Stopping smoking support.

[Mr Angry]

Dear all,

I'm currently thirteen days (who's counting?) into trying to break a 40+ a day habit which I've had for nearly 30 years.

It's not easy going but I'm getting there - hour by hour, day by day.

If anyone is thinking about kicking or trying to kick the habit - or would like to share tips on how they broke the habit - then please feel free to post.

Please note - as per the mods - this is not a "smoking, good or bad?" thread it's somewhere for people to openly discuss their battle / planned / ongoing battle with "the weed" and hopefully help others in times where it might be needed.

Let your battle commence.

Mr A

[Russ]

As Mr A says, this is not to discuss whether smoking should be banned, how bad it is or isn't etc, it's purely for encouragement to those who are or trying to give up.

[Tony.]

I used this to help me http://www.theelectroniccigarette.co.uk/shop/

Had a couple of slips but soldiering on

[superbiatch]

Great news Mr A, I'm a manager in a (very successful ) stop smoking service and have 10 years experience in the game. Give me a holler if you need any help, assistance or just a general moan - there's nothing I haven't heard before

Are you using any therapy?

Keep up the great work and you're doing exactly the right thing by taking each day as it comes

[Reedy]

I gave up a month ago and now cycle 100 ish miles a week. It's surprising how much more energy you have.

Keep it up ol bean!

[LondonRoad]

Well done. I know the cravings can feel all encompassing at times but it does get easier.

You'll get weak moments and that's when you've got to remind yourself that just one cigarette will set you back to the 40+ a day. Write down all the reasons why you have given up smoking and when you get a weak moment read it to remind yourself.

I've had an eventful life but I still reckon that giving up my 40+ a day habit over is the most difficult thing I've ever done. It's also been the most rewarding: as Reedy says you'll find new energy levels, you'll also find out what food really tastes like .

It's you against the weed. Are you really going to let that pathetic little ***** continue to beat you. Think of somebody you detest, hate or strongly dislike and when you think of a cigarette put a little mental image of their face on it.

It is all mind games so use any trick you want to get over the worse.

In moments of despair keep reminding yourself it does get easier. Keep it up.

[zing]

I cant say how I stopped as the warning given by Russ forbids me to post my method. But I stopped 19 years ago and bever slipped up since

[Mick Fisher]

Good to hear Mr A.

The hardest part is making up your mind that YOU want to stop. Once you manage that you are 75% home and dry.

After 13 days I would say you are over the hump and on the downhill stretch.

For encouragement get on the Net and look up all the lung and bodily damage caused by smoking that the body can repair quite quickly just by stopping.

Keep it up. I know it's hard to believe but after a surprisingly short while you will forget all about smoking.

[Matt D]

I used to smoke around 10 cigarettes per day.

Not a massive habit, but big enough, and expensive enough.

I "tried" various times over the years to stop, but always fell back into it, using various excuses. Sometimes I'd manage a few weeks, or even a couple of months, other times I'd last a few days.

Stopped again mid-December last year, & so far have managed to stay off the ciggies - 9 months now.

I used willpower, combined with having a cold.

I'd been in Berlin for Mrs D's birthday, & came back with a horrible cold & sore throat.

Happened to have a few fags left over in a pack, & smoked them on the way to the pub. My throat did not thank me at all though, so I told myself I'd stop, at least until the cold had gone & my throat felt better.

But once it cleared up, I just kept on not-smoking...

For me it was always the habit that was the problem, & I never seemed to be able to break it. But this time, I've so far managed to break the habit, & resist the various triggers that used to set me off. I can walk to/from work without needing a fag, I can go to the pub without needing to nip outside for a fag, etc.

[danielf]

Good luck Mr. A. I'm afraid I can't be much help, as all I have managed is a 6 week break from my 20 a day. One thing that helped me during those 6 weeks though, was to go for for a walk when the cravings hit. Just get youself out of the house, walk around the block. It worked for me (for a while).

Incidentally, I'm in Spain at the moment, and even for a smoker, the number of people that smoke here (in bars and during fine dining) is absolutely disgusting. I find myself having a smoke outside, as it's too smokey inside...

[Will21st]

I'm on Champix and my stop-day is Monday.Looking forward to it,it's a real bi..,but not impossible!

[Reedy]

Originally Posted by Mick Fisher

I know it's hard to believe but after a surprisingly short while you will forget all about smoking.

+1

I recommend getting fit! If someone said to me a month ago I'd be able to cycle 100 miles in a week I would have had the committed for insanity!

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Reedy

+1

I recommend getting fit! If someone said to me a month ago I'd be able to cycle 100 miles in a week I would have had the committed for insanity!

Funnily enough. I did just that the other week. 150 km in 5 days, on a carp bike with knobby tires in hilly Spanish terrain at 25-30 Celcius. Whilst smoking 20 a day... It's still a disgusting habit though...

[joglynne]

Just posting to give my support to you Mr A and any other of our members in the same boat. I have personal experience of how hard it can be breaking a habit which has such a strong hold on you in so many ways.

I had a couple of unsuccessful, and I'll admit now, halfhearted attempts to give up smoking many, many years ago mainly because other people wanted me to.

Eventually I decided I had had enough, smoked my last cigarette and threw everything in the dustbin. It was difficult, and I would find myself reaching for a cigarette when I was stressed, or after a meal but it did get better, and easier. It's been over 20 years now but I can still remember how hard it was to give up.

I think one thing that helped me was my money bottle. No matter what, no matter how broke I was, I religiously put my ciggy money in the bottle every day knowing that, had I still smoked, I would always have found the money for a couple of packets of cigarettes every day. Just looking at all the money I would have set fire to previously used to give me the boost to keep going. On my first anniversary as a none smoker that money paid for a 2 week holiday abroad for the two of us.

[zing]

Mr A save the money in a jar and put it towards your boat You will be surprised how much money you will save though and hope you stick it out