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March 19, 2024, 08:38:48 AM

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Giving up smoking

Started by dr_christian_troy, April 04, 2021, 06:06:31 PM

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Bob-Kate

You've done brilliantly OP!

Even if you've relapsed in the time my sausage fingers have been trying to tap out this message that's a huge achievement.

I smoked since I was a teenager, which is horrifyingly before many of you were born, let alone before you started smoking. Tried giving up a few times, but nothing worked.

Then my other half had a pretty serious asthma attack, which he recovered from, but it was the scariest thing that had ever happened to me. That was it.

Tried cold turkey and felt as sick as I've ever felt. Then did vaping, but found them too faffy (always found a way to break them), now use the pen kit things. The kits from the supermarket are good, Blu and others (always have a spare though).

Don't be hard on yourself if you "fall back" on something like that. As others have said, at least you won't stink of fags, you spend less and you can have the odd drag whenever you feel like it. Good luck!

chveik

tried to go cold turkey a few times, by god it's hard work. i think i'll try again when i have a cold or something, it'd make the first week less painful to go through

Noodle Lizard

Switching to a vape is the only thing that worked for me. Still addicted to nicotine, of course, but nicotine is far from the main problem with cigarettes. Remains to be seen what the long-term effects of vaping might be, but I'm practically glued to my vaporizer and I certainly feel (and smell) a lot better than I did at 20+ cigs a day (plus, it's far more flexible where you can use it).

Of course there now seems to be a big movement to make vaping as difficult and expensive as possible in the US, which is sure to drive a load of people back to cigarettes. I quit cigs using a Juul, which was completely painless, and later switched to a Smok NOVO when Juul got throttled. Juul is by far the best available, but it's costly and the first to get picked on when someone decides to start a moral panic about vaping. But I'd recommend anything using nicotine salts for satisfying the sensation of smoking. I've dropped my nicotine content from 5% to 2%, with the ultimate aim of getting down to 0% before long. Then it'll just be a case of breaking the hand-oral fixation.

Good luck!

Sonny_Jim

Quote from: An tSaoi on April 05, 2021, 12:34:11 PM
I know this sounds like a naive question, and I don't mean to be judgemental, but what made you all start in the first place?
For me, looking back I reckon it must have been because I wanted to look cool.  When you've got a friend who's all dangerous and cool and smokes and has a moped and a girlfriend you think 'Yeah, I want that too, how do I get that?'.  I did find it fucking hilarious just how bad the taste was last time I had one, it's just awful, isn't it?[nb]Bill Hicks would love me, ex-smoker banging on about how shit it is[/nb]

Quote from: Noodle Lizard on April 06, 2021, 03:18:50 AM
Switching to a vape is the only thing that worked for me. Still addicted to nicotine, of course, but nicotine is far from the main problem with cigarettes.
One thing to point out is that when you first initially switch over to vaping, you can kinda get carried away with it,as it feels like there's no downsides, so you end up boshing way more nicotine that you did with the cigs.

Quote
Of course there now seems to be a big movement to make vaping as difficult and expensive as possible in the US
At least the NHS is saying it's an alternative to smoking.  Over here in Australia they fucking banned that shit as soon as they realised they might have to implement some sort of legislation.  Every I know who vapes nicotine does so by importing Nicotine from NZ/China/USA and then mixing it with locally produced nicotine-free fluid.  The Oz government goes 'no you're not' and gives vapers 6 weeks before importing Nicotine becomes illegal and you'll have to get a prescription from the doctor, but they haven't figured out what doctors or how any of it is going to work.

So of course, everyone goes mental, strips the shelves of all the online stores, most places running out within 2 days of the announcement.  After about 2 weeks of constant bombardment from pressure groups and MPs, the government winds back a bit, says it's going to be 6 months until they get everything sorted out.

At the moment I've got about 1.5L of Nicotine in the freezer (cost about $200), it's funny as it reminds me of my old hedonistic raver days, what with the 'illicit' chemicals next to the peas.  Should last me the best part of 5 years as long as I pace myself.  I don't know what I'll do when it runs out, hopefully be off the nicotine at that point.  At least it gives me an 'end date' for when I've finally got to quit, so there's that.

JaDanketies

I wrote a creative short-fiction piece the first time I quit smoking when I was about 21.

QuoteI put the lighter to my final cigarette and inhale. What a childish habit.

My first drug was fire. Fire meant power. An entire element, gripped in a fist. Whenever I pressed the button, my heart jumped. Touch the flame against paper and it accelerated; adrenaline soared through my veins. Breath heavy, palms sticky, I would watch, wide-eyed, as the yellow ate the white.

