why *giving up smoking* doesn't work

TheDeficit

Look at this section of the board, it's called "giving up smoking" :mad:
Alan Carr's most powerful point imo was that simply saying "I'm giving them up" implies there will be a sacrifice, that you are going without, that something will be missed. Tell yourself you are giving absolutely nothing up but that you are stopping smoking. It might seem too simple but telling myself this was the difference between success and failure, I smoked 20 a day for 14 years never going even a day without a cigarette, it's now been 9 months since I stopped smoking and it's been ridiculously easy.

HighMan

Congrats. I have also tried giving up smoking and failed. I am going to stop smoking.

Pal

it was hard enough to get this forum started in the first place.
The subject used be dealt with on the PI boards and IMO they hadn't got a clue over there what they were talking about.

A forum for smoking cessation was proposed many times.
Mod support was bewilderingly absent.
It was like too hot to handle and they just didn't want to touch it.

Finally someone agreed. (Vexore I think and well done to you Sir)
Well done that person.
I'm thankful for small mercies that 'Giving Up Smoking' got going at all.

Yes it should be called something else and there should be mods who know the subject matter because some of the unchallenged bunkum that gets posted is just bewildering.

That said. we have what we have so I personally try to make the most of it. Even if this forum only saves one life, it will have been worthwhile.

sudzs

TheDeficit wrote: »

Look at this section of the board, it's called "giving up smoking" :mad:
Alan Carr's most powerful point imo was that simply saying "I'm giving them up" implies there will be a sacrifice, that you are going without, that something will be missed. Tell yourself you are giving absolutely nothing up but that you are stopping smoking. It might seem too simple but telling myself this was the difference between success and failure, I smoked 20 a day for 14 years never going even a day without a cigarette, it's now been 9 months since I stopped smoking and it's been ridiculously easy.

Was just thinking the same thing!

I used the Allen Carr book to stop smoking when a few years ago they announced that a smoking ban was being introduced! Also found it easy to stop compared with all the miserable failed attempts over the years.

I get really annoyed when the government run those ads that are supposed to get you to stop smioking. "we know it's really hard to give up... but we're here to help" or something along those lines. Grrrrrrr! :mad:

What bloody help is that to anyone???

enry

Ok ive been smoking since I was 13 I’m almost 30 now and for the last number of years I’ve been smoking around 30 per day also I smoke a fag about twice as quick as anyone I now. For a good while I had this constant pain in my head and at night id be lying in bed and just about to fall asleep and then I’d find myself fully awake trying to catch my breath.
So said fcuk it, ill give these thinks up that was 12 day ago and despite the first few sleepless night I was doing ok . I’m starting to sleep a bit better and the pain in my head is gone. However I had a few drinks last night and smoked three cigars. I feel like sh1t today and I’m like a fcuker with everyone. I don’t want to smoke and I don’t what to p1ss everyone else off around me. Just feel like an idiot after getting that sh1t out of my body and then to go and put it back in again.
Had read Allen Carr along time ago and kind of used what he had said to help me stay off the fags however the reason I wanted to stop was not the pain in my head not the smell off my clothes, not the cost, not the stigma attached to smoking these days it was simply this; I do not want to spend months trying to breath before I die. I’m not afraid of dying there are worse things in life like not been able to breathe. It freaks me out.
Sorry about the above I needed a rant.

Pal

enry wrote: »

I had a few drinks last night and smoked three cigars. .

Used to allow myself a cigar or two as well during many failed quit attempts.

Is a bit like an alcoholic saying I'm off the booze except for my bottle of whiskey

Wreck

TheDeficit wrote: »

Look at this section of the board, it's called "giving up smoking" :mad:
Alan Carr's most powerful point imo was that simply saying "I'm giving them up" implies there will be a sacrifice, that you are going without, that something will be missed. Tell yourself you are giving absolutely nothing up but that you are stopping smoking. It might seem too simple but telling myself this was the difference between success and failure, I smoked 20 a day for 14 years never going even a day without a cigarette, it's now been 9 months since I stopped smoking and it's been ridiculously easy.

Carr is just just taking one interpretation of the phrase 'giving up' - it can also be used to mean stopping without any kind of sacrifice - i.e I'm giving up supporting the local footbal team because their crap, or I'm giving up work to spend time with my family. This is such a non-issue it's hilarious.

ladyofthelake

Hey, stopping smoking is one of the hardest things to do, there is a reason why it is such a big industry, it's cause it's addictive, how many other substances can you buy readily anywhere that is known to be addictive?

Pal

I don't find it funny at all.

Kimia

Wreck your post is not helpful at all and I fully agree with Pal in that it's not funny in the slightest.

I read Allen Carr and I agree that there is a major difference between giving up smoking (which implies a sacrifice) and stopping smoking (which implies a conscious decision).

This difference is the reason that I haven't smoked in 2 months, and I think that's a pretty good result from what you perceive to be a non issue.

Wreck

Kimia wrote: »

Wreck your post is not helpful at all and I fully agree with Pal in that it's not funny in the slightest.

I read Allen Carr and I agree that there is a major difference between giving up smoking (which implies a sacrifice) and stopping smoking (which implies a conscious decision).

This difference is the reason that I haven't smoked in 2 months, and I think that's a pretty good result from what you perceive to be a non issue.

Whatever works for you is great, and I sincerely hope you never smoke another cigarette.

All I was trying to do is point out that the phrase "I'm giving up" does not necessarily entail a sacrifice. I honestly never thought I'd end up arguing semantics in this forum.

Xluna

sudzs wrote: »

I get really annoyed when the government run those ads that are supposed to get you to stop smioking. "we know it's really hard to give up... but we're here to help" or something along those lines. Grrrrrrr! :mad:

What bloody help is that to anyone???

Ha ha,this is the Irish Government we're talking about so don't expect anything bordering on logic or common sense. What makes me laugh that all the government have to do is ban tobacco.Problem solved. Of course the amount of money they make on the taxes of nicotine junkies would be to much of a sacrifice for them to give up. And before someone says "Oh but that would be undemocratic and it would be like living in a nanny state." Let me just remind ye that many less harmful and addictive drugs than nicotine are banned by the Government.

Pal

Xluna wrote: »

all the government have to do is ban tobacco.Problem solved. .

A smoker would swim to England for their fix if they had to.
America banned alcohol in the twenties.
Not nearly as addictive a drug.
Didn't work.
Caused major problems with crime.

Xluna wrote: »

Of course the amount of money they make on the taxes of nicotine junkies would be to much of a sacrifice for them to give up.

The Govt would be probably happier to forego the taxes rather
than providing healthcare to smokers.

Arnold Layne

Pal wrote: »

The Govt would be probably happier to forego the taxes rather than providing healthcare to smokers.

I don't think so. There was a report released in the UK a couple of weeks ago which showed that smokers pay far more for their healthcare than nonsmokers due in most part to them paying more taxes for their addiction.

What would Mary Hanafin say if even more people began living longer it would bankrupt the already bankrupted Social Welfare system

sudzs

Hey, stopping smoking is one of the hardest things to do

I found it easy enough, once I got my head around a few things.

there is a reason why it is such a big industry, it's cause it's addictive,

The reason it's such a big industry is because it is worth a fortune. Before they more or less proved the link between smoking and cancer it was no big deal for people stop smoking because they weren't brainwashed into believing it was an almost impossible task! Years ago, lots of people used to "give up" for lent without the awful side effects we hear about now! But now we know the health risks, the tobacco industry has to come up with a way to keep people smoking and what better way to do that than pound it into peoples psyche that it is really really hard to "give up"