Team-BHP - Help smoking Team-BHP members quit smoking

Classic example of why we should not use Google as our doctor! Anyway, glad your fears were unfounded.

I guess gum does not usually lead to long-term substitution. You are still addicted to nicotine.

If you want to change this, I have a suggestion for you: throw the gum away and switch to patches. Gum is closer to the smoking experience, giving a nicotine peak and the experience more like a cigarette. Patches do not cause a peak, but keep the nicotine level just enough not to get bad withdrawal symptoms. A course involves using progressively smaller patches until we don't need them at all.

It's up to you if you want to deal this final blow to nicotine. Even though you are being kinder to your lungs by not inhaling smoke, it is probably worth it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom (Post 4674364)

Thanks,
Will surely try it out and update after sometime.

Now isn't this the best news you heard all week? clap:clap:

From the Times Of India newsletter:

Quote:

For the past two decades, global tobacco use (e-cigarettes not included) has been slowly dwindling, from 1.397 billion users in 2000 to 1.337 billion in 2018. But the drop was strongly driven by declines in the number of women and girls using tobacco products, the World Health Organization (WHO) said — from 346 million in 2000 to 244 million last year.
Over the same period, the number of male tobacco users rose by around 40 million, from 1.05 billion to 1.093 billion. But men — 80% of smokers around the world are male — are finally kicking the habit. The number of male tobacco users worldwide is falling for the first time in at least 19 years as WHO projected a decline of more than 1 million fewer male users come 2020 (or 1.091 billion) compared with 2018, and 5 million less by 2025 (1.087 billion).

It also forecast that there will be 10 million fewer smokers, both sexes combined, next year compared with 2018. And by 2025, that number is expected to shrink to 1.299 billion tobacco users worldwide. This after 60% of countries witnessed a decline in tobacco use since 2010.

Quote:

Originally Posted by maverick.munish (Post 4751240)

Have been trying to kick the butt for the last few years.
I even managed to do away with them for a few weeks at a stretch and then boom -- the cigarettes make a come back.
Hopefully I can learn from the folks on this thread and try quitting once more.

You have answered yourself: trying is nowhere near good enough!

Decide to do it. Do not give yourself any other option. From a set date, you will be a non-smoker, and nothing will make you smoke again.

If you do it with that much commitment, you will succeed, otherwise you will fail.

Been there, done that.

Join us: Do it! :D

I did quit it multiple times, but it just came back. Worst! it increased in number every time it re-started. Instead of 2 sticks earlier, it started as four, six in the next iteration and so on.

Was a 2 packet person at the peak.
On one lazy afternoon, a random thought came to my mind, I realized that quitting is not my game. So I started reducing it by the easiest means possible, being lazy.
I started to keep the packets locked inside the locker. And began to postpone the urge by sometime. As I had to do a lot of stuff (locker was behind my cloths and I don't like a messy drawer) to get the stick out, postponing was not much of tough decision.
Also I could have just handed over the locker key to someone with instructions to not give it back incase I felt the urge. Or rather just not buy the packet. But I feared a rebound in both these cases.

But this method worked for me. Currently I stand anywhere between 0 - 3 sticks per day. At times days without the stick. But never stopped myself in-case I felt the urge.

I believe any bad habit is easier to reduce than completely stop it abruptly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom (Post 4751519)

Big Yes to that. Nothing else works. Either you are in or you are out. So, set a date, just stop and go through whatever happens to you. Eventually, you will be out of it and you will feel like you just came out of an ocean from 100 ft down, unshackling chains.
And yep, been there done that. Earlier, I was smoker for 17 years and since 1999, 20+ years now, non smoker. 😁

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamahunter (Post 4751574)

But this method worked for me. Currently I stand anywhere between 0 - 3 sticks per day. At times days without the stick. But never stopped myself in-case I felt the urge.

Then you haven't given up. Reducing may be of some benefit, but it is limited.

I gave up 27 years ago. One of my best friends had been talking about for ages: she still is. And smoking two or three a day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vikramvicky1984 (Post 4403357)

I too am a regular old time smoker with multiple unsuccessful attempts.
Had subscribed to this thread for motivation but nothing helped.

I had a major stomach surgery mid april and was on bed rest for a month. Finally over a month without smoking.

I am getting back to normal now and cravings keep coming( not physical but mental ones- i.e. that anxiety of cigarette is not there but I keep thinking about it all day). I even dream of cigarettes in my sleep.

Due to the surgery, I cannot eat delicious/spicy food (which may have helped keep away craving) or eat a lot.

Have resisted for long. Hope to succeed this time. This is my best chance

I hope to treat myself with a nice bike/gypsy once I get back to driving ( with part saving from not smoking)

Even this couldn't make me quit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO (Post 4524027)

Congratulations on taking the big first step.

I don't want to sound like a broken record on this thread, but please read Allen Carr's "easy way" book. ..It'll change your life.

It is worth sounding like a broken record
Read it on 2nd march in 6 hours. Lit up a couple on 3rd and also had some alcohol. Hated both
I am clean since then and the best part is I don't have control myself.
The book is indeed life changing- I read it & quit a time when I have quite a lot of stress in life
Hope to keep going and recommend wholeheartedly to everyone trying to quit

And guess what; on 4th, a cedia sports (prefacelift no Momos) came up on Olx with JH registration ( I have just seen 1 Cedia till date in JH, even the Ranchi showroom guys don't remember selling any). had done just 16k kms - rarely driven but requires TLC due to standing for long . I negotiated and bought it home (or rather my FNG) on 7th.
So I believe quitting has brought me luck too- will be able to restore the Cedia too and also add the Momo steering wheel

A post I made 8 years back
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ml#post2700530

and a recent one:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ml#post4375985

I used to smoke around 20 sticks daily, and it is 6 plus years since I had the last puff.

What worked for me was a complete unplanned stop after coming out from a meeting with the family doctor

Tips: I used to chew on Cardamom and Pepper for first few weeks. I munched on dry fruits and nuts when there was a craving for first few months. Try not be in the company of smokers during the initial period, especially if alcohol is involved. Driving breaks were a reason for lighting a stick, I had to stop taking those breaks for some time.