Stoptober. Anyone else doing it.

[Alison]

If I felt I had a problem with drink I'd definitely look to giving it up but, although I like a drink, especially with a nice meal, I never even think if drinking on my own, very rarely drink in the week and don't do so every weekend either. We've got enough alcohol in the house to open an off licence but never really think to have any, certainly not as a de-stress, that would be too much reliance for me. Think I'm too lazy to be addicted to anything, don't gave the levels if commitment required . Do find it a bit of a worry though the number of my friends who open a bottle of wine every night as soon as the kids go to bed, that sounds like low level dependence to me or certainly the potential to go that way.

[Bigmallly]

This year I'm doing stoptober, and after 2 days without a fag am finding it quite hard, I'm definitely much more irritable and am having problems with the cravings

Don't go cold turkey Snake, Get an e-cig to help you through it.

[snakeshack]

Getting an e fag only reduces the craving and won't break the dependancy it will only postpone the inevitable. This is the longest I've gone since 1979 : o


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[Bigmallly]

Good luck pal, I know I couldn't do it.

[Martin H]

Getting an e fag only reduces the craving and won't break the dependancy it will only postpone the inevitable.

This.

The physical dependency symptoms are very mild and disappear in a couple of days. Everything else is psychological.

The easy way to stop is to decide that you don't want to do it any more. The elation of that decision carries you over the physical withdrawal and then you can enjoy life.

I did it 10 years ago. It was the third or fourth attempt and also by far the easiest because the other times I didn't really want to stop.

I wish my wife and two children would stop but they are still at the stage that they feel they get pleasure from the habit. While under that delusion - and it is a delusion - it's impossible to stop permanently, people will always go back to it.

[snakeshack]

I've decided I want to stop, been ready for a while now .difficult as there were 5 out of six of us in the house smoking


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[Patchninja]

Just stick at it. it's the BEST THING you can ever do for yourself and people who love you. Don't want to sound pompous but I did it 7 years ago and thank who ever's up there that I did. It gets easier surprisingly quickly. The first week is sticky but you'll see. Walk every day to see the benefits that you'll feel soon. Give your lungs a good clear out with fresh air and a good cough! If you have to clear your throat all the time, you'll notice that stopping very quickly too. Nothing but benefits and good things coming your way!!!

Did the sober for October last year, can't say it was difficult for me although I did carry on brewing , just didn't drink any. Then participated in the unofficial ratarsed for November so the net result was negligible
This year I'm doing stoptober, and after 2 days without a fag am finding it quite hard, I'm definitely much more irritable and am having problems with the cravings


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[Glutton4...]

I really really wish, more than just about anything, that my Hubby would give up the fags. I hate hate hate it, and it drives me bonkers.

Sadly he says he likes it, and doesn't want to give up. I will never understand that mentality. Ever. I do nag on occasions, but most of the time, I keep quiet, because it upsets him. Smelly git.

[Bill HH]

Life is all about balance, I rarely drink alcohol (since a bad experience with a bottle of scotch, a nun and a policeman), I have given up cakes and sweets, and I have given up adultery, burglary, mindless violence, mountaineering, hang gliding and any form of religion. The balance part of it is that I smoke like a trooper.

[Kristen]

You can enjoy a glass and remain sober

Glasses seem to have got bigger! particularly in restaurants. Mrs K still drinks, but not during the week as before and more modestly at the weekend, but by my calculation although far less frequently, which is a good thing, she drinks too much [by NHS guidelines] when she does.

I don't want to spoil anyone's good time, but I think it worth accessing how many units one drinks at-a-session and how often-per-week.

I think NHS advice is men: 3-4 units / day, women: 2-3 units / day, and 2 days abstinence per week.

Wine Small 125ml = 1.5 units, Standard 175ml = 2.1 units, Large 250ml = 3 units. Bottle (750ml) = 10 units
Beer pint = 2 - 3 units (3.6%-5.2% ABV)
Spirits 25ml = 1 unit

NHS Alcohol Units Calculator Alcohol unit calculator - Health tools - NHS Choices
NHS Drinking self-assessment Alcohol self-assessment - Health tools - NHS Choices

The French and Italians seem to mange just fine with modest drinking, but they seem to have a different culture to drinking to us (well, comparing them to my friends at least; they don't binge drink, but every time we meet up for a meal they drink more than their 2-3 units [I told you earlier I had become pious on the subject!!]

