Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   Shifting gears (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifting-gears/)

-   -   Help smoking Team-BHP members quit smoking (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifting-gears/5567-help-smoking-team-bhp-members-quit-smoking-13.html)

I am on one Captain Black's mini-cigar a day. The habit started when the family was away for a long period, but I've kept it to on mini cigar a day quite comfortably.

Couldn't control today. Lit a cigarette and finished half of it before feeling guilty. :(

So how many days did it last ?

Another reason to quit smoking :)

Smoking Increases Likelihood Of Impotency

Smoking raises impotency risk: Study- Hindustan Times

07Apr'08
to 18Apr'08:
But I shall continue not to smoke. Today was just out of loss of control.

I think thats fine Kiran, habits like these can not be put off just like that. I am sure with your determination over a period of time you will be able to quit it completely :)

Yes, that's the spirit, MF. Do not let a minor relapse make you go back to smoking.

Keep it up,kiran.
You can do it!

Whenever I feel like smoking, I just think of oral cancer, lung cancer & impotency. It's more than enough to make me stop smoking

Tell you what, i have seen people suffering from the deadly lung cancer through my own eyes in a city hospital. Some of them in the younger age group (20s).
Enough to make me not even think ever of smoking.

Good that you are not smoking and unlikely that you will now commence smoking. Nearly 85% of people initiate smoking in their teens.

Perhaps the definitive study on the `addictive nature of nicotine' was by Dr. Henningfield of the US National Institute on Drug Abuse, and Dr. Benowitz of the University of California at San Francisco. They ranked six substances (nicotine, heroin, cocaine, alcohol, coffee, and marijuana) on five areas: (a) withdrawal: presence and severity of characteristic withdrawal symptoms; (b) reinforcement: a measure of the substance's ability, in human and animal tests, to get users to take it again and again, and in preference to other substances; (c) tolerance: how much of the substance is needed to satisfy increasing cravings for it, and the level of stable need that is eventually reached; (d) dependence: how difficult it is for the user to quit, the relapse rate, the percentage of people who eventually become dependent, the rating users give their own need for the substance and the degree to which the substance will be used in the face of evidence that it causes harm, and (e) intoxication: though not usually counted as a measure of addiction in itself, the level of intoxication is associated with addiction and increases the personal and social damage a substance may do. Their findings indicate that nicotine ranked the highest in dependence, and the second-highest on tolerance.

These findings are corroborated in practice. Although an overwhelming majority of smokers (close to 90%) regret having begun to smoke, overcoming the grip of addiction and the associated withdrawal symptoms is difficult; and most smokers try quitting several times before they are successful. Individual attempts to quit smoking have low success rates, around 2-5% after 1 year.


Stopping smoking or tobacco use is acutely associated with withdrawal symptoms of irritability, restlessness, anxiety, sleep disturbances, lack of arousal, problems getting along with friends and family, difficulties concentrating, increased hunger and eating, and craving for tobacco. Another symptom is the lack of pleasure or enjoyment, known as anhedonia. These symptoms are believed to be due to the relative deficiency in dopamine release, related to nicotine mediated changes in receptor function and structure. Withdrawal symptoms begin within 4–24 hours after smoking cessation, and symptoms during the first 24 hours of abstinence have been associated with early smoking relapse in the dominant proportion of `quitters’. Although most withdrawal symptoms resolve within 10 days following the beginning of the quit attempt; they may last a month or more; smokers find the symptoms distressing, and withdrawal severity can cause a relapse back to tobacco use. While the withdrawal syndrome is related to the pharmacological effects of nicotine, many behavioural factors also can affect the severity of withdrawal symptoms. For some people, the feel, smell, and sight of a cigarette and the ritual of obtaining, handling, lighting, and smoking the cigarette are all associated with the pleasurable effects of smoking and can make withdrawal or craving worse. While nicotine gum and patches may alleviate the pharmacological aspects of withdrawal, cravings often persist.

