Substitution works - but not the mints or chewing gum in the pocket, rather a physical substitution. Whenever you feel the need for a cigarette, do a job! Something you have been putting off for a while, or something you don't really need to do, but want to. Whilst your doing it, push any thoughts of smoking out of the way - not always easy - and get to the end of your task. Now you would probably reward yourself with a smoke, but that is already in the past! now just think about what you have just achieved, and look forward to the next time you can do the same.
I had a an on -off relationship with smoking over all of my adult life. The very best and most successful attempt at giving up, without any withdrawal symptoms and without any chance of me ever having another fag has followed a heart attack last April!... I must admit that having had two stent procedures - since made famous by Phil the Greek - I feel better now than I have for 30 years! And I know, beyond doubt, I will never roll another cigarette.
Don't wait till this happens to you... kick it now!
About that smell, Jane - I cannot believe how incredibly kind my non-smoking friends have been to me all those years, putting up with that awful smell!
Not a pleasant tale, but true nonetheless. I smoked heavily for all my adult life. I once managed nearly six months without, but subsequent attempts to cut down or quit failed - nicotine gum was awful and gave me a sore mouth. Then on my return from a holiday in the Camargue in 2006 I became ill with what I thought was flu. It got worse and I took myself off to bed. I ended up in an intensive care ward in Barnet hospital. I had contracted Legionnaire's disease. Even before I knew the cause of the dreadful pain in my chest and the reason for coughing blood - I decided that if I lived I would never smoke again. And I haven't. It wasn't an easy ride and even now, after five years I sometimes dream that I am smoking (and feel very guilty)! I don't recommend you contract Legionnaire's Disease or anything else nasty - but my advice is to go "cold turkey" before that happens - you'll have an even better chance of survival.
I stopped smoking when we decided to try for a baby. It was easy, there was something more important than me at stake.
Not so easy for the men, but who wants your children to smell the smoke on your clothes and in your hair,never mind any passive smoke they may accidentally come into contact with.
I smoked 25 a day from the age of 19 to 40 yrs old. My father, a smoker, died when I was 40 yrs old and his illnesses seem to have been caused/helped by his smoking. So I decided, on the spot, to give up smoking. I put a bag of boiled sweets in my pocket and sucked one whenever I wanted a fag over the next 24 hours. As I'd managed 24 hrs, I decided it would be dreadful shame to give up and took each day as it came but always had a sustitute like chopped raw carrots or sweets whenever I had a craving. I also stopped going to the pub and parties for one month as they seemed to be the worst times. One month later i had not had a fag and i was proud of myself and also saved quite a bit of money which i went and spent on a new CD player that I'd wanted for ages. In conclusion : have incentives to stop eg money and health; have simple substitutes; avoid fag opportunities and most of all apply self-discipline and will-power. I'm now 62 yrs and fairly fit and healthy and I cant remember when i last wanted a fag. PS. don't be tempted by a birthday cigar, it could be the thin end of the wedge!
Never smoked - literally never!! There are two reasons why I have NEVER smoked. Firstly I always suffered badly with travel sickness when I was young, and the smell of stale smoke in the car meant that I would feel ill almost before the car had been reversed out of the drive and onto the road. Secondly, when I was a teenager my Ma gave up smoking with the aid of about 3 sessions with a Hypnotherapist. To say that she found it difficult doesn't even begin to explain what it was like in the house at that time! She was unreliable, unpredictable and unpleasant - and that is being kind!!
She did it on the advice of her GP who told her that if she carried on smoking one Winter in the not too distant future her lungs wouldn't survive another Chest Infection and she would die! So - she had a pretty good incentive to stop. It didn't seem to make it easier for her. I suspect that was because, despite what the Doctor had said, she didn't REALLY want to give up - but felt that she had to!
I wish anybody who is trying to give up, and anybody who is living with anybody who is trying to give up, the very best of luck and I hope that you manage! :-)
When I was 13 (in 1957, in Belgium) and at boarding school, my parents used to bring me chocolate and cigarettes on their fortnightly visits, because we were allowed to smoke on Wednesday pm, Saturday pm, and all day Sunday... After 50+ years of addiction, I used the prescribed Champix drug - tablets you take for 4-5 weeks, and which fool the brain in thinking you've satisfied the addiction. It worked like a dream, for me at least. Never looked back since, now 2 years ago. Wouldn't recommend it for people who are prone to depressive state, however. (Writing this while watching The Smoking Years on BBC 4!)
