[Closed] Stopping smoking!!

Yup, nicotine patch ready 🙂

Carry on being awesome. Apart from Fred. Who can carry on being a ****. I'd expect nothing less

😆 Heh!

Of course if a person's smoking is causing problems they should seek ways to either cut down or stop altogether.

But I think it places a lot of strain on someone to 'never ever have another fag' if they've bin addicted for years. No-one I know who's ever gone 'cold turkey' has ever stayed off them. I think the gradually cutting down and dealing with the psychological craving aspect of smoking is far more effective (that's the only method I've ever seen work).

So, what 'm saying is don't beat yourself up if you succumb to a crafty drag. Instead, look at it as 'ooh, I've only smoked one cig today, rather than 10/20/30/40 etc', and feel good about that. I really don't see as how self-flagellation for even the most minor 'transgression' can help in the long run.

My chain-smoking high blood pressure drinks far too much not very healthy 40-a-day neighbour tried going cold turkey a few weeks ago. Lasted less than a day. Useless. I told him why not try cutting down to 35, then 30, 20, 10 etc but he was insistent he could stop altogether, suddenly. The fool.

[b]He what not listeneth to Elfinsafety advice is very silly mayn*[/b].

(*Ancient Hackney Proverb)

Ooh look I've eaten virtually an entire packet of Haribo Tangfastics in less than an hour...

I'll not sleep now with all that sugar inside me. 😳

Smoke 200 Argentinean Marlboro Lights, the resulting cough and frog in your throat will make you think WTF am I doing! They were that bad, I'm not sure if they were proper Marlboro's or some dodgy knock-offs? It's making me wither just thinking about them!

Lady G, great that's you and I for round two tomorrow morning....post up progress please!

Any other takers??

Second smoke-free weekend achieved!

* puffs chest in pride, coughs up a gunky ex-smoker's greeber, but remains proud *

Well done to my compadres – morgs, Khani, Binners et al.

Good luck to the rookies at Club Awesome, too. Go Fenred and Lady G!

*applauds*

You still puckering, TJ?

It's the last image I have before going to sleep and the first picture in my head when I wake up...

8)

I think the NHS needs to be looking to our North of the Border Patriarch to front an anti-smoking campaign.

He's proving devastatingly effective at it. Ken Clarke and his friends at British American Tobacco are going to be sending the boys up to Edinburgh at this rate 😀

8)

Have to say I strongly disagree with what Elfinsafety says.

The thread is 2 weeks old and this is exactly when the clever addictive mind starts to trick you into rewarding yourself - by having a fag. If you do that, you're just starting to smoke again. Don't even think about it.

A smoking addiction is very powerful and cannot be messed with. Yes, you are going to feel deprived at times but stopping completely is the way to go.

The thread is 2 weeks old and this is exactly when the clever addictive mind starts to trick you into rewarding yourself - by having a fag. If you do that, you're just starting to smoke again. Don't even think about it.

Good advice here.

We must have vigilance, muchachos...

He's proving devastatingly effective at it. Ken Clarke and his friends at British American Tobacco are going to be sending the boys up to Edinburgh at this rate

Have to say I strongly disagree with what Elfinsafety says.

Maybe that's cos you've not read my post properly.

What I'm actually talking about is the 'forcing' yourself to stop smoking, and feeling really bad if you do succumb to the odd crafty drag. A 'relapse' should not be treated as a failure of character or strength, as this just then leads to the person feeling angry/annoyed/fed-up/depressed. Which then makes them vulnerable, and more susceptible to 'temptation'.

Instead, if you just say 'oh well it was just the one and I can still do this', then you're going to be more positive about the whole thing. You won't be suffering the whole self-loathing thing, imagining others are looking at you with disgust and contempt for being such a 'failure'.

Instead, many people slip up, then just give up giving up, cos it then seems far too difficult.

It's all about setting realistic [u]personal[/u] targets, not going with some unrealisting impossible to achieve plan.

stopping completely is the way to go.

I've never seen it work (not to say that it does not in any way, however) for [i]heavy[/i] smokers. I've only ever seen people who use the gradual reduction method ever completely stop smoking. All the cold turkeys have bin back on the fags by Christmas....

Re' elfs neighbour, it sounds like he dosnt actually want to give up..knowing you should give up and actually wanting to are two different things, til you actually want to it'll never happen...

