"but I am not a smoker"

I happen to be one of those heavy smoking types who finish more than 2 packs in a day.
I figured my cravings were mostly just psychological.... like I'd light up compulsively, even though I was not experiencing any withdrawals or a strong physical urge to smoke. As a result, I end up stubbing cigarettes out after just 2-3 drags.... and then regret lighting that up in the first place. I've been doing this for quite some time and frankly I am quite sick of it.

So now, each time I reach out for my pack to light up, I just tell myself "but I am not a smoker".... and then I go drink a glass of water or pop in breath mint. And I have to say, it has been working pretty well. I guess just pretending to be a non-smoker goes quite a long way. I haven't completely quit, but I have reduced my smoking to 1 cigarette in an hour... thats quite something compared to 2-3 cigarettes an hour.

I'd like to hear stories of how others quit / cut down on cigarettes. What tactics and methods did you use?
Post away!

reply to post by sk0rpi0n


Hi op

I cut down a bit when i had the flue
Then i chain smoked till i was sick.
But nowadays (35 yrs old) i persuade myself i dont need it BUT
I always need that smoke after a meal or with a cup of tea.
May I ask you something?
What is a carton of smokes?
Here in Britain they are sold in packs of 10s and 20s (aprt from royals which used to be 12 or 24)

Any way glad its working for you
dave

reply to post by davesmart

What is a carton of smokes?

A carton of smokes is 10 packs of 20 cigarettes.

Move into a house where you aren't allowed to smoke indoors in the middle of the coldest spring in 50 years in the UK.
That's working for me at the moment

reply to post by sk0rpi0n


I am also trying to quit right now.

I don't know why. I really really like smoking, it makes me happy inside.
I also smoke 2+ packs a day for about 18 years now.

What I did, I bought one of those E-cigs things, and when I ran out of regular cigarettes, I was stuck with the electric ones. It's not the same, but it's cheaper, and allegedly it's less bad for you.
I plan on getting the cartridges that have less and less nicotine in them until I am an idiot walking around smoking something with no smoke and no nicotine in it.

Originally posted by watchitburn
reply to post by sk0rpi0n

 

I am also trying to quit right now.

I don't know why. I really really like smoking, it makes me happy inside.
I also smoke 2+ packs a day for about 18 years now.

What I did, I bought one of those E-cigs things, and when I ran out of regular cigarettes, I was stuck with the electric ones. It's not the same, but it's cheaper, and allegedly it's less bad for you.
I plan on getting the cartridges that have less and less nicotine in them until I am an idiot walking around smoking something with no smoke and no nicotine in it.

HaHA
No smoke no nicotine, i tried smoking tea leafs as a teenager
I spewed my guts up, i was desperate..

About 3 weeks ago, I asked myself whether I wanted to smoke cigarettes or needed to. This while I was smoking one, I came to the realization that I don't truly enjoy smoking them anymore.

So I went over to my kitchen counter, wrote on a sticky note "I quit smoking cigarettes on March 1st," and I haven't had one since.

It is truly wonderful to be able to smell, taste, and breathe again.

Peace.

Hi sk0rpi0n

One of my mates is a clinical hynotherapist

He says this

First off good start, if someone offers you a ciggy, say
"No thanks I don't smoke" instead of "No thanks I'm trying to give up"

Notice the words trying (kinda half hearted) and give up (speaks for itself)

It's positive reinforcement

If I remember more I'll post it later

I won't say good luck, but congratulations you non smoker

Cody

I've had an 8 year experience of smoking thus far and have tried to quit multiple times, using multiple methods. So far the longest stretch I have achieved has been 3 months. I have found that the method your currently prescribing to has been fantastic. the longest stretch I had without one came from telling myself "I never smoked before, so why start?", lying to myself worked. But due to my love of smoking and the taste of my favorite brands I started again cause I truly like them. But now I am quitting for good, My current situation is one in which it has about 3 months sense I smoked ciggs on an everyday bases (I had been a pack a day steady for a while due to money). I have smoked like 5 in that 3 months, but after about a month of no smoking, I wanted something to go with my beer so I picked up cigars and after a 2 week period they where an everyday thing. So jumping to today this will be my 4th day without a cigar and I will make it through by telling myself I am not a smoker and thinking about gardening, and how tobacco residue on my hands can harm my favorite tomato plants and that I best have my habit put away before they are out in the garden.

I guess I agree it's a mental game, (chantex, the patches, the gum, all seemed like nothing but a chance to allow for the placebo effect to take hold)

reply to post by sk0rpi0n


OH yeah

He said it takes 21 days to break a habit
That's why most of the stop smoking courses are 28 days, an extra week of reinforcement

Also if you want more put away the money you have spent on ciggies away every day, do it religiously. At the end of the week spend it on something you wouldn't normally treat yourself to. After 21 days continue to put it away for a new stereo or what ever you wish. If you're tempted just pull up what you're saving for online and say I want this not those.

Cody

I am also trying to quit right now. I don't know why. I really really like smoking, it makes me happy inside.

