Give Up Smoking or Die Trying

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so, I read the book and that was it, I'd quit! (nearly).

I finished the book one morning, then that evening I had a smoke or 3. Now, I've 'given up' before and felt disappointed in myself after smoking, but that evening and night was quite bizarre. I felt rotten for smoking and was really beating myself up over it. The next morning I woke up feeling chipper and (thanks to the book) knew I was done. It's funny how it works and I'm the last person on earth you'd imagine with his nose in a self-help book, but for a few quid (download for me), it HAS to be worth a read!

I did 3 days at the start of the year 'cold turkey' and had cravings on and off. Smoked on day 4 and then for 3 days. Read 'the book' and have been off them since, with barely a craving - and even then armed with a mentality to see them off. Bizarrely, the most I've fancied a smoke since stopping is while writing this.

Not many quitters in 2014? Anyone else given up or trying?

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toon10 said:

I quit 3 hours ago! I planned to quit today but had two left over this morning. They're gone so now is the normal time I'd have one (just before lunch). Far too early to say but I hope to report back in a few weeks and see how I've got on.

ascayman said:

I am 13 days in and coping pretty well to be honest the odd craving and some fked up dreams aside..

How you guys getting on? I woke up with a bit of a cold today and the brain told me a smoke would make me feel better (I didn't smoke). The strange thing is after reading 'The Book' I'm a non-smoker, but I'm not quite sure why or how.

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toon10 said:

My biggest worry is that I managed to give up for 8 years and then had one crazy moment and ended up hooked again. They say once a smoker always a smoker but I hope this isn't the case.

I fell for the exact same 8 year itch. For me I was driving solid in Europe for 2 days and grabbed a pack of ciggies to keep me awake. I did stay awake, but also back on the smokes. That was 2005, so incredibly I'd been smoking again for 8 years after beating the habit (with a several attempts to quit in between ranging from zero success to 8 months).

I still could quite easily have a smoke, with the "one won't hurt" mentality, but of course I know that's not the case.

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Weird. I must be 2 weeks clean (the book) without much of a craving to report, yet today I could quite easily pick up a smoke. The most tempted I've been. My 'bit of a cold' turned into quite a heavy one and maybe it's my senses returning and wanting familiarisation with the old habit.

To theshrew, if you're reading this, are you back on them at the moment? Don't let it turn into 8 years back on them like me. The years bloomin' flew by.

My next challenges (presuming I don't drive down the garage now) will be not smoking at work (events) weekends away. Suppose that's only really a problem if I still have a job!

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Predictably..... my happy ending suffered a wobble! Not even sure on timings etc, probably about 3 weeks after reading 'the book' I bought a pack of smokes after a domestic at home (in a bizarre 'that'll learn her' thought process). Smoked them and then more. Knew the book probably had the answers, but foolishly kept on with the smokes.

Stopped a week ago and have craved like I don't remember. I know it's in the mind and not chemical as it seems to be getting tougher the longer it goes on. Very tempted - but not lapsed.

There must be others like me who seem to battle non-stop, but as others on the thread have said - keep on trying, one day it'll stick!

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I wanted to break the nicotine cycle, so think I will only ever go cold turkey (if I need to). Having said that, my (largely unsuccessful) encounters with vaping have left me with a lot of kit and I did buy some zero nicotine fluid recently which I puff on when struggling.

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gus607 said:

Been a smoker for nearly 50 years ! Tried many times without success but quit 8 weeks ago !

Not had a craving or even fancied a smoke, saved a fortune already.

My secret, I had a heart attsck, since then put me off the fags for life !

Stay off them Gus! I don't think any of us want to be in that position, hope you're on the mend.

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Well done guys. I still battle this daemon regularly. I seem to go about three weeks clean before I wobble, then smoke for a couple of weeks before getting my head round it and quitting again (cold turkey). Rinse and repeat.

There's a million reasons not to smoke and only one to smoke (that being I'm an idiot).

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Still wobbling here. I'd like to think I go about 3 weeks not smoking then 2 weeks smoking, but in reality the numbers are shifting and not in a good way.

I've just ordered some more vaping gear so will give it a go (again!).

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Off to stay with a friend in Cyprus until 3 September and she's an ex-smoker (currently a vaper). Want to try and come back a non-smoker as doing hopelessly recently.

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So.... two years since I started the thread and no prizes for guessing that I'm still struggling. In fact, it hasn't been a struggle since the summer because I've smoked and not really tried to quit.

I have drawers full of vaping gear, nicotine chews and all sorts, but I really don't want it to be another year as they pass so quickly. This thread reminds me what a cock I am.

