Who wants to be a nonsmoker? [Archive]

zooter

10th June 2005, 18:10

I have a proposition for anyone who has the inclination to quit smoking. It will require the cooperation of all the smartalecs out there who would like to put their worthless 2c in from time to time. You lot have to be content to watch. Post away here on this thead but leave the others alone please.

Anyone desirous of turning into a nonsmoker post a new thread here in "rave on" to take up my offer. Call it "hey Zooter, help me quit smoking". 1st in first served. Answer my every question truthfully and I guarantee you will quit sucessfully. No other discussion will be entered into.

WINJA

10th June 2005, 19:45

I WAS SMOKING 2 PACKS OF WINFIELD GREEN 25S A DAY AND I QUIT IN ONE DAY WITH AN IDEA I CAME UP WITH MYSELF , I GOT OTHERS TO TRY AND IT WORKED FOR THEM , IT MAY NOT WORK FOR ALL

ZorsT

10th June 2005, 20:32

I WAS SMOKING 2 PACKS OF WINFIELD GREEN 25S A DAY AND I QUIT IN ONE DAY WITH AN IDEA I CAME UP WITH MYSELF , I GOT OTHERS TO TRY AND IT WORKED FOR THEM , IT MAY NOT WORK FOR ALL

What was the idea?
I hope to god i am not going to regret asking this :wait:

Jeremy

10th June 2005, 20:41

This idea wouldn't um be, just not buying any?

ZorsT

10th June 2005, 20:53

This idea wouldn't um be, just not buying any?
I sure hope it is that innoscent

thehollowmen

10th June 2005, 20:59

I WAS SMOKING 2 PACKS OF WINFIELD GREEN 25S A DAY AND I QUIT IN ONE DAY WITH AN IDEA I CAME UP WITH MYSELF , I GOT OTHERS TO TRY AND IT WORKED FOR THEM , IT MAY NOT WORK FOR ALL

This isn't the "Smokers Anonymous" joke is it? Where every time they want to have a ciggy they go and get pissed in the local strip joint with $300 in tipping money?

Skyryder

10th June 2005, 21:15

This idea wouldn't um be, just not buying any?

Or perhaps just keeping your mouth closed.

Ohh I know................stop breathing :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Skyryder

WINJA

10th June 2005, 21:58

What was the idea?
I hope to god i am not going to regret asking this :wait:
I WAS SPENDING ABOUT $100 A WEEK ON SMOKES, SO WHAT I DID WAS I DECIDED I WAS GOING TO STOP AND I WENT AND FINANCED A MOTORBIKE FOR $100 A WEEK , I PAYED MORE A WEEK THAN I NEEDED TO I DIDNT NEED THE BIKE AS I ALREADY HAD A GOOD ONE. I THEN HAD NO CHOICE I HAD TO PAY THE FINANCE BUT IT FELT EASIER BY FAR TO QUIT THIS TIME THAN THE 5 OR 6 PREVIOUS TIMES WHEN I WANTED TO SMOKE ILL THINK OF MY BIKE OR RIDE MY BIKE. SMOKING IS A MIND GAME , HUMANS DONT LIKE TO LOSE AND GIVING UP SMOKING IS LOSING SOMETHING SO PUT YOURSELF IN A POSITIVE FRAME OF MIND BUT ITS GOT TO BE RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW SOMETHING YOU CAN TOUCH AND USE , A CAR , A STEREO A BIKE , NOT A TRIP IN 6 MONTHS OR A SAVINGS PLAN . IT MAY NOT WORK FOR EVERYONE BUT ITS WORKED FOR PEOPLE I TALKED INTO TRYING IT

