Help smoking Team-BHP members quit smoking

[carbookie]

Originally Posted by Equus

Dude, instead of trying "harder".....

Allen Carr is GOD!

Good advice. Instead of trying harder, enjoy. Also Allen Carr is GOD.

Smoke free for 2 years now.

[Thad E Ginathom]

I suppose that, having just celebrated my sixtieth birthday, I've also passed the twenty-year non-smoking milestone

[AbhishekB86]

Okay so I failed again. I did some time back, it takes a little effort to come clean again after making statements on a forum. Its been a while.

Why did I fail? I guess I never let go of the 'association' but I am letting go of Allen Carr and the likes now. I am going to list down my reasons, how and why I fail and customize the next attempt tonight.

I would not want to make any more statements, I guess. I've been fighting this battle since 2009, but I am not giving up.

Do I wish to continue smoking all my life? The answer is No. The question is, can I get away with it at 25? When I answer 'Yes' I find an excuse for another fix.

I look at people my age, they smoke. Those pretty girls do too. My fit as ever colleagues do. Look at that pepper hair CEO, he smokes too. What the heck, let me light one already.

But I hate myself the next day after smoking, I fear withdrawal not physical, but my mood swings and the irritation that builds. It affects my mood and I am ready to snap. Sounds like an addict trying to justify? Maybe.

I guess I am an addict, but I am not ashamed. I haven't given up trying and I won't.

Apologies to all those around me who I let down. Its difficult to say it to them.

I'm going to war again..wish me luck.

[DCEite]

I suggest all smokers who want to give up on smoking MUST visit a cancer hospital for a while.

Many of us think that cancer does not affect the young. Go to a cancer hospital, talk to an oncologist, see the OPD with patients. You will find Lung cancer patients (the cancer directly linked with smoking) of every age, from the very poor to the very rich, from the young to the old. This disease does not differentiate.


Anyways, Best of luck AbhishekB86 ! May the strength be with you.

[AbhishekB86]

Thank you DCEite I know disease and addiction do not differentiate. Its more or less addiction talking when I think like that. Thank you, this time around I hope things work out.

Originally Posted by DCEite

I suggest all smokers who want to give up on smoking MUST visit a cancer hospital for a while.


Anyways, Best of luck AbhishekB86 ! May the strength be with you.

[goandude]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I suppose that, having just celebrated my sixtieth birthday, I've also passed the twenty-year non-smoking milestone

Heartiest congratulations on both events.
I have been smoke free for last 2 months and plan to keep it that way. Have had bouts of on again, off again, for last 12 years. longest been off 4 years 2001 to 2005.
Hopefully this time it is for keeps.

[Urban_Nomad]

Originally Posted by Equus

Dude, instead of trying "harder", why dont you cherish being a non-smoker??? Its such a special feeling to be a non-smoker, isnt it?

27 days since I smoked last. Amazing 27 days!!

Allen Carr is GOD!

Not to curb your enthusiasm or anything, but for me at least, it is extremely important to have my guard up. I began smoking after not having touched the death stick for over 3 years. My last quit lasted around 45 days. I wish you the very best and hope your days of being a non smoker turn to years, but 30 odd days is a little early to pop open the champagne and declare victory.

My advice, respect the fact that this monster never stops lurking. You have got to keep it at bay by your vigilance.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I suppose that, having just celebrated my sixtieth birthday, I've also passed the twenty-year non-smoking milestone

The force is strong with you, o wise one. Heartiest congratulations Mr Senior Citizen.

Originally Posted by AbhishekB86

Okay so I failed again.

The good thing is that you recognize there's a problem. No one said it would be easy.

Time to get back on that horse soldier; a battle lies ahead.

Originally Posted by DCEite

I suggest all smokers who want to give up on smoking MUST visit a cancer hospital for a while.

Just the thought of it makes me shiver. An excellent suggestion.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by goandude

... longest been off 4 years 2001 to 2005.
Hopefully this time it is for keeps.

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

Not to curb your enthusiasm or anything, but for me at least, it is extremely important to have my guard up. I began smoking after not having touched the death stick for over 3 years. My last quit lasted around 45 days.
My advice, respect the fact that this monster never stops lurking. You have got to keep it at bay by your vigilance.

Yes: one spends the rest of one's life giving up smoking!

The force is strong with you, o wise one. Heartiest congratulations Mr Senior Citizen.

Thank you

[Equus]

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

Not to curb your enthusiasm or anything, but for me at least, it is extremely important to have my guard up. I began smoking after not having touched the death stick for over 3 years. My last quit lasted around 45 days. I wish you the very best and hope your days of being a non smoker turn to years, but 30 odd days is a little early to pop open the champagne and declare victory.

My advice, respect the fact that this monster never stops lurking. You have got to keep it at bay by your vigilance.

No doubt about it - its a lot more tricky than most things in life. We have to be watchful all the time.

