Giving up the dreaded Weed!!!!!!!

[motownmartin]

Mike, I gave up a couple of years ago and the cravings got easier after 3 or 4 weeks but those cravings were there a year later, the way I got over it was by thinking of the nasty things that can happen to me everytime I got that craving, whatever you do don't have a crafty drag or two, that will just fuel the fire.

Keep it going Mike, it will be well worth it in the end, you will feel so much better.

 

[mailee]

Right Mike, I gave up 32 weeks ago tomorrow. I used the patches and a pocket full of raisins! It does get easier honest but it does take time. I found that if I avoided doing things I did when I smoked it helped. I would regularly light one up when working in the shop so substituted the cigarettes with the raisins. Another good thing to stop you starting again is to calculate how much it would cost to smoke for the rest of your days (rough estimate) and remember this when you next want a cigarette, it will not just be that one but will lead to another and another and cost you that amount! I also noticed the horrid smell on other people who smoked and it does make you feel ill so I avoided them at first. I can put up with it for a short while now but still try to avoid them just in case. I have not seen any monetary gain as it has just been absorbed into the escalating bills but I do feel better for it in myself. My main problem was the coughing and for a while SWMBO thought I was still smoking! I have just stopped coughing after 32 weeks but thought it was worth putting up with after smoking for over 20 years. I do still get the craving but it now only lasts a second or two and I am over it. SWMBO is over the moon about it as she has asked me to stop for years. It did cost me over £80 in patches as I stayed the full course but it was worth every penny to be free of the dreaded weed. All the best to you mate. :wink:

 

[Digit]

Many years ago Mike I became addicted to prescribed barbiturates, having stopped using them I was told it was impossible!
Giving up the weed was much harder, and yes, the craving does lessen, the fact that your sense of smell is improving shows that you're well on the way.
It can be beaten, my wife used patches and was off the weed in a fortnight.
Keep up the good work, you won't regret it.

Roy.

 

[promhandicam]

Don't forget life is a terminal disease so if you enjoy the occasional cigarette or cigar don't beat yourself up over it.

Steve

 

[hog&bodge]

Don't forget life is a terminal disease so if you enjoy the occasional cigarette or cigar don't beat yourself up over it.

Steve

Total bunkum... :twisted:

 

[Smudger]

Before the smoking ban I was in a pub where one of the older regulars was smoking a pipe. I've never seen so much smoke, it was like hunt the Bismarck. Someone said to him "That's not good for you, y'know". "Ah," he said, "You don't want to believe all you read in the papers."

He's dead now. Yep. Lung cancer...

 

[Triggaaar]

I understand fron Allen Carr's teachings that the addiction lasts no more than a day or two, and that the cravings are down to not being allowed to do what you want to do. He demonstrates this in his (quit smoiking) class by explaining that near the end of the day he will tell people when they're having their last cigarette, so they don't need to worry about it - the day progresses, and then as they all start smoking in the afternoon he says 'this is your last cigarette', which gives the attendees the same feeling that they associate with a craving, despite the fact they actually have a lit cig in their hand. It's the anxiety a smoker associates with not being able to smoke, and when giving up you regularly feel this.

Don't give up, giving up.

 

[Jake]

Once you've got about this far, you should be able to start attacking the cravings rather than just trying to survive them. I remember a turning point at around the month mark when the onset of a craving was quite fun (in a difficult way, mind) because it was an opportunity to suppress and squish the craven little bustard. Liberating!

 

[Digit]

because it was an opportunity to suppress and squish the craven little bustard. Liberating!

True, and it's about this time that the more bloody minded amongst your friends seem to conpire to get you back on the weed with them! :lol:

Roy.

 

[The Shark]

Hi Mike,
My thoughts are with you!
I finally managed to give up a few years ago after many failed attempts, and I am convinced it is because this time I wanted to rather than making an attempt to appease others.
The cravings will go with time, and all the monetary and health benefits will kick in.
As my long suffering wife keeps reminding me, "It's not like kissing an ashtray anymore".

Stick in there, you know it makes sense :lol:

Malc

 

[devonwoody]

I was a 40 a day man.
Gave up 25 years ago.
To give up I said to myself every few minutes, "I am not going to smoke again"
And I still say it, especially if watching TV and they do the cigarette light up.
That ought to be banned as well. (smoking on screen)

 

[bodgermatic]

You're not 'giving up' anything, you're not 'quitting'. You're 'stopping killing yourself'. Talking about quitting is negative, talking about giving up sounds like you're losing something. Talk about things in a positive way, and you will start to believe yourself

 

[Walter Hall]

I found in 1997 that having a mild heart attack concentrated the mind somewhat. I would not recommend it though. Bodgermatic's positive thinking approach will involve a shorter stay in hospital.

