[Closed] Smoking IS a pretty disgusting habit....

My chain smoking neighbours used to pay the window cleaner extra to scrub the soffits that used to turn yellow above the window, from them smoking in the bedroom...

[url= https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2144/1780150205_2675ac0e41_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2144/1780150205_2675ac0e41_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/3HiJCV ]IMG_0970[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/takisawa2/ ]pten2106[/url], on Flickr

I'm not a smoker, but enjoy the very occasional cigar for special occasions, i would much rather have to put up with the occasional wiff of smoke than the ongoing nauseum of some drunken oaf and his mates.

Alcohol is a drug too, but it's okay, this drugs okay right?

ANECDOTE: My mum smoked probably 30 a day for most of her adult life. Starts having trouble with breathlessness. Obviously assumes cancer. Goes to doctor. "Well, you don't have cancer" "YES! Get in" You have COPD" "**** yeahhhhhh **** you cancer ya dick!" "It's worse than cancer" "WOOHOoowoah wait, what did you say?" "Because there's not really any treatment. PS stop smoking right now or I'll break your legs." "ok". She's quite lucky, in a way, it causes her massive problems but it really could be a lot worse. I gave her a lift to rehab a few times and some of the poor bastards in there...

Alcohol is a drug too, but it's okay, this drugs okay right?

That took a lot longer than normal.

Of course it's not no but this thread is about someone quitting smoking.

I'm trying again to stop. With the price of a box of 20 at $25 and my 40th birthday in Feb, it's about time.

I have tried and failed many times. It's awkward as the psychiatric HDU unit I worked on until recently, patients were not permitted to have lighters (risk items) so the staff had to take them out one by one into the courtyard and light their smokes. Imagine being an alcoholic and pulling pints all day?

Anyway, recent job change and one of those "you can do it this time" vibes. I'm not going to succumb to the "I'll just buy one more packet" mentality as I've been doing that for a couple of years.

Best of luck to anyone else going to pack it in.

@malvernrider - I don't know you, but don't be so hard on yourself fella. Sounds to me like you're well ahead in the 'doing the right things' arena. It's great that you've made that decision though and that you'll have some cash each week for a little treat for yourselves.

Light bulb moments like that are quite rare in recovery so grasp yours with both hands OP.
Keep it going and you will be amazed with all the added positives you will find. Soon enough you will see it through the eyes of a non smoker and wonder how you ever managed to get suckered in.

Well done to every one stopping. A momentous day for you and your friends and family.

We need to make this a sticky so that wavering ex-smokers can come on here for some gentle abuse and encouragement.

Well played OP and others. Pop back on in a couple of weeks when you're still off the fags.

I was a smoker for nineteen years, cigs and weed and quit five years ago. For several years I realised I wasn't really enjoying it and tried cutting down several times but always relapsed. Again one day something clicked in my head and thought this is it,I must stop as I don't want to be smoking for the rest of my life.
I managed to get hold of the Easy Way book and that was the deciding factor for me, even though I only read about half of it. Being told through the book to keep smoking several times that was it, I wasn't going to be told to smoke anymore, I was done. I had six weeks of insomnia and night terrors to go through but I quickly adopted a satisfying self righteous and judgemental attitude towards anyone I saw smoking. Inspired quite a few other people to quit too, which was nice.

2 years ago my friend urged me to read "Allan carrrs quit smoking" book,every smoker hates preaching folk,well that's what smokers see it as,took me 6 months to read the book on and off,I'm not a big reader anyway.
I could never imagine life without smoking,although E-CIGS are smoke free the don't offer the release of quitting the addiction,very clever way of keeping people hooked but also very transparent to ex smokers,good luck OP,try the book iff you still crave,circa £7 on Amazon,I would give you mine but I sold it surplus to requirements.

I gave up about 9 years ago now

I was on holiday and about to buy 1000 cigarettes to bring back to the UK, changed my mind and bought a nicorette plastic cigarette, used that for a few months and haven't touched one since.

It gets easier, there is virtually no chance any event would ever cause me to smoke again, however, I still do get occasional cravings. These usually last a few seconds a couple of times a year.

I think the key thing for me and what I see others fail on is that you can't just cut down, it's all or nothing

Righty ho. Here we go again!

There was a full and frank discussion in the binners household last night about the relative merits of this.....

[img] [/img]

And these....

[img] [/img]

The upshot of this was that one is probably more fun than the other, considerably better for my health, and more to the point makes me come over all funny with lust.

So, this weekend I shall remain a smoker. We've a couple of do's on with my mates who smoke, and there will be beer, so theres no point making life hard for myself. Then on Monday, its on the e-cig and banishing the fags from my life for good. I bloody mean it this time too.