TBH he's an idiot. He was back at the docs last week complaining of feeling ill. Still drinking and smoking loads though. If he just cut down to 20 a day, and halved his alcohol intake, he's be much better off. As it is, he's only 65 and will probbly be dead before he's 80.

I suggested to him he bought a bike, cos he said he used to ride. He said 'I can't afford a bike'. I pointed out to him that for what he spends on fags per month, he could get a nice little bike, even a decent s/h one.

But no. He'd rather drink and smoke himself to death. Not to mention continue to be a burden to the NHS...

come on guys, don't turn this into a sexism thread, or a riots thread or anything like that....

this is a thread for mutual support to the AWESOME people quitting.

We will also allow completely flaming of anyone who claims to be awesome by riding a SS then having a fag.

Elfin - you are not awesome....you are a smoker. And I am not. Neither is Binners, or Khani or Camo...or numerous others on this thread.

[b][u]AND WE ARE ALL MORE AWESOME THAN YOU 🙂 [/u][/b]

Day 1 lunchtime update...15 hours smoke free, so far so good 8)

Strategy is to use patches for the first 2 or 3 days then 'turkey' it out. Patches doing an awesome job with batting off the cravings but keep getting waves of feeling totally off my nut! (Perhaps I shouldn't complain)

....Already feeling slightly smug. 😳

Just walked past a smoker colleague who had just been out for a fag...DID I REALLY SMELL THAT BAD?? Hit me like a brick! Will anonymously drop one of my 230 packs of spearmint extra on his desk!

[cough splutter cough hack]

What?

Binners is more awesome than [i]me[/i]?

[i]Binners[/i]???

He's a [i]Northerner[/i] ffs; and as for Khani well he can't sit naked on a slatted bench so that rules him out straight away. 🙄

No you've got me wrong. I wish anyone trying to give up every success.

But I'm just posting from the perspective of a 'light' smoker who has no intention of 'giving up' (tbh if I don't want to smoke I don't have to, I just choose to is all), and pointing out that certain totalitarian attitudes can indeed be counter-productive.

Stopping smoking won't magically make you a better person, indeed I know some non-smokers who are preachy sanctimonious tossers when it comes to my personal choice to smoke or not **** off leave me to smoke in peace you hypocrite with yer fume-belching car and planet-raping dishwasher etc...

It may well make you fitter though, that much is true. No better reason to give up imo.

I think you'll find Fred that I am the very pinnacle of awesomeness. [b]Bow down before my awesomeness blasphemer!!!![/b] 😉

fenred - lols - and yes you did smell like that

I'm a [i]Northener[/i] and more awesome than you 😉

Pah! Your puny Northern Awesomeness is no match for my [i]Magnificence[/i]. It's a step beyond Awesome, and a quality possessed only by the very best. You can but only dream of being [i]Magnificent[/i].

I think Camo, Binners, Khani et al will all agree that magnificence pales into insignificance next to awesomeness.

Now, go away. go and huddle in a doorway in the rain and smoke you coffin nail Enjoy.

I'm Northern therefore I smell, but not of smoke anymore

Elf, you are reminding me of a chap I was chatting to about my forthcoming marriage. He declared himself to be an expert in marriage, after all he had been married 4 times!

[img] [/img]

Heh! 😆

You're a tetchy lot, you non-smokers. Chill. Light[s]en[/s] up....

Your magnificence is no match for the Axis of [s]nowtiness[/s] Awesome 😉

I'm not tetchi YOU ****IN BASTARD ****!! 👿 😈 NOW **** OFF!!!!!!
and relax..... AAAARRRRGGGHHH!!!!!!! I KILL YOOOOOOO!!!!!!! 😈 👿 AAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!!
elf,..he's from hackney....say no more... 😉

Awesomeness Rocks!

Here's my thoughts on Awesome vs Magnificence...

The likes of Morgs, Binners and Khani - aka the Awesome Crew - are stratospherically Awesome. They're the real life equivalent of a Royal Flush in poker. Their fantastical effervescence simply CANNOT BE BEATEN, not even by someone who claims to have a Full House, but probably doesn't even have Three of a Kind.