To say I have never smoked is a lie I did have a couple way back in the very early 60s but have never had the desire to start in earnest, my father on the other hand smoked like a destroyer at full chat and if he didn’t have a cigarette you didn’t go near him, even setting the bed on fire on two occasions, he made up his mind one day when he was in his late 50s to stop after 4o years of heavy smoking and did so, never touching one again, his secret was to have a packet of Foxes Glacier mints always in his pocket as a substitute though I suppose anything like that would do, he gradually weaned himself off the mints which he always stated was a lot easier than cigarettes
Well done all of you that have managed to stop...wish I could say the same, have tried Alan Carr, patches, gum and hypnosis...I do want to stop and having smoked for 51 years feel my lungs wont hold out much longer haha! I just dont seem to have the willpower that other people have and the thing is now it is so anti-social, some people here (English)are condescending towards me because I smoke, which I hate. Most of our French friends smoke which makes me feel better. I too always have half a cigarette before going to bed, perhaps tomorrow morning I will get up and throw it away as well...heres hoping!!
Alan Carr's book worked for me too. I quit on the 1st of October and apart from the first 3 days which I spent crying and losing my temper at the drop of a hat, I found it ridiculously easy to quit. I know the battle is never completely won and it could just take giving in to 'just one' to start all over again - one of my best friends started again after 10 years - but for the moment I just know that I never want to go back there again...I was actually quite proud of myself yesterday I went into a tabac to buy lottery tickets and was not even tempted to buy cigs.
Congratulations on publishing in the Journal. Wow!
I think you probably already know the power of the tobacco companies is just as strong here in France and my guess would be that big pharma is probably greater. It would take someone with your credentials and huge grants to begin to dent their hold. We can but hope. :)
I found switching to low strength brands like silk cut before I gave up helped me. Although in the end, it was a sore throat and a very bad cold that brought it to a close on the streets of Barcelona. Funny how you can vividly remember these things.
I realised I was smoking , and it was actually hurting my throat , and I decided there and then to give up. I bought some chewing gum, wrigley's and haven't touched a cigarette since, 8 years ago.
I would add I had been under a relentless campaign from my youngest daughter to give up. She now smokes , and I'm returning the favour.
Good luck for all those trying to give up, it's not as hard as it sometimes seems.
I used Alan Carr too, mine was "the only way to stop smoking" which is basically the thicker version of "the easy way". He basically "de- brainwashes you" and make you realise that you were fine living your life with no fags before starting smoking. I managed to stop smoking while reading the book, even though I was running a busy bar in central London with people smoking aroung me 24/7. My hubby did read it too, stopped for a few years, started again, so went for hypnosis, which worked. There are so many healthy and cheaper options available than trying to stop with gums and patches.
Hi Deb, I know exactly what you mean. You have probably gathered by now that I went down the same route. I stopped and was so surprised at how easy it was that I started a new career (much to the disgust of my now ex) and bought the franchise for all of Scotland and in nine years saw 6000 smokers. I'm thinking of starting up as an independent in France for expats. What do you think?
Well for one, it isn't my main area of research (I'm interested in progression of breast cancer to metastases now). So I can't justify the energy that it would take to 1) write grants to do the work 2) spend the time fending off attacks from industry regarding results (albeit we don't know what those results might be). Being American, I guess I'm just afraid of the tobacco lobby, although I admit I am ignorant of how much of a force it is in France. I've just published a paper in the American Journal of Epidemiology where we show that smoking, no matter the amount, increases risk of breast cancer regardless of the genotype a person carries in a gene that detoxifies some of the carcinogens in smoke. I think I'll leave it at that :P
I firmly believe your third option is the real problem - addiction (both mental and physical) and habit which is where I disagree with my mentor Allen Carr. And you are right it is a fascinating subject. Over twenty percent of the adult population smoke despite all the health scares, cost (financial and social) and their own dislike of being smokers. Being so apolitically charged is part of the fun/challenge for me.
What do you mean by "politically challenging" for you?