Now I've decided to go without, I really really fancy one.

For the first week or two after stopping at 6pm on the dot I wanted a drink. It felt wrong that I didn't have a glass in my hand, if that makes sense? I don't remember wanting a drink, as such, just wanting to pour and hold one (well ... and then drink it of course! but it was more the "habit" of doing it, than the need for the effect)

Do find it a bit of a worry though the number of my friends who open a bottle of wine every night as soon as the kids go to bed, that sounds like low level dependence to me or certainly the potential to go that way.

That's what we used to do, but I would describe it as Habit rather than Dependence. I didn't have much trouble stopping, and I have no problem if I now have a drink (or it is used in cooking etc.). Whereas someone who is addicted will revert if they come into contact with any alcohol as their body / metabolism will crave for more [i.e. a chemical thing]

The easy way to stop is to decide that you don't want to do it any more

(Just to clarify, you were talking about smoking at this point )

I gave up drinking for Lent each/most years. I didn't have too much trouble with that, but in social situations people assumed I was doing it for religious reasons (it was just a date, back then I don't remember their being Stop-tober type campaigns), and I probably only saw any one set of people once at social events in that period, so they all offered me a drink and I had to refuse.

However, when I stopped and told people that I had given up things were completely different. They were full of praise, and encouragements, and when I saw them next time they remembered to ask/check and were then full of congratulations etc. That made a significant physiological difference. Perhaps all the people I know also think they they are on the high-side of alcohol drinking, and all you lot may be much more modest in your habits but I certainly found people's attitude when I properly stopped very helpful.

Either way, as you say Martin H, I couldn't have properly stopped unless I wanted to. Stop-tober wouldn't have been enough excuse, and more than Lent was, other than a 1-month / 40-day period of abstinence. For me it was half way through Lent on year, when I hadn't actually stopped for Lent at all.

I did it 10 years ago. It was the third or fourth attempt and also by far the easiest because the other times I didn't really want to stop.

I wish my wife and two children would stop but they are still at the stage that they feel they get pleasure from the habit. While under that delusion - and it is a delusion - it's impossible to stop permanently, people will always go back to it.

(Re: Smoking)

I consider myself exceptionally lucky that I never started. Not even one test puff. I hated the fact that my father smoked, constantly told his so as a youngster ("You're killing yourself"). He never had a day's illness all his life and the smoking killed him at 72. Lots of his peer group never say 75 ...

[VolesAteMyPeas]

Good luck to all of you giving up either the fags or booze. A brave step and one I'm not ready to take! I quit smoking when pregnant but started again about six months after my son was born. The stress and sleepless nights were too much. Stick with it guys and girls!

[Martin H]

The stress and sleepless nights were too much.

You need to realise that the smoking causes the stress as well as releasing it. You know that big release of tension you get when you take that first drag? Non-smokers feel that relaxed all the time. The cigarette is only releasing the tension caused by not having any nicotine for 2 hours.

[Bigmallly]

Like Bill, I gave up drink almost 40 years ago after issues with a bottle of Rum & a bath...........Don't ask.......... 4 years ago I stopped smoking for 9 months...........It was 9 months of hell (I know, that sounds weird). Even though I was cycling 10k everyday & playing badminton twice a week, I put on 4 stone & could not shake it off. When I resumed the cancer stick, I lost the 4 stone in 6 weeks & feel better for it..................Barmy.

[veggiechicken]

Good luck to all those who want to give up summat. I hope you succeed
I have nothing much to give up - as I'm such a clean-living kinda girl but I'll cheer you on if you want me to

[Noosner]

Good luck to all of you giving up either the fags or booze. A brave step and one I'm not ready to take! I quit smoking when pregnant but started again about six months after my son was born. The stress and sleepless nights were too much. Stick with it guys and girls!

Ha! I always thought you were a man, Voles! Wonder if I've got the wrong idea about anyone else's gender too?