Cold turkey, with a jar to put in what it costs me every day to smoke. I'm determined to be able to post this time next year with a success story - if that in turn helps one other person, I'll be pleased.

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Du1point8 said:

Have you tried proper vaping? Or just those stty excuse for a fake cig that lights up at one end?

Most people who take the advice of others on proper vaping (ask on the vaping thread, I haven't seen you on it at all) seem to switch instantly with no problems and don't generally go back to cigs.

Yeah I've been on them (and on the thread a while back), never quite did it for me, just makes me want to smoke. Just about everyone I know who smoked is now vaping so it's a frustration.

A friend from Cyprus is over for Christmas and I dropped her to the station to visit another friend. She's been vaping for a good few years - realised she'd left her charger behind and said she'd buy a pack of smokes.

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richtea78 said:

Did you try Champix? That's what worked for me after trying everything else!

I had a bad experience. Nightmares like most, but getting in a car to post a letter (for example) then a few minutes later having no idea where I was, where I was going, what I was doing in the car, or in fact whose car it was (ok, the last bit was made up). Was a long time ago, so imagine the drugs have moved on since, but I'm doing this cold turkey tonight. A few days of body adjusting, then it's the easy road

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Well, I've nearly bagged day one. Trouble is, several times a week I may not have smoked by this time of day. Once the kids are in bed, I'l take the pooch out, hit the man-cave and more than make up for it. Just hitting my first cravings, but feeling confident.

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thenortherner said:

2 year anniversary today of being smoke free. Finished Ironman 70.3 in June 2014 and signed up for Ironman 140.6 Zurich for July of this year. All this was unthinkable not so long ago.

Good luck everyone who's trying.

To see you on the first page 2 years ago and still off them now is a great help. Hats off to you and it's really where I want to be (with the exception of the Ironman bit).

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No one else giving up this year (or trying)?

I've had many attempts at giving up over the years, including EIGHT YEARS clean (cold turkey) and 8 months (nicotine chews to start with) a while back. Sadly, I'd been back smoking for nine years after the 8 without which needed to be put right. I think someone said some pages back "never stop giving up" which is about right for me. I really am one of those 'tried everything' kind of guys and nothing seemed to stick.

I was proud of my smoking buddy from Cyprus - to see her on her electrics for 2 years while I still smoked, but then to see her switch to "I'll buy a pack of smokes" the minute she'd left her charger behind made my mind up. No chews, no vaping, no NRT, just chuck 'em in - job jobbed.

Pretty chilled here at the end of day 3. At home now so no temptation, not that it's really been a drama.

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I'm a glutton for punishment. Said I'd help out the father-in-law (builder) for a few weeks, if I can work with him without smoking, I must have cracked it. Only day one back at work, but day 5 overall and my first 'craving' of the day is right now as I type this. Long way to go, but bizarrely doesn't feel like I'm trying to pack up, it feels like I've packed up.

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Well, I've been pretty chilled, no proper cravings - after all, I've packed up.

Tonight I get an email that I've been short-listed for a job I would love. I imagine I'm an outsider for the role, but they want some 'pre-qualifying' answers to a load of scenarios. Sat down on the laptop to draft some answers and my head told me "this is when you smoke/stimulate your brain". I'm conscious that I smoked a lot when using my brain and in my head the smokes did stimulate me, or at least accompanied the 'buzz' I generated in other ways, but it was quite odd.

For tonight, I just gave it a miss, I'll face that hurdle another time.

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Went 9 days and really thought I'd cracked it. I posted above I needed to write some stuff for a job application (I didn't get it!) and I know it was my brain playing games with me, but I couldn't seem to write creatively without 'that' stimulant. On the third night of not finding the words I was looking for, I sparked up. Almost immediately my brain clicked into gear (obviously not to the required standard, or I'd have the job).

Having good and bad days since, but it's niggling at me now, whereas before I seemed pretty chilled. Might try a trip to the docs as need to get off them.

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Day 3 here! Wobbled 9 days in to January, then fell completely off the wagon towards the end of the month.

This time I said to myself I would pack up at the end of Jan, which gave me a few days notice. As the day approached I felt 'ready'. Ended up stopping half way through the last day of the month as ran out and couldn't be bothered getting any more (normally evenings = most of what I smoke).

Cold turkey and only craving so far is right now as I type this!

I know I'm hopeless, I really have tried everything, hopefully I've cracked it, but I won't give up trying. If you're thinking of quitting, let us know! Some great help on the thread and believe me, the years go flying by and I want to join the success stories!