aerospacemango Posted October 4, 2012 Posted October 4, 2012 So, who else is doing this then? 4 days in, and I could happily chew the edge of my desk off!!! I'm doing pretty well, most of the time, despite that previous sentence, but I'm just wondering how others are getting on. The wife and I are both going cold turkey and putting all money we save in our joint bank account in a slow and boring effort to save towards a house deposit.
X-13 Posted October 4, 2012 Posted October 4, 2012 Nope. I've [still] been trying to get Sophos to work all week. No cigarettes combined with stupid Sophos? Not a good idea. However, playng WoW again is making me smoke less. 1
DavidIrwin Posted October 4, 2012 Posted October 4, 2012 The wife and I are both going cold turkey and putting all money we save in our joint bank account in a slow and boring effort to save towards a house deposit. I am not a smoker so in support of everyone trying to quit I am also trying to improve myself. Minimum 4 visits a week at the gym, and not just to sit in the Cafe May sound like a boring goal, but having a goal will help you in the long run - every time you are tempted and resist congratulate yourself Good Luck Dave 1
CAM Posted October 4, 2012 Posted October 4, 2012 Good luck to all of you! Chins up and kick the habit! 1
jdoldridge Posted October 4, 2012 Posted October 4, 2012 Cutting Down.... Might be quit by the end of the month... Maybe 1
Netman Posted October 4, 2012 Posted October 4, 2012 I can only say... dig your heels in - it's well worth it! I am 8 months free of nicotine today so happy anniversary to me! The NHS smoke stop service really helped me (think about changing your behaviour to break habits - little things like I changed my mug to a cup and bought some quality tea and coffee... that then became a new non-smoking routine so my mind wasn't constantly telling me to smoke every time I went for a break!). It helped me too when I realised I was an addict - not in a oh, yeah I'm addicted way, but in a scientific, look up the definition way. This means that the only way to not be addicted is to not ever have that substance - simple stuff, but it took me a while before that penny really dropped... when it does you're starting to understand what it is you need to do... I can post some more later if it'll help anyone - and I won't lie, it's probably the hardest thing I've ever done... but it is worth it... GOOD LUCK! 2
aerospacemango Posted October 4, 2012 Author Posted October 4, 2012 I can only say... dig your heels in - it's well worth it! I am 8 months free of nicotine today so happy anniversary to me! The NHS smoke stop service really helped me (think about changing your behaviour to break habits - little things like I changed my mug to a cup and bought some quality tea and coffee... that then became a new non-smoking routine so my mind wasn't constantly telling me to smoke every time I went for a break!). It helped me too when I realised I was an addict - not in a oh, yeah I'm addicted way, but in a scientific, look up the definition way. This means that the only way to not be addicted is to not ever have that substance - simple stuff, but it took me a while before that penny really dropped... when it does you're starting to understand what it is you need to do... I can post some more later if it'll help anyone - and I won't lie, it's probably the hardest thing I've ever done... but it is worth it... GOOD LUCK! This is ALL good stuff.... But it is really difficult at the mo! 4 days in, and although I have changed my break time ritual, it is still on my mind. It is very hard to break! I gave up for 3 months, a few years ago, and that was using patches. This time, I've gone cold turkey. I did think that this thread would be a magnet for people TRYING to give up, so that we could all support each other, but it's good to know that there are people out there who, even if they gave up a while ago, or never smoked at all, are willing to offer support!
aerospacemango Posted October 4, 2012 Author Posted October 4, 2012 I am not a smoker so in support of everyone trying to quit I am also trying to improve myself. Minimum 4 visits a week at the gym, and not just to sit in the Cafe May sound like a boring goal, but having a goal will help you in the long run - every time you are tempted and resist congratulate yourself Good Luck Dave It's not actually a boring goal...and I, perhaps, worded that wrong! But seeing the savings go up bit by bit, knowing that it's be at least 2 years before we have enough for a deposit.....that makes it boring!
