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-   -   Help smoking Team-BHP members quit smoking (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifting-gears/5567-help-smoking-team-bhp-members-quit-smoking-49.html)

Keep a pack of nicotine gum with you. They come usually in two doses 2mg and 4 mg. 2mg for normal smokers and 4mg for Heavy. When you feel the urge pop one into your mouth. It does work. Really!! Its been a year since I quit.

Been more than a month that I have nor smoked...mind my language...I have not smoked, just that I have not quit either!!

The mind works in funny ways. For me, to quit in something is a no no..even if it's good for me! So one fine day, a little over a month ago,I decided that I would not buy any more ciggies. And borrowing a fag from someone is another big no no.

Seems to have worked till now. From 15 fags a day, I am down to 2 a month. Those two were forcefully offered to me by my brother in law in our "socialising" sessions and I did not have the heart to say no...as it was, I had not given up smoking, I did not buy or borrow those!!

Hope I can stick to my guns!!

Thats real sound advice, thank you. Your post has given me the extra boost I needed mate. My resolve is getting stronger.

Will keep that in mind, thanks. It gives me great confidence in knowing that this comes from an "end user" and that this stuff really works.

A very interesting theory. But how about taking it to the next level now though. No "charity" smoking either.

:)

Working on it..somehow keeping the options open works better for me than shutting all doors. Forbidden fruits are always more tasty you see!

Whenever you feel like lighting up a cigarette, think about your family and
kids. It is easy to quit now, down the line as years go by, there will very little left to take a chance & the memories of why you started all over again will continue to haunt you.

I am doing a pretty good job, I quit on May 26th 2011 & never even thought of one till now.

All the best!!!

Urban_Nomad,

I see myself in you. We have been through the same cycle, difference being I am 10 years elder to you and I did it 10 years before you.

Hang in there, mate. It is not really difficult to kick the habit. More often than not it is the social circle / friends who will not let go of this awful habit.

You will not believe it but during my smoking days I was called a paan-ka-dabba because I used to carry 4-5 packs of smokes with me, couple of them in my car and I always had few packs lying at my home.

I smoked because I enjoyed smoking. It made me feel happy, contended. My meal was full only after I had few lungsfull of GF kings.

When I decided to quit smoking I took some time out of my social circle. I threw out all those packs of smokes, the lighters (with lot of regret - I had a great collection), matches et al. It was not very difficult. I wanted to live,be there for my mother, wife, kids and friends for a long long time. I wanted to grow old playing cards with my friends and beating them silly. And I quit smoking for good. Tapering it down never worked for me, Nicorettes, Nicotine patches, ayurveda nothing worked. Only thing that worked was - plain and simple quitting it just like that. Chuck it out.

PM me if you want to talk about it.

I wish you all the very best. You are doing a great thing by quitting your smoking habit. Please take help of your family. Be honest with them, as you were with all of us here on T-BHP.

Urban_Nomad, thanks very much for a wonderful post. You have truly done some soul searching before writing that up, I can tell.

What I find amazing is that almost all of us have stories that are SO similar: started out on a lark/as a bet, started with 1/2 a day, didn;t even realise when that became 10-20, got disgusted and quit at some point, started yet again for no earthly reason, were reminded about it on and off at major milestones in our lives (marriage, having a kid) and after every medical/dental check-up... you could well be talking about me here!

I don't know if you realised it but you already have the solution to your addiction. Remember back when you quit for 3 years? Think about how you felt back then. The reason you stayed quit was because it was the choice you made.

Too often we put all this pressure on ourselves: will I be able to handle it? A lifetime without a cigarette? How will I survive those parties? etc. etc. While in reality all that is really required is making a choice not to smoke and the conviction that I am happy because of this choice. Which is why "trying to quit", "cutting down" etc. are no-win approaches. Sure, they may be NECESSARY steps in the process of being smoke-free- trust me, I have gone through it- but at the end of the day, you are still a smoker till you CHOOSE not to be.

Don't know if that made any sense- please PM me if you need to ask me something or just rant at me lol:

I would say its probably worse than heroin. Its legal (unlike heroin), you do not have to look far and wide for one (unlike heroin), its cheap (unlike herion .... I think) and its basically so very very handy. Drive, take a stroll or whatever and just simply light up. You dont ever need an excuse.

Thanks a ton for sharing. I have read your posts on this thread and what you have penned down is a great source of inspiration for me.

Am not a parent yet but the wifey has already implored me to start thinking about the "what will happen then" scenario(s). Many thanks for your wishes.

Beautiful post. I can identify with it so much. And thanks for offering to take time out to listen to my rant. Will take you up on that soon.

Hey Noop - It is impossible to go through this thread and not find a post from you, Thad or bblost on every single page. Its awesome how you guys are taking time out to help out complete strangers like myself. I have never met you but feel obligated to not let you down. Will take you up on your offer to listen to me rant sometime, pakka se.
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Despicable me???????

I have not smoked since 15th of this month. That makes it 4 days. And already, I feel like I will turn to the dark ..... smoke filled side. I am not the most patient, smiley-faced person you would ever meet but since the last couple of days, my anxiety and anger are at an all new high. I cough all night and my throat feels scratchy.