Self-declared magnificence is, well, just a bit silly by comparison. 8)

Personally, I'm proud of all the ex-smokers on this thread... Fenred (and hopefully Lady Greasley) included.

Now can we get back to this thread's wonderous, resolve-strengthening support mandate?

* stretches out arms ready to dole out 'you done great' hugs on demand *

Come on Fred! Join in with the group hug? Or TJ puckers up 😯

He just wants my wood.....maybe I should rephrase that,..
..no' I know what I mean 😕

As for magnificence vs awesome, Idi Amin says he's magnificent, [i]Most[/i] people agree Ghandis awesome
So HA!!! Idi.....covet my wood In all it's awesomeness!!
[IMG] [/IMG]

As STW's chief social science spod (self-appinted), I've undertaken a comprehensive systematic review of this thread and can conclude ...

... Camo16, Morgs, Binners, Khani, Fenred, and Lady G have all been classified as belonging to the "Awesome" category ...

... and that the "awesome" category is statistically associated with no fags ...

... with the TJ puckering up variable acting as a significant causal factor 🙂

Seriously guys - keep it up. Bloody hard, but you should all be feeling really proud of yourselves!

Their fantastical effervescence simply CANNOT BE BEATEN, not even by someone who claims to have a Full House, but probably doesn't even have Three of a Kind.

I'm not playing with a Full Deck, me. 😐

So HA!!! Idi.....covet my wood In all it's awesomeness!!

Oooh, wood.....

No Khani don't be nasty let me have some please. 😥

Thanks Sue-W, at the mo I don't feel very awesome, I feel knackered, anyone else having tired moments? Gets to afternoon and I can't keep my eyes opzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

I'll save you a big piece of red oak, got a chunk about 4x10inchs by two foot long if you want it

No tiredness here Khani, but then I've drunk so much filter coffee today to substitute 'getting away from desk for a smoke'that I don't reckon my eyes will be closing 'til at least weds/thurs 😕

I was buzzing on my first week, this week I'm knacked, although I've been out on the bike every day for a fortnight to keep me occupied, so that might have something to do with it

Yep, if anything I felt a bit manic to start with, rather than tired.

Mind you, that's not unusual 😉

I'll save you a big piece of red oak, got a chunk about 4x10inchs by two foot long if you want it

OOOOOOHHHHH!

(Wets self with excitement)

Seriously, mate, I'd love that! And any other nice little off-cuts you might just happen to have lying around... (flutters eyelashes seductively)...

'[i]Whimpers[/i]' ...

Khani - i've not been so much tired, as still struggling to sleep. used to always sleep through, now waking up quite a few times in the night for no reason.

Also, MsMorgs says I snore. REALLY badly. Now, although MsMorgs is a relatively recent addition to MorgsWorld, I have never had complaints about snoring before.

Any similar complaints from your bed-partners?

Khani - you might be feeling completely knackered at the moment, but:

- are you still not smoking? Hell Yes!

Therefore you are all still AWESOME 🙂

Actually, I found that stopping smoking (cold turkey Mr Elf!) really messed with my psychological and physiological system. Sometimes i'd feel tired, other times buzzing, most of the time twitchy! The only advice I can offer is to remember it will take your body a while to adjust and to find a new rhythm that feels so 'natural' that you stop thing about it. In the meantime, just go with how you're feeling as much as you can (or your OH can tolerate!)

Can't hear my snoring over the mrs's 😀 (she gave up same time as me) I've told her if she denys it one more time I'm gonna record it and set it as her ringtone 😆
I live life on't'edge me 8)

(enters confession box)
I seem to have had 3 cigs today, one first thing this morning, one at lunchtime and one just after getting home - I actually did not enjoy that last one, lit it then put it down about 4 times.
This evening is the hardest time, but I'm not gonna beat myself up - when I've stopped before, it's been by cutting them down, then when the current baccy packet is empty, I don't buy any more.
So I ain't failed yet 🙂

Hold on a minute.. am I awesome because I never took up smoking, or am I not awesome at all because I never gave up?

Well done Lady G!

Like I said; don't beat yerself up over having the odd ciggie. S'not the end of the World. Day by day, week by week, month by month...

A while ago, I was drinking too much. So, I decided it was time to cut down. What I do is keep all the empties to one side on the kitchen worktop, so I have a reminder of how much I'm drinking. The smaller the pile, the better I feel about myself. It's a technique that has served me well, and helped me get things under control.

