[Butters 2011]

So, the recent budget saw a 37p increase on cigs in the UK, and this finally forced me into wanting to give up smoking for good. Recently, I've been staying with family and ran out of money, thus resulting in me not being able to afford a pack of cigs, so thought this would be the best time to actually try it out and see if I could give it up for good. So far, I'm on my 6th day without having anything to smoke, with the use of some Nicorette gum that I chew when I feel the cravings coming on, and it's helped a lot. The only worry I have is that I will actually end up getting addicted to the gum, and then having to quit the gum on top of quitting smoking.

Basically, have any of you lot also given up smoking at any point, even if it wasn't for good, and if so, how did you do it? Was it through willpower alone, or was their an aid that was used to overcome your addiction?

Also, anyone else notice that you get really vivid dreams whilst going through the withdrawal?

[Chunkyman]

No one likes a quitter. Instead, smoke twice as much and blow all of your smoke directly into a politician's (or baby's) face. Show them you aren't going to take this overtaxation BS.

[oksa8]

I would recommend e-cigarettes.

I myself have tried several times to quit smoking during this year, but no success as I was only relying on my power of will. It didn't work, so my friend sold me his e-cigarette for 20€ with few cartridges, and so far the eighth day and haven't smoked a single cigarette.

I guess I just had to get rid of the social addiction, and now I've almost gotten out of the habit of smoking; no need of smoking e-cigarette, even though I smoked first cartridge within the first day... (Worth of 20-30 cigarettes.)

Hopefully you'll also get rid of smoking, and any non-smoker: Don't start.

[Gareth Croke]

I gave up smoking last year after 15 years, to be honest I found it quite easy I didn't see what all the fuss was about, that's not to say other folk will find it easy.

I just gave up, like yourself due to a lack of money, it probably helped that I wasn't much of smoker in the first place, maybe about 4-8 cigs a day, which is why I probably found it easy as I wasn't big smoker.

The only thing I found was that every time I was wanting to go for a cig I would normally go outside usually in between a program on the TV, but when I stopped I wondered what those things on TV between programs were and that threw me.

I found typing that so hard, trying not to type "fag"... So I'm invoking the UK-English dictionary for this post.

[Jeeebuuus]

I stopped smoking three months ago and I've been on the gum ever since. The gum is starting to lose its effect on me I think. My doctor said that some people use it for up to six months so I will keep some handy in case I feel the urge. I know my sig. has Kevin Spacey smoking but I still think it looks cool. Like someone already said if you haven't started smoking yet, just don't. Its not worth the money and health risks. The drug barons, I mean tobacco companies, keep from the consumer excactly what is in their product. The additives make it more addictive.

Edit: This is my 1500 post. Yaaay!

This post has been edited by Jeeebuuus on Wednesday, Apr 18 2012, 01:34

[Stinky12]

You quit not because of you, you quit for the sake of others close to you.
One of my co-workers told me he used to smoke, but due to his wife's health, he
threw away a newly un-open pack into the trash and never looked back or gave any second thoughts.
It's been 13 years since he quit smoking.

[blitz]

I disagree, even though it's quite considerate to quit smoking because of the sake of others, I still believe the main reason why you quit should be because of you.

[El_Diablo]

QUOTE (blitz @ Tuesday, Apr 17 2012, 19:01)

the main reason why you quit should be because of you.

quoted for truth.

if you don't care enough about your own health (and appearance and scent) to stop smoking then might as well double your habit and never look back.

[Vanzant]

Good luck on quitting. I on the other hand would find it way impossible to give up.

[SlickSpencer8]

Like Morgan Freeman said "Once you get over the 3 day hump, your good" or something of that line. No but please watch this video. I don't spoke but I am glad that I don't.

[K^2]

There are seven billion people on the planet. Seven billion of them are going to die. Honestly, ads that focus on how many people die from smoking are absurd. If you don't die of smoking, you will die of something else. Even the life expectancy argument is flawed. Smoking is correlated with other destructive behavior. If you just quit smoking, without making any other changes to your life style, you won't gain 10 years of life. Statistically, you'll gain a few years in the nursing home where you won't even know you're soiling yourself. Congrats.

