[ritayan]

Originally Posted by PatchyBoy

Thanks. I am sure, as long as I am aware that I am addicted to nicotine, I wouldn't dare try again, lest I have a relapse. It would be like someone telling a recovering alcoholic to have just one drink. It doesn't work.

BTW, I can never be a non-smoker. Only an ex-smoker

Congrats, the trick is your ego who is stronger your willpower or your habit. Best of luck

[patron]

Finally, after 20 years of smoking and graduating to 20 a day in the last 6-8 months, quit cold turkey. Used the long weekend to grit up and sit at home and overcome all the withdrawal pangs. Went for walks, cooked, did some DIYs at home and ATE to get over the boredom of not smoking. This is my first attempt at quitting in all of the 20 years and I always told myself, if I can avoid a smoke for 24 hrs, then I will never touch the stick again and I hope that is true.

Of course I did some preparation over the last week by listening to our dear friend Alan Carr's audio book while driving, while smoking, while eating... till I finished the book and I had the help of another friend without which I am not sure I would have been able to pull off this feat. Will reveal if I can pull through the next 4 weeks without any temptations.

It is no almost 96 hours and feeling happy, proud and comfortable. Been sleeping like a baby over the last 2 nights. I used to sometimes wake up 2-3 in a night and have a smoke.

Today is the first day at work after quitting: Today's goal, get over the urges that office pressures present.

[Thad E Ginathom]

I've done my irrevocable decision spiel on this thread several times. The bit that goes, even if my house burns down, my family all die, I loose my job, end up on the street, whatever, I will not smoke again.

Well, it has been 23 years now, so reaching for a cigarette was hardly the first instance, but if the stress and strain of a flooded house, a wrecked car and the loss of so many precious things had come just a year or five after the previous cigarette, I am sure the resolve would have been severely tested. That is why we have to make that decision irrevocable. Absolute. Whatever happens. At home, at work, to us, to our loved ones,

Today's goal, get over the urges that office pressures present.

The relief from stress that nicotine brings is very short lived. It's longer-term effect is actually to make us more, not less, stressed. After some time you may notice that: until then, do not listen to that inner voice of addiction that suggests that you just might be able to handle something better with a cigarette. It is lying,

Twenty-three years ago, I was proud of giving up smoking. Today, I'm proud of having gone through a hellish experience --- and I still neither smoke nor drink.

[prasadee]

Originally Posted by patron

Today is the first day at work after quitting: Today's goal, get over the urges that office pressures present.

Stay away from friends at work who would offer you the cig. Resist the temptation to go say hello to them while they stand in the corner smoking.

[TorqMaster]

Originally Posted by patron

Today's goal, get over the urges that office pressures present.

From my experience
- keep yourself occupied
- when you feel the urge, tell yourself "just a little while longer" or "just a little later" and have a plan B in mind to execute when this stage comes; such as, take the car and drive somewhere, go watch some nature etc. During this time avoid being around in the same places where you used to smoke.
- A change in surroundings, activities, smells, people's faces ..all of these help to distract the mind.
- Do not try something else of a similar fashion, like rolled paper or e-cigars. Absolute NO NO.
- If you are the kind who speaks to oneself to motivate then say stuff like " I will do this today" or "I will do that". Keep out words which make you think, for example, avoid "I will not smoke today". The words "Not Smoke" will remind the mind how nice it is to smoke and then will translate that to "Not Smoke". It is not easy to follow that.
- If you fail, pick yourself up and try again. But don't make it a habit to fail. That is dangerous.

Our God given brain is stronger than we think. Prayer helps. .

MODS: Please take action on my post if you find it offensive.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by TorqMaster

Our God given brain is stronger than we think. Prayer helps. .

Us atheists are on our own, but hey... We can do it!

(No offence taken or intended. It takes all sorts )

I'm not sure about the just a bit longer strategy. I prefer, and recommend the more dogmatic smoking is not an option approach. Like, just say no! Just a bit longer, for me, always turned into smoking again within half an hour and another failure!

Dealing with the addiction, with the temptation, is like dealing with a pushy sales person: you give them the option of talking later, they'll be there. You give them the option of talking at all, they'll talk. Just say goodbye and put the phone down. Just walk away.

The temptation is not irresistible, and the bad symptoms are not unbearable. In fact, they go away faster that we expect!

[bblost]

When you really really want to smoke. Don't fight it. Instead ask yourself why you quit smoking. Recognize the demon in your head which wants to make you light one up.