Light a match, put it in a full box, and turn the box upside-down. The matchheads would glow white-hot, all the phosphorous igniting simultaneously; hisses and huge fireballs decimate the contents. The boxes were surprisingly flame resistant, perfect coffins for thousands of charred wooden bodies.

I was too sensible to be doing this, even at 14. I suppose that was half the joy, and always will be – allowing stupid urges to override your internal monologue. The lighters and matches were a nag, just as real as the urge to eat, shit, drink and fuck; my mind would flash to them when I was bored, and the resulting inferno would satiate the delicious pyromania. I loved controlling the uncontrollable. My behaviours and whereabouts for every moment were stipulated by my parents, but I could do all of this, and get away with it.

I wouldn't regret it so much if I had taken my habits outside. Lighting paper in my bedroom was dumb. Losing control and burning the house down never crossed my mind; now I'm older, the potential for disaster is all I consider. Arson, the firemen would say, and I would say, no, it was me. I was playing with fire.

I stopped doing it at around the same time I started smoking cigarettes, a vice that stuck for years. I like to think that this was slightly less moronic. The fire was even more controlled now, a hot cherry advancing towards my face. The master's scope had extended beyond mere flames, to wanton self-harm, choking down burning fumes and enjoying them. I took this into nature; go to the park, pull a Lambert and Butler to my mouth (the most advertised brand, replaced with roll-ups) and suck the smoke into my lungs. Countless times have my eyes focused on that glowing ember, the smoke trapped in a cigarette paper, funnelled into my mouth.

Individualism. When society hates cigarettes, it doubles their appeal.

It was only when the reality of being in control of my own life sank in that I decided I didn't want to smoke. The fire of youthful rebellion flickers under the wind of imminent employment.

The first time, the nicotine racing through my blood, seeping into my brain, dizzying me, weakening my legs, and I'd lie back and sigh in a crazy haze. It was amazing how easy it was to get away with it. It's different now. Enjoyment moved to satisfaction, and that moved to addiction, and now it's disappointment. I'm done. Fire is the only ember left to be extinguished.


dr_christian_troy

Thank you everyone. Day 21 now - I'd like to think that when I'm no longer working the 9 to 6 Monday to Friday shift in a job that causes stress and anxiety (last day on April 30th), it'll be easier to move past the cravings and can also focus on reducing the drinking too.

Unlike the previous time I gave up, there's been very little coughing up of anything - by this point before, I was able to acknowledge the benefits in some shape or form but it's been a lot harder this time. As soon as I finish work at 6 I more or less go to bed as it's difficult to focus on anything.

Dusty Substance


It's been just over a week since I last smoked.

The first few days were easier than when I'd previously attempted to stop, mostly because I had activities to keep me occupied. Then I got the tight chest, then the restless sleep and wild dreams. Last couple of days haven't been too bad but this morning I woke up in hell.

Can't concentrate on anything and feel totally on edge and am terrified that the smallest thing might send me flying into a rage (so I've quit Facebook for a bit)

In the same week I've also, perhaps stupidly, given up sweets, crisps and have massively cut down on eating in general and doing my best to eat fruit.

I'm also having work done on the flat which means there's constant noise, interruptions, Radio 1 and blokes talking about football and making awful jokes.






Glebe


Dusty Substance


Cheers, Glebe. Seeing friends later which should take my mind off things.

GoblinAhFuckScary

courage comrade! milestone for me because i got offered a fag last night and said no without feeling like my skin was going to go on holiday for once. it's gonna be ok!!! x

Non Stop Dancer

To anyone struggling with this, I really would recommend reading one of Allen Carr books. He's got quite an annoying tone sometimes, and you could even say it's guilty of magical thinking, from memory, but what it achieves is to help you see smoking in a different light so that your mental relationship with it is completely changed, and you will no longer see it as giving up something, but gaining something better. If you "get" what he's telling you, you won't feel the need to ever smoke again, any more than you'd feel the need to sniff glue or inject smack (assuming those are two things you've never liked doing). Even better he actively encourages you to continue smoking for the duration of the book, but tbh if you're anything like me, you'll be excited about stopping halfway through. It worked for me for about 6 months, completely over it, before stupidly starting again just because my new gf at the time smoked. After that period, I gave up again using the same principles, but using patches as well to ease me out of it, and I haven't smoked for 15 years now, never miss it for a millisecond and never have.

Non Stop Dancer

Even if you've already managed it cold turkey but still feel like you miss it, read it as it will help you focus. I highlighted the key bits and would read them whenever I had a wobble.

