Reading the birthday wishes to At0mic, he mentions that he is 3 days into giving up smoking.
Both Chris Werner & I said that we were going to try to give up, once our final joint track was finished.
Well, At0mic, you're a few days ahead of us.
So, have any of you given up?
I've tried many times with limited success over short periods.
How did you do it?
How long did it take to be free?
How many synths could you have bought over the years with your cigarette expenditure?
Neil B
Giving up smoking - PlanetZ self-help group
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siberiansun
- Posts: 437
- Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2002 4:00 pm
- Location: Sweden
i gave up smoking about 2 years ago.
or, to be honest, i switched from cigarettes to snuff, or "snus" as we call it in sweden.
anyway it made the transition very easy since i gave up smoking because of the smoke itself rather than the nicotine.
i thought it would be better to make the absence of cigarettes easier for me and i did not want to "fall off the wagon".
so my advice to those who find it TOO hard to give it up alltogether, SNUS!
well, one addiction for another, doesn't make sense i know....
anyway, GOOD LUCK to all of you!
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: siberiansun on 2003-02-21 03:49 ]</font>
or, to be honest, i switched from cigarettes to snuff, or "snus" as we call it in sweden.
anyway it made the transition very easy since i gave up smoking because of the smoke itself rather than the nicotine.
i thought it would be better to make the absence of cigarettes easier for me and i did not want to "fall off the wagon".
so my advice to those who find it TOO hard to give it up alltogether, SNUS!
well, one addiction for another, doesn't make sense i know....
anyway, GOOD LUCK to all of you!
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: siberiansun on 2003-02-21 03:49 ]</font>
This is going to sound really simplistic, but I believe it's the truth....
You will never give up (for more than a few weeks) unless you *really* want to. And if you do want to give up then it will be reasonably easy to do so.
I tried to give up a few times in the usual half-hearted "I'm dieing for a cigarette" semi-humourous way. But that didn't work for long and deep down I knew it wouldn't - because I still liked cigarettes. I enjoyed smoking them, I liked the feeling, I liked the ritual.
But one day I woke up feeling a bit seedy. I'd drunk too much and smoked too much and not eaten enough. I fely lousey. I thought to myself: "I can't keep doing this. I'll get really sick. I've got to start getting healthy."
I looked in my cig packet: one left. I always made sure I'd have at least one for the morning to get me to the shops to buy another pack.
So I smoked that one and thought "that's it. No more for me, they're making me sick."
And that was it.
I didn't have a single cigarette after that. I do enjoy a cigar once every few months with a good scotch or cocktail, but that's not the same as cigarette addiction.
A friend of mine has been trying to give up for years. Each time he tries I ask him: "So, do you think you'll *ever* have another cigarette ?"
He never hesitates in his answer: "Oh, yes, sometime, sure, of course."
So of course he fails. He doesn't really want to give up. He's like people who buy a year's gym membership thinking that will "force" them to go to the gym. It doesn't work, they do their money and feel worse than ever.
So think about it deeply. Do you really want to give up ? Why are you giving up ? Are you prepared never to have one again ? Do you want to let a mere chemical craving beat your inner resolve and make your sick ?
If you can be firm and definite with your answers then I think you'll do it. If you're unsure you will fail.
Then it just comes down to willpower.
I hear some people say how "impossible" it is for them to stop.
Impossible ? Really ?
I always think of this: Let's say someone was following you around for the next year, everywhere you go, with a loaded pistol pointed at your head. As soon as you have a cigarette he will pull the trigger and splatter your brains out.
Now, do you think you will have any problem giving up ?
No, of course not. It will be easy. To me that represents willpower. You will be pleased with your own strength if you can simply stop by your own personal strength. No whining, no moaning. That just makes it worse.
Anyway, that's my 2c. I hope it hasn't come across as too harsh, it's just what worked for me.
You will never give up (for more than a few weeks) unless you *really* want to. And if you do want to give up then it will be reasonably easy to do so.
I tried to give up a few times in the usual half-hearted "I'm dieing for a cigarette" semi-humourous way. But that didn't work for long and deep down I knew it wouldn't - because I still liked cigarettes. I enjoyed smoking them, I liked the feeling, I liked the ritual.
