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| leatherface |
 Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 9:07 pm |
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Joined: 07 Feb 2007
Posts: 492
Location: The Temple Of Doom
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| I'm sorry if this has been discussed here before but here we go. I generally smoke when I drink and occasionally during the day if stressed. Lately I have found myself out on dates with non smokers and find it really hard to last the whole evening without lighting up, particularly if drink is involved. I've also noticed how uncool smoking has become, almost to the point where saying you smoke is like saying you fiddle with kids. Obviously I'm aware that it's dangerous for health yada yada but I'm just looking for practical tips on how to beat cravings if booze is involved- cheers, has anyone managed it? |
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| Black Shepherd Carnage |
| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 9:38 pm |
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Joined: 18 Sep 2011
Posts: 886
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| Swap it for a more socially acceptable habit. Like fiddling with kids. |
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| wobblechops |
| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 9:38 pm |
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Joined: 26 Aug 2009
Posts: 449
Location: belfast
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| electric fegs or nicotine chewing gum is the best for cravings if its just when u drink. i did it cold turkey for 6 months or so and it was grand but now i cant go without when im on the booze, it kills me lol. |
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| DopeDanny |
| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 10:11 pm |
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Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 440
Location: N.Ireland
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Can only speak from my da's experience. Patches & gum never helped him. He swapped to that electric cig before Christmas. Hasn't touched a real smoke since.
He actually hates the smell of real cigarettes now.. He got hooked up with some lad selling them in castle court I think. I'm not sure if it works out cheaper in the long run either. I suppose your meant to ween yourself of the electric stuff to?
Not a smoker myself, so haven't a baldy. |
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| thejuice |
| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 10:23 pm |
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Joined: 20 Aug 2006
Posts: 3296
Location: Dena Lagu
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| Herself gave them up by taking Champix tablets. But the doctors wont prescribe them unless you have tried everything else. I think its only for heavier smokers really, but it worked. |
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| Corrupted |
| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 10:36 pm |
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Joined: 27 Mar 2006
Posts: 2821
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| I smoked a lot between the age of about 8 and 25. Ended up a 20-40 a day man. I'd tried to stop using willpower and gum many times and eventually quit properly on no smoking day 2000. I think the gum helped. Best fucking move ever, although if you can keep it to weekends only with a few drinks I see no harm in smoking. I just can't do that. It's damned hard to break regular smoking, drinking and eating habits I find. Needs work. |
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| LordCrumb |
| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 10:37 pm |
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Joined: 22 Jun 2010
Posts: 477
Location: Footin turf on Ganymede
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thejuice wrote: Herself gave them up by taking Champix tablets. But the doctors wont prescribe them unless you have tried everything else. I think its only for heavier smokers really, but it worked.
There are serious concerns about the side effects of champix, involving debatable links to suicides and mental health problems. Make sure you look into that stuff before going near it. It would be way too ironic to end up dead trying to quit smoking! |
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| mickO))) |
| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 12:23 am |
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Joined: 18 Oct 2006
Posts: 2400
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I'm the same I only smoke when I drink I would go out with a full 20 box on a night out and smoke them all then not smoke again until the next time I am on the piss. It's the fact that your drunk you just say to yourself fuck it ill give them up next week but it never happens.
The only real way to stop is to stop drinking. |
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| skadk666 |
| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 12:41 am |
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Joined: 13 Jul 2006
Posts: 2701
Location: Ah hayer, leave it bleedin ouh!
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I just used normal Chewing Gum. Decided one Thursday morning that I was sick of smoking and went cold turkey. It was tough, going from 20 a day to none like that is a shock to the system. But I stuck to it, although I did feel like killing almost everyone and everything for quite some time.
That was August 2010. Haven't had a smoke since. So all I can advise is no matter what method you use to quit, just stick to it! |
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| NEPHRIDIUM |
| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 1:19 am |
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Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 597
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According a friend that was prescribed Champix - it's in winding down/weaning off of them that the suicidal thoughts/feelings/urges occur, apparently they were originally developed as an anti-depressant but with the convenient side affect being that the patient gave up smoking (during clinical trials), they were then rebranded as a smoking cessation aid... Makes sense but then that's third hand 'information'.... Who knows?
