Easy way to stop smoking.....

[jambutty]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

We smokers enjoy it - thats what addiction is!

Addiction is a compulsion to do something, although enjoyment may come into it but is not the driving force.

Smokers are in denial and to save from having to admit it and lose face they come up with all sorts of excuses why they smoke. One of them being “I enjoy a fag after a meal or whatever”.

It is the same with alcoholics. They will deny that they are addicted and usually trot out things like, “ a glass of xxxxx helps me relax” or whatever.

As a smoker for some 56 years who has stopped in the past for well over a year I think that I can speak with a modicum of authority on this issue.

We smokers are ADDICTED to smoking. Whether it is to the nicotine content or the physical act of taking a fag out of a packet, lighting up and puffing away doesn’t really matter. Although I suspect that the latter is more of an addiction than the former. That is why all ‘stop smoking’ aids like patches all include the words “some will power will be needed” or words to that effect.

Until the smokers admit it to themselves their chances of quitting are not good and console themselves with a multitude of excuse why they don’t want to quit.

[slinky]

Originally Posted by jambutty

Addiction is a compulsion to do something, although enjoyment may come into it but is not the driving force.

Smokers are in denial and to save from having to admit it and lose face they come up with all sorts of excuses why they smoke. One of them being “I enjoy a fag after a meal or whatever”.

It is the same with alcoholics. They will deny that they are addicted and usually trot out things like, “ a glass of xxxxx helps me relax” or whatever.

As a smoker for some 56 years who has stopped in the past for well over a year I think that I can speak with a modicum of authority on this issue.

We smokers are ADDICTED to smoking. Whether it is to the nicotine content or the physical act of taking a fag out of a packet, lighting up and puffing away doesn’t really matter. Although I suspect that the latter is more of an addiction than the former. That is why all ‘stop smoking’ aids like patches all include the words “some will power will be needed” or words to that effect.

Until the smokers admit it to themselves their chances of quitting are not good and console themselves with a multitude of excuse why they don’t want to quit.

That about sums it all up Jambutty!!

Something that made me think ' OMG YES ' was Allen Carr said " people often say to me ' it's just something to do with my hands ' as he say's, why light it then?? If it is just because you need something to do with your hands, why do you light the ciggie?? now get out of that one

[slinky]

Originally Posted by harwood red

Must admit when I first read this thread I thought the comedian allan carr from the friday night project had written the book

LMAO HR, I totally missed this post, but you're right, so did I


" It's me Allen "

[Neil]

Originally Posted by slinky

I'm only harping on about it because i'm gob smacked that a book has made it so easy for me to stop smoking!!

Your gob smacked, I am chuffing amazed a book made you stop


Go on say it, I will be gob smacked if I don't shut it

[slinky]

Originally Posted by Neil

Your gob smacked, I am chuffing amazed a book made you stop


Go on say it, I will be gob smacked if I don't shut it

Neil, you spook me!! how did you know what was on my mind

[katex]

Well, I like Lilly enjoy smoking (just the bits in between when I can't have one that I don't enjoy )

I am not sure that I am genuingly giving excuses to myself, or just trying to justify/placate other people to shut them up, now it is so controversial.

I have found myself making verbal excuses to non-smokers. On the other hand, I have told them strongly that I am not prepared to make any excuses to them and what I do so 'sod off'!

[slinky]

Originally Posted by cherokee

Nice one slinky ..
i have just started on the champix tablets today in order to stop . had to go through nhs stop smoking .to get em . so fingers crossed they work .. if not hun i,ll give your book a go ..

I wouldn't bother with the tablets hun!! honest, go straight for the book!!

If the book doesn't work, then start the tablets, but I bet you £5 that you won't need the tablets after the book!! You are already in the frame of mind to stop, so the book will help.

I think that is why the book didn't help lilly, she said she read it twice and nothing happened, but then said she doesn't want to give up anyway as she enjoys it. Thats why the book didn't work.

[Lilly]

Originally Posted by slinky

I think that is why the book didn't help lilly, she said she read it twice and nothing happened, but then said she doesn't want to give up anyway as she enjoys it. Thats why the book didn't work.

You're right Slinky. I wanted to have a go at giving up for financial reasons really but I do love having a fag and missed it something shocking when I tried to stop. The book won't work if you are not desperate on all counts to stop.

[MargaretR]

I tried Zyban a few years ago and came out in big red ichy lumps all over.

This link has info about Champix and Zyban -if you get side effects stop taking them and see doc.

