Has anyone tried given up smoking here? If so, how successful were you?

[Jamie XR6]

Originally Posted by gtfpv

do i see people starting to offer hardship as an excuse for smoking dont justify it . i know how you must feel but many people have hardship and stress and dont smoke.its an addiction . mental and chemical . not something you do because your stressed or bored . i get bored all the time and i dont think . gee i'm bored i might take up smoking , that will make my feel better.

When people start smoking, it's mostly because of either peer group pressure (which is a powerful thing for a young person) or they chose to smoke because it looks cool.

It's only later when it becomes an addiction that people need to smoke for stress and hardship. It becomes an excuse to keep smoking as the smoker has to have a reason to continue to smoke.

I gave up quite easily because I do have a strong will power (a result of 20 years in the Navy) and I wanted to quit. But even now after 4 years I still think that I wouldn't mind a smoke in stressful situations.

I can fully understand people that just can't give up or find it very difficult.

[XRchic]

Phew - still going! Has been 3.5 weeks since I had a smoke! Things are better, cravings are ok. Dont think about it too much anymore. I reckon its looking good so far!

[PULLY6]

Excellent Jaq, keep going!

[conordec]

a week for me now, going strong...
keep walking to the canteen here at work and just look into the glass box where everyone is sitting and smoking... the look of it now just makes me sick.
was hard on the weekend when out and about, but my mrs. is over the moon, and the fact that it wasn't her nagging me to quit and I just decided to do it myself makes her happy.
cold turkey for me too, no patches or anything.
I'm also on a diet so my mates are all wondering wtf i'm doing!

[EA2BA]

Originally Posted by conordec

a week for me now, going strong...
keep walking to the canteen here at work and just look into the glass box where everyone is sitting and smoking... the look of it now just makes me sick.
was hard on the weekend when out and about, but my mrs. is over the moon, and the fact that it wasn't her nagging me to quit and I just decided to do it myself makes her happy.
cold turkey for me too, no patches or anything.
I'm also on a diet so my mates are all wondering wtf i'm doing!

All you need to do now is dress more stylish, use grooming products for men, redisgn the house and start cooking, then you will be a queer eye make over .............. LOL :monkes:

[Jamie XR6]

Originally Posted by conordec

I'm also on a diet so my mates are all wondering wtf i'm doing!

That's a very wise thing to do.

The worse thing about giving up is mistaking the cravings with hunger. You tend to eat more as you think you are always hungry. When I first gave up I put on several kilos. This time, I went on a diet as well and didn't put the weight on.

Good on you guys, keep it up.

[Yummy Mummy]

I smoked close to a pack a day from 18 to 22, then went cold turkey. Didn't have a puff for 6 years then had the odd one when I went out with girlfriends who smoked. It was alot easier as kooky didn't smoke and hated it, so I basically wasn't allowed to smoke around him.

The day I booted him out the door, I was so stressed and went for a drive. The first thing I did was went to the shop and bought a packet. Bad move. Been 4 months now and am still on them, and already I am finding it hard to quit.

Don't smoke in my house though, and it is getting colder outside so I am finding I am reducing the amount I smoke cos I'm too much of a wimp to brave it outside. I have also stopped taking them to work, so I go the whole day without having one. Down to only a few per day now, and hopefully can kick the habit again.

Must say, I always had the cravings though. Don't think you ever truly kick them.

If people asked me if I was a "non-smoker" I always replied that I was a "smoker that chose not to smoke". Now to do it again!

Damn men.....see what they drive us to do!!

[The MaDDeSTMaN]

Originally Posted by XRchic

Phew - still going! Has been 3.5 weeks since I had a smoke! Things are better, cravings are ok. Dont think about it too much anymore. I reckon its looking good so far!

Congratulations, you're past the worst part already!

Well done!

[MITCHAY]

Lol im smokin as i type. It is a stress reliever contrary to what many think so as soon as s**t gets too stressful you just light up another. I will try again one day. It wont be tomorrow or the day after though.

