The Giving Up Smoking Thread!!

lesley_rod

JoeHel wrote: »

The key to quitting is education about why you smoke in the first place. It's certainly not because you are stupid or weak!! Go to WhyQuit.com and understand why you smoke. The only way to free yourself from anything is discover why you do it and the best way to escape!

Thanks Joe!

Sad thing is do now know why I smoke the problem I seem to have is dealing with the initial stress of not smoking on top of the usual daily stress HOWEVER I know I WILL stop, the thing driving me mad is WHEN....
Congratulations on your stopping :beer:
The number of success stories I read about on here is soooo encouraging!

lesley_rod

nirelandguy wrote: »

Hi,

Yes I'm the same, I can do anything else I put my mind to but giving up smoking is a nightmare. They say Nicotine is a powerful drug in the sence that one cig can get you hooked, however according to Mr Allen Carr the cravings when giving up is actually ment to be minimal

nirelandguy,

Sometimes I hate Mr Carr.....I hear his words in my head all the time now; having read a couple of his books multiple times.
I know he is probably right, which I think is why I hear it....that or I really am losing the plot
On a more positive note for years I've not settled at night without a couple of glasses of wine (oops forgot I'm supposed to be being honest about that too) OK a bottle of red wine and after 2 weeks of not having it am no longer missing it in the evening so if I can just make it through Allen's 3 days with no nicotine......

Lesley

melbury

Hello all - I am not a man!

Just popped in to say hi to everyone and as I was having a pre lunch beer thought it best to come on here for a while rather than think about how much I would enjoy a ciggie with it. I even opened my tin today and sniffed the stock I had rolled on Boxing Day - smelt gorgeous! I still have five 50g packs of Golden Virginia in the cupboard.

I personally don't believe that throwing all of your cigs or baccy away is a good thing to do to help you stop. You then just go into a panic mode, knowing that you are completely without, whereas if it is still there, you can make the choice of whether or not to smoke it and that makes all of the difference psycologically. Well that is my theory anyway - it is there but I am damned if I am going to give in and have it.

Please somebody enlighten me, I always believed that smoking rolling tobacco was much better for you than factory made ciggies that are full of additives i.e. the 4000 chemicals. Is that true, or was I just kidding myself? I thought Golden Virginia was just pure tobacco with nothing else added - was I right?

Thanks and keep up the good work everyone. Just wish this gnawing feeling in my stomach would go, it has been 17 days now, surely all withdrawal symptoms should be gone by now.

System

melbury wrote: »

Hello all - I am not a man!

Just popped in to say hi to everyone and as I was having a pre lunch beer thought it best to come on here for a while rather than think about how much I would enjoy a ciggie with it. I even opened my tin today and sniffed the stock I had rolled on Boxing Day - smelt gorgeous! I still have five 50g packs of Golden Virginia in the cupboard.

I personally don't believe that throwing all of your cigs or baccy away is a good thing to do to help you stop. You then just go into a panic mode, knowing that you are completely without, whereas if it is still there, you can make the choice of whether or not to smoke it and that makes all of the difference psycologically. Well that is my theory anyway - it is there but I am damned if I am going to give in and have it.

Please somebody enlighten me, I always believed that smoking rolling tobacco was much better for you than factory made ciggies that are full of additives i.e. the 4000 chemicals. Is that true, or was I just kidding myself? I thought Golden Virginia was just pure tobacco with nothing else added - was I right?

Thanks and keep up the good work everyone. Just wish this gnawing feeling in my stomach would go, it has been 17 days now, surely all withdrawal symptoms should be gone by now.

I smoke the old Gold Virgin also and thats what I always though that it was better for you than an ordinary cig

newsgroup_monkey

Hello!

Just thought I'd sign on to say hello. I'm still on the Wagon 6 months later! (who'd have thought it of someone who'd been smoking for nearly 2/3rds of their life!) Feel so much better. Struggling with the weight these days, but as I'm going to be doing the London - Brighton Bike ride again this year, I'm about to start serious practice.

