Giving Up Smoking, Help!!!

11 Jan 2005

Actually hypnotherapy really does work
will power has aruond a 5% sucess rate, patches - 10% to 20%, hypnotherapy is around 60%..
Sadly, it's an unregulated profession - so you get allsorts "doing" it...
Try to find a good one who actually is trained and cares! Many will offer a promise to provide free follow ups if you need it... 2hours should be fine! You weren't born a smoker, you learned how to, it's not your natural state.. ;) :shock:
(look into the eyes, not around the eyes, look into the eyes *snap* you're under...) rolleyes

I won't wish you luck - you won't need it!
G. x

11 Jan 2005

Well Done and good luck, Alex, Lil_Bunny, and anyone else fighting the the little Irish twat I've come to know as Nick O' Teen.

Quote by wildwilly
. . . . . . . . .and swearing alot, also helps. Remeber swearing and growling at anybody and everything is theraputic, and should be exercised at all times. It doesnt matter if it is the kids, the couch or the dog, go on give it a kick

Funny that WW. I found myself swearing and cursing at other road users today. Most out of character !?!?!?!?
Maybe we need a "Stopped smoking support thread" like the "weight loss" thread.
db - 4 days - and really struggling

11 Jan 2005

First of all good luck. Rogerthedragon touched on something about avoiding situations when you would normally smoke. I'm a smoker but I'm one of those weak people who does not try hard enough so I'm being a bit hypocritical here. There are only a few ciggys a day that most people would call habit for example when I have put the kids breakfasts out I go to the back door and have a smoke..habit ciggy. Its not that I really want that ciggy it's just I'm used to it. If I could avoid that situation by say washing the dishes or making my own breakfast then I'm sure I could skip that ciggy. Hope this helps and all the best of luck to you. smile

11 Jan 2005

This might help.
My last cigarette was 21st November 1980 - I don't know if every ex-smoker knows the date of their last.
But I never gave up. I just found the will-power to give up for a little while. So on 22nd November 1980, I put off having one until lunch-time. Then I put off until tea-time. Then I put off until bed-time. Then I put off until the morning. And so it went on.
The physical craving, mainly nervousness and a bit of trembling were over in about three days. The need to have something to do with my hands and the loss of a cigarette after meals, and other things, took a long time to get over - maybe six months or more. I carried a packet of cigarettes with me for at least six months and the cravings were worst when I didn't have any with me.
Hope this helps
Mollie

11 Jan 2005

I managed to give up 25 years ago, following a few years of trying. I was quite ill before giving up and that really helped make my mind up.
I know someone who bought 200 fags and tried to smoke them all one after another. She managed to give up after the first couple of packets.

11 Jan 2005

Hi Alex
Hope that all is well with the smoking. I am in the same boat as yourself I have just done 7 nearly 8 weeks with the use of patches. The best bit of advice I can give you is not to give up giving up. I found after numerous attempts (one which lasted 2 years) a lot depends upon the frame of mind that you are in when you finish smoking. The patches helped me this time so that I haven`t had any craving and only the odd bit of angst. Keep it going and if you do slip up don`t view it as a failure just look at as a day off.
TED

11 Jan 2005

Alex, bloody good luck. Think about the money you will save, how much fitter you will be, you will smell nicer. Lots of benefits. Good luck. :cheers: wave

11 Jan 2005

Thank you all for your advice and humour.
After putting my first patch on last night I couldn't sleep until 5am mad

My little cherubs are driving me nuts (no different than most days!) and stress is a big factor in my smoking habits. I have really craved a cigarette today, more so after I have eaten.
On a positive note, I have not coughed as much as I usually would of.
Anyway, god loves a tryer!!!! biggrin

and try I will. :happy:

11 Jan 2005

Quote by Alex_Female
Anyway, god loves a tryer!!!! and try I will. :happy:

Not just god........ :D
And what do you mean OTT? I have invested in a cricket box, cricket pads, a riot shield and helmet for the next time I see u :shock:
Dave_Notts xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

11 Jan 2005

Tell everyone you know not to keep bloody asking you how youre getting on :-)

11 Jan 2005

I posted this in another thread a few weeks back. Thought it might help you. Good luck!

