Sprouts vs Smoking
Author
Discussion

TheExcession

Original Poster:

11,669 posts

272 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
What is it with giving up something you like that makes it so much harder than something you can't stand.

I used to be forced to eat sprouts as a kid, kin hated them. So when I left home I gave em up. Now adays if they're on offer I might eat one at Christmas.

So you might guess where this is going, we (that's Mr & Mrs Ex) stopped smoking this morning - about 12 hrs ago now.

I've just gone plain cold turkey, Mrs is on the 10mg patches.

But man I'd like a cigarette now. Just one, coz I know how good it'll feel and then I'll stop. Simple like that init. Just one for old times sake... feck that, just one coz I want one...

Hmmm the nature of addiction....

Any top tips for getting through the next week alive and without killing someone?

best
Ex




diddyman

3,646 posts

263 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
Eat sprouts?

PatHeald

8,058 posts

278 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
diddyman said:
Eat sprouts?
Smoke sprouts.

That should cure you...

shirley temple

2,232 posts

254 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
whatu need is won't power, as in I won't have a fag, keep it up man, its on my list of things to do this year.
You have my respect and sympathy

birdbrain

1,564 posts

261 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
Try hynotherapy. I did that and it worked for me.

TeamD

5,060 posts

254 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
Do the patch thing, they do help.

Forget the gum it sux

I found Nicquitin CQ better than Nicorette patches

Only problem is be prepared for some weird dreams if
you have the 24 hour ones.

Plus for a while you get a mini-buzz when you put a new one on.

After a while I found that I forgot that I had the damn thing on and finally after wearing one for three days thought, "Well, I guess I don't need this anymore."

Managed 3 months and broke over a christmas period, thought I could handle a cigar...didn't work.

I guess it's true, once an addict always an addict, there are no half measures. Next time I give up it will be for good.

vixpy1

42,697 posts

286 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
Reminds me, I'm just popping out for a ciggy.

Chim_Girl

6,268 posts

281 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
Make a deal with yourself. If you manage to eat 1lb of sprouts you can have a fag at the end of it NOT before.

Mr E

22,694 posts

281 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
Chim_Girl said:
Make a deal with yourself. If you manage to eat 1lb of sprouts you can have a fag at the end of it NOT before.


Raw sprouts.

birdbrain

1,564 posts

261 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
Vom.

Karen182

4,214 posts

256 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
I've given up so many times since I started smoking - I can give up without using anything, even for a few years but I do enjoy it and if something goes wrong in life I go back to it.

Chim_Girl

6,268 posts

281 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
TeamD said:
..there are no half measures.



I've never been a smoker, but someone said to me that once they'd made the mental adjustment they found it easier. You're either a smoker or you're not a smoker. Telling yourself your 'giving up smoking' makes it sound very negative (which I am sure is how it must feel right now1!) and there is no such thing as a state of 'giving up'. You've had your last cigarette, that's it, no more fags, you've joined the ranks of the non-smokers

This probably sounds like utter bollox when your body is screaming for nicotine, a chain smoking friend said it helped her to give up.

Good Luck!


>> Edited by Chim_Girl on Wednesday 12th January 18:35

BliarOut

72,863 posts

261 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
vixpy1 said:
Reminds me, I'm just popping out for a ciggy.

Mind if I join you Charlie

Chim_Girl

6,268 posts

281 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
BliarOut said:

vixpy1 said:
Reminds me, I'm just popping out for a ciggy.


Mind if I join you Charlie


Don't worry, we'll come and visit you when you're having your lung ops.

Actually, scrap that, I'll send flowers, the sound of people hacking up phlegm makes me chuck.

Now y'all enjoy your cigarettes won't ya.

Karen182

4,214 posts

256 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
I'm just going to have one too...

andy4200

5,104 posts

295 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
When I stopped I had a really busy week at work. By the end of the week I hadn't even noticed that I hadn't been smoking.
It probably helped that I was covered in oil and various other flammable products.

Just keep your mind off it by doing something else.

v8thunder

27,647 posts

280 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
Buy two packs of fags, put one in the fridge, look at it the next morning and decide whether you want to keep doing it.

Well it worked for Plotloss and kebabs!

hang on...

mx5alive

1,442 posts

282 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
I can't offer any useful advice really although I am an ex smoker myself. I was never allowed to smoke at home and even when I left home I never really smooked in front of my mum.

I decided to give up when I felt my lungs tingling one day after doing some strenuous work. My mum mentioned that she got the same feeling when her asthma was bad. I used her peak flow meter to check my lung output and I measured less than her. She's a chronic asthmatic with emphysema!!!

I just decided to stop and quit without any help. I never really had a problem going all evening without one when at home after work, even though I smoked heavily at work.

Sometimes I really fancy a ciggie, but I just tell myself no and do something else instead. Having said that, whenever I go on holiday I start smoking again. It never bothers me once I get home again.
Try and think about how much it costs you and what you can buy with the money saved. If you put it aside for a month or two you will see a real benefit, then go and blow it on something really fun to celebrate.

My mate has been on nicotine chewing gum for about 6 years and has never actually kicked the habit. He does smell a lot better without the ciggies though.

Good luck and keep trying. One cigggie doesn't mean you have failed, just stop again after you've finished it and resolve not to do it again.

>> Edited by mx5alive on Wednesday 12th January 18:59

>> Edited by mx5alive on Wednesday 12th January 19:00

Chim_Girl

6,268 posts

281 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
mx5alive said:
One cigggie doesn't mean you have failed, just stop again after you've finished it and resolve not to do it again.



Surely that's the same as saying to an alcoholic, here you go, just have a glass of wine, you can stop after that one?

This is the woman who keeps promising herself a alcohol free month.

>> Edited by chim_girl on Wednesday 12th January 22:15

sparkythecat

8,059 posts

277 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
Mrs Sparky and I did this about 8 years ago. Overnight we went from 30+ each to being non-smokers.

It'll only work if you're both committed to the idea and want to do it. It won't work if one or the other of you has nagged the other one into giving up.

To motivate yourself you have to be competetive and think " Well if she's not having one, then I'm not. I'm not going to let her beat me"

It was hell in our house for a few weeeks but we managed it. The other thing to do is to physically put aside all the money you would have spent on ciggies and after a pre-agreed period, spend it on exrtravagant treats or rewards for yourselves.

I don't know how many you were smoking but 2 of you doing 20 a day would spend about £60 a week. Leave it a month and you've got £240. Nice

Good luck - let us know how you get on.