With cigs, maybe keeping dog-ends around is smelly, but you could substitute them for something else/adapt the tally-keeping system? Or stick them in a big jar with a lid? Keep the pile in a prominent place, to serve as a reminder.

It's just an idea.

Lol @ molgrips!

Lady G- Bet the 3 you have had is WAY less than your usual quota though huh? So nearly a win and the mindset's there so all good 😀

Never mind sleep, my taste buds have gone berzerk!! Been craving itialian meatballs, aunt bessies roast potatoes, cauliflour, broccoli and gravy since about 3pm, so had to do a pit-stop at supermarket on way home (walked passed fag counter and chuffed I didnt have to join the 15 person queue!)

....anyone else had weird food cravings as Im a little concerened (as an Essex boy) I'm developing odd norvern food combo syndrome at the end of day 1 😉

I'm in Essex, in billiwikki. where you then? I'm craving chips n curry at the mo, but chippys here don't do [i]Proper[/i] yellow chippy curry 🙁 or gravy 😥 😥

Ah Bickerilly, was born there, live at the start of Sarfend now but work just down the road from you in Baz...Luverly!

Yellow chippy curry means nowt to me 😕 assume you're originally from oop narth Khani?

Yes, moved here nearly five years ago, I'm a right miserable northern tosser really 8) don't tell elf tho or he'll pick on me 😥

Yeh, I work with couple of nothern folk...They're miserable tossers too 😉 Not sure if its Essex thats created this or part of the genetic make-up 😆

Where bouts you normally ride?

khani you never said you'd given up the evil weed,nice one,bout time tho 😀

Yo mart 😀 had to be done, was gettin too chesty mc'grew 😥
Fenred, normally go local round the bridalways, thorndon park and Epping now and again, where you go? Your not far away if you fancy a smoke free pedal n pint
Edit, it's genetic mate....

Khani, Yep done Thorndon, Langdon, Hadleigh, local stuff to me mostly, rode a bit of Epping, got lost got pissed off came home, tricky ride unless you know where you're going there! 👿

Up for a smoke free pedal n pint, drop me a mail (in profile) and we'll get summink sorted...S'long as you promise NOT to bring any yellow chip curry tho...Eeewwwww! 😯

Know what you mean bout Epping, I get shown round by someone who knows it well and have a great time, but I have absolutely no idea where I'm going on my own, not been to Hadleigh or Langdon though so if you don't mind a mooch round there that would be good, I'll pop you a mail later, cheers 😀
Chips an curry is top, I bet you have lettuce with your fish an chips being suvvern n'all that.... 🙁

I absofarkinglutely do not have lettuce with fish n chips, I'm southern, therefore a delightful rocket salad with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a....doner kebab with mine...Hethen! 😀

LOL 😆 we had fish an chips in Southend and they put lettuce on...
Bastards.. 😥

don't tell elf tho or he'll pick on me

(Is nasty and cruel and mean to Khani. Picks on him and makes him cry like a little girl)

😥
See...I told you he would........ 🙁

Never mind the tabs and booze - there's some serious emoticon addiction going on here. Just scroll up and down the page - it's a sea of pac-men 🙂

Dismally failing here. Gave up for two whole days with the help of Morrison's best 2mg lozenges. Bought a packet of baccy which lasted nearly four days (a record) and have spent the last week wibbling between resolve (lozenges) and failure (tabs).

It's at least the eighth effort to quit.... Does there come a point where you just say fuggit I'm a smoker?

user removed - stop wibbling. Set yourself a date sometime into the future - say a couple of weeks time and build yourself up to it. Use the NRT - I found lozenges the best

Cut right down the week before, tell everyone you know yo are stopping on that date - ritually smoke your last fag at midnight and mean it - otherwise you know what will happen

*puckers up*

Wow! It is indeed, to quote the nonsensical king of radio-friendly, MOR drivel Chris Martin ... 'all yellow'

I hate to admit this. It goes against everything I hold dear hear, but... Hora's advice about vitamin C seems to be working for me. When I'm getting a bit of a craving, I reach for one of the huge mountain of Satsumas kept on my desk. Seems to be helping. And is better for me than the pork pies, pasties and crisps I was originally opting for.

user-removed - take your time and work yourself up to finally packing in. You what'll happen otherwise. Still puckered up TJ? 😀

Also, MsMorgs says I snore. REALLY badly. Now, although MsMorgs is a relatively recent addition to MorgsWorld, I have never had complaints about snoring before.