But one day I woke up feeling a bit seedy. I'd drunk too much and smoked too much and not eaten enough. I fely lousey. I thought to myself: "I can't keep doing this. I'll get really sick. I've got to start getting healthy."
I looked in my cig packet: one left. I always made sure I'd have at least one for the morning to get me to the shops to buy another pack.
So I smoked that one and thought "that's it. No more for me, they're making me sick."
And that was it.
I didn't have a single cigarette after that. I do enjoy a cigar once every few months with a good scotch or cocktail, but that's not the same as cigarette addiction.
A friend of mine has been trying to give up for years. Each time he tries I ask him: "So, do you think you'll *ever* have another cigarette ?"
He never hesitates in his answer: "Oh, yes, sometime, sure, of course."
So of course he fails. He doesn't really want to give up. He's like people who buy a year's gym membership thinking that will "force" them to go to the gym. It doesn't work, they do their money and feel worse than ever.
So think about it deeply. Do you really want to give up ? Why are you giving up ? Are you prepared never to have one again ? Do you want to let a mere chemical craving beat your inner resolve and make your sick ?
If you can be firm and definite with your answers then I think you'll do it. If you're unsure you will fail.
Then it just comes down to willpower.
I hear some people say how "impossible" it is for them to stop.
Impossible ? Really ?
I always think of this: Let's say someone was following you around for the next year, everywhere you go, with a loaded pistol pointed at your head. As soon as you have a cigarette he will pull the trigger and splatter your brains out.
Now, do you think you will have any problem giving up ?
No, of course not. It will be easy. To me that represents willpower. You will be pleased with your own strength if you can simply stop by your own personal strength. No whining, no moaning. That just makes it worse.
Anyway, that's my 2c. I hope it hasn't come across as too harsh, it's just what worked for me.
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samplaire
- Posts: 2464
- Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2001 4:00 pm
- Location: Warsaw to Szczecin, Poland
- Contact:
I gave up smoking almost 2 years ago (actually it was 8.03.2001) - or rather I stopped smoking because I always leave the door open to be able to return - now I can't see the point to return but... It wasn's simple as I've been smoking for 10 years or so. I had some attempts to drop smoking earlier (the longest period was 7 months) but I temped and then smoked more than before dropping.
I dropped with a little help from a medicine: Zyban (by GlaxoWellcome). Have you heard about it? It's from a group of medicines, the so called anti depressant. The cure is about 7 weeks and you have to prepare not to sleep, be always angry etc. After about 2 weeks of the cure I found a moment that cigarettes stopped to interst me - it's like with food - you like it but after a huge dinner you can't look at your fovourite dishes. You have to use the moment and say: NO! Of course in every cure situation 30% of success is selinterest and self motivation but with that combination of thoughts and medicine it works! Additionaly the medicine is quite expensive here in Poland (one day costs you 2 packs of good cigarettes). I smoked about 1 and 1/3 packs of cigarettes per day so the price of the medicine was additional factor to stop smoking after the cure.
The most frustrating moments were when I had to meet with somebody and had to wait for him for 10minutes or so - what to do with such time?
ADVANTAGES OF NOT SMOKING:
- good taste (beer, wine taste sooooo great now!!!)
- good smell (wow that spring aromate!)
- good health (no sweat, better making love - really!)
- your clothes don't smell
- your breath is nicer
- your flat doesn't smell
- you can save money for something really expensive (saving for one year, for instance)
DISADVANTAGES OF NOT SMOKING:
- 'let's smoke a cigarette because we'are becoming to look like children' how to manage those feeling now???
- what to do with your hands being in a bar?
- that nice feeling during the first cigarette smoke in the morning, just BEFORE breakfast
- you become fatter (in my case circa 10kg)
- have you seen the short movie featuring Iggy Pop and tom Waits - 'Cofe & Cigarettes'?
Dropping cigarettes is not that easy - my father (63) dropped smoking at his first heart collapse (he was 38) and NOW, sometimes, after lunch, he says 'aaaaaaahhhhhh, now I would have a smoke, mmmmmmmmm' - after 25 years!!!!!!!! He smoked to 60 non filter cigarettes a day!!!!!!!!!
