Back on the baccy

Disagree ... depends on why you quit ... it is now since 1986 for me ... the day they told me I had cancer (first time around) and the week before the operation. Must admit, a naughty friend actually offered me a cigarette a few days after I was home ... I took it, took a puff, and said 'no, thanks, that is it for me now'. I have never touched one since ... WILLPOWER and the desire to live.

Hubby gave up after up to 80 a day (yes, that's 80 a day) in December 1977 and still fancies them ... but doesn't break his will although he has gone through a lot of trauma in life since. However, he is happy to sit 'smelling' other people's cigarettes ... but happily, there are only a couple of our friends who still smoke.

One has to prioritise what is important in life ... there are many other alternatives to relieve stress if that is the 'excuse' for still smoking or even worse, starting up again.

Just my life opinion ... and I am doing very nicely now, thank you under the Portuguese NHS system ...

PS ... and I don't associate the tyre problems with what could happen further on in life ...

 

Hey, it's me back again having thought about a few more things.

Money .. I know many of you have quit (successfully) and look at the money you have saved and have invested elsewhere, be it on holidays, in the home, wherever ... credit to you! xx

Health ... I know from experience that aspect. But there is also another thing ... I am 65 years old and have many friends in their 40s/50s and my hair and skin is better than theirs. I have one friend from Angola who is 44 (a light-skinned Portuguese lady) who is amazed at my hair and skin and said it shows I do not smoke or laze in the sun and take care of myself ... I am proud people make these comments to me, especially in a country where people think expats come to spend all their time in the sun drinking and looking like dried prunes.

FC ... take heed with your fright this week, you are young with a family ... look after yourself ... only YOU can do that sweetheart. xx

 

Don't beat yourself up Clueless for having had a blip. Until 7 1/2 months ago I was affectionately known as cigarette ash Lil! Had smoked heavily since about the age of 14 until I gave up in April of this year which makes me having smoked for about 45 odd years!!!!! If I could give up anybody can IF THEY WANT TO. Waste of time otherwise IMO even with patches/Champix you name it. I gave up with no aids just decided I really needed and wanted to. Remember how you did it before and did you not feel the benefits after a few weeks of having stopped? Think you have children, do you want them to smoke? Main reason I started in the 1st place was both my parents and 2 older brothers smoked "If you can't beat them join them". Just about to go on a weeks holiday easily paid for with the cigarette savings so it's like the holiday is free. Take delight is walking smartly past the supermarket cigarette queue, I do and think how lucky I am to have beaten the damned things which ruled my health, bank balance etc for so many years. I'm thankful that my Daughter has followed my lead and given up. I totally blamed myself for her starting in the 1st place. With any luck the damage she will have done to herself will repair so that she will be virtually as tho she had never smoked. I can't hope for that but at least I have got rid of my hacking cough...so charming NOT! Keep trying Clueless, you'll do it.

 

Thinking of both of you this morning @"M" and @clueless1 and hoping that today will be a result day,
Jenny namaste

 

Aww, thank you

I've had a couple of wobbles (but, to be fair, it has been an unusual week all round) but I'm still focussed and positive. I'm no thinking "Oh dear, how many have I had? " (I think that is the wrong attitude to work for me). Instead, I'm thinking: "Oh wow!! How many *haven't* I had!!?? " (and I'm really liking those - impressively - high numbers )

Keep up the good work, Clue

 

Well, I'm failing miserably.

 

You are not "failing"
You simply haven't succeeded (yet!)
Unless, of course, you have given up on giving up?

Do you know why, clue? Are there certain trigger points (times/places/situations)? If you can begin to see a pattern, or particular trigger, you could try and focus on a trick or technique for that moment/time.

Are you around others who smoke? That can make it harder to keep to your resolve. Even if you don't go outside with them for a smoke, they still smell of it when they return, don't they. Mind you, I'm finding I can sniff out a smoker from 100 paces now ... and I really do not like the smell at all Imagine how off putting you will be smelling to your boys?

Is it when you have a pint with the lads, or a can at home? I'm going tea total while I'm in the process of giving up

Would money act as an incentive for you? So, each day if you only smoke half of what you would normally (so you will have succeeded in reducing your intake by 50% ) put half the price of a packet of baccy away in a jar. Kerching!

So, you haven't been as successful as you hoped you would be at this point in time: that's fine! If it were easy to do there wouldn't be any smokers around at all! Don't beat yourself up, just take one day at a time - or even five minutes at a time if you are having a craving and trying to overcome it!

Keep trying, clue

 

I'm glad I didn't start smoking when I was younger as it seems so difficult to give it up for some people where as others seem to have a somewhat easier time in comparison.

