Is Anyone Else Trying to Kick The Habit?

[Caro]

Day eight for me today and I've been walking round like a bear with a wounded behind for the last 3 days

It's horrible and I've been shouting at people

I'm just so angry, I don't know how to get rid of all my frustration!

Soldier on I suppose

Womble, I sympathise. When I'd tried to quit on previous occasions, that's how I felt. Mainly, I was p****d off at being deprived of something (I thought) I enjoyed, it wasn't fair, why couldn't they just make cigarettes that weren't bad for you, etc etc.

Can you try to be angry at the trap that cigarettes are? It's the fags that are trying to draw you back in, in an insiduous fashion. Be angry at them, and at having been in the trap that smoking addiction is, not at the world. And 8 days is brilliant. Be proud. Be pleased with yourself. Congratulate yourself. Feel smug if you can. Be excited - you are escaping the addiction, in fact the worst is already behind you!

[Currysniffa]

Hmm, must admit I was in town the other day and someone who had obviously been smoking in a confined space stood next to me in a shop. I had to move away the smell was so bad, but I did think, "That would usually be me...."

I can't stand the smell of fags on people and I don't go to don't go to family member houses that smoke in the house any more ,I don't make any apologies for it either as I look at it this way, if it stops me from starting smoking again then its all good.

It bugs me when you go in to town and you have to walk through all the smoke as you go into out of a shops.

Good luck again

[jojo2910]

Well done and keep it up. My brother gave up (40 a day +) by hypnosis and swears by it, never had one since (about 3 years). The OH is giving up again. he uses patches and tablets. He gave up last year in the run up to the wedding but started again. He is struggling this week, but sticking to it.

If you have a costco near you patches and tablets are about half the price (maybe 60%) of the price on the high street.

[jojo2910]

P.S the OH doesn't believe in hypnosis, which is a shame.

[beefy]

Well done to all who have given up the fags lately . I gave them up 5 ( nearly 6) years ago .Used the patches to break the "hand to mouth" habit which was my downfall a few times .If you need help - go and get it - you will thank yourself down the line.When I gave them up they were around £5 a packet and as I was smoking a pack a day I put an extra £35-£40 a week in my pocket - would pay for a nice holiday ( or seeds / plants/ tools/ lotty rent ).

[Bigmallly]

Well done you guys & I hope you succeed. Unfortunately I am one of life's' many failures. I stopped for 8 months, put on 2 stone & felt carp. I started again, lost the weight & feel great. I know, mad but true.......Good Luck.

[Patchninja]

Well done you guys & I hope you succeed. Unfortunately I am one of life's' many failures. I stopped for 8 months, put on 2 stone & felt carp. I started again, lost the weight & feel great. I know, mad but true.......Good Luck.

There can't be many people who succeed first time - have another go! You can't, if you're really honest, blame quitting for the 2 stoneAfter all, you can run faster if you don't smoke

I don't think people should beat themselves up too much if they lapse either. Just get back on the waggon.

GOOD LUCK!

[Creemteez]

Day eight and strangely, I have barely thought about fags at all this morning - which considering I was up at five is not bad!
Made it through yesterday by reading all your encouraging words, inhaling the smell of the box of eight that I have left and sucking forlornly on an unlit one for a couple of mins! Felt a right eejit, but feel a lot calmer today. Thanks for giving me the stregnth to carry on!

[Glutton4...]

Well done so far!

Now - how do I persuade Mr. G to try again? First time he got patches, and awful nightmares. This was the lowest patches, and worn daytimes only! He lasted four months, and was a totally miserable (insert very rude word of your choice)! Even his colleagues begged him to have a cigarette!

Second time, he tried the patches, and the gum. Same result, and he lasted about a week! He is usually a very sensible, level-headed person, and very mild-mannered. However, he refuses to even discuss the possibility of Hypnotism - even though it has worked for several friends.

[Currysniffa]

Well done so far!

Now - how do I persuade Mr. G to try again? First time he got patches, and awful nightmares. This was the lowest patches, and worn daytimes only! He lasted four months, and was a totally miserable (insert very rude word of your choice)! Even his colleagues begged him to have a cigarette!

Second time, he tried the patches, and the gum. Same result, and he lasted about a week! He is usually a very sensible, level-headed person, and very mild-mannered. However, he refuses to even discuss the possibility of Hypnotism - even though it has worked for several friends.

Why not get him the Alan Carr "How to Quit Smoking the Easy Way" Book its very good.

I stopped by using patches, I do think that you really have to want to stop to stop if you know what I mean, I had some strange dreams myself when on the patches but I said to myself in the long run what's a couple of weeks of strange dreams when your going to get a life time of NO ciggies \o/

[Glutton4...]

Why not get him the Alan Carr "How to Quit Smoking the Easy Way" Book its very good.

I stopped by using patches, I do think that you really have to want to stop to stop if you know what I mean, I had some strange dreams myself when on the patches but I said to myself in the long run what's a couple of weeks of strange dreams when your going to get a life time of NO ciggies \o/

I know the nightmares are a common side-effect, and are not nice to deal with. His were every night though, and really vivid.

I bought him this great book a couple of years ago, and made sure I read it first;

The Nicotine Trick: The Totally New Way To Stop Smoking: Amazon.co.uk: Neil Casey: Books

I don't think he actually finished reading it, which is a shame, as it's a good book. Curiously, it uses the same approach that my Fil used successfully, many many years ago.

[Caro]

I'll vouch for the Alan Carr book.

I think it just depends on whether you are willing to read the book with an open mind. As the introduction in the book instructs you NOT to stop smoking while reading the book, but only decide when you finish the book, then most people should be able to approach it without fear.

It debunks the myths about smoking (eg the myth that smoking reduces stress - and if you don't believe that's a myth, how stressed are you in a airport waiting for a flight?!) in a way that makes you look on cigarettes in a whole new light and makes them much easier to chuck in the bin. The book also helps you understand exactly what to expect on the withdrawal side, therefore making that much easier.

And if you do a search on A**zon, there are used copies very cheap.

G4, perhaps you could say to him whether he stops smoking or not is down to him, but you'd really appreciate it if he took the time to read the book?