quitting smoking

[TimberWolf]

I only quit when I lost it

It could still be behind the sofa

[bullseye]

since i turned the big 3 0 last weekend i decided it'd be best to quit smoking once and for all, no excuses..

i've done it before.. sort of.. well usually for around 2-4 months or so then there's always an excuse to start again, the main one being "well, i like it and i have just proved its not an addiction as i quit for x months"

anyway, this time i'm determined to stop but it seems so much harder and im only on day 4

help or tips greatly appreciated..

Stopped smoking 2 months ago. no inhalers, patches, books, tapes, cds were involved.

Told myself that I wont smoke from now on, in spite of all mates being smokers, I have managed to stay put so far.

I think its all in your mind, if you can tame it you can do it.

All the best !

[Stan.goodvibes]

Go buy a pack of your favorite ciggys (Marlboro Lights - what else?) then open it, remove about 5- 8 ciggies so the remaining ones are free to move around the pack then hand one to your mate and get him to go rub the filter end between his bum cheeks or under his 4skin, then put that one back in the pack with the others, and shake the pack so you don't know which one is the 'tainted' one.

Carry the pack with you at all times. You'll never reach for another cigarette again....

[rhubarb]

Accept that you will always, ALWAYS crave one.
Haven't touched one for 5 years now, and I could absolutely murder one right now.

If you can not smoke for a couple of weeks, get into your head that having one after that is pointless because you're beyond the nicotene addiction stage. You would only be having one because you fancy it.

Thats the way I looked at it anyway.

Roobarb.

[swamp]

I haven't smoked in seven years. Before that I smoked heavily for around ten years (e.g. 20 a day).

Now I would say I'm completely 'cured'.

My secret was to compelety disassociate from anyone who smoked. I met friends (who smoked) in restaurants where you couldn't smoke and then left before I ever saw them light up. Should be much easier to achieve this now the smoking ban has come into force. You need to put yourself first; be selfish and don't allow anyone to pressurize you into going anywhere where you are likely to be around people who smoke.

[SallyAnne]

Hi Chef

If you are really determined to not smoke, then you will do it. You'll find a way.

Do you genuinely want to be a non smoker?

I gave up about 15 months ago after many failed attempts.

It really helped me that my lad didn't smoke - I just purely focussed on snogging him whenever I needed a fag, seriously. I concentrated on how clean my mouth must've tasted to him, and how horrible and disgusting it would be for him if I had another one.
And at work I concentrated on how clean and lovely I smelt, and how if I had one, I would smell so horrible to my work colleagues, etc

This actually got me through - I tricked my own mind into thinking smoking was horrible, and it still works.

I also no longer need that alone time - I used to value it so much, and it was my rebellious "me" thing....but now I dont need that anymore.

You may feel like the bottom has falledn out of your world at the minute...but life does go on. The void DOES get filled. I dont even have a void anymore - can't really remember the void...but I remember it being there when I first gave up.

Anyway, enough from me. All the ex smokers have given long replies, cause we could probabluy all write books on it. It's a ******* hard thing to do, but it can BE done.

Good luck
xxxx

[Archangel]

No real advice to add to the above, I gave up 4.5 years ago (using Zyban for 8 weeks, then ordinary gum for about 6 months).

Go for it, good luck, and don't forget the "smug factor", use this at every chance, think how better off you are health and finance wise, and how stronger willed you are than those weak smokers.

[lambrini_socialist]

i've been clean over a year now after a few failed attempts. two things did it for me in the end - NRT (patches AND gum, ignore the advice on the packet unless you have a heart condition) and getting married.

[Ravello]

i've been clean over a year now after a few failed attempts. two things did it for me in the end - NRT (patches AND gum, ignore the advice on the packet unless you have a heart condition) and getting married.

Ouch! smoking's not THAT bad for you

[chef]

i've been clean over a year now ..two things did it for me in the end - NRT and getting married.

now why would you swear at me like that? there's no need, really