Giving up smoking..

vac

Well i just started this morning, and ive been googling it but im wondering has anyone got any usefull tips?

Thanks

Scruff

i found chewing gum helpful. get the sugar free stiff though!

LoneGunM@n

The only bit of advice I can give you is that you should only give up smoking if you are completely committed and ready to give them up!!

It's like anything .... don't stop doing something because everyone else is telling you too!! Only do it if you have made a conscious decision to do so, because it is so much easier to fall off the wagon if you aren't committed!!

I hope that didn't sound like I was preaching!!

Best of luck & in the immortal words of Rob Schneider "You Can Do It"

Emboss

Don't smoke.....

jammy_dodger

Go cold turkey, Im sure this is what your planning, But this means no sneaky drags while your mates gone to the jacks in the pub and left his tempting nicotine stick resting in the ash tray.

Like PhatFiesta said you gotta be FULLY committed

bikini widow

read Allen Carrs - easy way to stop smoking - published by penguin.


worked for 3 people I know. but you have to be commited to giving up. Also the author wants you to smoke until you have completed the book.

colinsky

i'm two years quit next monday!

trey www.cognitivequitting.com . just reading through it helped me a lot.

Catch_22

Im 8 months off them, after numerous attempts at going cold turkey it was the chewing gums finally worked for me.

LegacyUser

I had tried everything, cold turkey, the Book, patches the lot. My health was suffering and I was wasting so much money. Finally I said I would give hypnotherapy a go. Now I am the most skeptical person in the world (prob why the book and patches etc didn't work) but it seems to have worked. I am off them nealy 5 months now and feel great. I still get the odd pang but this is more down to habit than an addiction craving.

My friends and family cannot believe it.

the only thing I will say is that you have to 100% want to give them up.

three of us went that day and two of us are still off them. the person that went back on them did so after a week and later admitted that he only went just to see what it would be like!

I used to say when I was a smoker that if I had one wish in the world it would not be for money or fame or anything Just to give up the fags.

nanook

Giving up of the smokes, gotta praise you for it and if it is any help keep it up, no matter if you take the sneaky puff, you body is going through some changes and it may react in an unlikely way, you may go as narky as a dog with sunburnt testicles.

Like i said good work and keep it up.

Sarky

Originally posted by GUEST_kY
Finally I said I would give hypnotherapy a go.

Just pray that the hypnotist didn't leave any suggestions in your subconscious.

"Ooh, I want a fag kill the girl, kill the girl, kill the girl... ":)

Willpower is everything. If you can't force yourself to give up, you won't last.

STaN

substitute it with something

MrNuked

don't substitute it with alcohol though. i know a few people who've started drinking very heavily when they stopped smoking.
Off them a few days now myself. Given up for months at a time numerous occasions.
Exercise and junk food are decent substitutes I've found.

vac

Hypnotherapy, i see the ads around the place but ive never liked the idea of it (glad its working for you tho). Well i just hope im committed enough to quitting.

Thanks everyone for the info

RopeDrink

The only bit of advice I can give you is that you should only give up smoking if you are completely committed and ready to give them up!

Rubbish - I didn't particularly WANT to give up smoking, and I'm off them for going on a month now without having a single craving, and I've reverted back to my old self (Preaching to people that I know how bad smoking is and that they really shouldn't be doing it)...

I went from 5 years continuous chain smoking (At least 40 SuperKing Black a day) to 0 ciggerettes at all... Thanks to someone who reccomended me...

Allen Carrs - easy way to stop smoking - published by penguin.

- Thanks again Patch - If you've been keeping up with my diary mate, you'll understand why I haven't been particularly able to visit you as of late and hand back the book...

Myself and Jess are completely off them now, and Jess only gave up because I gave up - The book didn't work for her... So, for a start, I suggest you either find a pallatable substitute that doesn't involve drinking or mass eating (Such as chewing gum etc) or go out there and find the book.

Good luck.

Turner

I have been off them 9 months now. Had to give up after a lung operation.

Pro's
My health has improved
My appetite has improved
My skin has improved
My wallet is alot fatter.
My throat is never sore in the morning
I dont cough up any phlegm (sp for flem)
My fingers are no longer discoloured
My teeth are whiter
My hangovers are not as bad after smoking 40 fags the night before.
My left sleeve does not stink of fags.



Con's
emmmm ???
ehhh ??
Testing!!!
Anybody out there ?????

CHief.

SantaHoe

You can try patches, gum, cold turkey, or whatever... at the end of the day, the only thing that can stop you smoking is your own attitude.
I've half-heartedly quit so many times... I'm not quitting again until I really feel committed to it.
My Dad smoked for over 25 years, managed to quit them in a week using Nicorette patches... been off them for 2 years.
He told me he'd been building up to it for a good while, preparing for the quit.

Anyway, back to Vac's question...
A good tip for avioding the after-dinner smoke craving is to brush your teeth immediatly after the meal.
Can be tempting to have a smoke with coffee/tea, instead just think how much better it tastes now that you've stopped smoking.
Get rid of all your lighers and ashtrays.

If you don't have a lot to do except sit on your ass for most of the day - you can sometimes feel a bit jumpy and restless... get a football or hacky sack... something to get active.
I found myself almost going nuts with all the extra energy I had.

Check out some of the quitting smokers websites... read all about the benefits. (eg. after X weeks - risk of blah blah reduces by yadda yadda)
It's quite encouraging.

There again, I'm still smoking, so who am I to be giving advise!
Those few things helped me out while I was off them.

RopeDrink

I suggested to my dad that he read Allan Carr's Book - He dismissed it saying that it's probably a load of brainwashing nonsense and that all you need is willpower...

I would have laughed only it would seem that different people would benefit from different methods...

As for it solely being reliant on attitude, thats extremely questionable... As I said (And had written in my journal many a time) I didn't WANT to give up. I wasn't going to bother even trying. I borrowed the book of a mate and seeing as we were about to head off to Mullingar to see my mother in hospital, I decided to bring it anyway and read it to pass the time. With Jess criticising in one ear, and the other ear full of the sounds of four hours continuous driving and bad weather, I just sat there and read as much as I could on the bumpy road before we arrived, which was around two thirds of the book...

It does NOT attempt to brain wash you or any of that ****e, it just explains smoking to a greater level so that you get more of an understanding about it. I wasn't "Put Off" the fags, or "Brain Washed" or any of that bollocks - all I recieved was a book full of explanations, and the next thing you know I just didn't crave one at all, and haven't since... It even worked at short notice through the stressful task of having to wade through a hospital full of dying people and an hour of looking at my mum in her usual depressing state. I even gave my dad a few funny looks when he started puffing away.

Jess just went cold turkey and it seems to be working for her.

It's different for everyone, so dont beat yourself up over it if one method doesn't work. Some things go without saying, and one of the most important is to keep yourself busy.

The Sweeper

When you want a fag, just don't have one.

That may sound like the stupidest advice in the world, but concentrate on not having a fag as opposed to trying to find something else to do instead, all the while still wanting a fag.

If you acknowledge the desire to have a cigarette, and deny it, it works.

Alan Carr didn't work for me, I just gave up and took up gym. Gave up new years eve last year. Haven't even blagged a puff of someone elses since.

Cake Fiend

You need to plan it. You can't just wake up one day and suddenly go 'hmm, I think I'll give up smoking today' - you need to build up (or rather cut down) to it gradually. I spent about a year cutting down from brand to weaker brand and also in number per day till I eventually gave up entirely. Off them 6 months so far.

WhiteWashMan

Originally posted by Sico
You need to plan it. You can't just wake up one day and suddenly go 'hmm, I think I'll give up smoking today' -

why not?

i did.

im with ropedrink on this. i used allen carr, and while it not work for everyone, it is worth reading anyway. i mean if you awnt to give up, spending 6 quid on a book and spending 2 hours reading it isnt going to kill you is it?

also, im not sure i agree with nicotine patches or gum. lets face it, youre trying to get the nicotine out of your system, not keep topping it up!

and to whoever said it was about will power, i truely dont believe that either.
if you have to struggle to not smoke, you will never be free of them, all youare doing is denying yourself a cigarette that you still want.
if you are of the attitude that you dont want to smoke, you wont.
for example, if you saw a nice big shiney dog turd on the ground, would you eat it?
no, because you dont want to.
if you dont want to have a smoke, its becuase you doint want to.

i think the biggest problem for any smoker is the fact that cigarettes are basically a crutch. they are a comfort blanket.
im stressed, have a smoke.
im depressed, havea smoke.
im bored, have a smoke.
im having a bad day, have a smoke.

imagine all the poor non-smokers out there who dont have that wonderful crutch to fall back on in times like that. they must have really sucky lives!
/sarcasm

the only really important thing is to not want to smoke.
the other important thing is to just not do it!
dont bother giving up if you dont want to, its just delaying your next smoke and making you and everyone around you miserable.
when i quit, i wasnt grumpy, i didnt eat my own body weight in food, i didnt get any pangs to smoke.

but i would at least read the book, because its interesting, and hey, it might just work.
good luck, and there is no feeling like getting up in the mornig and knowing your life is so much better without cigarettes

Mossy Monk

what do these books go on about. the ill effects of smoking or what i'm curious

Mac daddy

Just go cold turkey. i'm of them a week now no problems yet just keep on chewing something.:D :ninja:

WhiteWashMan

Originally posted by Mossy Monk
what do these books go on about. the ill effects of smoking or what i'm curious

perhaps you acn get someone to sit by your bed at night and read it to you if its too much trouble to go and buy it and read it yourself?

flyz

Read the Allen Carr book, I stopped smoking 7 months ago and I haven't been tempted once!


- Don't use substitutes

- Don't change your routine in anyway. e.g. keep going to the pub
Or else you'll associate certain activities with smoking like going to the pub or that after dinner smoke.

- Focus on the fact that you're gaining so much from not smoking. Don't look at it like you're depriving your body of something, think of how much you're benefiting.

- Last but not least remember that there is no such thing as 'just one ciggarette'

I get the odd dream that I've started smoking again by accident. the ciggie just appears in my mouth.
I wake up in the morning not knowing if it really happened or not but am so relieved when I realise it was just a dream.
that is the only time I ever think about smoking.

Best of luck with it all anyway

Saruman

My brother tried herbal cigs for a while when he wanted to smoke.,.. apart from that it was cold turkey.. the herbal cigs helped alter his brain... Brain wanted a cig.. it got a terrible smelling and tasting thing and so decided it does not want a cig after all!!

It worked for him... still has the odd urge but has been off them for about 2 months or more

Mossy Monk

Originally posted by WhiteWashMan
perhaps you acn get someone to sit by your bed at night and read it to you if its too much trouble to go and buy it and read it yourself?

why would i want to read it if i haven't smoked in 4 weeks?

all i asked was what they go on about. is it too much trouble for you to answer that

embee

I read the Allen Carr book 16 days ago and by the time Id read half of it cigarettes were repulsing me. Stopping smoking is all about psychology. People even use the wrong terminology for it - "Im giving up cigarettes"...... implying that theres some kind of sacrifice involved. I feel great (still waiting for the hacking to start in earnest) but I have noticed that I am sleeping a lot sounder then I ever did when I was smoking. Having much more vivid dreams too. And also, in these first two weeks, feeling very emotional for some reason. But the highs are better than the lows. No matter how bad the hacking gets, I know in my own mind how great it is to not smoke. I feel really proud of myself, and its nice to have ppl congratulating me too. AND - Im getting a laptop out of it if I last six months!!!!!!

WhiteWashMan

Originally posted by Mossy Monk
why would i want to read it if i haven't smoked in 4 weeks?

all i asked was what they go on about. is it too much trouble for you to answer that

its a book about giving up smoking.

is it too hard for you to load up google and do a search?

trotter_inc

It has to be a hypnotist! My Mam smoked started smoking when she was just 14, she's now 52, she tried to give up the fags before using patches, the chewing gum and loads of other stuff but nothing worked.

She went to a hypnotist one morning last year and she hasnt had one fag since. She no longer coughs and is saving a fortune. She said it was the best money she ever spent.

God luck with it, you'll feel much better off when you've managed to stop!

growler

i simply convinced myself that it was the most stupid thing i could do and everytime i was tempted i talked my brain out of it, Alan Carr can help but I was too cynical for that , at the end of the day you need to pit your willpower against a small piece of dried vegetation wrapped in paper that is burnt, inhaled in order to make you sick.

off them 18 months and still think to myself everytime i see someone smoking "how thick is that"