[conordec]

Originally Posted by Dellboy999

All you need to do now is dress more stylish, use grooming products for men, redisgn the house and start cooking, then you will be a queer eye make over .............. LOL :monkes:

I'm a chef, but no queer bud.
Queers drive Ea's, not XA GT's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lol

[EA2BA]

Originally Posted by conordec

I'm a chef, but no queer bud.
Queers drive Ea's, not XA GT's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lol

I never said you are queer, just the show you know, they take guys and make em all presentable, /*meh*/ Queers dont drive EA's they drive Holdens :

[4.9 EF Futura]

Originally Posted by gtfpv

look guys just give up . i dont smoke . was given a few everytime i went out from 15 to 22 never bought a pac one day when i realised i was smoking every time i drank i thought i should buy a pac went to the cig machine . and thought if i do this this is it. did not buy never smoked. again . mind you i never smoked enough to get addicted . im 36 years old now. figure ive saved about 15 years of smoking . besides being alive and lung healthy i've probably saved $ 75,000 net thats about $120,000 gross at say 6.5% interest as i 've always paid at least $100 extra per week off motgage . which comes to $75000 x 1.06 15times equates to $169,600 net . thats not including how much the house went up .
so it is crazy to smoke . would you stick your head down someones chimney and inhale for 5 minutes 40 times a day and pay for the honour. if you think about it a person who burns a 100 dollar note everyweek whith a match who doesn't smoke would be a wiser person than a smoker ( fact ).
saying that i feel sorry for smokers they stink they grow old quicker they crave smoke. they put themselves at risk of a long painfull death with air hunger.
if this isn't enough to make a person quit then nothing will . my advice would be what ever you are spending on cigarettes now . put elsewher. ie into your mortgage . invest it . buy a gt on a 100% loan .give it to charity . put it into a savings account for your children. or flush it down the loo . or just give it to a stranger in the street every week . anything but buy a death sentence.

Whilst your comments are very valid, it is clear you do not understand the habit and your condescending tone makes this quite obvious.... i usually liken such a response to me telling muslim extremists not to go around blowing up infidels... (Your interst calculations are also greatly flawed... but of course im only kidding, lol).

Best of luck with the quitting XRchic, I think having a partner and family behind you will increase your chances exponentially!!! I'm a pack-a-dayer (as you've probably seen on the cruises) and seriously doubt my ability to go cold turkey.... in all honesty i really enjoy smoking and have no plans to quit in the near future.

It must have been quite interesting in the inital couple of weeks realising the strange triggers that you have developed? I find that, for example, if someone on TV/in a movie lights up... i just cant help myself. Every time i turn the EF over and put the window down... (i notice i dont smoke in the car when it's raining)... coffee... food... on dates when things get a bit uncomfortable...

Very strange drug, nicotine!!!

Anyways, all the best. Do what ya gotta do to stay of em tho!!

[Mechan1k]

OK ... I'm on the 3rd day of patches ... and I really haven't had a craving at all. I am coping quite well considering.

I have tried giing up cold turkey before ... but was back into it 2 days later.

Another good thing is I don't have a pack of ciggies around anywhere at all now (no emergencies hidden anywhere).

Am making a big effort to kick the habit ... cos I have promised myself that I am not smoking in the new house ... and also looking at starting a family ... and I definitely want a smoke-free environment.

I started smoking late (was 25 when I started) ... and have found it hard to stop.

Also I have a hereditary cholesterol problem that I have to take medication everyday for ... so I really need to stop it.

wish me luck peoples ... I hope I can stop for good ... so far so good.

I have actually gone out with smokers on breaks from work (and had my own fresh air break) ... just to make sure I can keep the willpower up. I watch them smoke and keep reminding myself that I don't need that anymore.

[Jamie XR6]

You won't get cravings on patches for at least another 3 -4 days. These will last around two weeks or so.

Good luck Mechan1k,

Stick with it and you'll be fine. Since you have already said that you are determined to quite you are already 95% there. Just think of all the extra money you'll have to treat yourself, that's what I did.

[svo347]

How difficult do u find it when out on the town, after afew glasses of wine or why.
I found it bloody hard, i only smoke at work, dont get the urge when at home at all 2 weeks on 1 off routine
Wierd

[Jamie XR6]

Originally Posted by svo347

How difficult do u find it when out on the town, after afew glasses of wine or why.
I found it bloody hard, i only smoke at work, dont get the urge when at home at all 2 weeks on 1 off routine
Wierd

I've been off the smokes for about 4 years now and even now after a couple of glasses of red, I feel like lighting up. I don't think that is something that you ever get over.

