The Giving Up Smoking Thread!!

JoeHel

One good suggestion is to write a letter to yourself of all the reasons you want to quit, while you still remember all the bad stuff. Once you've quit, the reasons do tend to disappear quite quickly. You suddenly have more money to spend, and you can breathe easier. It's sometimes difficult to remember how rubbish you felt or how desperate you were to quit once your body has start to heal.

fletch3163

Hi everyone and very well done on an excellent decision to quit (except the guy who quit quitting of course:D )

I quit smoking two years past in September and can say, hand on heart, it's amazing. I smoked 20 a day for 26 years and quit cold turkey, just like that. Don't get me wrong, it was tough. Some days I completely sabotaged myself by provoking arguments, etc just so I could have a reason to smoke (sound familiar?). I still get the odd "what if" but I don't succumb. It's not terribly hard, it's more annoying than anything else. Here's some tips....

Fake it - inhale a pinched straw and blow out slowly. You'll advance to slow inhale/exhale exercises which are calming.

Water - an absolute Godsend. Small regular sips.

Whyquit.com - an amazing website
click2quit.co.uk - another amazing site full of amazing support

Good luck to you all

JoeHel

fletch, the straw thing really works doesn't it! So does taking a deep breath.

Whyquit.com is amazing isn't it. I will check out the other site as I haven't seen that one. Edit: just checked out click2quit.co.uk but see it is one that recommends NRT so I'll give that one a miss, although it looks like it would be a lot of help to those who want to use NRT products. I think their message that you are plagued with crazy nicotine monsters the minute you try and quit is COMPLETE LIES and will really put some people off, but if NRT works for some then fantastic. Whatever gets you off ciggies.

I tried quitting a few times with patches and they just didn't work for me. I didn't get the pure natural hormone rush of quitting cold turkey. I absolutely LOVED feeling those chemicals disappear and my own hormones take over. I now have a permanent natural calm which is SO much stronger than the artificial calm of smoking a ciggie. I never ever want to go back to smoking and can't think of anything that would ever tempt me!

oops_a_daisy

this thread has made me laugh tonight :rotfl:


:j nearly 2 days down - had a few wobbles today but I have just tried to keep myself busy and where did that box of toffee go to :rolleyes: :whistle:


I must not put on weight this time AHHHHHHHHHHHH

Look forward to seeing you back here tomorrow bricking it - if you have done it for 6 months then you can do it again

Frugaldom

BrickingIt wrote: »

I have been smoking 23 yrs and I seriously would like to stop. I have stopped twice for 6 months. Other than that I smoke approx. 15 a day. Must do a bit of work, hence laters, thanks for the banter, i'll have another go tomorrow.

PS I'm just finishing a crossword, can someone help?, six down, Christopher (seven letters), a well known actor who appeared in Highlander. Any ideas?.

Chin up .

Cigarettes damage your brain... my answer would be Lambert & Butler :rotfl:

Frugaldom

oops_a_daisy wrote: »

this thread has made me laugh tonight :rotfl:


:j nearly 2 days down - had a few wobbles today but I have just tried to keep myself busy and where did that box of toffee go to :rolleyes: :whistle:


I must not put on weight this time AHHHHHHHHHHHH

Look forward to seeing you back here tomorrow bricking it - if you have done it for 6 months then you can do it again

Why not just call them 'Weeble Days'... anyone remember the wee song from the telly advert? Weebles wobble but they don't fall down.... and I don't mean that to sound like I'm referring to you as a weeble because of the toffee situation :rotfl:

I just had to alter my signature after realising I didn't smoke that amount so couldn't save it! LOL

NYK WACKY HINTS & TIPS - Remember to be honest with yourself and set realistic goals

fletch3163

Oh don't dismiss click2quit because of the NRT message. I was cold turkey too (and I absolutely agree on the natural rush you get) but I found being able to "talk" with people feeling the same as me really cathartic you know? It's not all about using NRT, it's deeper than that. It's individuals' experiences.

I remember feeling dizzy for about a week and I developed holes in my memory and everything. It was a complete buzz! Best decision I ever made.

Re the weight thing? Och you can't have everything

tattycath

Hi everyone. I haven't had a cigarette since 1st december 2007 and it feels so good!!!. OH hasn't managed to kick the habit yet, but it really doesn't bother me at all.-and anyway, he has to do it for himself, not just because I have stopped. Well done to everyone, and continued good luck and support to all.

jo1972

Morning all!!

BrickingIt, I read over what happened yesterday but didn't have time to post, hope you're here this morning. I think you do want to quit the fags cos usually when people fall off the wagon we don't hear from them again :rotfl: good luck hunny

Fletch, thanks for posting excellent advice about the straw btw, keep popping in with advice for the new quitters

Oops, you are doing great, well done

How's everyone else this glorious.......dark, very early, very cold........day

I gotta go work now :(:(

Hope your days are good and smoke free, I shall try and pop on on me lunchbreak :wave:

BrickingIt

nykmedia wrote: »

JoeHel, I'm hoping that Bricky has now quit quit quitting and it sounds like he'll be back to quitting tomorrow.

I take offence at this, i've come here for help and support and i've become a figure to poke fun at.

Just let you know i've give up a 10 o'clock (again) and for 15 whole minutes I haven't even once (not once) thought about a cigarette.

I've reported you to the marlboroators, although i've been fair, and asked them to go light on you:D .