Smoking myself the past 18 years, giving up weed was the big one - a year now, but then the panic attacks, sleep apnoea and heart arhythmia put a stop to that... Best to quit because you want to, not because you have to... |
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| stabmasterarson |
| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 2:29 am |
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Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 1678
Location: Dublin
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| I'd trust hypnotherapy before any medication! Most if not all of the patch/gum therapies are created by the cigarette companies...but apart from that, pharmaceutical's are evil! haha |
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| DM666 |
| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 5:55 am |
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Joined: 21 Feb 2012
Posts: 230
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Im trying to stop smoking, trying to ease myself down by swapping JP's for Pall Mall's for the time being as PM's are much cheaper than any other cigarette brand around in my view. Also got myself some gum when I feel the time is right for me to stop fully.
Quote: The only real way to stop is to stop drinking.
An interesting point made right there. Going outside for a smoke whenever im in the pub and talking to whoever is becoming a bad habit as of late. Anybody else on here find themselves doing that at all? |
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| Padre Pio |
| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 8:57 am |
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Joined: 25 May 2007
Posts: 6798
Location: The great omnipotent goat sits on the pentagram
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My mother is totally addicted to nicotine. She managed to give up actual smoking 15 years or so ago, but she is still fully hooked on Nicorette and cannot allow herself to run out of supplies.
I suppose it's probably not 100% ideal to be hooked on Nicorette, but at the same time I know she's a lot healthier in her lungs than she would have been with 15 more years of smoking and that her own mother (a smoker too) was at the same age. |
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| Dread Pirate Sid |
| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 10:44 am |
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Joined: 22 May 2009
Posts: 1059
Location: The Spanish Main
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Went to the Numark Chemist in Howard Street, Belfast, for their free quit smoking programme. They give you 2 products a week free, and I ended up trying them all. I couldn't stand the aftertaste of the mints, gum and throat spray, but my mate just uses the NiQuitin gum now after getting used to the taste, and he hasn't smoked in 6/7 weeks.
I thought the patches were good, as you slap them on all day, and it reduces the overall urge. Combined with the nicotine inhaler, and eventually the electronic cigarette (which wasn't free), I managed to stop smoking tobacco completely for 2 weeks. Doesn't sound like much, but I've had at least 10 a day since 1981. The downfall for me is alcohol. One whiff of booze, either in a bar or a bottle in the house, and I'm scrambling for a smoke. Even at 3am, I'll walk over half a mile to the local 24 garage for a smoke after getting home.
My lady friend smokes too, so that doesn't help. If I'm honest, the urge to quit isn't really with me at the moment either. I'll get back to it with a clean sweep soon. Also, I couldn't care less who finds it smells or disgusting or whatever. Bars smell of ass, piss and armpits these days, so I'd rather do without my sense of smell. I'll be more inclined to quit, when the rest of the world shares my standards of personal hygiene.
My honest advice would be to not drink for a couple of months while you adjust. Go out with your mates, sure, but stick to soft drinks in the short term. Patch up, at least for the first month, combined with either gum or inhaler for the quick fix cravings. The electronic cigarette really does feel like you are getting a hit, but they aren't free, and you look like a bit of a nonce. Throw out all ashtrays, lighters, matches, skins, pipes etc. If you like a bit of weed, get used to the idea of brownies, yoghurts etc. The mindset is all important. None of this stuff will work if you're not determined. And finally, read Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking. Good for motivation.
I appreciate the irony of someone who hasn't managed to quit giving advice, but some of us are weaker than others. This habit has cost me a fortune, and I don't exactly sound too healthy in the mornings either. I'm glad that it has become unfashionable. I've got a 9 year old son, and if I thought he got into it in a couple of years the way I did, I'd go mental. Hypocrite? Of course. Good luck with it. Let us know how you get on. |
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| Team Horse |
| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 11:27 am |
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Joined: 17 Jan 2009
Posts: 181
Location: Comber
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I managed to knock my 20 a day habit just before Christmas, then when I had a few glasses of the vino found myself having just a few fags, but technically still not smoking. Aye right, this continued over the Christmas period and I found myself smoking again, albeit I never bought my usual brand as I knew they'd be harder to quit again.
I've just managed to quit them again, on Day 8 without one now and the smell of fags gets to me now, in a bad way. Have no urge to start again and the cravings aren't there, I'm also free of patches/inhalers.
Essentially, you HAVE TO WANT TO QUIT, or else no amount of patches or gum or any other substitutes will work. At the end of the day, smoking is pretty much a habit. The need for nicotine goes after a few tricky days, but it's getting out of your habit that is the tricky part mentally.
Can't say I'll never smoke again, but for now, I have no desire to.
Finally, I'd recommend Allan Carr's books, they really help you get the mentality of wanting to quit. I'd also recommedn setting yourself a target/treat to aim for, I've managed to stop much easier as I want to buy something but will only buy it if I don't smoke. Having that goal made it much easier. |
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