OT: Quit Smoking Club.

[jenjen]

I've made it to day three cold turkey hurrah! I want to murder people but a bit of deep breathing and murderous fantasies generally clear that up My friend was very encouraging the other day "so hows the stopping smoking going", "horrible", "oh well keep it up mate", "anyway I've gotta run need to get a fag in before Eastenders starts" :)bless her, she's a bit tactless sometimes!!

[jenjen]

Geezer, I find twiddling with a pen or doodling after dinner helps but then I'm only on day 3!! The teeth brushing and chewing gum does help but it gives me indigestion so I've had to scrap those habit replacers which is a shame because the chewing gums really good for when your driving...

[A String]

Originally posted by jenjen:

I've made it to day three cold turkey hurrah! I want to murder people but a bit of deep breathing and murderous fantasies generally clear that up My friend was very encouraging the other day "so hows the stopping smoking going", "horrible", "oh well keep it up mate", "anyway I've gotta run need to get a fag in before Eastenders starts" :)bless her, she's a bit tactless sometimes!!

They say that the third day is the hardest. Once you make it past that, you are through the worst of it. It's still a long road, but the nicotine levels start to subside after three days.

 

As for your friend, sometimes other smokers wish they could quit but don't have the self-control to do it, so they try to drag others down with them. It's not a malicious thing, just a way of proving to themselves that they "can't quit because no one else can either".

 

Don't take it personally, try to ignore as best you can and most importantly, keep your eyes on the prize! Hang in there!

[A String]

And another *Bump*.

[A String]

It's been a few days now, how is everyone making out?

[Fumblyfingers]

Hi guys, new here. In previewing my post I realize I sound preachy, sorry about that but I am somewhat passionate about this, so I hope it helps someone.

 

Everyone is going to have a different experience, so I don't want to negate anyone's difficulty with quitting the fags. I have to say though, I really believe it is all in a persons head, no real physical addiction...all mental.

 

I smoked for around 30 years, two or more packs a day, non-filters for a long time, then Malboro Lights like crazy. I was around 13 when I started flirting with it. Stupid shit! Once I was into it and "hooked" as they would have you believe, I tried to quit so many times and each time was a disaster. I would find every reason to justify to myself why I could not quit. "I got too much of a temper, I need the smokes to mellow out, I will put on too much weight-bad for the rocker image, I'll never be able to quit, I gotta have a smoke after a meal or if I have a beer, they have put stuff in the cigs and it is more addictive than heroin so how can I quit that" etc etc etc. I remember at one quit attempt having on a quit smoking patch, chewing the Nicorette gum and smoking cigs...all at the same time, lot's of coffee and pot in there also. It is so obvious to me now that my head was just not into it, which almost made it impossible for me to stop. The failures really got me depressed. I started to feel like such a loser that I could not stop, so I almost stopped trying.But I kept my mind on quitting, I kept telling myself I really wanted to stop.

 

Then about 6 years ago I woke up ( hacking up a lung as usual ) one morning in between Christmas and new Years Day and I just said to myself with total clarity..that's it, no more smoking!! I am done with that crap!

 

Anyone who smokes will tell you that it is a bad idea to quit around Christmas or the New Year for various reasons. Wrong! I had no withdrawals, no cravings, no head games, I could eat meals, have a beer or three, drive long distance etc etc and I felt as if I had never smoked.I work in Film and TV production and I could go take a break with my smoker buddies and watch them light up and smell their cigs and not even bat an eyelid, absolutely no cravings! ZERO.I actually felt so good I quit pot at the same time, as I did not want anything in my lungs anymore, other than air. I remember smelling the chlorine in the water one day for the first time in years, as my smell was coming back and the taste buds took a minute but oh so much better. My productivity is waaaayy up in all respects, my playing is sharper, I am surfing again and much more healthy, quitting is just good all around.