I go to a pulmonary rehabilitation clinic with my friend and it is heartbreaking to see people connected up to oxygen because they can't do anything without it. Most people at the clinic have COPD due to smoking and their lungs are a mess. It is heartbreaking for the patients but it is also heartbreaking for their families. I wouldn't wish lung disease on anyone.

To those who are trying to give up....do your best. That's all you can do.

 

@"M", no particular triggers. I'm just quite ground down at the moment. I knew when I resigned from my last job that I'd be in for a bumpy few months with losing out on a month's pay (because I took a month's gap between jobs), and then spending more on fuel and earning less while my trial period was on (lower starting salary until I've proven myself, which I'm told I have done, so pay will go up again in the new year). I wasn't counting on a string of other things also unexpectedly happening, which I wont go into, but add it all up, throw in dark evenings and horrible weather, and I'm just generally not feeling very motivated.

@Fern4, you're right. I've seen people with COPD, although theirs wasn't from smoking but the result is still the same. You're also right about some people finding it easier than others. Scientists confirmed it a few years ago. Its some genetic switch or other that messes with the part of the brain responsible for addiction. Interestingly its one of the most primitive parts of the brain they reckon, that they reckon has been there since very early in human evolution. Its responsible for nothing more than keeping automatic body functions (breathing, heart beat etc) going, and messing with the chemistry in the brain and nervous system. The boffins found that a genetic switch does something to it that makes some people prone to addiction and other less so or not at all. It goes some way to explaining why some people can just go cold turkey while others will battle for ages. I think I'm in the latter group. Add to that the fact that I have no will power, and its a chew on.

I will do it though. Maybe I need to be stinky and unfit for a little while to remind me why I want to quit

 

I've copied the whole quote (in terms of reference to my own) but, I've put in bold what is MOST telling/relevant!

Cherub: if you do not have the motivation, it will not matter, one iota, if you wear a patch, or three, have debts up to your eyeballs, stink to high heaven, are employed or in-between ... the bottom line is: the time does not appear "right" for you You have to really *want* it!

Time to forgive yourself, acknowledge that it is just a little bit too much of an ask right now and put the thought on hold?

What's the alternative? You continue to "try" (half heartedly, because you don't have the mojo right now), you are not successful, so you permit thoughts of "failure" to dominate your thoughts ... which then leads to "justifying" why now isn't actually quite the right time: you become demoralised, you permit Nick O'teen to cast his spell (justification to smoke) and then, you mentally flagellate yourself with thoughts of "weakness"/"not worthy"/"not right time"/"I have no will power": all self defeating! (All very acknowledged and genuine/accepted/"normal" feelings by the way Which, even those who claim it was "easy" felt to one degree or another)

Then, move forward a few weeks (even if you are successful!) and what are you faced with? Christmas! Blow me; a week later .. NEW YEARS!!! (Aka, celebrations, family meals, cheers, knees up, etc., etc., but, still short days/long nights on top of very recent life changes).

I truly hear the challenges!!!!!!!!!! I hear the Nick O'Teen battle cries (I've read the same research as you!)

Maybe, just maybe, for *you*, it might be a better approach to do this as an Easter "renewal" challenge? The days getting longer; the D-mands of the garden becoming stronger (time wise) the general sensation of "optimism" that Spring gives most of human nature?

There is no shame, no judgement in delaying the task

(hey! Look at me!!!? I was all gun ho for "Stoptober 2012" and was so publicly (here) unsuccessful I simply never gave up on giving up! The bonus is: even if you gave up next year ... you are still way, way younger than me and will reap profound benefits at a more appropriate age thus have more to gain from the venture )

But, I shall say it again: I KNOW you will do it! When you are in the right mindset. Find the will power and you are more than half way there!

My, personal, presiding mind-set/motivation? My dearest friend suffered a stroke a number of weeks ago: she is a few (short) years older than me and hasn't smoked/drunk for a good number of years! Tick-tock; tick-tock; tick-tock.

I would hope to *see* my grandchildren

 

Hi Mum,
what a lovely team building post there "M"..... You are right - it has to be a certain special event that gives you the green light. For me, it was my surgeon (resection of the bowel) that provided that green light. I was lucky - that was 21 years ago .What made it easier was the 5 days of morphine drip in my arm whilst my gut settled . I have never been in such a state of peace and contentment as I was for those 5 days...
Still here - a very lucky lady,
Jenny

 

This just about sums me up right at this moment ...

 

I've got some baccy if you want to call round for a rollie. (for the sake of clarity, a 'rollie' is a hand rolled cigarette, not, as some people thing, a euphemism for anything more energetic).