Ferris

Kind of amazed Alan Carr wrote this book that seems so universally acclaimed on here. Perhaps he scribbled it between tapings of 8 Out of 10 Cats.

El Unicornio, mang

It's probably the best book out there for quitting, although it doesn't work for everyone and it only worked for me for about 6 months before I quit again years later. Also some of the points he makes aren't actually true, like the thing about it being impossible for a drug to relax and also stimulate you/increase heart rate. Nicotine does exactly that. He wasn't a scientist, he just had a eureka moment one day when he ended up in a bloody coughing fit during his 100-a day habit. What he says does mostly make sense though and can actually be applied to other addictions.

Jockice

Quote from: El Unicornio, mang on April 08, 2021, 02:00:03 PM

he just had a eureka moment one day when he ended up in a bloody coughing fit during his 100-a day habit.

100 a day! I mean, just how would you do that? In my younger life I was in Prague on my own with nothing to do (I was over for a work thing but had a spare day) and bought a pack of 20 just to see if I could smoke the whole lot in a day. I think I managed 12 before getting bored.

It's weird though, it's the only addictive thing I have any interest in. It wouldn't bother me if I never touched alcohol again in my life, I have only taken illegal drugs very sporadically and not for several years, food doesn't do it for me, neither does overexercising or overworking. But I do like smoking, even though I don't do it all that often. My partner smokes so I'll sometimes (not always) have a couple of hers on visits but practically all my other friends either have never smoked or have given up so opportunities to scrounge the things were limited even before this virus struck. I do buy fags occasionally but usually just leave them in the car for when I fancy one. If I'm a long driving journey I stop to have one at a motorway service station. Just for a (welcome) break really.

It's not exactly a secret (if anyone asks me if I ever smoke I will quite honestly say 'occasionally') but many of my friends and family have never seen me smoking. I keep it low key. Because it's stupid, but part of my head still thinks it's glamorous and rebellious. Although I haven't the slightest idea why I think this as practically every adult member of my family smoked when I was growing up and several of them died of smoking-related diseases. Strange thing the human mind. But then I have a friend who has never smoked (apart from a couple of times as a teenager) but comes from a family with a history of alcoholism and family members dying from it, including one I know of at a pretty early age. Yet he still drinks quite heavily.

Anyway, good luck to anyone giving up. And that's giving up anything.

El Unicornio, mang

Quote from: Jockice on April 08, 2021, 03:26:27 PM
100 a day! I mean, just how would you do that? In my younger life I was in Prague on my own with nothing to do (I was over for a work thing but had a spare day) and bought a pack of 20 just to see if I could smoke the whole lot in a day. I think I managed 12 before getting bored.


Yeah I only ever smoked about 4 per day, one after each meal (or one with each drink if I was on a night out). Although it had the effect of making the cigarettes seem more precious/enjoyable than they were.

The heaviest smoker I know has about 30 a day and they seem to be constantly smoking. The cost alone for 5 packs a day these days would be over £1500 a month.

On the subject of Allen Carr:
QuoteIn his second book, The Only Way To Stop Smoking Permanently, Carr decided—to the horror of family and friends—to take up smoking again for a brief period in the 1990s. He did it to demonstrate, he said, to himself and others, that his approach to quitting still worked. In a matter of weeks he was back up to 60 cigarettes a day.

and rather depressingly he died of lung cancer. He did manage to probably save thousands of lives (at least, he claimed to have saved 25 million) with his system though.

Neomod

Quote from: Jockice on April 08, 2021, 03:26:27 PM
100 a day! I mean, just how would you do that?

I'm guessing 70's/80's when you could basically smoke at your desk.

Blimey, just checked and workplace smoking wasn't banned until 2007.

Non Stop Dancer

I remember having a job where we could smoke at our desks, back in about '97 I guess, and smoke we did, every cunt there, all fucking day long. Brilliant.

Jockice

When I started working at a local newspaper in the mid-80s, there was a cigarette machine in the office.

gib

Quote from: Non Stop Dancer on April 08, 2021, 10:19:04 PM
I remember having a job where we could smoke at our desks, back in about '97 I guess, and smoke we did, every cunt there, all fucking day long. Brilliant.

i remember the same sort of thing, although a few years earlier than that. It all ended when the manager for our floor retired and a dreaded non-smoker took over. At first they let us go out on the roof which was quicker than going down the lift and outside, then there were namby pamby qualms about safety and that all ended. So then we had to keep going outside the long way, which obviously took longer and the next thing you know one of the non smokers starts making comments about how they don't get all these paid breaks

thinking about it the original manager did die of smoking soon after but those days when we were all fresh and young do hold some fond memories for me too

Neomod

Quote from: Jockice on April 08, 2021, 10:22:25 PM
When I started working at a local newspaper in the mid-80s, there was a cigarette machine in the office.