 

I am NOT BOASTING here. The fact that I could do it as a really out of control heavy smoker, proves that anyone can do it! I really want every smoker to have faith that you can stop! Just keep your mind on quitting. If you fail just have faith that you can do it next time, but don't use that as a crutch. Anyway you choose to do it is a good way, but in all essence I suspect that all the eating carrots, chewing gum, smoking stronger brands, sucking candy's, cutting down, reducing by one cig a day etc etc are all mindgames that set one up for failure. But that is just my opinion, you must give it a go any way you want to.

 

The habit is really hammering your quality of life! And those around you. Just do it....give it up. The worst mine field against stopping is the " oh quitting smoking will only add a few years on to my life, what's the point?" So what, the point is that those few years added on , plus the years as a ex-smoker will carry such a huge improvement on your quality of life. No wheezing after a while, no foul ashtray breath, taste and smell back, sharper brain function, better respiration, pink lungs, you'll be more fit etc etc etc.

 

Seriously, good luck to all of you wanting to stop. You can do it.

[tld]

Originally posted by FumbleFingers:

Everyone is going to have a different experience, so I don't want to negate anyone's difficulty with quitting the fags. I have to say though, I really believe it is all in a persons head, no real physical addiction...all mental.

Oh man...sorry...not to start any sort of flame fest here, but you'd be better off preaching that the world is flat. I'm glad you were able to quit, as was I when I quit 20 years ago after chain smoking for 15 years.

 

Cigarettes are very very much physically addictive. Any doctor will tell you that, and it's widely accepted in the medical community. Many believe strongly that they're more addictive than cocaine. The will power to quit may be all in a persons head, but the withdrawals are very real.

 

To say otherwise implies that the folks here shouldn't be having as tough a time quitting as they are...like they're trying to stop biting their nails or something. That's doing them a significant disservice.

 

Sorry but you simply couldn't be more off base on this one.

 

Tom

[Fumblyfingers]

Howdy Tom. Yeah it seems a flame fest would be counter-productive as the entire content of my post was meant to be of a positive nature, certainly not to do anyone a disservice. Since you took it differently, so may others, so just this one time I will attempt to explain myself, then leave it at that.

 

For me, I had no withdrawals, zero, nada as with another poster on this Topic, pretty sure I saw that here. I have spoken to other ex-heavy smokers who had the same experience, of course some were the other way also, they had a tough quit. Also I made clear how hard it was for me, so many times to try quit, how depressed I got etc and as I said, "I do not want to negate anyone else's difficulty in quitting". I know it can be tough to impossible sometimes, but the jist of what I was posting was to give a sense of hope that it can be done, and if your head is set on it it might be less painful than you expect.

 

I am sorry you saw a somewhat negative side to my post, not meant at all.

 

All that stuff you hear about cocaine/heroin vs cigarette addiction...bothers me because they were the exact same stumbling blocks I threw in front of so many of my own quit attempts that failed. I don't think we should spend any time on the negative side of quitting, only look at the positive side and focus on that.

 

Lastly, one doctor I saw who did a lung pressure/breathing test on me ( like a breathalyzer ) told me that cigarettes were not physically addictive, but addictive in other ways. I never believed it until I quit cold turkey with no withdrawal symptoms.

 

I thought a lot about what I had said before I posted it, and to me I felt sure my "message" was hopeful and positive. Sorry if it came off any other way.

[Kramer Ferrington III.]

Originally posted by tld:

Cigarettes are very very much physically addictive. Any doctor will tell you that, and it's widely accepted in the medical community.

Well, that's news to me.

 

"Physically addictive", AFAIK, is what happens with alcohol, where alcoholics start to get their calories from the alcohol itself and begin to have trouble eating solid food. THAT's physical addiction, because your body shapes itself around the drug.

 

Can't see the same thing happening with nicotine. How is it physically addictive?

[A String]

Nicotine is considered physically addictive because it causes physical symptoms when you stop adding it to your system.

 

When an addictive substance is added to your system, your body finds ways of communicating it's desire to have more.

 

In the case of nicotine:

 

* Shaky hands.

* Headache.

* Nausea.

* Constipation or diarrhea.

* Falling heart rate and blood pressure.