At0mic, Spirit, good luck! If I could (me so hopeless guy!) you can do it, too! I'm sure!
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: samplaire on 2003-02-21 05:29 ]</font>
I dropped with a little help from a medicine: Zyban (by GlaxoWellcome). Have you heard about it? It's from a group of medicines, the so called anti depressant. The cure is about 7 weeks and you have to prepare not to sleep, be always angry etc. After about 2 weeks of the cure I found a moment that cigarettes stopped to interst me - it's like with food - you like it but after a huge dinner you can't look at your fovourite dishes. You have to use the moment and say: NO! Of course in every cure situation 30% of success is selinterest and self motivation but with that combination of thoughts and medicine it works! Additionaly the medicine is quite expensive here in Poland (one day costs you 2 packs of good cigarettes). I smoked about 1 and 1/3 packs of cigarettes per day so the price of the medicine was additional factor to stop smoking after the cure.
The most frustrating moments were when I had to meet with somebody and had to wait for him for 10minutes or so - what to do with such time?
ADVANTAGES OF NOT SMOKING:
- good taste (beer, wine taste sooooo great now!!!)
- good smell (wow that spring aromate!)
- good health (no sweat, better making love - really!)
- your clothes don't smell
- your breath is nicer
- your flat doesn't smell
- you can save money for something really expensive (saving for one year, for instance)
DISADVANTAGES OF NOT SMOKING:
- 'let's smoke a cigarette because we'are becoming to look like children' how to manage those feeling now???
- what to do with your hands being in a bar?
- that nice feeling during the first cigarette smoke in the morning, just BEFORE breakfast
- you become fatter (in my case circa 10kg)
- have you seen the short movie featuring Iggy Pop and tom Waits - 'Cofe & Cigarettes'?
Dropping cigarettes is not that easy - my father (63) dropped smoking at his first heart collapse (he was 38) and NOW, sometimes, after lunch, he says 'aaaaaaahhhhhh, now I would have a smoke, mmmmmmmmm' - after 25 years!!!!!!!! He smoked to 60 non filter cigarettes a day!!!!!!!!!
At0mic, Spirit, good luck! If I could (me so hopeless guy!) you can do it, too! I'm sure!
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: samplaire on 2003-02-21 05:29 ]</font>
Sir 
i've dropped smoking (cigarets) long time now, and recently also other tasty products that were taking too much place in my life....now i have something tastier only when some friend brings it, very rare event.
for me it took 3 weeks of hell, but after that you are clean, and it's very easy not to smoke.
and it's really worth!
for me it took 3 weeks of hell, but after that you are clean, and it's very easy not to smoke.
and it's really worth!
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Herr Voigt
- Posts: 624
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2002 4:00 pm
- Location: germany, east
I stopped smoking last year in April. It wasn't very hard - I've had an annoying cough and felt pain during smoking.
So I stopped - and didn't begin after the cough! This method I would strongly recommend to everybody.
With money I feel no difference.
1. I've bought the cigarettes in Poland, where they cost half price as in Germany. I live near poland.
2. As I was a smoker, I only smoked around 15 a day.
3. As a substitute I took chocolate, with the result of 6 kg more - now I have to buy new clothes.
But I'm very happy that I stopped. It's a complete new feeling: taste, smell, no pain in the morning etc. etc.
Good luck all beginning non-smokers!!!
So I stopped - and didn't begin after the cough! This method I would strongly recommend to everybody.
With money I feel no difference.
1. I've bought the cigarettes in Poland, where they cost half price as in Germany. I live near poland.
2. As I was a smoker, I only smoked around 15 a day.
3. As a substitute I took chocolate, with the result of 6 kg more - now I have to buy new clothes.
But I'm very happy that I stopped. It's a complete new feeling: taste, smell, no pain in the morning etc. etc.
Good luck all beginning non-smokers!!!
When I smoked I was a big drinker of overproof dark rum. But when I gave up (six years ago?) and had my first "non-cigarette" drink I returned it to the bar.
I told the barman: "You've had Ouzo or Pernot in the nip glass, it tastes terrible."