I like these repurposed ciggie machines now dispensing fag pack sized art.


Sebastian Cobb

They could repurpose them for vending cheese. I reckon we have the technology to make blocks of cheese that are the size of a pack of tabs.

Sonny_Jim

Quote from: FerriswheelBueller on April 08, 2021, 01:56:11 PM
Kind of amazed Alan Carr wrote this book that seems so universally acclaimed on here. Perhaps he scribbled it between tapings of 8 Out of 10 Cats.
I've just realised I've managed to mix up Jimmy Carr, Alan Carr, Allen Carr and Derren Brown in my head.  I mean, Jimmy and Alan, fair enough, easy mistake to make.  But Allen Carr and Derren Brown?  Fuck knows.

Jockice

#54
There used to be a tobacconist just round the corner from my parents' place. It's now a vape shop and the machine that was attached to the wall (and had 'this machine belons to Kirky' written on it with felt pen) has been covered up.

Rather strange situation a few years ago. I used to go swimming and use the gym at a local hotel and I went into the changing room to find the only two people there were the bloke who ran the shop and a doctor I had recently seen. I can't remember if this doctor had asked me if I ever smoked, but they usually do. But anyway, when the tobacconist saw me he said hello and then piped up: "Are you still on the roll-ups?"

I am to this day completely puzzled. I have NEVER been on the roll-ups. I don't even like the taste of roll-ups, and anyone who has ever seen the couple of times I have tried to roll a joint would know that my co-ordination isn't up to anything that intricate. He'd obviously got the wrong bloke. If I ever went in there (which wasn't often although I did walk past it most days) I'd buy Marlboro lights.

But that's the trouble with looking like me. You get remembered by shop staff. A woman in the local Tesco expressed great surprise when I bought two bottles of wine recently. Neither of which were for me. And the night I found out my dad was terminally ill I was in such a state of shock I popped into a shop on the way home and bought something to drink and smoke to try and drown my sorrows. The next time I was in there several months later the assistant asked if I'd come in for my 'beer and fags.' That's right. I don't need food or toilet rolls or anything. Just beer and fags.

Sonny_Jim

Quote from: Jockice on April 09, 2021, 08:18:33 AM
But that's the trouble with looking like me. You get remembered by shop staff. A woman in the local Tesco expressed great surprise when I bought two bottles of wine recently.


Dusty Substance

Fell off the nicotine wagon on Thursday night. It was bound to happen following an afternoon/evening of drinks and 'other stuff'.

Full disclosure: I'm not a cigarette smoker. Never classed myself as a smoker. Over the years, I've been a very light social smoker and go through maybe 80-100 (four to five packs) in an average year, less so since menthol cigarettes were banned (coinciding with lockdown which meant no socialising). Never been the type to have a fag break during the day. In fact, I don't really like cigarettes at all when I'm sober.

However, I've smoked weed with baccy for about 20 years. There have been gaps, mostly when I've been in long term relationships, but I've not bothered with any of that nonsense since 2014 and so have smoked weed with baccy pretty much every night in the last seven years. Normally just a couple of one-skin joints a night. Spent many years kidding myself that I wasn't addicted to smoking because I'm not a smoker, but this last week has pretty much proved that I am.

When I told a doctor about my habit around 2015, he said I had nothing to worry about. I told a different doctor about the same thing in 2017 and she reacted as if I was some sort of smack addict - "TWICE A NIGHT?" she exclaimed.

Giving up weed with baccy isn't the same as giving up cigarettes as ciggies are legal and even though weed is more socially acceptable than ever before, it's still tricky to talk to others about it as some don't see the problem with having a couple a night and some of my more square acquaintances find it shocking that I smoke "that much".

This last week and a bit (Christ, is that all it's been?) has been simultaneously easier and more difficult than I imagined.

Anyone else had the same trouble with weed?


gib

Vaping it takes a bit of getting used to but everyone who makes the switch ends up agreeing that it's better.

JaDanketies

Switch to vapes pipes and bongs and treat the nicotine addiction as a separate issue. Try to separate the two cravings in your mind. Best of luck

Sebastian Cobb

Quote from: JaDanketies on April 10, 2021, 06:24:28 PM
Switch to vapes pipes and bongs and treat the nicotine addiction as a separate issue. Try to separate the two cravings in your mind. Best of luck

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