Sorry I haven't been around much over the last few months - it's not that I don't want to help, but as you may remember, I got sent to France for a Week. 3 months later, I'm still finding myself doing 3+ days so finding time for MSE is a bit difficult right now.

Keep it up. Good to see that all the regulars are still here and of course lots and lots of newbies! Keep it up!

I honestly didn't believe I could quit. I've tried to give up (admittedly without much success) so many times. My Dad told me that he still thinks about fags and he quit nearly 30 years ago. But it hasn't been that bad. I don't think about them regularly now (maybe once a week?) although as someone pointed out above, you do dream about them from time to time. When I do dream about them, I wake up angry because I feel like I've given in. Then I realise it was only a dream and smile a BIG smile to myself! I'm free of the Demon Weed!!!!!

JoeHel

This article from About.com should answer your question.

I'm sorry, but the simple answer is no - they are no better than cigarettes. With rolling tobacco you take in more tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide and have more chance of contracting the mouth, throat and lung cancers.

As they say, the only "safe" cigarette is an unlit one....

Chewing tobacco or snuff is pretty pure tobacco and doesn't contain the chemicals that cigarettes contain but you tell this 17 year old that lost half his face that it makes it "safer". He might disagree....

http://whyquit.com/whyquit/A_Gruen.html

System

newsgroup_monkey wrote: »

Hello!

Just thought I'd sign on to say hello. I'm still on the Wagon 6 months later! (who'd have thought it of someone who'd been smoking for nearly 2/3rds of their life!) Feel so much better. Struggling with the weight these days, but as I'm going to be doing the London - Brighton Bike ride again this year, I'm about to start serious practice.

Sorry I haven't been around much over the last few months - it's not that I don't want to help, but as you may remember, I got sent to France for a Week. 3 months later, I'm still finding myself doing 3+ days so finding time for MSE is a bit difficult right now.

Keep it up. Good to see that all the regulars are still here and of course lots and lots of newbies! Keep it up!

I honestly didn't believe I could quit. I've tried to give up (admittedly without much success) so many times. My Dad told me that he still thinks about fags and he quit nearly 30 years ago. But it hasn't been that bad. I don't think about them regularly now (maybe once a week?) although as someone pointed out above, you do dream about them from time to time. When I do dream about them, I wake up angry because I feel like I've given in. Then I realise it was only a dream and smile a BIG smile to myself! I'm free of the Demon Weed!!!!!

That was me, The difference between u and me is, you wake up remember it was a dream and smile, I wake up remember it was a dream and am depressed as I am off them

JoeHel

The "smoking" dreams are apparently totally normal - as your body is clearing out all the gunk in your lungs you can sometimes almost taste or smell them. I'm also one of the ones with a massive smile on my face when I remember that I've quit!

JoeHel

I honestly do appreciate that when you are trying to psych yourself up to quit it is really scary and miserable and you honestly don't think you will ever do it.

I remember reading about Allen Carr sitting in his car and smoking til his nose ran with blood. I honestly thought I must have been MORE addicted than him because he'd now quit and was happy and I KNEW I could NEVER quit and be happy ever again. I was SO WRONG!

The first 3 days of withdrawal felt a bit strange and I knew something major was going on in my body, but there really are NO massive withdrawal pangs. It's less painful than having a mild cold!!

You'll never know unless you try it. Just 3 days....

melbury

Why would Allen Carr's nose run with blood? I just don't understand that, I have known people that chainsmoke but have never seen blood pouring out their noses.

Although I am currently reading Allen Carr's book (as I bought it four years ago with lots of good intentions), I am starting to think it is largely typical American c**p!!! As I am sure a lot of you will agree, Americans are so over the top about things, sometimes it beggars belief. And of course Mr. Carr didn't make any money out of the book and his therapy centres, did he????? Aren't I the old cynic:beer: