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Smoking Cigarettes

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Frankie- ouch! I tried a patch once and did something similar- after that, I decided I'd quit on my own... I just see an advertisement for those things and I start to feel ill to my stomach now!).
 
Hi trapped, wow I am not the only one that it happened to ? wow...I mean really sick...almost fainted, actually saw stars in front of me....and had cold sweats.....sweat was literally dripping...aghhhhhhhh dont want to think about it...lol

Yea...I know what you mean...it wont be the patch for me when I decide to quit again !

Frankie
 
Just to let you know: haven't stopped yet:-(

but i smoke less, at least a beginning, perhaps.

*snik*
 
I think the best book about how to stop smoking is Alan Car's Easy way to stop smoking. I would highly reccomend it.
 
Just to let you know: haven't stopped yet:-(

but i smoke less, at least a beginning, perhaps.

Igasho- perhaps you haven't fully stopped yet, but you have BEGUN to stop by smoking less- which I think is GREAT! Good for you. I know that you have the strength in you to continue to decrease and completely stop once you are ready. It's all about taking those small steps. :)
 
I think the best book about how to stop smoking is Alan Car's Easy way to stop smoking. I would highly reccomend it.


Hi, Juzz,

thanks for your advice. I read almost every book i could get hold of on this subject and so far nothing really worked for me. When the craving comes, my ratio seems to leave:-(

But as trapped put it, i keep on going!

Friendly greetings
Igasho
 
What I already reckon now: smoking is a good tool against feeling bored:-(

I do have wonderful friends, really caring and helpful, but in the weekends they are "private" i.e. stay with their family, spouse, etc. - and I stay alone the whole weekend mostly.

My ptsd-feeling of "not belonging" to my surroundings, combined with living in a huge city (which i am not really fond of, but cannot move) combined with having little money and combined with that I have to have a good daily balance how much is allowed with impressions and movements around me - leaves me not much to do outside. I go out for a coffee in the morning and one in the evening - if my money allows this - but this is not really making a day.

I have many interests, I am reading books, I am part of a mailinglist of dutch friends, I love to paint, read on falcons, listen to audiobooks, etc. - but, it feels really stressy to make myself every minute of the day by being active.

I cannot sleep so well when smoking less - normally i sleep 6 hours (with little breaks, when I wake up) and used to go to bed about 2.30 am - getting up at 9. Now it is so that I am tired earlier - about 1 am and wake up at 7 am and ask myself what to do:-)

Quite a lot of things to figure out and find good alternatives for the smoking.

Interesting and also a bit threatening, to see that I might have to change much in order to compensate the more time I have without smoke:-)

Igasho
 
I wish you the best igasho!

I get that feeling too that "smoking is a good tool against feeling bored". On the other hand I smoke a lot when I go out on my long random drives, and it's not that I'm bored (I don't think)... I don't know why I smoke a lot then.

The only other time I smoke a lot is when I go through my opiate binges.

So generally if I'm not bored, going for long drives or on a binge then I'm not smoking. This can last for weeks at a time. I always fall back into it though.

I'm not sure I'm personally ready to give it up. I tried the patches, but I smoked with the patches and got sick (which I kind of knew was going to happen).
 
It's great that you're at least able to recognize some of the reasons you smoke- like being bored. Perhaps you can find a good alternative. Try investing more in your hobbies. If you're bored of being inside, and the smoking gives you an excuse to get outside, maybe get out for a walk instead, or just sit outside and reflect on things, or people watch if you're up to it. If you have a nice area in/near your house that you can sit- be it a nearby park or even your own porch or balcony or roof, that could be good, maybe try a cup of tea which you can make at home, is inexpensive, and tastes horrible with cigarettes! Maybe also don't feel like you HAVE to keep yourself busy every minute of every day- downtime can be nice too. Perhaps when you get urges to smoke, do something like chew gum, you can't chew gum and smoke at the same time. Or do something like type, or anything that will involve the use of both hands, which you also can't do and smoke at the same time.... ideally you'd want to find something that is incompatible with the smoking behavior, but that is also inherently rewarding. For example, eating icecream and smoking is hard to do (not impossible, but typically doesn't taste good together anyway!) however I'd try to stray away from any alternative coping methods that involve food, as those can sometimes create other issues (but my point was just to demonstrate icecream is generally inherently reinforcing, not for everyone of course, but you hopefully get the idea).

Maybe even take a up a new hobby... would you be interested in trying gardening, if you haven't already? You could do that in your yard or right outside your house or perhaps even in a windowsill... Or something like knitting or building something... new hobbies can often be a great distraction too to fill the time if you're bored and can't think of anything else to do but smoke. If you find yourself wanting to smoke when you're stressed, maybe try to figure out why you are stressed, and try to find either a solution to what is creating the stress, or try to find a way to relax yourself- a funny movie, bubble bath, cup of tea, whatever makes YOU feel better.

I'm not sure if any of this helped or not... believe me, I know it's difficult, but I also believe in you.
 
Yumeko,

I have had 2 Pulmonary Function Test, taken 2 years apart. Both times showed 12% loss of lung function.

The test is taken while you sit in this like glass box, with a clip on your nose(real cute) and you have to breath in and out a few times, then take a HUGE breath, and BLOW as hard and for as LONG as you can into this tubing. The air that you breath out is measured. Then they give you a couple hits of an inhaler and you retake the test to see if you improve. Both times I did not improve.

That's kinda similar to the peak flow test I took. Had to blow as hard as I could into some tubing, then they had me do an albuterol treatment for about 10-15 minutes then retested me.

I've tried to get Mom to quit (Dad passed away from something completely unrelated), especially since she's hurting for money and the price of cigarettes took a big jump in March, but she's just like "Why should I? I pay for them out of my own pocket." Last time I visited her she was obviously coming down with pneumonia (again) and was still sitting there puffing away. Ugh. Self-defeating much?
 
i started smoking regularly after my car crash and packed in around 2006. I was clear for two years and then smoked for about 8 months. Currently I am off the fags since January this year. I came off them as my running was really taking off. The way I see it, if i run I am allowed to eat what i like. If I am smoking it affects my running and I don't get to eat so much.


I think that makes sense.
 
Hi, trapped,

your ideas are wonderful, quite impressive, how creative one can be:-), I'll try some of these...

Hi, Irton Pike,

i would love to run if that was possible for my legs, Unfortunately moving is a. a huge trigger for me and b. i have problems with my hips, hurt much when walking, is already checked with the doc and they can't do anything. Quite a stressful fact for me, but at least I can still go bycicle-riding, which I love to do. Good idea to improve this:-)

By the way: my internet and telefon broke down yesterday due to a problem at my provider. They promised me that I can be online again tomorrow. Am now typing at a friend's.

Hope to see you all tomorrow

Igasho
 
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