* Fatigue, drowsiness and insomnia.

* Irritability.

* Difficulty concentrating.

* Anxiety.

* Depression.

* Increased hunger and caloric intake.

* Increased pleasantness of the taste of sweets.

* Tobacco cravings.

 

These symptoms added to the habitual addiction are what make quitting difficult. Some people are more susceptible to addiction than others and therefore have a harder time dealing with addiction.

[jenjen]

I'm kind of agreeing with Fumble Fingers and kind of not! You can convince yourself that you were never addicted to start of with and therefore you eliminate the habitual part of stopping this, and it is purely pshycological (sorry about the spelling)this is why hypnosis is so good, peoples minds don't like change and if you stop something you'd usually do your mind will come up with any excuse to get you back on track and smoking again because its familiar so you make a new habit and over time your mind eventually stops trying to convince you that smokings good. As far as physical addictions concerned it is a poison just like coke, heroine etc. it confuses your mind into releasing endorphines (happy hormones) when in fact it is damaging you so you do get withdrawel symptons when you stop, your mind wants to know where the happy triggers gone. There's also the problem of oxygen in your body you have more of it when you stop smoking, so your blood pressure has to readjust, this is a good thing, but it can cause physical symptons such as nausea and light headedness etc. they say it's the most addictive because it's the most socially acceptable, which is why it's so good that there banning it everywhere....phew! I'm done now!

[Kramer Ferrington III.]

Originally posted by A String:

In the case of nicotine:

 

* Shaky hands.

* Headache.

* Nausea.

* Constipation or diarrhea...

Yeah, but some of those "side effects" are actually positive things. "Increased pleasantness of the taste of sweets" and "falling heart rate and blood pressure" sound more like your body getting back to normal. I'd guess that "fatigue, drowsiness and insomnia" are probably a by product of not being artificially hyped up.

[Big Red 67]

I stayed on the patch for one day. Damn I hate myself for still smoking! I know I can quit, I just can't make up my mind and keep it made right now. Ahh, beer and cigars. DAMN!

[Warthog]

Keep it up, guys and gals. I dipped Skoal for 10 years, off and on (mostly on except for a few times that I "quit" for a few months), but finally quit for good a few years ago. It was, and still is, tough sometimes, but it's a lot easier now than it was those first few weeks. The thing that did it for me was having kids...I look at them and think of how dumb it would be to waste any time God gives me with them by shortening my life.

 

You all can do it if I can! I'll be your cheerleader...

[jenjen]

I caved on Saturday and yesterday after a week, had guests round smoked a little, also can't learn to relax when I'm not smoking so I did three hours worth of DIY after a really busy day at work and felt I needed to "reward" myself with a fag???? guess I should have thrown away the pack from Saturday that my friend left round. Complancency that's the problem, after the initial physical withdrawel you start to think it's easy, then the mind stuff comes in when you least expect it, one minute you feel really proud that your not smoking then you feel really lost!? and your back on them!

[Kramer Ferrington III.]

Originally posted by jenjen:

guess I should have thrown away the pack from Saturday that my friend left round.

Yeah, you have to keep the cigs out of the house.

 

I don't get too upset if I bludge cigarettes off visitors, but I refuse to have cigs in the house after they leave.

[tld]

Originally posted by Kramer Ferrington III.:

Yeah, you have to keep the cigs out of the house.

 

I don't get too upset if I bludge cigarettes off visitors, but I refuse to have cigs in the house after they leave.

Oddly enough, when I quit I did the exact opposite (not that I'd recommend it). I quit cold turkey and never lit up again, and left my cigarettes all over the place. I figured I'd always be around cigarettes somewhere and had to get used to that. After I was off of them for about 6 months I finally decided to clean house and give away the cigarettes I had around...it was pretty funny actually. I had them like everywhere...in guitar cases...three packs in my fishing tackle box...a carton in the trunk of my car...I was stocked up for the armegeddon .

 

By the way, here's something from the American Heart Association on nicotine addiction:

 

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4753

 

They are addictive, but you really can get past that if you want to enough, and it's soooo worth the effort.

