amount of nicotine in her body...so, with a bit of will power, Anne can stop smoking and live happily ever after!

Now meet Dave. He's an overweight man who smokes 40 a day. His body craves at least 30ng of nicotine per ml which means he often chain smokes as even a marlboro red wont satisfy that(remember, he has a lot more blood than Anne). The poor mans liver is going through 1200ng of nicotine per ml of blood per day! Trying the same patches as Anne (his wife) after seeing how easily she gave up, he starts his journey. But oh no! Annes patches only give 20ng of nicotine! he needs 30ng, at least! so, poor dave goes through severe physical withdrawal...headaches and lack of concentration (insert personal symptom here)...even though he's sure he has a stronger willpower than Anne, he just can't do it...

so, my point is, think about how many you smoke before starting on patches (gum, spray and all that are applicible to the above too). Try to figure out how much you actually NEED to smoke before going on one of these aids and try to cut down to bare minimum.then. choose the right product...keep up the good fight!

Terry · 03-12-2008 11:51pm

That's some really great information there.

I'm gonna sticky this thread.

Just one more question, what is ng?

Feelgood · 04-12-2008 12:04am

+ 1 Great Info alright.

So whats the general concensous?. Give up cold turkey or with smoking aids?.

Personally any of the times I have given up has been with patches for a week or two and then go cold turkey.

My thinking on this is that while using aids, yes you are supplying the body with nicotine but your not supplying it with the other 4000 harmful chemicals. With the likes of patches you are also breaking the habit of the morning smoke, or the smoke after a meal. So its not that bad.

Is there anyone here that has managed to stay off the fags for 12 months plus after using patches or gum??

froosh69 · 04-12-2008 1:07am

ng means "nanograms"

Think of a kilogram-divide by 1000 and you have a gram (g)

Divide a gram by 1000 and you have a miligram (mg)

Divide That by a 1000 and we have a micro gram (µg) (one millionth of a
gram)

divide a µg by 1000 and we have a nonogram (ng)!

its equal to 0.000000001 g

Feelgood wrote: »

So whats the general concensous?. Give up cold turkey or with smoking aids?.

Personally any of the times I have given up has been with patches for a week or two and then go cold turkey.

My thinking on this is that while using aids, yes you are supplying the body with nicotine but your not supplying it with the other 4000 harmful chemicals. With the likes of patches you are also breaking the habit of the morning smoke, or the smoke after a meal. So its not that bad.

Is there anyone here that has managed to stay off the fags for 12 months plus after using patches or gum??

the general consensus was to be clever about using aids, if the patches arent supplying enough nicotine for you, dont go near them, they will only make you worse, so beware!

I tried cold turkey a few times and failed, then tried the gum and i failed spectacularly- vomiting, headaches the works...that gum was NASTY.

its been 10 weeks or so since i bought fags and I did it cold turkey. Its easy when you genuinly believe that the last cigarette was actually the last!

And yes, the your thinking is right that you are supplying the body with nicotine but your not supplying it with the other 4000 harmful chemicals. But I'm not criticizing aids, I'm saying they don't work for all people!Nicotine on its own only speeds up the cancer and promote it rather than actually cause it...thats for the tar and carbon monoxide

peckerhead · 27-12-2008 8:06pm

Feelgood wrote: »

So whats the general concensous?. Give up cold turkey or with smoking aids?
[...]
Is there anyone here that has managed to stay off the fags for 12 months plus after using patches or gum??

Nice to see this thread ressuscitated. I'm now 18 months off them after quitting cold turkey. Gained about a stone, but what the hey... :P

DublinWriter · 27-12-2008 8:15pm

froosh69 wrote: »

I'm studying neurophysiology and we are studying the effects nicotine has on your mental and physical state.

Dang....are you looking for subjects for experiments? I'm particularly adept at finding cheese in a maze of any size after twenty Rothmans.

But seriously kids, if you are quitting the weed, think 'letting go' rather than 'giving up' as your brain will automatically crave anything that's denied to it.