zooter

10th June 2005, 22:26

I WAS SPENDING ABOUT $100 A WEEK ON SMOKES, SO WHAT I DID WAS I DECIDED I WAS GOING TO STOP AND I WENT AND FINANCED A MOTORBIKE FOR $100 A WEEK , I PAYED MORE A WEEK THAN I NEEDED TO I DIDNT NEED THE BIKE AS I ALREADY HAD A GOOD ONE. I THEN HAD NO CHOICE I HAD TO PAY THE FINANCE BUT IT FELT EASIER BY FAR TO QUIT THIS TIME THAN THE 5 OR 6 PREVIOUS TIMES WHEN I WANTED TO SMOKE ILL THINK OF MY BIKE OR RIDE MY BIKE. SMOKING IS A MIND GAME , HUMANS DONT LIKE TO LOSE AND GIVING UP SMOKING IS LOSING SOMETHING SO PUT YOURSELF IN A POSITIVE FRAME OF MIND BUT ITS GOT TO BE RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW SOMETHING YOU CAN TOUCH AND USE , A CAR , A STEREO A BIKE , NOT A TRIP IN 6 MONTHS OR A SAVINGS PLAN . IT MAY NOT WORK FOR EVERYONE BUT ITS WORKED FOR PEOPLE I TALKED INTO TRYING IT
Congratulations on quitting the nicotine. Unfortunately your "reward" method doesn't help with getting over the drug addiction.
Giving up smoking is only "giving up something" if you believe you are getting something from the smoke. Even if you can't put your finger on what you are getting you must feel some kind of reward for dragging noxious fume into your lungs or you wouldn't do it. It's a complex sytem of drug addiction and social brainwashing which sets up the smoker. Anyone up for the offer??

N4CR

10th June 2005, 22:39

I would like to vote JOHN for councelling... dirty little fagger he is ;)

:grouphug: *please quit John.. it's for the family*

My dad quit smoking 15 times! I think this time he quit for good after I gave him so much crap about it.

Keep persiting and don't give up... smoke might blow away but the crap in your lungs wont :(

6Chris6

10th June 2005, 22:42

. Anyone up for the offer??

Yup, I'm keen this month, just need a little time to psych(SP?) myself up for it.
Ahhhhh, procrastination the last refuge of the unhappy smoker

WINJA

10th June 2005, 22:45

Congratulations on quitting the nicotine. Unfortunately your "reward" method doesn't help with getting over the drug addiction.
Giving up smoking is only "giving up something" if you believe you are getting something from the smoke. Even if you can't put your finger on what you are getting you must feel some kind of reward for dragging noxious fume into your lungs or you wouldn't do it. It's a complex sytem of drug addiction and social brainwashing which sets up the smoker. Anyone up for the offer??
ADDICTION OR NOT YOUR BRAIN CAN BEAT ANY ADDICTION IT MAY JUST NEED A LITTLE HELP , SMOKING IS NOT THAT EXCITING THERES SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD USE .A DOG , A GUN A BIG TV SOMETHING . NO ONE THOUGHT I COULD QUIT AND I DID, I ALSO QUIT ALCOHOL

6Chris6

10th June 2005, 22:50

ADDICTION OR NOT YOUR BRAIN CAN BEAT ANY ADDICTION IT MAY JUST NEED A LITTLE HELP , SMOKING IS NOT THAT EXCITING THERES SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD USE .A DOG , A GUN A BIG TV SOMETHING . NO ONE THOUGHT I COULD QUIT AND I DID, I ALSO QUIT ALCOHOL

You fu*#ing what?
That's just takin it too far.
:drinkup: :drinkup: :drinkup: :beer: :drinknsin

zooter

10th June 2005, 22:53

ADDICTION OR NOT YOUR BRAIN CAN BEAT ANY ADDICTION IT MAY JUST NEED A LITTLE HELP , SMOKING IS NOT THAT EXCITING THERES SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD USE .A DOG , A GUN A BIG TV SOMETHING . NO ONE THOUGHT I COULD QUIT AND I DID, I ALSO QUIT ALCOHOL
My point is that the reward doesn't help in getting the brain around the addiction. You would have got over the nicotine just as easily without the new bike.
"smoking is not that exciting" - I couldn't have put it better myself!
"a little help" is what I'm offering anyone who wants it.

jazbug5

10th June 2005, 22:57

Everyone seems to work in different ways with this one; I never started as my folks both smoked a lot and I didn't really see the point of lumbering yourself with it. (Lucky me...)
My first job was working in a hospice. That's how I got my mum to finally stop after 20 years of trying: I described what some of our patients had gone through and what I'd seen.
She hasn't smoked now for 14 years. Neither has Dad; not easy, and I'm very proud of them both; in their day you started when you were 10 or so so it was a hard one for them to break...

If anyone wants me to gross them out, PM me.

zooter

10th June 2005, 23:05

WINJA

10th June 2005, 23:09

My point is that the reward doesn't help in getting the brain around the addiction. You would have got over the nicotine just as easily without the new bike.
"smoking is not that exciting" - I couldn't have put it better myself!
"a little help" is what I'm offering anyone who wants it.
YOU UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF YOUR BRAIN, YOU STILL DONT GET IT

zooter

10th June 2005, 23:24

YOU UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF YOUR BRAIN, YOU STILL DONT GET IT
What don't I get? The power of the brain is what gets you addicted in the first place. Its the subconsious mind that holds the key. All the logic sceams quit smoking now but what your subconcious has learned is that smoking is good.

jazbug5

10th June 2005, 23:43

Everyone knows it's gross. Everone knows there is no logical reason to carry on smoking. Logic doesn't come into it. Its a drug addiction.