Any similar complaints from your bed-partners?

Uh-huh. I've had the same complaints from Mrs 16. I've been telling her it'll be worth it in the end before turning over, screwing up my eyes to shatter the vision of TJ puckering up and getting back to sleep... 😳

I'll second Binners on the Satsumas. I find them an excellent distraction for fidgety fingers. Each segment is a positively radiant chunk of distilled health. 8)

Funny you both mention satsumas, been munching through a big bag of em for 2 days, I think my taste buds are recovering cos they taste amazing,

How much did people smoke anyway? 10 a day or less? 20? 30?? 40????

I smoked rolys, bout 20ish a day

Probably 15 a day for me. This would rise considerably when a few beers become involved in proceedings at the weekend.

I'm on a 10 a day satsuma habit now instead. Can you overdose on vitamin C? I hope not 😀

20ish

My question mark habit never got out of control though. 8)

Don't think you can overdose, but it may get [i]Interesting[/i] in the toilet department.....

15-20 per day average, as binners says, beers multiplied smokes ridiculously.

Need to get me some satsumas, seem to be a bit "bunged up" for last 2 days since not smoking so a fruit/vit c overdose might help the cause.

fenred,

If personal experience is any guide, your 'cause' may well resolve itself in the next few hours - and then regularly (at least twice a day) for a bit. 😳 Those toxins gotta get out somehow!

I was 15 on average, if working the doors then 30, if out drinking then I dread to think.

glad I'm not the only snorer!

I'm just doing the maths and working out how much the various purveyors of smoking materials to the mountain-biking gentry will be losing as a result of this thread

Its quite a hit! 😀

Oh.... and my snoring has got a lot better since stopping apparently. Result!

Cheers Camo, not sure if anyone else had this when smoking, but the 'get to work, have a coffee, slip out for a smoke' usually gave me a 20 seconds to comply moment...think my body isnt quiet sure whats going on...Fingers crossed. 🙁

I'm just doing the maths and working out how much the various purveyors of smoking materials to the mountain-biking gentry will be losing as a result of this thread

Its quite a hit!

If I saw him I'd say: "Hey Mr John Player. Not so Special now, eh bi-yatch?"

Fenred – You'll be fine. No, scratch that. You'll be Awesome! 😆

I have definitly decided to kick the habit, aside from the fact I have asthma and still smoke, I really want to start getting back out on the bike and hammering it. I quit for nearly 10 months last year, only started again due to a relationship breakdown...now in a more stable place its definitly time to stop again, felt so much better not smoking and was getting really good on the biking side of things. My official quit day is Friday.

Can I play?
Decided last night that I’d had enough and I’m now 18 hours in and feeling very twitchy, although this could have something to do with the 3 double espressos I’ve had this morning. I’ve not snapped at anyone yet either but the day is still young.

tjr666 - good luck!
huws - welcome to AWESOME!

Looks like we have a new team chasing down the 'old guard' of me, binners, camo and khani!

I look at this threat and am proud of what I have created 🙂

Ahhh - I'm being chased down!

As if the threat of a snog from TJ wasn't enough to keep me going. 😯

Welcome aboard, tjr666 and huws! As morgs says, it's AWESOME in here!

Morgs, you should be proud, dude! It's threads like this that make STW a worthwhile place to be. 😀

I’ve not snapped at anyone yet either but the day is still young.

I think we all agree that a sporadic fury/violence in the first few days is absolutely fine and that a member of Club Awesome will be on hand to supply character witness statements should they be required. 😀

Come on in folks, the waters lovely 😀

The impotent rage does subside. Promise. I'm [i]almost[/i] reasonable to be around. [i]Almost[/i].

The other week I was banging around the kitchen like a bull in a china shop. My beloved, bless her, came in to see what on earth was going on
[b]
"I'M MAKING SOME CHEESE AND BISCUITS!!!!"[/b]

came the angry reply. The very act of cutting some cheese had managed to work me up into an apoplectic frenzy

I'm much better now