The only way to stop is to..

forfuxsake

enjoy it.

It really is that simple. As an ex-smoker who smoked for 20 years and tried stopping bizzillions of times unsuccessfully I can tell you that the only way to stop is to enjoy the process of stopping, not just the idea that you don't smoke anymore.

Follow this and you will stop easily, quickly and permanently. Spend a few minutes thinking about each of these points.

1. Truly accept that you do not like smoking or at the very least do not want to smoke, otherwise why would you be contemplating quitting?

2. Accept that you are going to go through withdrawal and that you cannot circumnavigate this part of quitting. Do not fear the pangs, welcome them.

3. Come up with a way of enjoying it. Personally I decided that I would treat the cravings as signs that my body was going through a positive experience i.e the expulsion of highly addictive chemicals and toxins from my body.

4. Visualise the need to smoke as a little monster who feeds on nicotine and notice how as the poison leaves your body his death throes get worse as he becomes more desperate for his hit. Take pleasure in denying him his life sustenance. He will die soon. Most times I stopped I missed the 'pleasure' of smoking, this time I genuinely miss the withdrawal pangs.

5.Do NOT avoid smokers, situations where people smoke, instead put yourself in this situation as often as you can but remember to think that it is illogical of you to be jealous of them as in all likelihood they are jealous of you. Some eejits will try and get you to smoke, they are the most jealous of all.

6. Think about the psychology of your language. Obviously phrases like I am trying to stop are negative but so is the phrase I am giving up. Giving up implies sacrifice and you are sacrificing nothing. Instead say I don't want to smoke anymore.

7.Never feel deprived of cigarettes, cigarettes offer nothing and take a lot in return.

8.Never forget why you are quitting. You are quitting because YOU want to stop, not because of cancer, wrinkly skin, weak erections, stinkiness etc If you use these false reasons to stop then it it easier to start again. If you stop simply because you accept that you don't want to do it then it is incredibly difficult to start again as your logical human brain can see no reason to do something that you don't want to do. If you stop because you don't want to get cancer then you will find it easy to justify starting again e.g we all die somehow so why deprive myself of this little 'pleasure'. There is absolutely nothing pleasurable about it.

9.Remember this, it is A SILLY CYCLE that we got caught in. When you smoke a cigarette you do not feel withdrawal until the nicotine has been depleted and you feel withdrawal so you smoke a cigarette and do not feel withdrawal until the nicotine had been depleted and you smoke a cigarette etc etc Smoking therefore does not remove the withdrawal pangs but rather sets up the next one.

10. Stopping smoking is not at all difficult. I wish I could take more pride in having done so but from the minute I accepted that I don't like smoking and that I would enjoy the process then i have never looked back and not once have I felt like reaching for a packet.

I tried to stop (serious attempts) maybe forty times but although I sometimes lasted 3 days and sometimes 3 months I had never accepted the above and always saw cigarettes as something missing. The last time I stopped I knew after the first withdrawal pang that I would never ever feel the need to smoke again.

The important points to remember are that smoking does not prevent withdrawal pangs, smokers feel them all the time, on the contrary it causes them. The perceived pleasure in smoking is just relief from withdrawal pangs. The only way to stop smoking is not to fear the quitting process but to enjoy it.

Good luck, you won't need it.

forfuxsake

Patches, gum, e-cigarettes - nonsense

steve22

Allen?? Is that you?

forfuxsake

Nope but his book is a great help. Most of the main points are here but if you are going to spend money on a book then there is none better, but if you consider the points above it is not necessary. That said, it is in my local charity shop for a euro so probably worth the money!

steve22

yeah his book is highly recommended alright... I read it and gave up (for about 5 months). The first 3 were no problem at all.... after than i was on a downward spiral and gave in after another 2 months. If i had any sense i would have just read it again after the 3 months but sure you live and learn. I'll give it another go one day!

Wrighty82

Simple. You can't give up until you really want to. I tried a couple of times and was back on them in no time. When I quit for good though it was when I didn't want to even look at them anymore. 3 years now!

TheoBoone

I have bought my last pack of cigarettes about 200 times now. Every time I think I'm ready, I panic and have to go out and buy a pack. I wouldn't comsider myself a terribly heavy smoker, but really that's no excuse, as being a light smoker isn't exactly good for you. I've got exams starting in 3 days time and when those are over I'm going to try again.