I get what you're saying, mate- I was being a little flippant, I suppose. Point being, that's what worked for my mum after forty odd years of smoking. She got the logic part, but it was hearing about what I had seen that freaked her out and that helped her to stop; it was a mixture of vanity and emotion in her case.

Another friend of mine did a 'Weight Watchers' style programme, and that seems to have really worked for her...

zooter

11th June 2005, 00:33

I get what you're saying, mate- I was being a little flippant, I suppose. Point being, that's what worked for my mum after forty odd years of smoking. She got the logic part, but it was hearing about what I had seen that freaked her out and that helped her to stop; it was a mixture of vanity and emotion in her case.

Another friend of mine did a 'Weight Watchers' style programme, and that seems to have really worked for her...
Weight watchers?? You mean she weaned herself off nicotine? Nobody can wean themselves off, anyone who says they succeeded by weaning themselves off has gone cold turkey at an early stage.

Skyryder

11th June 2005, 03:26

YOU UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF YOUR BRAIN, YOU STILL DONT GET IT

You got this one right Winj. Without the willpower the body will succumbe to it's addiction. It's a mindset thing.

For me the key was controlling the stress levels that addiction causes.

Skyryder

jazbug5

11th June 2005, 03:35

Weight watchers?? You mean she weaned herself off nicotine? Nobody can wean themselves off, anyone who says they succeeded by weaning themselves off has gone cold turkey at an early stage.

No. What I mean is, she joined a group that all pledged to give up at the same time. They met weekly to discuss how it was going for them, and they did breath tests- a little like the whole ritual 'stepping on the scales' thing.
I agree about weaning, if what you mean is when people say 'Oh, I'll just go from 40 a day to 20, then cut down from there'. I've heard of very few cases of this working; as with most addictions, it usually seeks a way of surviving by getting you to lie to yourself. Anyway, good luck with whatever method you have chosen...

Skyryder

11th June 2005, 03:45

What don't I get? The power of the brain is what gets you addicted in the first place. Its the subconsious mind that holds the key. All the logic sceams quit smoking now but what your subconcious has learned is that smoking is good.

Not so Zoot. Addiction has nothing to do with brain power. Addiction is caused by the body sending signals to the brain that the drug is needed. In this case nicotine. When a smoker decides to quit this is a concious decision based on the varying needs of the indavidual, eg money, health, family pressure etc.

No learning process is involved in addiction of any kind. It's all chemical.

I can only comment on my own experiance in quiting but the key to success is controling the stress that withdrawal creates. That and a good dollip of willpower.

For those that are thinking of giving up I can give no better reason other than sex. Can't speak for the women but the guys you'll be running around like a teenager so get ya self a good understanding woman (if not already) or a jar of brylcreem. You'll need both.

Skyryder

jazbug5

11th June 2005, 03:49

Brylcreem...?

I'll give you bloody characters, ya hoor...

Skyryder

11th June 2005, 03:57

Brylcreem...?

I'll give you bloody characters, ya hoor...

It's a guy thing.

Skyryder

Gremlin

11th June 2005, 04:14

woman or brylcreem??

Is it just me and my bad bad mind, or do I know what the alternative to a lovely woman is?? :no:

Odin

11th June 2005, 06:36

The nicotine adiction is not the real problem. I mean say you smoke 20 cigies a day, thats at least one every hour. So when you have gone 2-3-4 hours without you start getting itchy and can't wait to get to a place where you can smoke 5-6 hours and its hard and you think dam I'm addicted. ...... But, is the first thing you do in the morning to smoke a cigi ? do you wake in the night to have a smoke ? do you get dressed and the like, maybe have breaky or coffee before the first cigi ? and thats 7-8-9 hours...... So the body is not that adicted. The brain thinks it is.

My key to quiting, i think, was every time i think i need a smoke I'd think someting like "Great I'm a none smoker.... feels bloody good" and then get on with what I was doing and being happy with it.
I think If one thinks oh god i need a smoke.... but it will pass if i can just hang on, just for the first 3 days .... 3 weeks .... or what ever. Wount work.... :no: ....Nothing will happen after 3 days, or 3 weeks or 3 months. No reward. So why keep fighting.
Thats why being happy about it from the start is important.