In$omniac · 27-12-2008 8:23pm

ttaylor wrote: »

Hey Lance,

I smoke 30+ ciggs a day & I tried them all: hypnosis,microtab, acupuncture, zyban, gum,patches,inhaler and cold turkey. I stayed off them longest (five weeks) by going cold turkey but it was HELL for the first week, I had the shakes, sweats and couldn't sleep at night! I found that the patches took the edge off the craving but you are still supplying your body with nicotine, therefore the cravings last for longer. I never finished a course of patches though, I always gave up and started smoking again. I am going off them again tomorrow and the plan now is to wear the patch for 3 days, then use will power

I too was a 30+ a day smoker, like you I tried everything but nothing killed the cravings for me, I didn't find the patches all that good.
I took the champix tablets and I'm off the cigs over 4 months now, no cravings whatsoever, they are pricey but well worth it!!

Poutbutton · 18-01-2009 1:33am

I'm on the champix 6 days now, aim to quit on monday. I am hearing the nicotene leaves your system after 3 days but once heard that traces of smoking can be found in the body up to 5 years after giving up. Have you heard this? Could it be the Tar in the lungs that referred to? could you tell us anything about the Tar that we so often used to hear about? Now all you hear about is nicotene and the other awful added chemicals that are in cigarettes. I can remember seeing a health ed video in 5th class many moons ago. It showed tar inside the lungs it was like they were swimming in this thick black oil, enough to make anyone rethink smoking! But that was in the 80's, was it myth or is tar still an issue? Why dont they harp on about the tar these days? There was an advert showing the artery and lungs of a 39 year old guy who had taken a stroke, they squeezed scambled eggs out of the heart to demonstrate how clogged up they were, those ads are effective I think well more of them should be shown. then again, why should the health associations put mone into advertising to stop smoking when it causes illness when they can pump money into more deserving research on other non smoking related illnesses....sorry went on a bit. My question still stands, what is the story with the tar & it's effects on the body?

froosh69 · 19-01-2009 11:50am

well, everyones body is different. You hear about people having high metabolisms and whatever. Well nicotine is broken down in the liver into cotinine very quickly. But coitinine doesn't go anywhere. Nicotine is dangerous, coitine is not. By the levels of coitinine in your blood, your smoking habits could be determined, even if you gave up years ago.

The tar you hear about is all the chemicals that are formed when you burn tobacco and inhale it. You body's natural defence against foriegn paricles is to trap them in mucous (phlegm) in the lungs. This gives it its oily black appearance. it is not like the tar used onroads. it does build up in the lungs and causes cancer. The "smokers cough" is caused by the body trying to get rid of the "tar".

Pal · 02-02-2009 10:56am

there are many conundrums and equally many ways of quitting but one inescapable fact remains.

It takes 72 hours without nicotine to get yourself clean.

So best of luck with the tabs and patches and stuff but you need to be off all forms of nicotine ingestion for 72 hours.

Cherry Blossom · 03-02-2009 3:45am

Just thought this would be a good place to share my own experiences

I stopped smoking on the 7th Jan 2004 (The original date the no smoking ban was supposed to come into force) I went cold turkey on the thinking that if NRT lets you deal with nicotine withdrawal while giving you time to get out of the habit (which is much harder to break) lets do it the other way round and avoid every smoking situation and deal with the nicotine withdrawal first as using NRT on previous attempt never seemed to work. Avoiding smoking situations wasn't that difficult as I was working 9am to 10:30pm everyday and later at the weekends! I just didn't go out in pubs or clubs at all for the time they kept putting the date back for the ban by which time I was well and truely over the cravings! I didn't visit friends who smoked. It wasn't really as hard as it sounds as I was working all the time anyway (keeping myself super busy and providing me with ample excuse not to vist people or go out!)

I stayed off them successfully for a few years untill I went back to full-time Education to do a post-grad in England which ment I moved in with a bunch of 20-something student in a country where there was no such thing as a smoking ban

A girl I lived with smoked menthol cigarettes which smelled absolutely gorgous as opposed the ash tray smell that by this time made my stomach heave from normal cigarettes. It was just too easy to say yes when offered when I had already consumed a fair quantity of alcohol! And so I stuck to Menthol cigarettes untill I came home after the year in England was up. They are not so easy to comeby here and I discovered I could stomach silk-cut purple so I switched to those!