kernewek-sam Posted October 4, 2012 Posted October 4, 2012 4 days in, and although I have changed my break time ritual, it is still on my mind. Having experience of CBT (for other things), I'll say that 4 days in, it will still be on your mind, it can take a while for an old habit to be replaced with the new behaviour, but stick at it. Something that may also help is what's called a Cost / Benefit analysis, so you list things smoking cost's you like health, money, perhaps how it may affect you children (if you have any). Then list the benefits, so you'll be healthier, again should you have any, your kids may be happier (i.e. not worrying will dad/mum get cancer). There will probably more points to add to each side, but the point is you see which list is longer and then decide if your old behaviour (smoking) cost's you more than it benefits you. Hopefully the benefit's of stopping seem more attractive. Note: I don't smoke. 1
ButterflyMoon Posted October 5, 2012 Posted October 5, 2012 (edited) First time I stopped I saved all the money and bought my first motorbike. Was off 5 years that time. Cold turkey. Second time I was off for 9 years again cold turkey. Saved the money and bought my first Beetle this time the incentive is the current radiotherapy am going through. Seems prudent now more than ever to get back off the evil weed!! Nope it is not easy but for me counting the hours from the last cig works wonders. When it gets bad I think 'I'll just wait another hour then have one' I then go do something else and find that the hour has come and gone and I have forgotten the urge. Good luck to you all Edited October 5, 2012 by ButterflyMoon 1
Danp Posted October 5, 2012 Posted October 5, 2012 No, I thought about it. I stopped a 20-30 day habit 9 years ago but started again in May, only 6-7 a day now but I enjoy it too much to stop
witch Posted October 5, 2012 Posted October 5, 2012 First time I stopped I saved all the money and bought my first motorbike. Was off 5 years that time. Cold turkey. Second time I was off for 9 years again cold turkey. Saved the money and bought my first Beetle this time the incentive is the current radiotherapy am going through. Seems prudent now more than ever to get back off the evil weed!! Nope it is not easy but for me counting the hours from the last cig works wonders. When it gets bad I think 'I'll just wait another hour then have one' I then go do something else and find that the hour has come and gone and I have forgotten the urge. Good luck to you all Over the years I have stopped for some years and started again several times in similar fashion. What got me through the last time was similar only I did it by days - I would say to myself "but you have lasted 17 days - wouldnt it be awful to go back to the beginning?" It worked for me too. I dont think I will ever go back to it now Some people manage to give up and never think about it again but most of us are addicts. I never smoked heavily but I know I could start again in a heartbeat - because I am an addict. It helps that none of my friends smoke now and you cant smoke in pubs etc. 1
X-13 Posted October 5, 2012 Posted October 5, 2012 No, I thought about it. I stopped a 20-30 day habit 9 years ago but started again in May, only 6-7 a day now but I enjoy it too much to stop It's always good to take a break from smoking, it helps you cut down. [And by extension, spend less.] 1
witch Posted October 5, 2012 Posted October 5, 2012 It's not actually a boring goal...and I, perhaps, worded that wrong! But seeing the savings go up bit by bit, knowing that it's be at least 2 years before we have enough for a deposit.....that makes it boring! TBH giving up is so tough that you might consider a shorter-term goal - perhaps something a bit more special at Christmas - spending just a little of the money you have saved? It might give you something to focus on a bit nearer to hand, so to speak 1
hardtailstar Posted October 5, 2012 Posted October 5, 2012 My brother stopped a few years ago before the birth of his first child he went cold turkey but found some sugar free lollys and that helped him as when ever he needed to smoke at first he would just suck on a lolly, Hes now off 20 lollys a day (yes he got addicted to lollys) and is a much healthier person. Good luck to all those trying to give up! 1
pcstru Posted October 5, 2012 Posted October 5, 2012 I gave up on the 31st October last year. I was an "I enjoy this and I don't care if it kills me" smoker! The intent was to go cold turkey but that didn't work. I had a couple of weak moments; one where I bought some tobacco - rolled a cigarette and smoked 1/4 of it before running it and the tobacco under the tap and threw it into the kitchen compost bucket. The worst was yet to come. Two days later I 'rescued' a large pinch out of the compost, dried it and tried to smoke it. It was absolutely foul. I relented and bought some nicotine tablets. Taking them felt a bit like a fail but it got me through the worst. I kept taking them for 6-8 months and had started to wonder how I would give them up. As it happened I just seemed to forget to take them and a couple of weeks ago I threw most of the remaining ones out as I hadn't taken one for a few weeks and didn't feel I needed them any more. Good luck anyone who is stopping. It is a hugely difficult thing to do but YOU CAN DO IT. It does get easier after the first few weeks and it is worth it. 1
sidewinder Posted October 5, 2012 Posted October 5, 2012 I'm a bit unusual, I only smoke 2-3 a day, and certainly am not physically addicted, as I can easily go a day or 2,3,4 without any, but I just really enjoy the few I do have. And in my head, because it's a small amount I do think 'why bother quitting' although I'm sure I will one day, and I should because even a few a day is not good for my health. I realise I'm quite lucky that I don't seem to become addicted, and it is really difficult for heavier smokers. So yeah, I thought about Stopober but haven't done it so far
Smed Posted October 5, 2012 Posted October 5, 2012 Good luck to everyone trying! its hard, very hard, i gave up around the time my daughter was born (15 yrs ago!) the first 6 weeks are the hardest, i used the nicotine chewing gum which helped a little! but its tough, and you have to stick to it one day at a time! i still get small "pangs" every now and then for one, but now they last seconds rather than hours!! 1
HarryMonkey Posted October 5, 2012 Posted October 5, 2012 Good luck everyone. I smoked 20+ Marlboro a day for years and gave up in January 2000 and haven't looked back. I used teh patches and followed the program that they recommend and found that it helped enormously. I had already banned smoking in teh flat or car so that helped but I think what helped me as well was changing what I did at key moments ... the first cigarette of the day was repleced by making tea and having some cereal, instead of having one after dinner I went and di the washing up, I stopped going to the pub for a long while as this was a time I smoked the most. Celebrate the anniversaries, 1 week, 2, a month 2 months etc. Reward yourself with a treat ... bottle of wine, takeaway, just something to make you feel good about yourself. Remember how hard it's been so far and that if you do have a smoke, it's all got to start again. Most of all, just remember how worthwhile it will be to be a non smoker. 1
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