I often think how I'd love a cigar (some thing that I didn't smoke often but did enjoy every now and then) when I'm drinking. I know it's easy to say 'well you don't inhale a cigar' but if I do that, then it's just as easy to say 'I'll start smoking again'. Which is what happened to me years ago and after giving up cold turkey for 2 years, I started smoking again.

[dogbreath_48]

I quit last year after only smoking full time for about two years (fair go, i'm only a young 'un).
I tried to quit a few times but always found an excuse to start again.
I finally quit cos someone close to me was diagnosed with a respiratory disorder, thus having to quit both passive and non-passive smokin themselves. It's easier when you've got a really good reason!

I still often feel the urge, pretty strongly, especially when i'm drinking or in a socially awkward situation!. I've only had a few since really quitting, maybe five or six. Felt like sh1t after every one of em.

-Stu

[XRchic]

Well I failed. I had a shocker of a day on Friday, and Friday night. So I went out in a tantrum and bought a small packet. I went for a drive and smoked 4 smokes, before I came home and smoked another.

I then felt terrible and destroyed the remainder of the pack and its contents and shoved them in the bin. That was Friday night. Havent had one since then. Back on track with a hiccup.

I think the key is, for anyone else giving up, that if you succumb and have a couple, dont let it be the end. Just see it as the small hiccup that it is and continue on with your efforts. It hasnt made me want them anymore than before. It hasnt taken me back to the beginning all over again, which is good.

Anyway, here I go again.

Jac

[loxxr6]

I smoked for about 2-3 years a while back now and gave it up quite easy. For me I couldn't see the benefit in paying $xx amount of dollars to suck down filthy smoke. I found better things to spend my money on.

[dogbreath_48]

Originally Posted by XRchic

Well I failed. I had a shocker of a day on Friday, and Friday night. So I went out in a tantrum and bought a small packet...

Jac

See what i mean about the excuses? I did it every time. At least you've chucked em, and not just given up (giving up)!
good work!

-Stu

[Mechan1k]

Well .. it's been 2 weeks without a smoke for me .... and I'm not having a problem with it ... I did the first week on patches .... and they were weird ... good at first to get rid of the edge .... and it was a case of getting over the physical hand to mouth movement.

But after the first week I was getting the weirdest dreams from the patches. I forgot to by a new pack of patches and went a couple of days without them and I was fine ... so i haven't bought anymore patches ... and have steered clear of the smokes easily actually (and I frequent sevros a bit being a courier driver).

I feel a lot better for it ... I can smell and taste things better .. and I'm not as short of breath as I used to be .. still unfit ... but I can breathe better.

[Jamie XR6]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

Well .. it's been 2 weeks without a smoke for me .... and I'm not having a problem with it ... I did the first week on patches .... and they were weird ... good at first to get rid of the edge .... and it was a case of getting over the physical hand to mouth movement.

But after the first week I was getting the weirdest dreams from the patches. I forgot to by a new pack of patches and went a couple of days without them and I was fine ... so i haven't bought anymore patches ... and have steered clear of the smokes easily actually (and I frequent sevros a bit being a courier driver).

I feel a lot better for it ... I can smell and taste things better .. and I'm not as short of breath as I used to be .. still unfit ... but I can breathe better.

Welcome to the rest of your life, you are going to enjoy it without the smokes.

[The Mighty Red]

well its 8 weeks for me on monday , i am going good, am not as grumpy as i was when i first stopped, still munching down the lollies and getting big cravings for a smoke every day but so far so good.
The patches for the first few weeks for me were priceless , they made my arms ache badly for the first few days but then it subsided and i reckon w/out them i would probably be smoking now.

Anyone who says giving up smoking is easy is a F#cki#g Liar!
Statistics show that only 5 out of every 100 people succeed in giving up.

Hang in there Jac.

[NAK302]

Originally Posted by our_blue_xr6

well its 8 weeks for me on monday , i am going good, am not as grumpy as i was when i first stopped, still munching down the lollies and getting big cravings for a smoke every day but so far so good.
The patches for the first few weeks for me were priceless , they made my arms ache badly for the first few days but then it subsided and i reckon w/out them i would probably be smoking now.

Anyone who says giving up smoking is easy is a F#cki#g Liar!
Statistics show that only 5 out of every 100 people succeed in giving up.