I'd surgest reading a book by Allen Carr called "the easyway to give up smoking". But read it all in 2-4 weeks, and read it a bit as you would watch an arnold movie. Don't try to take it apart and think things like "he couldent possibly shoot 26 guys in 2 seconds with a machinegun from the hip while hanging upside down from a burning hellicopter ....blindfolded". Just think " wow he's good" That kind of attitude will help reading this book.

It helped me. 4 weeks now and dam happy with it. More energy and feeling better.

Oh, and to all the non smokers that thinks it will help to hazzel the crap out of the smokers ....nope, dosen't help at all. Not on me anyway. Someone started hazzeling me I'd light up emidiatly.

And smokers.....what do you have to loose.... give it a go.

On the point of cutting down. If one cuts down and tries to hold out longer for the next smoke then the cigi's becomes more preciues and therefore harder to give up.

dont think of it as giving up more as stopping. Like bitting your nails... its not good for anything anyway.

oh, and forgive my spelling... :whocares:

Slingshot

11th June 2005, 15:52

I'd be interested in hearing your idea? I'm planning to give up at the end of the month and I'm organising a group at work to do it as well.

onearmedbandit

11th June 2005, 16:05

I like smoking.

WINJA

11th June 2005, 18:16

I like smoking.
SO DONT QUIT

zooter

11th June 2005, 20:51

I can only comment on my own experiance in quiting but the key to success is controling the stress that withdrawal creates. That and a good dollip of willpower.

Skyryder
Not true if you have overcome the mental addiction first. The chemical problem is not what keeps folks addicted.

zooter

11th June 2005, 20:52

I like smoking.
Really. What do you like about it?

Sutage

11th June 2005, 23:19

There are plenty of other dangers to you other than smoking.

Buses.

Drink drivers.

Im not a smoker but sometimes have a puff or two when im drinking or smoking green and its actually quite nice, i doubt id start tho, when im around cigarette smoke when im sober it yuk, but at the end of the day somethings gonna kill you and if you arent spending 1000000 dollars a week on it then it aint that big a deal IMHO. just like my "rule" on smoking weed/drinking.. as long as it doesnt affect my day to day life, like work, school when i went etc all that crap then im fine :drinkup:

anywho your life is your life and if you enjoy a smoke of anything or a drink of anything to help you relax after a day at work go for it, dont listen to ppl who always say oh smokings bad drinkings bad drugs are bad, what the hell do they know, they'll be the ones who end up going to see shrinks for like 250 dollars an hour not you
my 2c

onearmedbandit

12th June 2005, 11:12

SO DONT QUIT

Not going to, however when your 6yr old daughter says to you 'please don't smoke daddy, I don't want you to die' it makes you think.

onearmedbandit

12th June 2005, 11:16

Really. What do you like about it?

I like the taste, I like the feeling it gives me. I like having one after food with a drink, I like having one when I'm out drinking. I like having one after a 'smoke' while reading a book. There may be further deeper reasons why I do (my Father smoked and I never felt close to him, so in some way smoking made me, when I was younger, feel closer to him) but all in all, I just like smoking. I'm considerate of others when I do smoke, distancing myself from non-smokers when in a social setting so as to not offend them, not smoking in front of my daughter, smoking outside of my house as my wife doesn't smoke.

Also the packaging is pretty.

zooter

12th June 2005, 19:11

I like the taste, I like the feeling it gives me. I like having one after food with a drink, I like having one when I'm out drinking. I like having one after a 'smoke' while reading a book. There may be further deeper reasons why I do (my Father smoked and I never felt close to him, so in some way smoking makes me feel closer to him) but all in all, I just like smoking. I'm considerate of others when I do smoke, distancing myself from non-smokers when in a social setting so as to not offend them, not smoking in front of my daughter, smoking outside of my house as my wife doesn't smoke.

Also the packaging is pretty.
Lets start with taste.
I challenge you to smoke your next twenty cigs all the way to the end, all the while consciously admiring the taste and report back if you still think it has anything to recommend it taste-wise.

onearmedbandit

12th June 2005, 20:54

zooter

12th June 2005, 21:32

But zooter, I don't smoke my cigarettes to the end anyway, always leave 5mm or so then discard it. I like the taste of all my cig to the point where I feel like no more. Recommending me to carry out your test therefore has no relevance. But please don't stop with where your going with this.
Ok then, leaving aside the semantics over the last 5mm, how does the next puff after you "feel like no more" taste?
You keep answering, I keep asking, eventually you will happily smoke your last cig.