 

Keep it up folks!!

 

Tom

[Big Red 67]

OT new song from the studio, Lullaby.

Lullaby!

 

I needed to share something positve right now.

[Fumblyfingers]

One of the problems with quitting is that smoking a cigarette is often an enjoyable experience, unless you have a cold or 'flu. But after a meal or a beer a smoke tastes and feels good. I remember how much I enjoyed lighting up after a surf, just out the water, warm sunshine, sitting on the beach, taking that first drag...so cool........?

 

I also remember how everything was about that next smoke, making sure I had enough on me if I was going out on a job where I might not be able to get to a store....all that stuff, totally controlled by it, etc etc. And when they made indoor smoking illegal in LA it is almost like you felt guilty to go have one, like trying to hide it when you were in High School, plus now your productivity is down 'cos you are leaving you workspace.

 

I also remember all the hacking and diminished lung capacity and being out of breath all the time.

 

I wish all of you success in quitting.

 

Jej Jen, don't put yourself in cigarette situations like parties and pubs and all, when you quit again, and your friends should support you and not have fags on them when they are around you. Don't have any cigs around your place at all, and for some time before you quit start thinking about all the head trips you are going to lay on yourself. Those are the triggers that make people go light up again.

 

Just focus on getting through week one. It gets so much easier as you get past that and with each successive day. And NEVER tell yourself " oh I quit for x-weeks, I can start up again cos I can quit anytime, I just proved it to myself " Powerful landmine! Once you have got past a month or so do everything to stay committed for a long time.

 

Good luck y'all.

[Kramer Ferrington III.]

Originally posted by tld:

Oddly enough, when I quit I did the exact opposite (not that I'd recommend it). I quit cold turkey and never lit up again, and left my cigarettes all over the place.

That's interesting, I'd never heard of that one.

[jenjen]

Yeah like aversion therapy watched this programme were they made the people giving up smoking, smoke cigarette after cigarette until they were nearly sick whilst repeating things like "smoking is killing my lungs" "smoking is bad" etc. etc. thing is smoking was my reward after finishing a task as well and now I'm up to my eyes in DIY I've got nothing to reward myself with can't eat a cake or I'll have a weight issue to deal with as well and there's only so many hot baths and manicures you can treat yourself to!!

[Kramer Ferrington III.]

Originally posted by jenjen:

Yeah like aversion therapy watched this programme were they made the people giving up smoking, smoke cigarette after cigarette until they were nearly sick whilst repeating things like "smoking is killing my lungs" "smoking is bad" etc. etc.

I don't know if that really works, actually.

 

One time I had to be taken to hospital in an ambulance due to lung problems and as soon as I walked out, I lit up a fag. I couldn't get any sicker than that and I still didn't give it up.

 

I don't think one really needs to say stuff like "smoking is killing my lungs" either, after a certain age you are quite well aware of it and it's a recurring thought.

[Warthog]

Originally posted by Kramer Ferrington III.:

Originally posted by jenjen:

Yeah like aversion therapy watched this programme were they made the people giving up smoking, smoke cigarette after cigarette until they were nearly sick whilst repeating things like "smoking is killing my lungs" "smoking is bad" etc. etc.

I don't know if that really works, actually.

 

One time I had to be taken to hospital in an ambulance due to lung problems and as soon as I walked out, I lit up a fag. I couldn't get any sicker than that and I still didn't give it up.

 

I don't think one really needs to say stuff like "smoking is killing my lungs" either, after a certain age you are quite well aware of it and it's a recurring thought.

I agree. I used to get sores in my mouth from dipping and I'd still keep on doing it anyway. It's like there's a switch in the brain that won't let you turn it off even if you know it could kill you. What worked for me was a dentist knew that I dipped and then after an exam he told me he wanted me to come back in a month to check out a spot on my gums. I quit that day. Turns out, the dentist was fibbing about the sore to get me to quit. AFter about 3 weeks the cravings were gone...

