Calling ex-smokers for help

[KitsuneAndy]

My step-dad had real difficulty in giving up, had tried all-sorts and none of it worked.

He ended up paying £100 to go to a hypnotist, he had 1 initial session with him and was given a tape he had to listen to when he was going to sleep. After 3 weeks he had a further session with the hypnotist and we were told to remove all smoking related items from the house before he was back.

After that he never even mentioned smoking again.

 

[bonj2]

I think this forum is a help to giving up smoking. no, seriously. I pretty much only ever smoke at social gatherings, which is normally once or twice a week. Because my mates smoke, I do somewhat therefore miss out on socialising with people that don't smoke, and people who cycle generally tend to be people who are non-smokers so the longer i spend on here the more likely i am to be not want to smoke when round a mate's house.

 

[shooter560]

What a great thread and so much useful insights and information.

I have a quit date of xmas day if not before and am now looking at getting in to cycling which I've not done since leaving school 26 years ago, so hopefully a bike and quitting will work together.

Those who have quit, very well done, those who haven't or like me are thinking about it all the best I wish you all well

 

[urbanrider]

Good Luck Shooter, pick that date and stick to it and if it doesn't go to plan, don't give up giving up, i would like to say i have quit but i'm still fighting it, life have not been going to well for me lately and its very easy to slip back to smoking as i'm finding out
anyways....Be strong and fight like hell
Good luck mate

 

[will]

Best strategy

Fall in love and start dating a beautiful, anti-smoker.

Good luck

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Best of luck Urban rider, it will get easier as time goes by just keep working at it. I gave up in 1977, I was having colds and bad chests constantly, had a particually bad bout of flue and did'nt smoke for a week, when I felt better and wanted a fag I thought I might as well stop permanently, so I put my baccy tin, with the rollers and papers in it, on the mantal piece and left it there and havent smoked since, I have still got the tin in a cupboard somewhere, it was difficult at first but eventually got easier. Its funny even now once in a while I still get the mild urge for a fag, usually if I am having bad time of it, its most strange I would have thought that would have stopped totally by now.

 

[bonj2]

never does, that's the problem. that's why you should never start.

 

[gbb]

I guess for some of us...we are trying to pack up when we're not really ready physically or mentally.
I spent 2 years trying. When it clicked, it was easy. Two things helped me.
Identify when you LEAST like smoking (if there is such a time). For me, it was in the mornings...hated the smell, even as a smoker. So every morning, i'd try to extend the time i didnt smoke.
Weaning yourself off can help (it did me). When the craving got real bad, i'd light up, smoke maybe 1/3 of the ciggy, then stub it. Kill the craving, but dont top yourself up with more nicotine than you needed.

Maybe my time was just right...but those two things worked for me after countless failures. Maybe it had nothing to do with it...who knows, but i'm still not smoking 25 years later.

BTW...it was at least a full year before i felt the full physical benefit. Being able to fill your lungs, and then just that little extra, was a long time coming.

The mental benefit was immediate tho.

 

[shooter560]

Well true to my word I quit on Christmas Day, actually had my last smoke after midnight mass when I got home , I'd smoked hard/loads all day making sure I was out of tailors and baccy, admittedly I'm using the patches as a help although even these I decided to buy rather than get from the doctor, as I hate spending money and not getting my monies worth, I also only went for the 7mg weakest ones as I know I wanted to quit.

OK its only 2 days so far but no cravings, a couple of times I caught myself thinking this is when I'd normally have a smoke, but that came and went in the blink of an eye I'm still to go out in the van so that will be another hurdle but I'll manage that too.

Only down side is I'm really enjoying my food even more, but thats just a good excuse to get on the turbo and spin a few extra miles away, at least till my new wheels arrive in a couple of days

 

[mondobongo]

Start my next attempt when I wake up on NYD, going to try my best without nicotine replacement products as they delay the inevitable getting it out of your system, gum for those really bad cravings only. No oh I will just have a cigar slippery slope either which has done me in on at least 3 attempts.

 

[Fab Foodie]

If you're serious, then 1 word; ZYBAN

 

[shooter560]

A short update since my last post, woke up on the 27th 2 days in to quitting and was already fed up with the patches, I was getting what I felt was a dead arm from them, so they went in the bin. Since then no patches, no anything and definitely no smoking

I've had no noticeable withdrawal symptoms, I have been doing a little extra on the turbo and enjoying my food a little more but other than that I'm loving it

Anyone else quitting or planning to, all the best, if I can stop anyone can.

 

[ASC1951]

I smoked from 15 to 30 and, like Dave R, gave up in the 70s. I'd have been dead by now if I hadn't.

Everyone's different and in my case I didn't use patches or books or hypnotism. I had a couple of years 'cutting down' i.e. pretending to myself, but once I had decided that I wanted to give up more than anything else, I found I was able to do so all at once and I've never had any since.

I do miss the little rituals (I was mainly a pipe smoker) and very occasionally I still get a memory of smoking pleasure float through my brain, but overall it's "Thank God I don't do that any more and why ever did I waste 15 years doing it?"

 

[shooter560]

1 month today since quitting and no cravings no missing it and loads of physical improvements, best Christmas present I could have given myself and my children

 

[Fab Foodie]

1 month today since quitting and no cravings no missing it and loads of physical improvements, best Christmas present I could have given myself and my children

Well done Shooter560!