Quitting smoking

[Mike McLenison]

Wow! That's great! Keep it up. I'm encouraged, and I quit in 1975! A little known secret is that a relatively new technique called EFT (by Gary Craig) erases the urge so there's no resistance. The technique take about a minute and usually needs repeating every 4 hours, depending on your anxiety level.

[preservation]

keep going man !
any time you even think about it immediately get out and walk or pick up your guitar or call someone etc etc.

you'll feel a hell of a lot better VERY soon !

[Elliott Damage]

Originally posted by preservation keep going man ! any time you even think about it immediately get out and walk or pick up your guitar or call someone etc etc. you'll feel a hell of a lot better VERY soon !

 

 

thanks for the encouragement!

I started with the push-ups and sit-ups today. When this nasty cold clears up I'm back to running everyday. I'm aiming for a whole lifestyle change.

[preservation]

and there's absolutely no reason why you won't be able to do it. you're already well on your way, so keep it up.
a year from now it will be nearly comical about "when you used to smoke" etc etc.

KEEP GOING !

[ExtraGum]

My only and best advice is that you don't have to shoulder the entire burden all at once.

What I mean is, you don't have "quit for life" right now--just make it through this hour, this afternoon, this day w/o a smoke. Add a couple hours/days/months together, and you'll have some real momentum.

Break the bigger task into small, manageable goals, and don't be afraid to note the little milestones.

That's the psychology that finally "clicked" for me. I'm working on my fifth year nicotene free after 14 years of 2 packs/day. Everybody says, "I can't believe you quit!" some five years after the fact, so if I can do it, you know you can too.

[riffpowers]

I quit 6 years ago, most people believed I'd never do it cos I was such a heavy smoker.

My advice??The habit is the hard thing to break, not the nicotine.
Break your habits, have breaks at different times, get into a different routine.
Try and think that if you smoke today, all the effort you put in not smoking yesterday is wasted.then a day becomes a week, a week a month etc.
Also, if you can make it to a week or 2, even if you have a cigarette you'll be so repulsed by it you won't want to start again.

[benecol]

Best of luck - you'll be fine, it's a piece of piss. I stopped dead (no pun intended) almost three years ago, and have never looked back. I read the Allen Carr book, which was very good, but I wouldn't recomend it to you now, as you're meant to smoke as you read it. Some things that helped me though:

1) Most importantly, there are virtually NO physical effects of nicotine withdrawal, apart from VERY mild stomach cramps, the same as if you were a little hungry. These should pass after day three-ish. This was what I found most surprising - all this talk of the hideous side-effects of quitting; the foul moods, cold sweats etc. - all bullsh*t. To illustrate the point, I was quite a heavy smoker, and averaged about one cig an hour: if the physical cravings of nicotine were that strong, we'd all be waking a couple of times a night for a ciggy. That's not to say there aren't some psychological cravings, but the real hard to beat PHYSICAL cravings are mainly a media invention.

2) Eat plenty of apples - that'll stop some of the mild stomach cramps AND keep the doctor away. Plus (possible bullsh*t homeopathy alert) apples contain a chemical whichh keeps cravings away.

3) Now this worked like a charm for me, but may just be a coincidence, YMMV: go and have a sauna and go in a steamroom and REALLY huff the steam and hot air in and out to gice your lungs a good old clean and purge.

Sorry to crap on almost indefinitely, but I must just stress - persevere with it! You're already a non-smoker, you've made it. All you have to do now is never put a cigarette in your mouth again. Th rewards really make it worthwhile: I started smoking at 14, and quit when I was 29, so I'd never had man-sized lungs or a healthy non-smokers CV system - give it a couple of months to detox your system and you'll feel as if you've been bitten by a radioactive spider!

Any grief, PM me. Best of luck.

[fuzzer]

two things i like to think are true:

1) drugs are interchangeable
2) placebos work

you just have to find the right ones.

[fuzzer]

soo.... every time you want a cigarette just have sex!

[handofthehost]

One pack a day at conservative $3.50/pack comes up to $1274 a year. No need for tricks, you can't fool yourself. I do agree that you're already there though.

The problem is the cigs make us identify smoking as a part of our personality, rather than being just something we do. Not smoking doesn't diminish who you are in any way.

[DaSkip]

Hang tough.

[Elliott Damage]

Originally posted by DaSkip Hang tough.

i did it. one whole week without smoking.


went to visit my friend in NJ over the weekend. We sat around and listened to records, drank coffee, talked about the good old days. He smoked in front of me the whole time and I didn't even flinch. I think i'm cured.

[gr8fuldodd]

cigarettes repulse me now
hopefully you will hate even being around them at some point
that definitely makes it easier

congratulations

[VSpaceBoy]

Sounds good brother..

Just remember.. eventually it goes away and you'll think of your self as a non-smoker not an ex-smoker.

[TitusAndronicus]

"you know, people say you don't know how hard it is to quit smoking. but i know exactly how hard it is to quit smoking. it's as hard as it is to start flossing. 'hey, mitch. you look jittery.' 'yeah i'm about to floss..."

-mitch hedberg

but seriously, good luck

[prodrigu]

Originally posted by Elliott Damage i did it. one whole week without smoking. went to visit my friend in NJ over the weekend. We sat around and listened to records, drank coffee, talked about the good old days. He smoked in front of me the whole time and I didn't even flinch. I think i'm cured.

Keep doing the good job. You are not done yet, but looking very good so far.

Good luck

[GuyaGuy]

Originally posted by Elliott Damage i did it. one whole week without smoking. went to visit my friend in NJ over the weekend. We sat around and listened to records, drank coffee, talked about the good old days. He smoked in front of me the whole time and I didn't even flinch. I think i'm cured.

we believe in ya!

still going strong, i hope?

[killing machine]

I quit smoking two years ago - it's not that special. I started again one month ago.

[Elliott Damage]

Originally posted by GuyaGuy we believe in ya! still going strong, i hope?

still going strong. 11 Days and feeling great.

been to the bar, got drunk, didn't smoke. that's the ultimate test.

the thought of smoking....of ruining what i've accomplished really repulses me. i feel really good.

[GuyaGuy]

Originally posted by Elliott Damage still going strong. 11 Days and feeling great. been to the bar, got drunk, didn't smoke. that's the ultimate test. the thought of smoking....of ruining what i've accomplished really repulses me. i feel really good.

wow.
i've been a non-smoker for 3 years plus and still don't pass that test.

[DaSkip]

[LoneStarGuitar]

way to go bro.

I have not exactly quit, but have gone 10 days having only had 6.
from a pack a day, that is a rather significant reduction.
6 vs. 200.. not bad.

that one i had while bull{censored}ting with the office manager felt good and all, but sure tasted like monkey ass afterwards.

[Headlow]

Originally posted by Elliott Damage still going strong. 11 Days and feeling great. been to the bar, got drunk, didn't smoke. that's the ultimate test. the thought of smoking....of ruining what i've accomplished really repulses me. i feel really good.

How ya doin now?

I'm at 13 weeks Off the patches and everything. Nicotine free!!

[Psychedelic Trip]

20 mins and counting

[Psychedelic Trip]

1 min and counting