Although any smoking behavior after quitting is a very strong predictor of an eventual relapse, it may not necessarily be a final outcome. Quit attempts in the previous year and a longer duration of past quit attempts are important predictors of new quit attempts, suggesting that some smokers will continue to attempt to abstain from smoking, despite past lapses or relapses. Smokers with failed quit attempts may also reduce the intensity of smoking and the level of addiction for several months after a relapse. The ability to reduce smoking levels may prime relapsed smokers to be more successful in latter quit attempts.

I know what a bummer of a topic !!

What ever on earth prompted me to write about this topic !!!
Especialy in a forum for happy people and happy funs things happeneing !!

The average age profile of a t-bhpian I am guessing is between 18-35.
Pretty much the zone where one feels invicible and secure at least about one's health, which is more than often taken for granted.

Well this year I a healthy adult male all of 31 years of age almost bid goodbye to my 17 month old son and family.

What was a old case of moderate Asthma was complicated by 10 years of smoking. Recreationally I would tell myself.

I never smoked everyday only when I had a drink which was about 2wice a week. About 12 cigrettes a week.

I guess I am one of the lucky few who quit just before it was too late.
I dont know how many of us are even aware of lung diseases such as COPD & Emphysema,..apart from Lung cancer which we all know and have been educated about !!

These diseases strike primaryly those who smoke. The lungs are pretty resilent organs and can take quite a lot of abuse. However if you typically get diagnosed with any of the above diseases your condition is progressive and usually terminal (it will kill you) !!

The worst part is the way it does. Typically your lungs are like a carburetor, where gases are exchanged between your blood and the air you breath. What the lesser known diseases do is it damages (permanently) the alveoli (the air sacs at the end of your lung pipes (Bronchioles). Once damaged these cannot be repaired, and the condition only gets worse with age. The end is usually very painfull needing 24/7 oxygen support and help to do the most simple tasks like changing clothes, as it just robs you of your breath,

Most smokers think that they would quit before they get too old,..or before it starts to hurt them (thats what I thought). But when the bells ring it can be at any stage (yes even as young as 30) !!

To end,..I am recovering and do not seem to have any permanent damage yet !! That means I am very very lucky !!

I just thought it important to let others know that there is more than just cancer there at the end of the tunnel.

For your own sakes and for your family please quit,..while you still have the time please:

I was thinking of posting it since many days but never gathered enought courage. 3-4 times I typed something but didn't post. But your post have give me the courage to tell the world my story as well.

I turned 30 in March this year, and had been drinking for last 14 years. And for 10 years of so I have been a heavy drinker - less than 6-8 large pegs were never enough and I used to drink at lease 4-5 times a week.

And then there were drinking binges when there was no limit on alcohol consumed. There were times when after polishing off one bottle of whisky I had wanted more and travelled to Faridabad and Guragaon from Noida in night to get more.

All of this took it's toll; for last 4 years I have been hyper-tensive. There were issues at home as well, my wife who is otherwise very supportive and understanding naturally disliked my drinking and I have lost the number of times we fought over it.

On 17th March I was alone at home, wifey has gone to my folks' place for Holi. I had a few drinks in a Noida bar with a friend and came to my home. That night something struck inside my head, I asked myself what I am doing, what effect it is having on my health, my life, my family etc. i could not sleep at all that night and decided to say quits.

And today I can proudly say that I have kicked the habit. It had been exactly 72 days since that fateful night and I havn't had a single drop of alcohol.

Ofcourse I have faced some problems. More than craving for alcohol it was peer pressure to drink. Almost all my friends drink and I feel left out when we meet and have our parties. But I have been coping up and will not relapse.

Cheers

Nitin

Nitin,..I am glad,..stay sober !!
The hardest part will be when you go out !! You initially stick out like a sore thumb,..but a couple of chilled glasses later (no one has to know its just water) !
You join in the fun !! My wife still enjoys a gin and I nurse my chilled water !!

It works fine for me. Anyway the reason I wrote in is I feel I have a second lease on life, & this time around I do not intend sqandering it away.