I am only making a simple point here - why not cherish every moment/day of being a non-smoker? That sure is helping me.. But offcourse i feel the urge every day - so far, have resisted successfully.

[Equus]

Originally Posted by DCEite

I suggest all smokers who want to give up on smoking MUST visit a cancer hospital for a while.

Many of us think that cancer does not affect the young. Go to a cancer hospital, talk to an oncologist, see the OPD with patients. You will find Lung cancer patients (the cancer directly linked with smoking) of every age, from the very poor to the very rich, from the young to the old. This disease does not differentiate.


Anyways, Best of luck AbhishekB86 ! May the strength be with you.

PS: I might sound biased against smokers below. Its purely intentional.
PPS: I smoked for 16+ yrs.

Good suggestion but smokers wont care a hoot, i can guarantee that. They know all the health risks. If you tell any smoker about the health risks, the first thing he does is to light up (i am proof of that a thousand times). If even by mistake a smoker happens to read "smoking causes cancer", the first thing he does is light up. This wont work - else it would have worked the day cancer was detected. Talking about money "wasted" or "being wasted" is also useless. Everything is useless.. Dont tell people what they know - they dont like it and it never works anyways.

Smoking is not a habbit - its addiction. Thats what makes it tricky. Getting rid of a habbit is a piece of cake (maybe not, but its not the same as addiction for sure).. Getting rid of addiction takes some effort. A lifetime seems not enough, as is the case for millions. The only thing that works is - a genuine interest to quit smoking. And some help from folks who have done it (Allen Carr in my case).

Now that you have decided to quit, and are pretty firm, go pick up Allen Carr's book "ALLEN CARR'S EASY WAY TO STOP SMOKING". I can send you one if you want - well worth it

Best part - make sure to continue smoking till you finish reading the complete book!

A small addition from my side - smoke the last cigarette of your life at night just before you go to sleep. And sleep well - atleast for 8 hrs. A fresh day and already 8 hrs of not having smoked - great start!! The withdrawal pangs are not going to hurt much if you are already liking being a non-smoker. Be brave - you can do it.
If you are egoistic, then its even better You Vs Nicotine, like a game right? There has to be only one winner - you!

And then, slowly, you do start feeling better. Go hit the gym, and you will really feel the change in your life. 2 weeks later, you will feel bad about other smokers and want to help them

But as millions have said, be careful. You dont want to go thru this crap all over again, do you?

Game on!

Note from Support: Not more than 2 smilies allowed per post.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by DCEite

I suggest all smokers who want to give up on smoking MUST visit a cancer hospital for a while.

Originally Posted by Equus

Good suggestion but smokers wont care a hoot, i can guarantee that. They know all the health risks. If you tell any smoker about the health risks, the first thing he does is to light up (i am proof of that a thousand times)...

Absolutely. Add another thousand times for my been-there-done-that. All those TV programs about it used to just make me reach for a cigarette.

What's more, when I spent some time in a chest hospital I heard that it is quite common for post-op cancer patients to be caught sneaking out for a smoke. You can see the damage patches where the doctors and surgeons beat their heads against the walls!

[govigov]

It is soo habitual, i don't know how i would manage mid week Wednesday nights without smokes. I'm generally at home on weekends, so Wednesday is the night when friends come over after work for talking. Any ideas?

[selfdrive]

Try this
Try Salman Khan's trick to quit smoking - Movies News - Bollywood - ibnlive

[noopster]

^^ So you're suggestion is: fall ill?

Actually a little health scare is all you need to shock your system into quitting. Some mild chest pains, persistent wet coughs, a really bad attack of pneumonia- those could all work!

But let it not get to that stage. My Dad's colleague who smoked 40 cigarettes a day from the time he was 17, used to be fit as a fiddle and never even contemplated quitting...till he developed lung cancer at age 78. Needless to mention it was a slow and painful end. Nobody deserves that.

But someone rightly said here that it doesn't matter how educated you are about the ills of smoking, it will not work. Sometimes it only makes you reach for the next one.

There are a lot of factors that go into a quit. The primary one is that of choice. If you are quitting against your will, still believing you have several good years ahead of you, confident of beating the odds, there is a high probability you will return to the deathstick again.

It doesn't mean you should give up quitting. It may take time but one of your quits will be your last. And having done it, you will never regret it.

[vtecker]

Originally Posted by Equus

Now that you have decided to quit, and are pretty firm, go pick up Allen Carr's book "ALLEN CARR'S EASY WAY TO STOP SMOKING". I can send you one if you want - well worth it

Best part - make sure to continue smoking till you finish reading the complete book!
Note from Support: Not more than 2 smilies allowed per post.

Thanks for the suggestion. Downloaded the Kindle version.
After two days and 8 hours reading still at 45% of the book.
And I continue to smoke. Seems this may work, BUT waiting till I finish the book and at least 3 months of smoke free period before declaring anything more.

Reading the Book brought some headache at some point when I would miss the message and have to re-read the page and endure his repetition, which of course he did explain in the book why he does that.