I did quit
hmm,

I 'stopped' smoking about 2-3 months ago; I had smoked for about 8 yrs. If anyone is thinking about giving up, I have some advice...

Don’t tell anyone you’re giving up, if someone asks if you would like a smoke just say no, and don’t explain. Putting emphasis on you quitting the biffs exasperates the problem.

I also found when people ask have you quit, tell them you haven’t, but that you have just stopped and see how you go. By following these two rules, you don’t feel so much pressure to succeed, and don’t feel a prat when you get an urge - which you do.

Also, I found having a collapsed lung also helped. 3 weeks stuck in a hospital with a tube into your chest sort of prevents any smoking for happening. but once out and down the pub, it feels good not wanting to have a cig.

good luck to all who are giving them up!
(Dan dan dan They tik urh jerbs!!!, Wed 28 May 2008, 9:43, 7 replies)

I second this advice
I'm lucky in that I didn't have too much trouble quitting the smokes, but in my experience and of seeing a lot of my mates try to quit and fail, I came to the same conclusion - telling people you are quitting makes things so much harder.

I've also found that cutting out caffeine helped, but the main thing, and this is weird, is that stopping eating things with MSG in them helped me. I established that when at work the feelings of needing a cigarette were actually caused by the crisps I was eating.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 28 May 2008, 9:54, closed)

congratulations
on giving up, i only want one now when i drink, but am survivng on a piece of nicotine gum when i really really need one!!
(pogo_it, Wed 28 May 2008, 11:51, closed)

technically
I haven't given up, because I still have a spliff most nights, but I can easily go without that when I have to, and never feel a craving for the nicotine
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 28 May 2008, 12:25, closed)

Fair Play
Hello!

Firstly, Good work on quitting. Unfortunate that your trigger was a collapsed lung!

Second, I agree with your advice. The only person that needs to know that you've quit smoking is yourself!!

I quit about a year ago (the onset of the Smoking ban in England), I was the last of my peer group to do so, and I've never looked back. In the end, I just went cold turkey, and that seemed to work!

The most important thing to remember is all the positive sides of quitting smoking. That should help you out whenever you really want a smoke.
(Ryushin, Wed 28 May 2008, 13:06, closed)

i find it quite strange
i look at people smoking now, and see how silly it looks.

i dont know if anyone saw the TV avdert in England where people are puffing kazoos instead of cigs. But it highlights the petty ness of what is quite a strange pastime.

If i tried to market the idea of wrapping dried leaves in paper, lighting and inhaling the smoke, I would be frog marched into the nearest looney bin.
(Dan dan dan They tik urh jerbs!!!, Wed 28 May 2008, 13:18, closed)

I tried to stop smoking cigarettes
at the same time as giving up puff. It has been a partial success, wherein I don't smoke at work, and have maybe one or two of an evening.

I just can't have a drink without smoking loads though...

Good point about how stupid it looks/seems, although that still doesn't stop me.
( Moey, Wed 28 May 2008, 13:33, closed)

Wait til winter...
..if you can't see the benefit now you'll enjoy (as I did last winter) watching everyone else huddling in a doorway trying to keep warm while puffing away!
(cmouse is pondering about life in other jobs, Thu 29 May 2008, 9:37, closed)