See 3rd post above this one

Cody

Originally posted by sk0rpi0n
I happen to be one of those heavy smoking types who finish more than 2 packs in a day.
I figured my cravings were mostly just psychological.... like I'd light up compulsively, even though I was not experiencing any withdrawals or a strong physical urge to smoke. As a result, I end up stubbing cigarettes out after just 2-3 drags.... and then regret lighting that up in the first place. I've been doing this for quite some time and frankly I am quite sick of it.

So now, each time I reach out for my pack to light up, I just tell myself "but I am not a smoker".... and then I go drink a glass of water or pop in breath mint. And I have to say, it has been working pretty well. I guess just pretending to be a non-smoker goes quite a long way. I haven't completely quit, but I have reduced my smoking to 1 cigarette in an hour... thats quite something compared to 2-3 cigarettes an hour.

I'd like to hear stories of how others quit / cut down on cigarettes. What tactics and methods did you use?
Post away!

I have quit a few times, it isnt really hard, you just have to actually want to.

I start the day without a smoke, this is the easiest way to quit in my opinion, just wake up and dont have one, then wait as long as possible, before lighting one up.

When you do finally cave and give in, this will happen a few times dont worry, it ls ok in the long run, just take a single puff or two, then throw it down and destroy it with your foot, my prefered method is to twist my foot on it, as it will be totally destroyed.

Repeat for about 2 days. By the 3rd 4th day of this, you should notice that it has become easier to make it longer after you wake without a cigarrette, just continue this as long as needed until you can make it an entire day withot one.

Now is going to occur the worst 5 days of your life.

Day one easy peasy lemon squeezy, day two bearable, day three sucks ass bro I wont lie, day four everyone just better stay the f£÷♡ out of your way if self preservation is a goal for them, day 5 actually not that bad xompared to day three or four.

After day 5 you wil start to notice cigarrettes have a smell, believe it or not, they smell like diapers to me.......*retch*

From here on, you will feel better by the day, and your sense of smell and taste will return, the world is a totally different place when your senses of smell and tase work, just god so many good things to eat, no wander quitters get fat.

This is fool proof, I have helped my mother and sister quit the same way. They have been smoke free for years now.

I relapse a lot though, not from the quittiny method, from lifestyle choices I make.

I always end up drinking with my friends, who are mostly smokers, and I eventually ask for a cigarrette, then another and another, then I by a pack, and another, and eventually I am buying cartons again, until many cartins latter I am looking back and askong myself wtf was I thinking, I started up again damnit.

Hope this helps, you always start slowly, quitting slowly is also easy, as you ease yourself out, breaking nicotine s hold slowly, until it is so weak, you can go without it ajd not care.

Originally posted by inverslyproportional

Day one easy peasy lemon squeezy, day two bearable, day three sucks ass bro I wont lie, day four everyone just better stay the f£÷♡ out of your way if self preservation is a goal for them, day 5 actually not that bad xompared to day three or four.

Day four stayed with me for weeks.

I have two sayings when it comes to smoking.

"I didn't need counseling or aids to start smoking, I don't need it now to stop."

and

"I'm addicted to nicotine, and without it, I am a Dick."

As long as I stay busy or am around non-smokers, I'm fine. But once I am bored, it becomes a challenge.

I am now 48 and I have smoked since I was 13 years of age, so that's 35 years of constant daily smoking...

Even though I am British I have always smoked American tasting cigarettes such as Marlboro, Lucky Strikes and chesterfield, etc......

Like a lot of people I was always drawn to smoking through the movies I have watched, plus all the other paraphernalia that goes hand in hand, such as Zippo lighters and the like. I think a lot of it was down to fashion, being cool and of course being young and I suppose an element of peer pressure...

But in the last year I have found myself struggling to smoke a cigarette unless I have had a few beers. It has got to the point where I light up and almost immediately I realise that I don't want to smoke anymore, but it is still difficult not to smoke. I know that I am not getting anything from it, it is not doing me any good whatsoever, but I still try and suck the smoke into my lungs...

But after bumping into a few old mates of mine recently, some of which were pretty heavy smokers, quite a few of them have given up due to the fact I mentioned earlier where they just had the realisation that they no longer enjoyed smoking. Some of these guys didn't even use patches, gum, medication or anything to enable them to quit, they just smoked the last one in the pack and then decided that enough was enough and didn't bother anymore. I was really amazed by how they had managed to stop just like that...

So I have found myself cutting down more and more the last few months, especially when in the house, but as soon as I go to the pub that's when I can't help myself. I know that I can't stop going to the pub in order to stop smoking, so this is where the next level of my challenge begins. Will I be able to quit fully, I don't know, but I think over time it is a possibility...

Who knows, in the next year I may have quit, now that would be a triumph....

Anyway, I'm off for a coffee and a fag......hahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaa

reply to post by sk0rpi0n


I too am trying to quit again. The longest I ever went was 3 weeks with an E-cig until it broke or the pieces went missing. I now have a pretty sweet E-cig that looks more like a Willy Wonka flute, but it' been 8 days and I am doing good. It is definitely a psychological thing for me a I enjoy smoking, or the action of smoking. With the E-cig I can get any flavor from waffles to bacon to apple pie. Smoking a real cigg tastes so horrible after only a few days of the E-cig.