Medicines to help you quit

[slinky]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

I tried Zyban a few years ago and came out in big red ichy lumps all over.

This link has info about Champix and Zyban -if you get side effects stop taking them and see doc.

Medicines to help you quit

I really don't believe all this " medicines to help you quit " thing.

How can giving your body Nicotine through other sources help you to quit??

Actually what most people find is that, when they get hooked on the " medicines that have helped you quit " they start back on the ciggies because they need that fix. This ends in being Addicted to both ciggies, and the thing that was going to " help " Very clever the government and health services

[Neil]

Originally Posted by slinky

Neil, you spook me!! how did you know what was on my mind

Because reading your mind is like reading one of Emily's bed time stores. They have 6 pages with about 5 words on each page.

[jambutty]

50%, or maybe more, of all the fags that we smoke we do not do so for the nicotine content. We do it out of the habit of lighting up. And it is this habit part that is the bit that is so difficult to break. Ask a habitual nail biter if they can stop biting their nails.

When I stopped smoking several years ago I set myself out a plan of action. I sat back and identified all those fags that I lit up out of habit and targeted them as my first line of attack as well as where I smoked.

Out went the ashtray in the bedroom, the one in the bathroom and in all rooms except the living room. I resolved that the only place that I would have a fag would be in the living room. If I had to leave the living room whilst smoking a fag I would put it out first.

I then decided that I would only smoke a fag on the half hour and the hour.

I decided not to smoke on short car journeys or on the move in any way, like walking to the local shop or whilst pottering in the garden. My smoking would be limited to being sat down in the living room.

I resolved to delay lighting a fag for 5 minutes after taking it out of the packet. I would take the fag out of the packet, put it in my mouth, reach for my lighter but not light the fag, then deliberately put the lighter down, take the fag out of my mouth and place it back in the packet. After 5 minutes, which did mean clock watching to begin with, I allowed myself to light the fag or I punished myself a bit further by delaying it for a further five minutes. If I managed to do that, my reward was to smoke the fag. I continued that way for the whole day. Sometimes I would forget to reward myself and it got to the next half hour before I realised.

To show myself that I had control over my addiction, when I did light a fag I would take a couple of puffs then dock it. Sometimes I would keep the stump in my mouth for a while until I got fed up of it being there, so it went behind my ear. Or it was left in the ashtray to taunt me.

The next day the delay was 10 minutes. The next day it was 15 minutes. The day after half an hour and finally one hour.

This routine for more than a week almost broke the habit of lighting up or at least brought it under MY CONSCIOUS CONTROL.

I deliberately refused offers of fags from family and friends as they lit up.

After a couple of weeks or so my smoking had dropped from 30 or more per day to less than 10.

Being in control of when and where I lit a fag the next step was to not light up until noon with the next one not until after tea and the last one before going to bed. 3 a day hardly seemed worth smoking so one morning I put fags, lighter and ashtrays away and went about my daily life that extended for over a year.

Sadly a burglary, which also wrecked my living room just weeks after I had got it some bit like, badly unnerved me. The kindly policewoman who had been despatched to investigate and take a statement saw how badly I was unnerved and made me a cup of tea and offered me a fag. Unconsciously I took it and smoked it and got back onto the tobacco road again.

I should point out that the burglary occurred the day after being discharged from hospital after a second heart attack. I was in no condition to be hit with that sort of trauma.

I’ve never looked back since and continued to keep the government solvent so that it could waste my money on illegal wars and crackpot schemes.

[slinky]

Originally Posted by Neil

Because reading your mind is like reading one of Emily's bed time stores. They have 6 pages with about 5 words on each page.

Oh well I won't have to offend anyone on here for saying ***** *** ***** but you know what I am thinking, so no need to type it

[jambutty]

Originally Posted by Lilly

I remember the bit in the book where Allan Carr says that smoking is not pleasurable. It is merely a device to keep the withdrawal symptoms at bay. He likens it to banging your head against a brick wall in order to feel better when you stop.

My trouble is that I really do enjoy having a fag. I always have.

Aw! Come on Lilly!

You KNOW that is just an excuse.

If you don’t want to admit it to us then admit it to yourself.

Be honest with yourself, never mind us lot out here.

[slinky]

I enjoyed reading that Jambutty, thanks.

I really hope you find it easy this time. You seem a very level headed kind of guy, that knows what is what!! I think you will do it with flying colours, once you start reading that book!! GOOD LUCK!!