Ok ex smokers

**Big Dog** · 13th May 2004, 19:05

Originally Posted by MadDuck

It is time. I got the Nocobrevin and it is time to give the fags away (that is cigerettes not what you might want to condur up).
Any of you here had to beat the cravings? Give some advise on how best to bet this. Chewing gum, rude mags, biker mags.....whatever it takes

Been a smoker for 9 years.
I quit saturday afternoon.
Failed on just about every substitute known to man.
Quit successfully for three month's once (was aided by the fact I had no income and no cigs for the first month. But as It was not something I really wanted to do when dad died I was half way through a pack before I realised what was up.

This time I am trying Pavlovian aversian therapy.

Put a rubber band on your wrist all day.
Snap it hard EVERY time you:
* have a drag.
* think you want a cigarette.
* hear or think the word cigarette.
* smell cigarette smoke.
* or someone smokes on tv on in a movie.

My wrist itches every time I think about it already.
I only craved twive yesterday (I started when I had half a pack to go but my book reccomends a whole pack to condition you properly).
I have not had a single single craving all day, but I am drinking a lot of coffee trying to quell the shakes.

Good luck and don't give up.

**What?** · 13th May 2004, 20:04

Educated types could put volumes of psychobabble behind this, but the guts of it is: If you want to stop, you will. If you "can't" give up, it's because you don't really want to.

I went cold turkey after deciding that I wanted to stop. The above advice to tell people you don't smoke is probably the best help you can get - it's the knowledge that everyone will think you are a loser if you start smoking again.

**Ogri** · 14th May 2004, 05:16

One thing I will say............

Stay the hell away from the "stop smoking drug" ZYBAN. I ended up in hospital for two weeks back in the UK because of this drug. Didn't even get to the stage where I stopped smoking! Nasty, nasty stuff. They have "linked" two deaths in the UK to this drug.

As for the smoking - I 'm still tring to stop. I reckon it has to be cold turkey - I'm just not ready yet.

Good luck to you and when I'm ready, I'll join you.

**MadDuck** · 14th May 2004, 22:04

Thanks guys and gals for some constructive (and not so constructive advice - CIGARS!). This weekend is it!!!!! God now I said it I am committed.

I had not smoked the ciggys for years but had some bad times last couple of years and resorted to them as a comfort (after the initial head spin) only to find ...damn addicted again. Peps at work wouldnt even know.

**scumdog** · 15th May 2004, 08:05

Originally Posted by MadDuck

It is time. I got the Nocobrevin and it is time to give the fags away (that is cigerettes not what you might want to condur up).
Any of you here had to beat the cravings? Give some advise on how best to bet this. Chewing gum, rude mags, biker mags.....whatever it takes

The old man gave up cold turkey after 30+ years and never looked back, I was speaking to a guy yesterday who I know smoked like a train, gave up 4 months ago using Nicobrevin and reckons it's the bees knees.
He and his wife smoked quite heavily and he reckoned it was costing them $120 a week, both have quit now.
Says he is o.k. at parties etc and reckons he's feeling better for it already

**Big Dog** · 17th May 2004, 17:50

Over a week, no more rubber bands. No more cravings in three days. My lungs hurt like f*^& as they try to shed all that tar but if makes me feel good to know its almost over.

I can be around people smoking without wanting one but my wrist aches at the thought, which is an issue working in a store where I sell them all day.

**What?** · 17th May 2004, 20:15

Good on ya, BigDog. The one time I don't give people (good natured) shit is when they are kicking the weed. The only thing harder than stopping is staying stopped, so support is the go. {from a sanctimonious reformed smoker}