He poured me another. Yeck! Same bad taste. I tried again a few days laterm but my taste for rum was destroyed. Now I drink Scotch or Vodka.
I didn't gain any weight, but I do remember I chewed lots of gum !
I told the barman: "You've had Ouzo or Pernot in the nip glass, it tastes terrible."
He poured me another. Yeck! Same bad taste. I tried again a few days laterm but my taste for rum was destroyed. Now I drink Scotch or Vodka.
I didn't gain any weight, but I do remember I chewed lots of gum !
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Neil B
Great advice guys - spoken like true ex-smokers! Much appreciated. I'm proud of you all.
SiberianSun - yeah I used to use snuff a lot when I was a coal miner and we couldn't smoke underground unless we wanted to blow hundreds of our friends up. Amazing really - we'd work for 8 hours without thinking about cigarettes, come back up to the surface and smoke 3 in quick succession - strange stuff nicotine.
Anyway - keep it coming.
Does anyone want to join in with Me & Chris?
We could all set a starting date and see how it goes.
SiberianSun - yeah I used to use snuff a lot when I was a coal miner and we couldn't smoke underground unless we wanted to blow hundreds of our friends up. Amazing really - we'd work for 8 hours without thinking about cigarettes, come back up to the surface and smoke 3 in quick succession - strange stuff nicotine.
Anyway - keep it coming.
Does anyone want to join in with Me & Chris?
We could all set a starting date and see how it goes.
which arm wins when you arm wrestle yourself? the best thing to do is to STOP.one can always smoke,it is a decision and a habit.when one is through,nothing will make one smoke again,even though it's easy to do.the main thing is in your head.
don't QUIT.quitters never win and winners never quit,so when one quits,this sets up an opposite reaction in the mind as no one wants to be a loser or a quitter.
if you've had enough just stop.it's very easy.in fact,the hardest thing about not smoking is just that it's so integral to a smokers activities.this makes everything strange for a minute until NOT smoking is the norm.still, stopping is no harder than winning an arm wrestling contest with yourself.it's only hard if you forget whose arm is doing the wrestling.you WILL do what you want.(even if what you want is suicide,so watch out which desires you become attached to and call your own,it happens quickly if you sleepwalk....)
been there. done that.
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: garyb on 2003-02-21 19:39 ]</font>
don't QUIT.quitters never win and winners never quit,so when one quits,this sets up an opposite reaction in the mind as no one wants to be a loser or a quitter.
if you've had enough just stop.it's very easy.in fact,the hardest thing about not smoking is just that it's so integral to a smokers activities.this makes everything strange for a minute until NOT smoking is the norm.still, stopping is no harder than winning an arm wrestling contest with yourself.it's only hard if you forget whose arm is doing the wrestling.you WILL do what you want.(even if what you want is suicide,so watch out which desires you become attached to and call your own,it happens quickly if you sleepwalk....)
been there. done that.
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: garyb on 2003-02-21 19:39 ]</font>
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ChrisWerner
- Posts: 1738
- Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2001 4:00 pm
- Location: Germany/Bavaria
- Contact:
I prepared myself to stop that nasty thing on monday, nobody can help me nobody can do it for me.
I want it and I will do it, I´ve done other harder things before.
There is a thought that will guide me through this phase of non smoking, there are so many nice things around this world that cost nothing, but I pay much money for a thing that lasts a minute and blow of in smoke, I can burn my money instead.
The gun on my head is the fervour of the cigarette that burns into my heart and lungs. Stop this crap, I will do it.
How a Talisker will taste after few weeks of no smoking? What nightmare I will have ?
I really look forward to make this experience. One for sure, I can only win.
I want it and I will do it, I´ve done other harder things before.
There is a thought that will guide me through this phase of non smoking, there are so many nice things around this world that cost nothing, but I pay much money for a thing that lasts a minute and blow of in smoke, I can burn my money instead.
The gun on my head is the fervour of the cigarette that burns into my heart and lungs. Stop this crap, I will do it.
How a Talisker will taste after few weeks of no smoking? What nightmare I will have ?
I really look forward to make this experience. One for sure, I can only win.
