We are all unique to a degree and so you will have your own plan of how to tackle this issue. BUT, what is the best action plan to advise people? Do you think cold turkey is the way or do you think a gradual reduction plan is best? Do you think products in the shops actually help or are they just there to capitalise on your problem?
For me it’s about social smoking generally so strangely I never considered myself “fulltime smoker” and as such worried a lot less about quitting
ReplyDeleteThe hardest thing for anyone trying to quit something is having the temptation around you, I had previously stopped smoking and found it hard to be left indoors whilst my friends are outside socialising.
You cannot remove yourself from these situations so it can only come down to your own stregth to refrain, I find it helps having my “non smoker” friends around as they will be quick to entertain you whilst the smokers go outside.
The fear of “missing out” soon wears off and you realise you are better off
I recently got a personal trainer as like most women I want to lose weight. Without telling the personal trainer that I smoke this has been a fantastic motivation for ma as at the beginning I found it really tough going. Embarrassingly the first time I went on the treadmill I had to stop after only 3mins. Because I was out of breath and felt like I had a tight chest. Which is double-embarrassing with a personal trainer stood next to you!!
ReplyDeleteNone the less as I do want to lose weight I continued to book more sessions with the personal trainer and found that if I did not smoke on days that I went to see him I found it much easier (and got up to 30 mins. On the treadmill) so over the last 3 weeks my smoking has gradually come to a complete stop. I’m not saying that this would work for everyone but I have found the embarrassment of other people seeing me performing like a physically obese person has really helped me.
I stopped over 3 years ago now and I'm so proud of myself as I haven't touched a cigarette since.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't the first time I stopped, actually the second. I think I needed to fail the first time to learn the hard way that there is no such thing as just the one cigarette.
My method (both times) was to read the Allen Carr book. It addresses the psychological addiction and really worked for me. I want to stress the "for me" part of that last sentence.
Different methods work for different people but I'll admit to being sceptical about nicotine replacement aids. It wasn't the craving for nicotine that was my undoing the first time I tried to stop. It was a traumatic experience (July bombings) that triggered my relapse, I felt the need to comfort myself with cigarettes. Once I started again I quickly went back to a pack a day.
I think that the best advice I've heard is give up when YOU want to (not necessarily good to give up with others, if they relapse that gives you the perfect excuse to start again), do it because you want to and mentally prepare yourself for the inevitable cravings.
In the end you're not actually giving anything up when you stop smoking. It is wonderfully liberating not to be worrying about when you're going to be able to squeeze in your next nicotine hit. Good luck!
E-cigarettes are good, really enjoying it – However even with them I’ll be still addicted to nicotine...
ReplyDeleteFor the future, well it depends on the cost of the new filters, let's hope for the best!
My name is John and I am a "reformed" smoker. It's the same with everything, once you experience something which tastes good you naturally want more of it.
ReplyDeleteSo mentally, you have to balance the pro's and con's. On the con's side I have the fact that I lost my Aunty to smoking through cancer so they can't be good for your health; they cost a fortune; once a "social" smoker the lust for one can make you stoop to the lowness of begging off some complete stranger. On the pro's side - I really like the taste of them, we've grown up with the impression that they are cool in movies and from others at school.
The con's definitely outweight the pro's. The con which has made me want to quit the most is having a young family, as a result I believe I have more of a responsibility to look after my health to help safeguard our future and well-being.
My technique, which has helped me stop for a whole year before and which I have been using for the last four weeks is to wrap my last cigarette (in its box) up with sellotape and carry it around with me and so I no longer have the urge to go and buy any. The only thing stopping me from getting into that box is my will power and so this sealed box becomes a mental manifestation of my will power.
This has worked to an extent but has its limitation. This is namely the fact that if you have too much alcohol to drink you will relapse but you have to be OK with that as I believe it is really hard to give up something you enjoy for good without some sort of professional help, especially if you have an addictive personality.
I've heard that hypnosis has been effective for some people but have never heard that patches or any such methods have worked. The minute people tell me they work completely I might give them a go as good hypnotherapists are not that accessible and I'd rather not read the Alan Carr book as that seems far too dull.
The Alan Carr book is boring as bat shit. Actually a good motivation to stay off the fags as I made myself read it again after my relapse. Never ever going through that again
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