Shayde on 15/12/2006 at 06:22
I have smoked about 5 -10 a day since I was 14. My husband has smoked a box a day since he was 15. He decided a week ago that he is going to quit so I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon.
He goes to the doctor and gets "Zyban" to help him quit. I just went cold turkey. I figure that any sort of crutch is going to make me think it should be easier than it is and thus make me more likely to fail so I'd rather just do it on my own.
I have not had a smoke in 63 hours, and I'm fine. I find that my cravings are situational. The second I sit down in front of my home PC, after a meal, when I get out of a meeting etc. I've been drinking water whenever I crave and it seems to help.
My husband on the other hand is a total nutcase! He is shaking and sweating and oh so grumpy. He refused to go to watch a friends band perform on Wednesday night because people would be smoking there. I think one of the only reasons he hasn't given in yet is not wanting to lose the battle of wills with me.
I don't think it has to do with the meds he is on, I think we are working through different types of addiction. I think that he is suffering from nicotene withdrawl and that he is actually chemically addicted to smoking.
I think I am habitually addicted.
So you can see that christmas in the Shayde household is going to be tense. Any advice from those who have successfully quit?
Jakeyboy on 15/12/2006 at 06:51
Never been a smoker, but having been around people who are giving up I'd recommend carrying a weapon.
Ko0K on 15/12/2006 at 07:04
Everybody quits eventually, one way or another. :/
PigLick on 15/12/2006 at 07:14
Try and avoid alcohol is probly the first thing, which is almost impossible around christmas time, so thats no help. But yeh as you said, maybe try to change your daily routine somewhat so you can avoid those situations where you really start to crave a cigarette. All that is really just a fart in a teacup though, cos quitting smoking is very hard.
Pretty crap advice, but thats all I've got
hang on, how about everytime you crave a ciggy, just have sex instead?
Shayde on 15/12/2006 at 07:51
Quote Posted by PigLick
hang on, how about everytime you crave a ciggy, just have sex instead?
I'd be crippled within a week!
Alcohol will make things harder but I'll be damned if I give that up too.
I'm a bit worried about temptation at a poker tournament I am entered into on saturday. :rolleyes:
st.patrick on 15/12/2006 at 08:14
I quit smoking about three years ago, mostly for financial reasons (the usual pack-a-day kept making my weekly budget go haywire) but I wouldn't say I'm a nonsmoker. I still have an occassional cigar because I quite like the flavour, or even a cigarette when I'm drunk enough to forget I shouldn't have it, however, this accounts up to some 5 cigarettes in 3 months or so.
Some advice:
- carry something in your pockets to toy with (a mobile phone works for me), this will counter the "empty hand" feeling
- avoid going out to places where you can expext a lot of smokers (e. g. a pub), but I realize this is bloody hard - at least for me
- don't go for ANY chemical substitutes - these only replenish the nicotine in your body and you switch one addiction for another
- the battle of wills between you and your husband is a great thing - keep up the good work and support each other
Good luck!
Rogue Keeper on 15/12/2006 at 08:30
Quote Posted by st.patrick
- don't go for ANY chemical substitutes - these only replenish the nicotine in your body and you switch one addiction for another
Are there any addicts to nicotine chewing gums or plasters?
"Shock therapy" of sudden cut in nicotine delivery doesn't work for every smoker equally, the less for heavier smokers. Nicotine chewing gums and plasters are good for smokers who don't have problem with not manipulating a cigarette or having it in their mouth, they just miss the serious part of nicotine deficiency and it's taste.
jay pettitt on 15/12/2006 at 09:51
I tried to stop lots of times. It was horrid and I failed. For some odd reason the last time I tried was easy and it stuck. Haven't had so much as a whiff of an urge for a ciggy in years.
Fingernail on 15/12/2006 at 11:29
My Indonesian friend just stopped one day, about four weeks ago, and hasn't smoked since. I was quite impressed at his apparently instant success. By comparison, a girl I knew proudly announced to me that she had quit and then later on that day lit up because she had resigned to only "cutting down". Nice work.
Although now friend A (actually his (nick)name is Boo-boo) is back in Indonesia for Christmas, he'll probably have started again as apparently everyone smokes there. They smoke cigarettes with clove in. FOR GREAT SCENT.
LesserFollies on 15/12/2006 at 12:25
Have some Altoids or other strong mint on hand. Satisfies that oral urge, and the strong taste sort of distracts you while the craving passes. Good luck! I quit after smoking a pack and a half a day for years, and don't miss it one bit.