I *never* tried to quit untill last week, which was as intended. All my smokers' life I had pin-pointed my 27th birthday as end date of my smoking cigarettes. Now it's done, they're gone and I don't bother too much. Not much for personality training, it's far easier as I expected.
I'll rejoin you guys on your quitting by monday, oki? Just took a little advance
Courage Neil and Chris!
I'll rejoin you guys on your quitting by monday, oki? Just took a little advance
Courage Neil and Chris!-
Neil B
Okay Chris - Monday it is.
It should be much easier for me now that I aren't working with that crazy German guy from Dortmund.
Nice to know that you're a few paces ahead of us At0mic.
BTW - is it 23:59 on Monday night that we start?
_________________
Neil B
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Neil B on 2003-02-22 10:48 ]</font>
It should be much easier for me now that I aren't working with that crazy German guy from Dortmund.
Nice to know that you're a few paces ahead of us At0mic.
BTW - is it 23:59 on Monday night that we start?
_________________
Neil B
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Neil B on 2003-02-22 10:48 ]</font>
I've been smoking a pack of filterless (preferred brands Camel and greek Santé) each day for about 20 years.
The 'stop smoking because it's bad for your health...' never did work on me, even though I consider myself very well informed about medical facts. The association between the nasty pics and my own lungs didn't turn up and I was so used to cigarette toxics that I didn't notice them at all.
Well, to make a long story short:
I stopped it because I simply forgot it for some days during a horrible flu.
It was mighty impressive when totally dulled from fever I realized this was a disease one might actually die from, never felt so weak and shitty before.
But it took me beyond those 'nicotin missing' symptoms, so I tried to avoid everyday life situations like coffee with cigarettes etc etc.
A week later a bicycle ride on my favourite exercise route, the 'regular point-of-cough' in the turn after the first mile in the hills... nothing
The effect increased tremendously over the next couple of month and THAT really got me going. I could breathe more air, I developed more power, got kind of addicted to fresh air.
Something that simple I had forgotten over all the years.
Like Samplaire described above: smell and taste come back and (tell it to the girls) your skin gains at least 10 years
Within one year my sport results increased about 30%.
NOW I realised what cigarettes really had been for me.
The point is that I've experienced the difference and don't have to force myself to stay away from cigarettes.
Smoking them wouldn't come to my mind anymore. Seriously, today the breathing of fresh air gives me the same kick cigarettes formerly did
And I really enjoy a good cigar (hi Spirit !)from time to time, so it can't be the nicotin causing the addiction.
Imho it's just certain behaviours, a social and psychological phenomenon. But unfortunately that's much harder to struggle with.
cheers, Tom
The 'stop smoking because it's bad for your health...' never did work on me, even though I consider myself very well informed about medical facts. The association between the nasty pics and my own lungs didn't turn up and I was so used to cigarette toxics that I didn't notice them at all.
Well, to make a long story short:
I stopped it because I simply forgot it for some days during a horrible flu.
It was mighty impressive when totally dulled from fever I realized this was a disease one might actually die from, never felt so weak and shitty before.
But it took me beyond those 'nicotin missing' symptoms, so I tried to avoid everyday life situations like coffee with cigarettes etc etc.
A week later a bicycle ride on my favourite exercise route, the 'regular point-of-cough' in the turn after the first mile in the hills... nothing
The effect increased tremendously over the next couple of month and THAT really got me going. I could breathe more air, I developed more power, got kind of addicted to fresh air.
Something that simple I had forgotten over all the years.
Like Samplaire described above: smell and taste come back and (tell it to the girls) your skin gains at least 10 years
Within one year my sport results increased about 30%.
NOW I realised what cigarettes really had been for me.
The point is that I've experienced the difference and don't have to force myself to stay away from cigarettes.
Smoking them wouldn't come to my mind anymore. Seriously, today the breathing of fresh air gives me the same kick cigarettes formerly did
And I really enjoy a good cigar (hi Spirit !)from time to time, so it can't be the nicotin causing the addiction.
Imho it's just certain behaviours, a social and psychological phenomenon. But unfortunately that's much harder to struggle with.
cheers, Tom