Skyryder

12th June 2005, 22:15

Not true if you have overcome the mental addiction first. The chemical problem is not what keeps folks addicted.

Sorry Zoot but it is the chemical (nicotine) that is addictive.

Nicotine (C10H14N2) is a naturally occurring liquid alkaloid. An alkaloid is an organic compound made out of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sometimes oxygen. These chemicals have potent effects on the human body. For example, many people regularly enjoy the stimulating effects of another alkaloid, caffeine, as they quaff a cup or two of coffee in the morning.

We may be talking at cross purposes here. Your say that to overcome smoking you have to overcome the mental addiction first. I will agree that the mindset of the indavidual is crucial in 'kicking' the habit. You have to want to stop, not want to 'try' and stop and there is a huge difference.

Mental addiction sounds more sinister than lack of will power but in reality there is no difference.

I think you may be confusing the effects that nicotine has on the body.

While signals are conducted through individual neurons as electric current, communication between neurons is mediated by chemical messengers, called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters traverse the physical space between two neurons and bind to special protein receptors on the postsynaptic cell. Once bound, these receptors set in motion physiological changes within the neuron that allow it to send the signal on down the line.

Each neurotransmitter has its own specific family of receptors. Nicotine works by docking to a subset of receptors that bind the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter that (depending on what region of the brain a neuron is in):

* Delivers signals from your brain to your muscles
* Controls basic functions like your energy level, the beating of your heart and how you breathe
* Acts as a "traffic cop" overseeing the flow of information in your brain
* Plays a role in learning and memory

Both nicotine and acetylcholine are chemicals and as such smoking is a chemical addiction and not a mental addiction.

Skyryder

Skyryder

12th June 2005, 22:19

Im not a smoker but sometimes have a puff or two when im drinking or smoking green and its actually quite nice,

Well you are a smoker.

Skyryder

zooter

12th June 2005, 22:57

editing liberally:

We may be talking at cross purposes here. Your say that to overcome smoking you have to overcome the mental addiction first. I will agree that the mindset of the indavidual is crucial in 'kicking' the habit. You have to want to stop, not want to 'try' and stop and there is a huge difference.

Mental addiction sounds more sinister than lack of will power but in reality there is no difference.

I think you may be confusing the effects that nicotine has on the body.

Both nicotine and acetylcholine are chemicals and as such smoking is a chemical addiction and not a mental addiction.

Skyryder

You know a lot about biochemistry! The cross purposes comment is 90% of our differences.
I hope I didn't say it is absolutely necessary to overcome the mental aspect of the addiction in order to defeat nicotine chemical addiction. That is untrue. I'll summarise.

The subconsious mind "learns" things about smoking that are untrue. Every smoker is different. I can prove these thing to be untrue, setting a nicotine addict free from the mental addiction.

Once free of the mental addiction the chemical addiction is a piece of cake to deal with. Willpower is not required.

I know that many people have sucessfully quit using willpower. I do not demean their acheivement or criticise them for ignorance of a better way. On the contrary, I congratulate one and all who has overcome nicotine.

I've recommend Allen Carr's book "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking" many times in this forum. To read this book requires a small effort but his instructions are clear. You do not quit until you have finished the book. You don't have to finish the book and you don't have to quit even if you do so there is nothing to be afraid of. Seriously the best $28 anyone ever spent.

For the benefit of the biker smokers who would rather be nonsmokers but can't get off their bike down at Whitcoulls I've posted this thread offering to help them in this lovely nonthreatening internet space.

The debate about mental vs chemical can hopefully be laid to rest.

onearmedbandit

12th June 2005, 23:27

zooter

13th June 2005, 22:20

What does it taste like? Not offensive anyway, but I feel no more need to smoke anymore of that particular cigarette. Sometimes I'll go through 2/3 of the cig, other times to almost the end. Depends on how much is enough for me in that particular moment. Sometimes if I have dry mouth.throat it becomes uncomfortable, but not offensive or sickly.
So not a likeable taste then? Nevermind the need, please test this out. No need to torture yourself if the throat is saying enough, but I want your report of how appealing, or otherwise, the taste is once you're completely "satisfied".