All monies usually spent by me on fags are being retained by Mrs Binners, and when I've saved a certain amount and can safely say I've kicked the habit properly, I've got the green light to acquire the object of my affections. I've got that picture set as my wallpaper on the Mac, so I'm reminded all day of my motivation for doing this - actually its not my motivation - thats the more logical 'not wanting to die' one - its my reward though.To keep me focussed

Wish me luck 😀

As one of your more acerbic critics previously I congratulate your decision and wish you the very best! 😀

Oranges aren't the only fruit, but good luck (all)

I gave up on new years day 2005 after reading an Allan Carr article in the noospaper on the train back from a particulalry insidious bout of liver/lung abuse. Just realised that the addiction was about relieving the withdrawl not any real 'pleasure' and that I was sating the avarice of corpulent corporates with my weakness at the cost of my money and health.

Still have the odd one when I'm pissed or at the top of a particulalry strenuous climb, seriously, but maybe once every three months and always other peoples! (having gone about four years cold turkey). Don't want it or miss it day to day and I was a packet a day tab monster.

Go for it Binners!

Downside is you can sit next to me in a beer garden.

As one ex-smoker to[potentially] another@ Go for it Binners!!

Think of the extra money you can put into Greggs with what you save.

I mean, a new bike. Yes, a new bike.

My mothers boss had a good system, from the day she gave up she put the cost of a packet of cigarettes in a jar, and used it for buying treats from time to time. Still does as far as I know. (and she had a successful career and is in fact a Dame now so knows a few things - no flies on her etc).

Good luck !

I would also say, don't consider a setback a total capitulation. Stick with it, and enjoy your lovely Orange. P.S and try not to shout at Mrs Binners too much...

Good luck Binners! and anyone else trying to give up!

Have we got an update on how bearnecessities is getting on with his first week smoke free?

Bloke in the next road from me has been flicking his fag-butts into the alley that goes past my house.. I threw them back in his garden. Twice now, as he threw them back out onto the path the first time. Seems to have stopped now.
Disgusting habit indeed.. 🙂

Binners, all the best, one day at a time and all that!!

As Taki's post above, a mate is a painter. He did a ceiling in the house of one of his neighbours that was the colour of putty within 12 months of a nice coat of brilliant white.

He dropped some paint on the tv screen. Oops; cleaned it and found the tv had a layer of nicotine on it so thick, where it was wiped stood out like mad.

So he cleaned the whole thing to even it out. He gave up his rollies, and the old gots were really happy with the job; it made the whole room and even the tv brighter.

My mate gave up using nicotine patches.
He only needed two.
Put one over each eye and couldn't find his fags.....IGMC 😀

Binners:

[img] [/img]

Well done Binners - get more pictures of the bike (lots of the same ones) and put them in places where you see them a lot (including where you keep the fags) as a reminder, on the fridge is a good one 🙂

So, this weekend I shall remain a smoker. We've a couple of do's on with my mates who smoke, and there will be beer, so theres no point making life hard for myself. Then on Monday, its on the e-cig and banishing the fags from my life for good. I bloody mean it this time too.

All monies usually spent by me on fags are being retained by Mrs Binners, and when I've saved a certain amount and can safely say I've kicked the habit properly, I've got the green light to acquire the object of my affections. I've got that picture set as my wallpaper on the Mac, so I'm reminded all day of my motivation for doing this - actually its not my motivation - thats the more logical 'not wanting to die' one - its my reward though.To keep me focussed

in the same boat as Binners. been a smoker since i was 18 and now i'm 38 something's got to give. i did manage to stop for a while after i got married nearly 9 years ago then some life changing events got me back on them. i again quit and this time i managed to stay off for about 3 years then all of a sudden i felt the urge and i couldnt resist.
considering i can find the willpower to fast for 30 days and not eat, drink or smoke for up to 18 hours per day during Ramadan...i dont know why i cant find that same willpower and discipline to quit again.
i'm not completely stupid, i can do the maths and know how much its costing me on a weekly/monthly basis and what that money could go on instead of this dirty habit of mine.
having said that, i've never been a heavy smoker (no more than 10 a day) but smoking's smoking...whether its 1 a day or 20...and its a nasty addiction.
i'm gonna kick the habit once and for all this weekend...its been playing on my mind for the last few weeks and the cigs seem to taste mankier every time i take a puff on one so i know the time is right.

Good luck gonzy! I've just had enough of it! And I want a new bike, and it seems bloody stupid continually spanking all that cash on an ongoing daily basis.