I am now approaching the end of my 3rd week of being off them again having again gone cold-turkey. I switched from Silk-cut blue to Major and smoked twice as many over christmas till at the end I was litterally gaging at the thought of lighting up. I've made some drastic life-style changes dumping everything out of my life that was causing me stress! I found a sport that I enjoy immensly (kick boxing) having been a particularly non-sporty person all my life

And this is now my motivation for staying off them. I have had no problem visiting friends who smoke though I'm visiting a little less frequently in these early days and the visits are shorter than normal. I have been to one social occasion since, a party at a venue where I used to work so I already associate it with being a non-smoking place as such. The night was alcohol free though. I'm thinking of maybe venturing to one of my regular places at the weekend to see how it goes. I do still have the occasional craving so I think I will be staying away from alcohol for quite a while yet!

I know everyone is different and what works for me may not work for someone else but I think your motivations for stopping will not do as motivation for staying off the smokes, I think you need to find something new to fill that purpose. I did try a little reward system on previous attempts which didn't work. I've found physical activity works for me as it seems to have improved my general fitness and sence of well-being immensly (physically & spiritually) and the fact that I want to be able to continue doing what I'm doing to keep that feeling seems to be enough motivation to keep me of them for the time being!

mollieo · 21-02-2009 5:40pm

hi everybody im giving up smoking on monday feb23 anybody want to join me

lollypop41 · 28-02-2009 3:35pm

thanks guys lots of interesting facts gave up on tuesday and need one so bad right now im trying to be strong its very hard but reading other peoples posts kina helps:)

mollieo · 28-02-2009 9:05pm

u can do it:) keep telling yourself how better life will be without them, i know how hard it is i have a new start of monday and im looking forward 2 it, im reading allen carrs book at the moment have u tried it

lollypop41 · 02-03-2009 9:01pm

mollieo wrote: »

u can do it:) keep telling yourself how better life will be without them, i know how hard it is i have a new start of monday and im looking forward 2 it, im reading allen carrs book at the moment have u tried it

thanks so much for the support still didnt have one so proud of myself whats the name of the book hope today went well for you

crocadile dunde · 04-03-2009 1:19am

there is an old fashioned way to quit the smokes just sit down and smoke the whole box one after the other then get somebody to punch you in the gut :eek: may sound a bit drastic but it works i havent smoked in 5 years:D

mollieo · 04-03-2009 9:31pm

lollypop41 wrote: »

thanks guys lots of interesting facts gave up on tuesday and need one so bad right now im trying to be strong its very hard but reading other peoples posts kina helps:)

hi lollypop41 just wondering hows the no smoking goin

mariemarie · 06-03-2009 5:13pm

I smoked cigs for 18 years and for the last two years decided i just didnt want to be a smoker anymore. Its disgusting and i became very paranoid as to what it was doing to my body. I read The Allen Carr book one afternoon and have not smoked since (8 months)...The book was a little annoying, however it confirmed lots of my thoughts and gave me new facts and really helped me with my mission.
The times i fancied one during the first 3 months off them I thought
(1)im not wasting all the hard work ive done until now...
(2)im better than this
and (3) thought of my beautiful neice and nephew (12 months & 3yrs) and if they ever smoked what it would do to them ( the same thing it would do to me or any other smoker) obviously I would go crazy if they ever smoked so then OBVIOUSLY that should apply to me......
BY the way that urge for a cig only lasts about ten seconds and then its gone youd feel like some ass if you gave in knowing this wouldnt you.......after 3 months you have no desire for one...
im happier healthier and wealthier.
I dont smell like an ashtray &
there are loads of other things that have improved since ive given them up...

JUST DO IT........GOOD LUCK

Zombienosh · 22-04-2009 3:08am

LaVidaLoca wrote: »

Once you've really decided you dont want to be a smoker anymore, it's largely about goin through those tough first couple of days, and then simply, enjoying how it feels to not be a smoker

I completely agree with this, I've just quit. Now Previously I "quit" once or twice in my life, but I never really whole-heartedly quit. Deep down I didn't want to so it appeared as a failure.

I like smoking, or (liked) and I didn't want to quit. I wasn't motivated by health reasons or any reason to be honest. Then last saturday, for no reason what so ever, about 6pm half way through my work shift, I had a pack with 4 cigarettes left. I had a quick smoke outside work and thought, Im sick of spending so much money on this.