Quote by Cueball
Having given up myself 6 years ago after over 20 years I know how hard it can be. I was out on the p1ss last night and could easily have started again even now. For what it's worth, here's some things I kept reminding myself when quitting and some things I still do to keep off the fags:
1) They say that after about a week all the nicotine is out of your system. All that's left is the physical habit - open the packet, take one out, light it, smoke it. You can control that easily.
2) Just having one cigarette (or even a drag) immediately puts the drug back into your bloodstream and starts the craving again. Back to square one.
3) So you might put some weight on. You can always diet. Carry on smoking and you can always die!
4) Smokers stink! I didn't realise that until I gave up smoking. Now I know why my friends hated sending their kids to our house - they go home reeking of ciggy smoke.
5) I'm rich now! I've saved an absolute fortune - and it gets more every time the prices go up!
6) What colour would your paintwork be if you didn't smoke?
7) One of the worst times is after meals. Instead of sparking up - chew gum. It not only helps kill the craving, it cleans your teeth and makes you far more kissable :smile:
8) After sex, don't have a ciggy - have sex again!
9) After 2 years of not smoking you can officially class yourself as a non-smoker and get much cheaper life assurance.
10) Last, but probably the most effective one for me.... always remember how sick your first cigarette made you feel. Even after a week it will have the same effect.
And, if you should fail (I know you won't) never give up giving up!

PS.... There was more good advice in there too:
http://www.swingingheaven.co.uk/swingers-forum/viewtopic/30035.html

11 Jan 2005

Alex i think you on a good start to want to give up smocking .thats beats half the battle
I was told to give up smocking............and have riped me hair out as i love smocking to much...... and went on a right bender and now taken them back up..... but only 5 a day keeping me fingers crossed that it don't go higher.
So please please keep at it :thumbup:
Debsxxxxxxxx kiss

11 Jan 2005

I read something yesterday about "Giving up giving up."
The theory goes something like this:
You decide to give up smoking and you've set a date. When that date comes around you defer it to next week, or your auntie's birthday, or friday the 13th and you just keep putting it off. "I'll just finish this pack..." ad infinitum.
Eventually you realise you're crap at giving up. You just can't do it. So you decide that since you're so useless at giving up, you're going to stop trying. Instead of giving up smoking, you decide to give up giving up. The object of the exercise is to fail, which you already know you're really good at.
So you decide, OK I'm a non-smoker, I've given up, but next tuesday I'm going to give up giving up and become a smoker again. When next tuesday comes around you wimp out and decide you'll wait until the weekend and then you really will give up giving up. The weekend arrives and you haven't the willpower to go out and buy that pack of cigarettes, so you defer it a month. And then another month. Because you're such a wuss, you keep putting it off, and end up spending the rest of your life utterly failing to give up giving up, and keep breaking your promise to yourself to smoke.
Well, that's the theory. Has anyone here failed to give up giving up?
Ice

12 Jan 2005

Quote by Ice Pie
Well, that's the theory. Has anyone here failed to give up giving up?
Ice

I am slightly confused

but I get the gist of what you are saying.
Day 2 of not smoking and although I didn't get to sleep until 2am, it was better than the previous day of 5am.
I am still having the physical cravings for a cigarette, but managing to keep myself occupied.
Somebody please tell me this gets easier evil

?

12 Jan 2005

Quote by Alex_Female
Somebody please tell me this gets easier ?

It does, but chances are you'll still get craving from time to time long after you've given up (or at least most of the ex smokers I know say this).

12 Jan 2005

Congratulations Alex, you've taken the first few steps.
The first few days will be the hardest but give it time and it will definately get easier for you.
You'll soon be able to walk upstairs in one go, laugh without finishing it with a coughing fit and buy tons of stuff that you could only look at before.
Stick with it now Alex, your smoking days will soon be a thing of the past.
Well done.

12 Jan 2005

It gets easier.
In my case the physical withdrawal symptoms, hand tremors, stomach cramps and probably other things I can't remember, were over in about three days. The mental cravings took longer but they were easier to resist.
It gets easier but there is a danger point. It didn't happen to me but I have known ex-smokers who thought they were over the addiction so they could have just one cigarette. Maybe at a special occasion like Christmas. And then found that they couldn't have just one and were back on the habit again.
Day Two? You're nearly there. Keep at it.
Mollie

13 Jan 2005

Quote by maidinheaven
It gets easier.
In my case the physical withdrawal symptoms, hand tremors, stomach cramps and probably other things I can't remember, were over in about three days. The mental cravings took longer but they were easier to resist.
Mollie

Fortunately I have not experienced any physical withdrawal symptoms apart from insomnia which is driving me nuts mad

I am soooo tired but can't sleep :cry:

13 Jan 2005

Great job Alex , first few days are the hardest , try sticking patches on each eye so you cant find your fags biggrin

13 Jan 2005

have a chest infection for 3 months, that sometimes that will focus the mind, 5 days now and no patches, just hope that when i feel better the urge doent come back