 

[bugbear]

I have seen adverts for NHS patches, chewing gum, and some wonder pill that claims you give up a "Cigarette at a time", and even phone numbers where you can chat to people, but does any of it make things easier, and does the day come when you can smell a fag or a nice cigar and simply do not want one, or will I always be tempted?

Cheers

Mike

I guess the advertising for this (funded) program has failed!

http://smokefree.nhs.uk/

BugBear

 

[wizer]

My missus just gave up one day. She was having problems with her teeth (I forget what the problem was) and smoking made it hurt. So she stopped while it cleared up and never went back. Surprised me, she's got a really addictive nature. Or maybe it was that she'd just moved in with me and I would make her go out in the garden to smoke (with the bloody door shut) :lol:

 

[hog&bodge]

Well Mike.C THREE WEEKS and 2 days =D> =D> =D> =D>
Please give us an update how you are getting on...
Keep at it...Plus you are sticking two fingers up at the TAX-MAN
and The Tobacco company's....=D>

 

[Mike.C]

Well Mike.C THREE WEEKS and 2 days =D> =D> =D> =D>
Please give us an update how you are getting on...
Keep at it...Plus you are sticking two fingers up at the TAX-MAN
and The Tobacco company's....=D>

STICKING IT TO THE TAX MAN, NOW THERE'S A REASON TO GIVE IT UP\/

All joking aside, Bodgermatic has hit the nail on the head, do it for my health.

Mailee 32 weeks well done mate thats brilliant =D> =D> =D>

I know that it may sound good giving up smoking, but with my medical history, all that I have done is lie to the doctors who have treated me. So it is about time that I took responsibility for my health.

Martin, if I do have a crafty drag or two I will only be kidding myself and making things much harder. On top of that I will have to go back to day one #-o and start giving up all over again. No way mate, because the piece of salmon I had last night never tasted so good, and I now realise what I have been missing all these years.

When do your senses (smell and taste) really come back?

Thanks guys, every time I feel like a smoke I will just pop back and read through this thread

Cheers

Mike

 

[Jenx]

Have just had a bout of ill health, and although not 'smoking related' ( as far as I know ).. I just decided that the fags were a ridiculous and stupid thing to be doing...
( I started when I was 11, and am 44 now.. ever since I earned a wage from about 16, I smoked 25 - 30 a day )..
So I chucked away a packet with about 10 still in it, and not looked back. that was 8 weeks ago.. never even gave them a thought, !

I'm delighted to think of myself as a non-smoker.
Healthier, wealthier and a bit wiser too maybe !

You have to want to be rid of it .. not paying lip-service to the idea of being rid of it... and if you take it into your head, "I am sick of being a slave to these vile things" then it's easy.
I have been in the position of 'knowing I really should try.. but I know its going to be hard" etc etc etc... and thats doomed to failure.

Decide,
Throw & Go,
and get on with a healthier better life where YOU are the boss,
and not a packet of 20 Lambert & Butlers.

Well done to all who have taken the ONLY course of action, really..
Bin them :wink: 8)

 

[Chris By The River]

I'm convinced that there is a 'cure' for smoking but do not think that we will ever be allowed to have it (like a cure for the common cold).
Rough maths: 30% of the adult population smoke @ 20 per day
10,000,000 x £3.50 (revenue on 20 cigarettes) = £35,000,000 per DAY into the coffers (no pun intended)
Thats £245 million pounds a week!!!
If your addicted to other (illegal) substances the government will spend a small fortune to help but smoking tobacco is LEGAL and far better at raising revenue than speed cameras ever could be!!
Sorry, rant over.............

 

[Smudger]

Actually the government does spend a small fortune in helping people to stop smoking. Smoking costs the NHS £5 billion a year, or 5% of the entire national health budget. Several million a year are spent on cessation programmes. This doesn't include economic losses due to non-fatal ill-health and loss of productivity due to 90,000 early deaths a year.
It isn't as much as the tax yield, agreed, but it doesn't suggest to me that this is a tax-led situation. Otherwise the government would do nothing...