Every so on cigarettes increase and increase in price, almost everywhere in the world. So using purely monetary motovation I said to myself, I'm not going to buy another pack.

I finished my last 4 cigarettes that night, Had my last one about 9:30pm saturday night.
Some strange cravings later I'm doing fine. Feeling better thinking about the money I'll save.

froosh69 · 23-04-2009 5:00pm

AlcoholicA wrote: »

I completely agree with this, I've just quit. Now Previously I "quit" once or twice in my life, but I never really whole-heartedly quit. Deep down I didn't want to so it appeared as a failure.

I like smoking, or (liked) and I didn't want to quit. I wasn't motivated by health reasons or any reason to be honest. Then last saturday, for no reason what so ever, about 6pm half way through my work shift, I had a pack with 4 cigarettes left. I had a quick smoke outside work and thought, Im sick of spending so much money on this.

Every so on cigarettes increase and increase in price, almost everywhere in the world. So using purely monetary motovation I said to myself, I'm not going to buy another pack.

I finished my last 4 cigarettes that night, Had my last one about 9:30pm saturday night.
Some strange cravings later I'm doing fine. Feeling better thinking about the money I'll save.

Best of luck with it...first week is always the toughest...just chill, go easy on the booze and start playing sport/ excercising...

deereidy · 28-04-2009 1:52am

I don't know if you're still talking about the psychological side effects from smoking apart from the obvious, but did anyone hear of one that said that smoking can decrease your intelligence? As a smoker myself, I'd be glad to know if there's much truth to this one

froosh69 · 31-07-2009 6:10pm

deereidy wrote: »

I don't know if you're still talking about the psychological side effects from smoking apart from the obvious, but did anyone hear of one that said that smoking can decrease your intelligence? As a smoker myself, I'd be glad to know if there's much truth to this one

This is not true. If anything, smoking has been shown to increase activity in the areas of the brain involved in memory and learning. When a smoker gives up, activity in these areas decrease resulting in loss of cocentration, difficulty remembering things and longer times to learn things.

However, after a few days, these areas of the brain return to normal functioning as they were before smoking.

del88 · 04-01-2010 2:20am

Be stubborn
Don't give in to yourself..Get pi**ed off with yourself.
I gave up a 20/30 a day habit 7 years ago and havn't looked back.....
I'll be honest it's tough..I didn't full enjoy a drink for a good 4 months .
Bbut it gets easier..every day ,every week .every month .
memory fades...habits die...new habits grow...new lives are lived...

All the best to ye

mrshappy · 06-03-2010 10:07pm

Just interested to know if any of the previous posters are still here and whether you have managed to give up.

Have tried tablets/patches and considering just going cold turkey now at this stage - but of course there is never a right time to quit - I keep saying after x event, after y event

LeBash · 05-04-2010 2:36am

Im off the smokes 14 months now.

I went and got NLP treatment after trying, patches, inhalers, gum and cold turkey.

I dont want to turn anyone off, but the first 10 months, I had shocking reaction. Panic attacks, 7 chest infections in 10 months, palpatations and i was really run down.

These are the extream and 99.9% of people wont deal with that, but I stuck it out and the last 4 months have been great. I cant believe how bad smoking makes someone feel and you dont know it until you give up

Bushbaby · 27-04-2010 11:12am

Off the fags 3 days now. 55yrs of age and started smoking at 20. I've only managed one period of 2 weeks and one of 10 months, in all that time. Tried hypnotherapy in 1982, alan carr clinic in 2004, Vincents Hospital "stop smoking clinic" years earlier and many other failed personal attemts. Had 30 a day habit. Have been suffering from bad cough and wheezing for years and still have not been able to stop. Went for X-Ray on Wed and am awaiting the results. Scared out of my wits. My beloved little dog died 2 weeks ago, of lung cancer. I am devastated. Feel responsible. I have lived with internal fear, worry and anxiety for years. I'm not religious, but I'm praying to God that I will make it this time. I'm so anxious but trying to stay calm. I'm on Champix, nicotine replacement stuff and fruit gums. Have never posted on any web site before. Hoping that this may help, instead of having a fag. I need support. Other attempts have always been alone. Thks

I'm sure you all know this...

Comments