There are a lot of good reasons not to smoke. Health, social, and financial. Why not focus on these, rather than trying to scare a person with some bullsh*t?

[El_Diablo]

QUOTE (K^2 @ Tuesday, Apr 17 2012, 20:16)

There are seven billion people on the planet. Seven billion of them are going to die. Honestly, ads that focus on how many people die from smoking are absurd. If you don't die of smoking, you will die of something else. There are a lot of good reasons not to smoke. Health, social, and financial. Why not focus on these, rather than trying to scare a person with some bullsh*t?

but it's not bullsh/t.
it's a totally valid argument to make.

yes, we're all going to die.
yes, if it's not one thing it's going to be something else.

but this doesn't excuse the fact that cigarette smoking is still one of the single most retarded things you can choose to do as a human being.
it provides zero benefits of any form. even the mild nicotine buzz disappears once you're an addict. there is literally not one halfway good reason to smoke cigarettes. the ONLY thing a cigarette does for you is provide you with additional ways to die faster.

it's just f/cking stupid to even start.
just because you have to die of something doesn't mean it's "bullsh*t" to warn people of how bad cigarettes are.

they ONLY kill you faster.
in the meantime your breath smells like ass, your clothes smell like ass, your teeth and fingers turn yellow, and you don't look cool.

the only person who ever looked kind of cool smoking a cigarette was James Dean and he's dead.

[Jeeebuuus]

QUOTE (El_Diablo @ Wednesday, Apr 18 2012, 04:48)

the only person who ever looked kind of cool smoking a cigarette was James Dean and he's dead.

Opinion. Many people look cool smoking. Opinion.

[El_Diablo]

I'd be willing to bet that if you could poll the relevant population, a majority of people would say that smoking does not look cool.

[Jeeebuuus]

Maybe, but the majority of people once thought George W. Bush was a good president. Popular opinion can go f*ck itself.

[El_Diablo]

that wasn't a majority of people, just a majority of voters who showed up

and even that final count is debatable

[Jeeebuuus]

Agreed. Still we shouldn't base our views on what a bunch of half-wits think. Carlin once said, "'Well many people are using it that way so the meaning is changing', and I say, 'Well many people are really f*ckin stupid too, should we just adopt all their standards". In the case of smoking though I still say don't start.

[JOSEPH X]

I just started smoking again a few months ago after quitting for about 4 months. I'm not going to beat myself up about it, because it is just so easy to get hooked again. The same thing happened when I gave up in 06 - I got a bit blase, thinking I could have a smoke and not become addicted - but it just draws you in.

Nicotine addiction is the strongest of the addictions. It takes over your mind and bends you to its will. There is nothing better than a cigarette, because it is the cure for your addiction...your nicotine addiction!

There are many benefits to giving up smoking - health and money being the biggest two, but if you try to quit for those reasons it adds so much pressure that it makes you anxious. That's when the addiction starts to do its best work, telling you everything will be OK if you just have a smoke, "You'll feel a lot better," You have a smoke and it's true. You feel better.

The best chance of success in quitting is to quit the addiction, quit the craving, and stop being a slave. If you feel the craving, you've failed, it's better for you to just have a smoke and try to regroup.

Successful quitters don't feel the craving, and that should be your objective. Set yourself a date when you want to have your last cigarette, and look forward to it. Look forward to being free of the slavery of finishing a pack and needing to go and get another pack. Look forward to being free from the cravings.

Trust me, it works.

[hambones]

I've quit twice before and I'm going through the quitting process again, haven't smoked in over 24 hours. What I did the first two times, I would either just chew on a toothpick or eat some sunflower seeds when I had cravings.

[smaisey]

I quit 5 years ago, but stupidly started again gradually last year, now i'm back to being a full time smoker again.

I used nicotine patches and they worked fine for me, my wife on the other hand struggled with the patches.

A friend of mine recently went to a hypnotherapist, it only cost £17.50 for a 30 minute session, but he hasn't smoked for two months since then and his eating habits haven't changed (giving up smoking tends to make you eat more as nicotine is an appetite supressant).

Am very tempted to go and see this hypnotherapist in the near future.

Edit: My 1000th post! It's only taken me 8 years!