Smoker / Non-Smoker

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

How many IISers are hooked on ciggies?
Have you managed to give up? How did you do it? Cold turkey or with help?

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Apart from a couple of weak moments in late January, I've been clean for 5 months now Jeanette. I can honestly say I haven't missed them after 30 years of smoking.

I've don't know how many times I've tried to give up before but its working this time. Nicotine replacements (patches and gums), hypnotherapy, contracts, cold turkey, Zyban. You name it I had tried it. I used Zyban again this time. And this time though I really wanted to give up. I realized I'd been smoking for twice as long as I hadn't been. And for me that was the difference.

[acropolite (Phil)]

I've never smoked in my life. My mother, both brothers and sister all smoked, I hated the smell and the filth of the ashtray that was a permanent fixture at the dinner table. My mother died of cancer in her late 50's as did my eldest brother. Watching someone dye of lung cancer isn't a pretty sight, my brother puffed away on cigarettes right till his last breath, the addiction was so strong. My surviving brother gave up smoking for the second time a few years ago, cold turkey, my sister still smokes.

[Striker (Tony)]

I"m like you Phil....cant stand the smell of smoke

I say slaughter all smokers...no offence...lol

[Astroman (Andrew Wall)]

gave up just under 2 years ago. havent looked back, the smell is actually quite disgusting to me now. used nicabate patches for two weeks then gave them up cos it was actually costing me more, so went cold turkey after that.

[Kieken]

My last cigarette was 8 months ago and I've smoked for 4.5 years. Though most of you guys will easily triple or quadriple the numbers of years in years but at the end it's still the same addiction we try to overcome.

Apart from the smell I carried around there are a lot of benefits I can notice. My dinner tastes better, my body is more energetic, my skin isn't as pale as before, I've got more money to spend, girlfriend is happy (and so are my friends), .....

But I have to admit, a good cigare can taste very good .

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Ditto on the stench. It quite surprised me when I realized how badly I must have smelt, especially to my kids. Can't stand the smell now.

[Vermin (Tom)]

I gave up cold turkey on new years day (0:00) this year after 15 years of addiction. Two terrible weeks then it was reasonably easy. The ban on smoking in bars helped.

I lasted until last week when I had to work three 24 hour days (not in a row).

Having two chain puffers in the house has not helped either.

I'm half way through my last pouch then it's over for good. I hate it.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Good onya Tom.

[syzygy]

Just to be picky, one shouldn't automatically equate smoking with cigarettes.

I had to put down my pipe to type this!

[drmorbius (Randall)]

My Dad smoked all his life and died of smoking related throat cancer... somehow, "I told you so" doesn't seem appropriate!

Nasty habit!

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

I have a bad allergy to smoke...and asthma and a number of related afflications

When I was a wee lad of about 8 years old a doctor explained to me that my lungs could not handle it and it would kill me...scared the daylights out of me and I never pursued the habit further...

I did dabble for a number of years with "smokeless" tobacco products but that is another story entirely...gave that up completely at university...

If I suspect that I will be in a "smoke filled" environment (even campfires etc.) I load up pre-emptively on my allergy medication and keep my inhalers close to hand "just in case" but most times a little planning ahead saves the day...thank goodness for smoke free hotel rooms!

[fremanwarrior]

My parents gave up cold turkey when I became an asthmatic (about 5mins after we disembarked the plane in Brissy when me immigrated to Aus).

I once had the misfortune of servicing the computer of a customer who was obviously a chain smoker who spent his life living infront of his computer.

The outside was yellow stained, but nothing could have prepared me for the inside, it was just covered in a thick film of yellow/brown crud from top to bottom... And the smell was just horrifing!

[Miaplacidus (Brian)]

I've never smoked, but I have helped lots of people give up. Hypnotherapy, patches, Zyban. No one treatment works for everybody, and in fact most people have to give it four or five goes before they succeed. From my experience I would make some common observations that might help people who are thinking of quitting.
1. Obvious but true, you have to WANT to give up. And you're much more likely to succeed if you want to give up for yourSELF (rather than for your girl/boyfriend, housemate, or even for your child). If you love smoking, all the best intentions in the world won't stop you from finding it incredibly difficult to give up.
2. Fatal error #1: despair if you relapse into smoking. "I'll never do it, so why even bother trying?" As I say, a hell of a lot of people relapse. Looking at it from the other perspective, the vast majority of truly motivated people who keep trying to give up (even with periods of smoking in between) WILL finally succeed. Just don't give up giving up. Everytime a person relapses into smoking they learn something new about themselves and about what makes them smoke.
3. Never have even ONE cigarette once you've given up. You would not believe how often I hear people say that they were at a party or somewhere and they thought they'd have just one, and then next thing they know they're smoking again. Just like AA, for years afterwards I think it helps to call yourself a "smoker who isn't smoking", rather than a non- or ex-smoker.

Sheesh, I can't say anything about smoking without making myself sound like a sanctimonious pri--, er prig. I'm out of here.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Sheesh, I can't say anything about smoking without it making myself sound like a sanctimonious pri--, er prig.

One hundred percent right though

[shaneaust (Mick)]

Yup, I'm a smoker, with no intention of giving up - and I don't care what others think, either. If the government suddenly put nicotine on the S1 list (or whatever it is), I'd just grow my own baccy. Simple as that. I respect other people's rights not to inhale my smoke, but if I want to smoke in an area that doesnt affect others, I damn well will.

[Argonavis (William)]

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

How many IISers are hooked on ciggies?
Have you managed to give up? How did you do it? Cold turkey or with help?

thinking of giving it up Triple-J?

[seeker372011 (Narayan)]

I gave up - a pack and a half a day habit-in 1984.

Cold turkey-no Nicotine patches then

[janoskiss (Steve H)]

Cold turkey is the way to go. Highest success rate and least likely to relapse (acc. to those in the know). It's very tough if you're a heavy smoker and strongly addicted. First two weeks are a real fight. It's like being two people at once. Then it gets easier but still 3 more months of firm persistence. Then 6 moths to a year of reminding yourself that you don't smoke ever. And then the occasional 'smoking in your dream' episodes with the accompanying guilt trips. These last for life I'm told but become less frequent.

I quit over 2 years ago after 10 years of smoking, very heavily in the last 5. Tried to quit several times before over the 10 years. Lasted about 6 weeks a few times. What always got me was that I told myself I can go back to being just the occasional smoker that I used to be when I started smoking. Unfortunately addiction does not work that way.

Some people are not susceptible to addiction to nicotine (different brain chemistry) and for them it's a lot easier.

[gaa_ian (Ian)]

Thank god I never went past teenage experiences of smoking.
I think seeing my grandparets start it day with coughing fits from smoking helped put me off too.
Fortunately i have an Astronomy adiction to keep me happy