There was a small moment of triumph that I would like to share with you all though. Last night, I visited a friend's place. I have vowed not to drink till I get my weight down to 79 kgs and the next milestone would be 76. Almost as soon as I entered he asked - "kya piyega"? Told him about my resolution and the reaction I got was :Shockked:. "Anyhow", he said - "lets go to the balcony for a smoke". I accompanied him and he offered me a cig. I just raised my hand and gestured a "no". "Ab kya hua", he said. Told him I am trying to quit. He smoked a couple and we walked back into the house.

Butttttttt I have to confess. I almost reached for that cigarette. All the while that he was smoking, I kept shifting from side to side. I could barely look at him. Uuuffffffffffffffffff this thing is soooooooooooooo hard to let go. I wanted to stuff my mouth with a pack of cigarettes and chew them. I almost coaxed myself into smoking. "You will be joining a new organization in a week's time. Do you want to be so ........ anxious? Dont you want to do well? Just have one, clam your nerves. Try quitting in another 6 months or so. You would be settled in your new job by then", I said to myself.

But not to be overly dramatic, I swear just as the craving peaked, this very thread popped into my mind. The comments from many a people here almost flashed through my head. I thought, "Those guys are with you. They dont know you and they are with you. DO NOT let them down. You have to admit your failure as you promised to everyone on "that" thread. Want to start thinking about what you will write then"?

I am happy that I passed this little test but I am also afraid that I might give later. A moment of weakness is all it will take and all would be lost. On a positive note, I am working out regularly (walk / cycle / push ups @ home only) and this is definitely helping me take my mind off smoking.

Oh and (this is off topic though), my wife was in Pune visiting her parents and she saw me yesterday after 18 days. She was wide eyed and kept saying "You have lost sooooooo much weight. Aap bohot patle ho gaye ho". I told her its just 2, maybe 3 kgs less. But the wifey likey. Gotta say fellas, benefits of weight loss go way beyond just supressing the need for nicotine (wink wink).

:D

The quest continues. Thank you all so much for your constant support and apologies for the long post.

Keep going @Urban_Nomad, try not to give up to those weak moments. I almost picked up a smoke after 7 months when I met an old buddy and down a couple of drinks. I believe you come out stronger if you overcome these moments. It's all in the mind, don't think a lot about all this quitting thing, like its no big deal ;). Just don't smoke, even a single puff. Have a smoke free healthy life ahead.

Cheers, Urban_Nomad :)

Two things:

First thing... the first days, in terms of suffering and craving are by far the worst. It may get worse first, but it will get better. However, if you give in, you reset the clock, and, for those few minute or hours of relief, you have to go through the terrible days all over again.

It is not not smoking that is makes you feel lousy when you stop: it is because of all the smoking that you did before!

Second thing... Even when you think you have it beaten, it can creep up on you. Talking to people who gave up and started again, six months, nine months, a year, a couple of years, seem to be danger points, but even after decades it can still catch you out.

Nicotine will play with you. Nicotine will set up little dramas. Nicotine will try hard to stay in your life. Just say, "I don't smoke." :)

Best wishes to you and everyone who is going through the struggle.

(nineteen years here, counting, and still being careful...)

Completed 3 years on 2-Sept and still being careful. :)

Just want to share my strategy to survive those parties. First of all, remember you will always be a little apart from the smoking and drinking gang, precisely because you've stopped both these habits. But that does not mean you can't participate in the "let's go out and chat" groups. Position yourself upwind so that you don't get second-hand smoke. Fill a glass with soda-water (it looks like the "real" thing and stops unnecessary queries!), and you'll find you can still have an active discussion/conversation without the crutch of the ciggie/drink.

That is the greatest compliment this group could have!
I know that right now things will seem bad. Now, when I look back to that moment 20 years back, I have totally forgotten the urges and cravings and withdrawal symptoms. They are not even a distant memory, which proves the point that the body exaggerates the absence of nicotine for a little while until it gets used to this absence. So, hang in there, this too shall pass.

^^ Suport groups are great and we're always glad to pitch in and help a BHPian (or anyone in fact) in need, but there is a caveat- don't pressure yourself thinking you owe it to your parents, your wife, your children, society etc. etc.- that may result in a negation of all the effort you have put in so far. Physical addiction is a reality but the triggers for a relapse are often psychological. Even 15 months after I have smoked my last ciggie, when the weather turns wet and cool I get this unbidden desire from deep within me. It's a never-ending battle with the demon within and putting pressure on yourself is not going to help.

I did a go deed yesterday- spent some time with a 26-year old in my office who was struggling with himself about his tobacco and alcohol habits. Needless to say, Urban_Nomad's kind words encouraged me to reach out.

Wow UN. This is one couragous thing you have done! Keep your head high like this only, mate. :thumbs up

I would like to admit one thing on this thread. I used to be a chain smoker till June 2009. Sometimes 50-60 ciggis a day! I know how hard it was, to give up smoking. But I did it. I craved and I struggled, but I did it. All it needed a will that was strong enough to overpower those cravings. 26th June, 2009 and I had my last Marlboro!

And I am a happy man after that day... :)