[tld]

Originally posted by FumbleFingers:

One of the problems with quitting is that smoking a cigarette is often an enjoyable experience, unless you have a cold or 'flu. But after a meal or a beer a smoke tastes and feels good. I remember how much I enjoyed lighting up after a surf, just out the water, warm sunshine, sitting on the beach, taking that first drag...so cool........?

Oh yea...that's so true. There definately are those ones that are really enjoyable.

 

That reminds me of an observation I made when I quit. I was a chronic smoker...I used to light up first thing in the morning before even getting a drink of water....seriously. There were so many cigarettes that I smoked out of sheer addiction, rather than pleasure, that in an odd sort of way it may have helped me quit. In addition, a chronic smoker tends to notice the immediate health improvements more than a moderate smoker.

 

In other words, if you're a really severe smoker, don't assume that the deck is necessarily stacked against you.

 

Good luck all!

 

Tom

[jenjen]

Kramer, I think aversion therapy has it's place, as does nicotine replacement therapy, hypnotherapy etc. etc. I think everyones aware of their own mortality whatever the age it's one of the biggest causes of stress for children and adults alike, it really depends on who you are and what your triggers and motivations are at that point in time, I managed to stop for 10 months after a bad bout of bronchitus made me never want to feel like that again, but then I had a chest infection a few months ago and carried on smoking through it, different things work at different times depending on whats going on around you and how you feel. Aversion therapy can work for some people just depends. I'm all for the cold turkey throw yourself in head first, but then I've failed so far so maybe I need another technique!

[Kramer Ferrington III.]

Originally posted by jenjen:

I'm all for the cold turkey throw yourself in head first, but then I've failed so far so maybe I need another technique!

I think cold turkey works best too. It's infinitely better than cutting down. When you cut down you waste a lot of grey cells trying to work out whether you can have a cigarette or not and it gets tiresome. It's easier to cold turkey.

 

Vince.

[jenjen]

I was watching the news this morning and a recent study said that those who make the spontanious decision to quit are more successful? There seems to be alot of conflicting evidence! but this might be because they are trying to ban smoking in pubs in England at the moment, but the polititions are split up over it, one half wants it banned all over, the other wants it banned everywhere as well, but not in their own "old boy membership, posh people cigar smoking bars" (they realise this is hypocritical so they oppose the ban!!) They should just ban it outright and make all the people trying to quits lives easier! But they'd loose too much tax they get about 50% back of the price of cigarrettes which average £4.50 per pack of 20!

[Kramer Ferrington III.]

Originally posted by jenjen:

I was watching the news this morning and a recent study said that those who make the spontanious decision to quit are more successful?

Well, yes. One usually does better at things if one's not forced into them by circumstances!

 

Originally posted by jenjen:

But they'd loose too much tax they get about 50% back of the price of cigarrettes which average £4.50 per pack of 20!

Are you familiar with that old TV show, "Yes, Prime Minister"? They discuss the smoking issue in one episode and suggest that governments will never totally ban cigarettes because on the one hand they love the tax revenue and on the other (and this is creepy) smokers tend to die young(ish) and so represent a huge saving in pensions that governments would otherwise have to dole out for decades on end.

 

Don't know if pols really see things that way, but I wouldn't put it past them.

[Bluesape]

Glad to see this thread going well, but some have been very remiss about checking in - c'mon, we wanna hear from ya! http://www.websmileys.com/sm/dressed/bek035.gif

[jenjen]

Don't know if pols really see things that way, but I wouldn't put it past them. [/QB]

 

I think if you can imagine it then it's probably true! it's funny you should mention the goverment conspiracy thing, I was talking to my partners dad who used to be a chief medical advisor for a huge international bank (wooo), his theory is that you shouldn't bother getting a pension or any provisions for retirement because western society are all becoming infertile and the next flu pandemic is about due so they'll be crying out for capable workers! Immigration will be a nessesity and not frowned upon and war will be a thing of the past because human life will become too valuable, I personally think this is a brilliant theory but knowing my luck it won't be in my life time!!!