Hang in there Jac.

sounds like we gave up the same week.
i didn't go patches though, i went cold turkey. the cravings were gone in about a week. i'm definatly over it and hope you are too :
i agree too that it was one of the hardest things to do mentally and anyone who succeeds should be damn proud of themselves

[gtfpv]

so good to hear so many people are giving up.
XRCHICK . don't worry just get back on the band wagon, its the wanting to stop that wiil get you there. well done everybosy
more mods are on the way i guess . or maybe some updates .

[buickman]

Originally Posted by loxxr6

I smoked for about 2-3 years a while back now and gave it up quite easy. For me I couldn't see the benefit in paying $xx amount of dollars to suck down filthy smoke. I found better things to spend my money on.

I looked at smoking the same way what a wast and better things to spend your money on. I smoked between the ages of 15-20 from peer group pressure at school. I'am 50 now & it was the first 3 months for me the hardest now I hate the filthy things but with some people addittive behaviour is hard to control being cigs, alcohol, illigal drugs or gamberling.

buickman

[XRchic]

Well Im still going. Except for the fall from grace I had the Friday before last when I had 5 smokes (I think it was 5), I have gone 6 weeks today. I have not had another smoke since that fateful Friday night and I havent really wanted one.

To tell you the truth, I thought that after having those 5 smokes, I would be back at the start again, having to fight through the cravings, but it seems not. It was just a mistake and things returned to normal as soon as I binned the remainder of that packet.

So, Im happy with 6 weeks and 5 smokes. Ive been tempted since then - especially when my ex and his girlfriend light up in front of me, or I smell someone with a smoke when Im walking to work or just when I really feel like one! But have resisted so far.

We moved house last week, and we have gone from renting to moving into our own dream house. So not only has there been all the stress with conveyancers, agents, banks etc but also the actual move itself. But I have not given into that and I think it is a valid point re excuses actually. I think we tend to look for reasons why we smoke and why we dont give up.

I never really thought I would get this far, and I honestly thought that if I did, I would have lost the plot along the way more than I have.

Im happy not to be spending the cash on them anymore.
Im happy that my kids are not exposed to the smell/smoke anymore.
Im happy that my fella doesnt have to put up with that smell anymore.
Im happy Im not smoking in my new house, or even around it.

Ashtrays, lighters - its all gone. Ive not done that before.

Also, Ive still had no patches or gum. Im definitely over the nicotine cravings, its just the habit that is harder to break now. But to be honest, I dont think about smoking much at all anymore and even the usual triggers are starting to fade away. I usually only think of it when I actually SEE someone or SMELL someone smoking around me.

My Dad has given up too, on the same day and he has used the patches and lozenges and he has not had a single one in 6 weeks. He is asthmatic and diabetic so it is really good for him to stop.

There are so many people on here who have given up, or are in the process of it and its really good to hear so much success - I dont hear of too many people who have actually given up, so it is really encouraging.

Jac

[Yummy Mummy]

You have done so well Jac. Well done.

You have inspired me as well. This morning I threw out half a packet, all of my ash trays, and am going cold turkey. I have only been back on them for 4 months, but it was starting to creep back up to a pack every 2 days. I don't need it, I hate the smell of my clothes after I have one, and I feel like I am short of breath already....pretty bad when up until a few months ago I was at the gym every night running for an hour.

Wish me luck!

[Deadman]

Well done Jac & everyone else who's giving up. What Yummy said sounds like what I was just going to say... Got really slack lately, ended up smoking a pack a day (only 23 but been smoking on and off for 5 year or so) but I've been off them cold turkey now for 2 weeks and I'm feeling great. I have much more energy for the GYM and feel healthier already when i run... The smell of my clothes is great now and the car doesn't smell of smoke either :voldar02:

I look forward to feeling a little less withdrawal in a few months though :p When I go out for drinks with the guys on Friday night, over 50% of them smoke - makes it hard : ... But i'm not going to slip back :evil3:

[Mechan1k]

I found that if you make yourself busy ... you don't get bored and decide to light up.
Also when it coems to going out ... I don't have time ... so i am not tempted that way.
I enjoy not smoking in the car anymore ... and there are no cravings for a ciggie anymore ... I managed to get over the hard part (lighting up and putting a smoke to your mouth ... the physical addiction is gone).

I will be tested every now and again.

And as Xrchic said .... I had about a week after I quit ... and I really didn't want it (put it out halfway through) .. put me off wanting a ciggie after that ... it's been the best thing I have done in ages ... I feel so much better now after I have been off them.