Good luck gonzy! I've just had enough of it! And I want a new bike, and it seems bloody stupid continually spanking all that cash on an ongoing daily basis.

thanks Binners! good luck to you too!
i want a new bike too...£4.50 per day works out to £126 per month!! WTF have i been doing for the last few years!? Absolute madness!!
the money i save could easily go on a new Capra with the remainder coming from the sale of my current bike!!

i want a new bike too...£4.50 per day works out to £126 per month!! WTF have i been doing for the last few years!? Absolute madness!!

That's over £1600 a year.

So basically... if you quit smoking and put aside that £4.50 everyday for the rest of your life you could afford to buy a brand new Santa Cruz Bronson Carbon every two years. ****. 😯

That's over £1600 a year.

So basically... if you quit smoking and put aside that £4.50 everyday for the rest of your life you could afford to buy a brand new Santa Cruz Bronson Carbon every two years. ****.

yep....now i'm going out to own myself with a pair of bombers...i may be a while...

If its any consolation Gonzy, I've just weed in my own shoes

120 a month? I spent 30-35 tops (1 or 2 x 12.5g packs of rolling tobacco a week)

Still too much, savings going on treating Mrs MR and self to healthier food and the odd day out. Have also sold my touring bike and MTB. Arguably too much quitting and self-sacrifice for one month - but will recover in time 🙂

Vaper arrived yesterday, last pack of baccy nearly gone. It begins.

Bigup all quitters!

Good luck to all of you, hope it goes well 😀 😀

120 a month?

to be honest...at my peak thats probably what i was spending. my normal day would see me smoking up to 7 during the day so therefore its costing me about £20 a week. when i'm at home i tend not to smoke due to the kids...i dont want them smelling it on me and i certainly dont want them to see me do it!!
so in actual fact i'm robbing myself of around £100 per month and killing myself in the process!

If its any consolation Gonzy, I've just weed in my own shoes

I remember watching a programme on telly years ago where they were trying to persuade a guy to stop smoking. They showed him the boat he could've bought with the money he'd burned in 20 years of smoking.. then they took it away.. the look on his face was quite something...

I remember watching a programme on telly years ago where they were trying to persuade a guy to stop smoking. They showed him the boat he could've bought with the money he'd burned in 20 years of smoking.. then they took it away.. the look on his face was quite something.

many of my riding friends are relatively new to the sport...and we got talking one evening about how much it had cost them so far. in the 25 years i've been mountain biking i'd say i've easily spent the best part of £50k on bikes, tools, clothing and all the other associated stuff...in that same time i reckon i've spent at least a minimum of £20k on destroying my lungs by smoking...
round 2 with the bombers for me...

In a 'taking the positives' post I normally nip out and have a mid-afternoon smoke around this time. It is absolutely tipping down out there at the moment. I'd have still bloody done it. Because I'm a bloody idiot!

I'm having another moment of clarity, and have weed in my own shoes again for good measure

and have weed in my own shoes again for good measure

Superb. No one will think of looking there and it's much better than that nasty tobacco shit...

Oi bearnecessities! How you getting on? And other fag free STWers? I'm 4 days smoke free. The e-cig hasn't been getting as much hammer as I thought it would. I even risked the pub last night.

I am permanently hungry though. I wouldn't like to calculate my packet of crisps count. I've been inhaling these...

[img] [/img]

😳

Do you know they do a curry sauce version of those too, now?

You're welcome.

I quit July 2007 after 20 years of 20 a day. Not had one since. I think you have to be determined and don't leave yourself any "escape routes" I chucked everything away connected with smoking as I was never going to need them again.
After 6 months started putting on weight so bought a mountain bike. Kids decided they wanted a go at riding too.

This [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/britishcyclingphotos/20444660790/in/album-72157655014000054/ ]National XC[/url]was my oldest a couple of weeks ago at Cannock Chase riding for Torq and taking 3rd in the Elite race. As he has said to me a few times he would never had got started if I hadn't quit

Good job Binners, Mike et al. Getting on Ok with e-fag for a week or more, and I too didnt use it much, but have been banging bread/bread products in me like I'm scared of deflating. Last night (under order of Mrs MR) I 'simply have to buy some baccy' as am midway through moving house. Now sitting here with a rollie feeling like crap, drinking tea, hurting all over with my head in bits. The shame.

well done all you non smokers!!

I'm so glad I never started - beyond smoking a bit of 'herb' whilst I was at Art college, I've never smoked.

My Mum's Dad died when I was 3 - he was late 50's - heart failure which was probably as a result of him being a life-long smoker.

My Dad's Dad died when I was 17, he was 68 - massive heart attack, which was probably as a result of him being a lifelong (and heavy) smoker.

Good luck to any of you who've managed to quit, or are trying at the moment - Your grandkids will thankyou for it, because they'll have a bit more time to get to know you.