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

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom (Post 2595271)

Well yes, but joining in that resolution may also mean joining in a mass failure!

Best to pick your own date. Or, how about doing it the other way around, and give up before Jan 1. Start the year as a non-smoker.

I don't think date or time has any relevance. If you want to quit, you quit, if you pick a time and date, you will never be able to hold on to that decision, you will revert back.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom (Post 2595321)

It's what works for the individual. I set myself a date; it worked well for me, but, as you say, the very best option is probably from this moment on!

I said that because i have seen umpteen number of people who say this on the 31st december and started again anytime between Jan to March and go on like this for the next few years too, again and again. Only thing i say to them is at least you did not smoke for a few days/weeks, that is better than not quitting. I quit for more than a year (my cardiologist at that time said that it takes 7-8 years of not smoking to get rid of the bad effects of smoking from my body) and started once more, like you said very correctly, it is in the mind only. Physical craving is nothing that the mind cannot control and I am sure there is physical craving, but the mental craving outweighs it to a million to one, which is why all these fancy dates or any particular date or time does not normally work out. I am glad it worked out for you and some others, this is the first time i have heard of that.

Since I quit smoking (Sept 2008), my skin actually feels much better.
Its not just my lungs that are better. My face feels better. Its not like I have become smooth like Justin Beiber, but the dryness is way lesser.

When I daughter places her cheeks on mine when I come home. I don't have to worry about how foul and disgusting I smell.
I know I am not carrying over any toxins from cigarettes. My fingers don't stink when she holds my fingers.

Help smoking Team-BHP members quit smoking-acid_picdump_27.jpg

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom (Post 2619018)

... she's smoking a roll-up (hand rolled) too, as I did for many years. Mmmm... I could almost be tempted! :eek:

You're not the only one, Thad! ;)

But yes. I had stopped smoking for about a month, before I got back to it, citing various excuses. I couldn't completely wean myself off it.

I'm totally off the nicorette gum now, for about a month. I can control my cravings but hardest is when the weekend arrives. I also have to work hard to control myself when we ride out on weekends. Tempted to smoke when like minded folks are gathered around discussing bikes and stuff. Gonna be tough on new years eve but will not succumb.

I guess i've put on a bit of weight so i'm avoiding rice and eating only roti's and boiled veggies. Need to get into workout mode soon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by n_aditya (Post 2624519)

I am gearing up for Rider Mania. Its sometime in January. Its an awesome crowd of people who love bikes. With around 90% of them smokers.

I have fond memories of smoking, sharing smokes and just smoking the whole damn day.

The other day, while preparing the stuff I need to take along. My thought suddenly froze on cigarettes. Took me a minute to remember I don't smoke since Sept 08. But that is how strong the hold is.
Then the devil started rationalizing. Since I am so strong on my will to not smoke. What if, I smoke only during rider mania's. I let the thoughts run for a minute. But I now know better. I am out on parole. A single puff and I am back to where I started. Never Again.

Come Jan 1st, and I shall not smoke again. I know that 'trying' is a word I shouldn't use, because it doesn't mean anything. You either quit, or you don't. So I've decided that I'm going to call it quits. The winter has been harsh on my lungs and I was just making it worse by smoking. And today, I coughed my lungs out after a lovely smoke. I felt weak, disgusted, pathetic, and oddly, satisfied. That's 3 against 1. No more B&H for me, thank you very much.

Started smoking in the first year of college and have been smoking anywhere from 6 to 15 a day. Most of the friends who started smoking at the same time have quit long long time ago, but I haven't just been able to quit. After smoking continuously for more than 20 years, I want to let go. This thought has been on my mind for a few weeks now, but the last straw was a joke that my son cracked this morning - "Appa, do you know how millions of smokers quit smoking every year? By dying". He does not know that I smoke!! (I don't smoke in front any of my family members and still pop a gum to "mask" the smell before I head home).

I subscribed to this thread a while ago and read archives few pages at a time to help motivate myself. Have cut down my regular smoking from 6-8 to 3-4 now and want to bring it down to zero by end of this month. The craving plays havoc at times (adrenaline starts pumping, get a tightness in the chest etc), but fighting it with cinnamon, gum, water etc. Wish me well.

@Notyetgrey- Congratulations. You have made the right choice. My only advice is: forget this "cuting down" stuff, it's just bs. Quit. That's the only way!

@suhaas- how's it going man? The first month is the hardest, isn't it? Hope you haven't slipped and reverted to the "dirty" habits of old lol:

I started off with just one a day when in college to 1 packet( 20 sticks) a day in a few years .I had tried quitting a couple of times ,only to start smoking more than the previous time .The excuse was that I hadnt smoked since the last 3-4 days ,so its okay :)

Eventually,I started having breathing problems .People would think I am feeling horny ,but it would actually me trying to gasp for breath when walking or climbing steps.I play volleyball,my game started deteriorating ,stamina ... loads of issues .

It was around this time that I read this article ,where it mentioned how smoking one cigg takes away 5 mins of your life and the damages that cigg smoke does to your health,nervous system ... Also the harm to others around you . That is when I decided ,I was being selfish and reckless.

It was diffcult for a few weeks ,but later on I never felt the urge to smoke again .

I think it is all in the mind .Its upto each individual .I think if i can stop immediately from 20 a day ,everyone can do this !

People who say they would gradually reduce their smoking and then quit ,will never do it .That is because they dont really want to stop it .

BTW ,its been close to 3 years now .