Remember that that craving is very powerful. So instead of smoking or postponing it like its something inevitable, remind why you quit.
Just tell yourself. Damn. I would love a smoke. Pity I don't smoke anymore. Then laugh at yourself. This helped me.

[Thad E Ginathom]

That makes a lot of sense.

My other answer, when all the nerve-endings seem raw for lack of nicotine, and you feel really uncomfortable requires a mental twist. People think they feel like this because they stopped smoking, but it is not true: you feel like this because you did smoke. So don't prolong the agony by smoking again!

[Ketan]

Mine should be the same story as many here. I stopped and did not take a puff for 2 years (2012-2014) and then started smoking again but this time mostly like a occasional smoker, 5-10 a week and sometimes without smoking for more than a couple weeks. I've started cold turkey since yesterday and would like to do something Thad said earlier "The bit that goes, even if my house burns down, my family all die, I loose my job, end up on the street, whatever, I will not smoke again"
I'll keep coming back here to get motivated. Have another smoke free day!

[Thad E Ginathom]

It is really amazing how long the nicotine addiction can remain dormant. Thus: Giving up smoking is easy: I've done it lots of times!

The key to my success was the words irrevocable decision. I actually let myself smoke a cigarette a couple of times in the first two weeks, but I had a date, actually my fortieth birthday, by which time I was going to be a non-smoker. Whatever happened.

And, six months, nine months, two years, three years, even five years, we often hear these as periods after which people returned to smoking. I don't know if they are actual danger points, but they seem to be. cf: irrevocable decision. I hope that, if they open up my chest, they will find non-smoker engraved on my ribs. No offence intended by the religious allusion: it is an indication of how serious you have to be about this, today, tomorrow, and for years ahead.

All the best! In a couple of decades, you'll have forgotten all about it, except maybe for a smoking dream every year or two! Just remember that, no, you can't, even then, at some party or other, just give it a try again. Nor can you use snuff, paan, these new electronic devices, or any form of nicotine or tobacco product. Ever.

(By the way: mine is an oft-told story on this thread, but just for completeness... If you can manage cold turkey, do it, but there is no shame in getting help. I used the patches. They really helped, and I actually stopped them a week or two before the end of the course.)


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[Singapore_Drive]

I have quit smoking for the past 19 years. The best way to quit smoking is to start exercising. The effect of exercise will keep your mind fresh and will also prompt you to push for more fitness.

If you decide to quit smoking, just throw away the cigarette and never look at it again. If you have the urge to smoke, start exercising. That definitely helps.

[pganapathy]

My simplest suggestion is quit cold turkey and then avoid the temptations. If you used to go smoke with friends, don't go for a break with them. Also, you need the mental strength to want to quit

[htanna]

Have stopped since 28 days 15 mins. This is the nth attempt. Last time I had stopped for over a year till Dad got hospitalised. This time I am even more adamant about not starting again. I am saying "NO" to smoking. In other words I am saying "YES" to better quality life. Like always did a cold turkey. Start cycling tomorrow. Serviced it today.

[vinay kamath]

just throw away the cigarette and never look at it again.

[narayanang76]

Disclaimer: I dont smoke and also wont smoke in my life. And I think I can share my experience in this thread.

Kudos to everyone who are attempting to quit smoking or already quit. You are not only safe gurading your life, but also your loved ones.

My father, breathed his last on July 2015 due to SMOKING, it is going to be 1 year. He was 75 years and didnt have any other health issues like BP, Diabetes, Cholestrol or heart diseases. He has 9 siblings and the same lies in their family none of them have any of these common diseases and have a long life.

We lost him early due to his smoking, he was a COPD patient. He used to smoke when ever he goes out for work, and also find reasons to go out just to smoke. His life after 60 years have been mostly associated with hospitals and hospitalisations, mostly ICUs. Last 5 years he was almost restricted within the house and needed external oxygen support at home for breathing. Doctors have warned us chances of multiple organ failures - kidney/heart/brain due to lack of oxygen in the body. His lung capacity dropped to 10% and couldnt even walk outside the house in my home town. He didnt have cancer.

We tried to give him the best medical support, doctors, hospitals and equipments which prolonged his life for the last 5 years. He quit smoking after his repeated ICU hospitalisations and doctors have said that they wont treat him unless he quit smoking, but it was too late.

While the cancer related illness due to smoking is mainly advertised, the other side effects due to smoking is less known to people.

Cancer is just one of the issue related to smoking. The difficulty I have seen my father suffering, unable to breathe like normal has caused enormous pain to our entire family for many years. And seeing him struggling I have decided not to smoke in my entire life.