Orion

We've all been through that Theo. I quit hundreds of times before actually quitting. When the time is right for you you'll know. Good luck with the exams

Side Show Bob

Macros42 wrote: »

We've all been through that Theo. I quit hundreds of times before actually quitting. When the time is right for you you'll know. Good luck with the exams

I have just yesterday been discharged from hospital at 38 years of age after the worse week of my life. Good Friday admitted to hospital with chest pains shortly after arrival I suffered a Heart Attack, Tuesday 2 stents put in after angiogram, Wednesday 3 more stent put in. 20 months of pressure after loosing a wonderful little business it finally has happened, and I think that I always knew it would, now I'm barely able to sleep, sit or walk because of the pain in both legs from where I was operated on twice in two days, and all I want is to light up a cigarette. Surely now the time is right.

Orion

Sorry to hear that Bob. Cigarettes are certainly a major contributor as you know but that stress certainly didn't help. Hope you pull through it ok mate

TheoBoone

Jesus Bob. Now I just look like a complete moaner!!! That's terrible to hear and I hope you bounce back, both on the health and business side of things. I don't know if you've tried it yet, and I've already seen it mentioned on this thread, but have any of you tried Allan Carr's book??

KittyeeTrix

TheoBoone wrote: »

I have bought my last pack of cigarettes about 200 times now. Every time I think I'm ready, I panic and have to go out and buy a pack. I wouldn't comsider myself a terribly heavy smoker, but really that's no excuse, as being a light smoker isn't exactly good for you. I've got exams starting in 3 days time and when those are over I'm going to try again.

same here TheoBoone, exams will be finished on the 9th and I'm gonna kick this godforsaken filthy habit/addiction once and for all!!!

I'll be seeing and yapping in this forum a lot I'd imagine:)

EDIT: Just noticed your post Bob,,,,,,,,,sorry to hear what you've been going thru. That is scary to me as I'm 37 myself and been smoking now since I was 15. I hope you manage to have the will to stay away from them. You've got many years ahead of you yet and they will only rob you of them (I'll shut up now cos I'm aware that you, me and every other smoker already know this stuff without me preaching it!!)

Wishing you well.....

Javonte

The only way to stop in my opinion is a strong will and a family that helps you going.

wylo

great post OP!

Finnbar01

forfuxsake wrote: »

Patches, gum, e-cigarettes - nonsense

Thanks for that for... I've just realised that I have being smoking for 20 years now. For years I've tried to give up but I'm fully committed in doing this now.

electron

hey you said e-cigs are nonsense, why would you say that, i smoked for 15 years, only ever tried quitting once and didn't even last for 2 months. however this time with the help of e-cigs i've been off tobacco smoking for well over a year. tried inhalers too for a few times (when flying) but they only hurt my throat while giving no throat HIT as such. i say e-cigs are great and if no other flavour does it for you then go with menthol, it will most likely work.

Oh_Noes

I agree with you Electron as many would. A lot of people aren't so suggestable to buy into mantras and philosophies. They certainly work for some, but the likes of the Allen Carr book and the stuff in the OP there just don't wash for some others if you already have your own solid set of beliefs and cosmology.

E-cigareetes worked well for me as an aid to gradually changing my lifestyle and day-to-day habits. Everyone is different and it's unhelpful to just poo-poo every method that hasn't worked for yourself.

Godsentme

I've stored this thread in my Favourites for a while now.

I bought a suit case full of fags in Spain last April. After a while I got sick of looking at them and was wishing they were gone, but i was after paying a lot for them ,and I was an addict, so whos gonna give away or destroy his stash? Honestly?

But I told myself that when they were all gone that would be that,- I would never buy another pack of fags!

Anyway the last pack was emptied at 3 18pm justThurs last. 22nd.
No it couldn't be the last fag just before i fell asleep. So what do I do? Do I get one more pack to get me to bedtime? But then what if there 2 or 3 left in the morning?? Wait till the next day?

So I didn't buy any more - and I lived. I am usuing the OPs system and looking at the cravings as he discribed. No its not easy, but Its not impossible, otherwise there would be no ex-smokers?

The one thing i notice is I miss the "Reward" when I've done the least little task.

I'm actually talking to the little Bestard; tell him NO BY jesus, you are not getting any ever again, so hurt me all you like, you'll soon be dead!!

The Agogo

...join the army.

Seriously, they'd literally kick the habit out of you.

si_guru

Great post.. I am off 6 years.

"You have to want to stop".. forever.. is so true. Don't count the days otherwise you just set yourself a low bar to restart again.

..and there is no such thing as a social fag.. or a cigar at xmas. You're conning yourself!

Godsentme

Ah ****... Same ol' story. 10 days and feelin' good. After 7 days I bought myself an 80 euro present. Thats the amount I smoked a week. plannin on the next weeks prezzie when I went back. no need for it. I didn't even have an urge to smoke!! Looking back I was just missing something like an old friend was dead.

On the plus, maybe I'll learn from this. It's easy enough to stop, the thing is to stay stopped. I'm still sick of smoking so I'm just not goin to buy any more. gettin' straight back on that horse.;)