Pages in topic:   < [1 2 3 4] >
How to Quit Smoking Without Going Bankrupt? I Need Hints
Thread poster: Haluk Levent Aka (X)
NancyLynn
NancyLynn
Canada
Local time: 10:53
Member (2002)
French to English
+ ...

MODERATOR
Cold turkey, with meditation Oct 17, 2012

I quit cigs twice, once to have my babies, but when that was done I started again. (Argh.) Now this time, I quit in February 2010 and every time I see a smoker shivering in the wind at the entrance of some building, I thank God for taking cigarettes away from me. And when I quit, I was surrounded by smokers.

I laughed out loud when I read here how people who've successfully quit "forgot" they needed to smoke. Exactly! When you truly let go, that's what happens. When you let go of so
... See more
I quit cigs twice, once to have my babies, but when that was done I started again. (Argh.) Now this time, I quit in February 2010 and every time I see a smoker shivering in the wind at the entrance of some building, I thank God for taking cigarettes away from me. And when I quit, I was surrounded by smokers.

I laughed out loud when I read here how people who've successfully quit "forgot" they needed to smoke. Exactly! When you truly let go, that's what happens. When you let go of something, there's room in your grasp for something else, something better. As someone else here said, you're not giving something up; you're giving yourself something better, better health, a far better life. Plus you won't stink!! Plus you'll have money in your wallet at the end of the week. I'm now driving my cigarette budget, and I've spent that budget on the beach, in hotels, on nice meals in restaurants, new clothes, and I've furnished my entire house since I quit. I laugh, again, when I hear those smokers I mentioned above say they can't afford a car, or new tires, or a trip to the sea. My reply is, I can afford all those things, yes, but I can't afford to smoke!

As for your concentration problem, give it time - looking back, this problem didn't last very long; but certainly, as I was going through this phase, it seemed to last forever. Keep your eye on the prize. By the time your concentration problem resolves itself, you'll have other things in the bank, too (and I don't mean just money): Your lung functioning will increase by 30%. That'll boost your concentration! I've often thought, at my aquafit class, that I would never have made it through the entire class if I was still smoking.

http://www.lung.ca/protect-protegez/tobacco-tabagisme/quitting-cesser/benefits-bienfaits_e.php

Just one more point: Champix, bupropion, et.al. do certainly work for some people, but they are antidepressants and, ironically, can have the opposite effect in some people, including me. I took them for 2 weeks and never saw a decrease in my smoking but man, was I depressed. I decided at the time that I'd live much longer if I stuck with the smokes and threw away the pills.

Oh, OK, one last thing: You know what I don't miss about smoking? I don't miss being unable to yawn, much less LAUGH, without bursting into a fit of coughing and gagging. How unattractive, how embarrassing, how painful. I don't miss that at all. Or the taste of that cough either.

Good luck!
Collapse


 
Haluk Levent Aka (X)
Haluk Levent Aka (X)
Local time: 17:53
Japanese to Turkish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
@Nancy Oct 17, 2012

NancyLynn wrote:

...

Just one more point: Champix, bupropion, et.al. do certainly work for some people, but they are antidepressants and, ironically, can have the opposite effect in some people, including me. I took them for 2 weeks and never saw a decrease in my smoking but man, was I depressed. I decided at the time that I'd live much longer if I stuck with the smokes and threw away the pills.


Good luck!


Hi there. Thanks for the encouraging message. I tried bupropion too. It really helps me stop smoking but for some reason, I start to forget things, I start to have panic attacks and even paranoid dillusions. I think it isn't legally sold in many countries anymore because of some serious reports of suicide...


Good luck!


Thank you!


 
Gudrun Wolfrath
Gudrun Wolfrath  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 15:53
English to German
+ ...
Haluk, Oct 17, 2012

one last link for you:
http://www.guidetopsychology.com/stopsmok.htm

Will you keep us posted?

Gudrun


 
Catherine Brix
Catherine Brix
Local time: 15:53
Swedish to English
+ ...
Consider the waste Oct 17, 2012

The first days are the worst as anyone knows who has ever tried to give up something - sugar, alcohol, cigarettes,etc. A two-week break from work sounds like a smart move, as long as you keep busy with other things so your mind is not on cigarettes all the time. After your purge, every time you feel like a cigarette, just think about what a waste of time and effort you will have reduced your two weeks of effort to. I quit almost ten years ago and that's what got me through it... I counted the da... See more
The first days are the worst as anyone knows who has ever tried to give up something - sugar, alcohol, cigarettes,etc. A two-week break from work sounds like a smart move, as long as you keep busy with other things so your mind is not on cigarettes all the time. After your purge, every time you feel like a cigarette, just think about what a waste of time and effort you will have reduced your two weeks of effort to. I quit almost ten years ago and that's what got me through it... I counted the days I had accumulated and when I felt like I just had to have a cigarette, I'd remind myself of how hard I'd worked to be 10 days free, 30 days free, 45 days free... and how all that hard work would be a total and utter waste if I started again. You're motivated, you're smart, you know better - now do it.

Best of luck!
Collapse


 
Henry Hinds
Henry Hinds  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 08:53
English to Spanish
+ ...
In memoriam
Cold Oct 17, 2012

It is kind of miserable to smoke when you have a cold. So one day I woke up with a cold and was thinking of having a smoke, but I put it off... "it will be miserable". I did that all day and the next day too. Then I thought, "I've been smoking for 52 years, so it's time to quit for good. If I can quit for a couple of days, I can quit forever".

And so I did and never looked back.

If you want to quit, get a cold, sore throat or something like that, it will help.


 
RitaMackay
RitaMackay  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 14:53
English to Portuguese
And another success story Oct 17, 2012

Rob Lunn wrote:

Lisa Simpson, MCIL wrote:

From 20-40 a day to 0, 13 years ago.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Allen-Carrs-Easy-Stop-Smoking/dp/014103940X


From over 40 a day to 0 in 1999. I'd tried everything else and was desperate to stop. Maybe it won't work the 2nd time around, but the book probably just says that so you don't think that you've got a second chance. Anyway, what have you got to lose? From what you say, it sounds like it's what's worked best for you to date.

Good luck! It's well worth it.



I also used to smoke 40 a day and stopped right after I finished reading the book in 2005.


 
Giles Watson
Giles Watson  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 15:53
Italian to English
In memoriam
Do it with somebody else if you can Oct 17, 2012

I gave up about 25 years ago, having smoked a couple of packs a day for about 15. A few days in, my wife gave up too when she saw how irritated I was getting and we helped each other to stick with it.

Catherine Brix wrote:

The first days are the worst as anyone knows who has ever tried to give up something ... and how all that hard work would be a total and utter waste if I started again.



That's the clincher. No way would I want to go through the first fortnight of giving up again.

And don't worry too much about your concentration issue, Haluk. Smokers are addicts. Remove the drug and we get side effects in the short term. The good news is that our bodies readjust and the withdrawal symptoms disappear fairly quickly.


 
Ali Bayraktar
Ali Bayraktar  Identity Verified
Türkiye
Member (2007)
English to Turkish
+ ...
As Yul Brynner said... Oct 17, 2012

Just Don't Smoke!

 
Alain Alameddine
Alain Alameddine  Identity Verified
Lebanon
Local time: 16:53
Member (2009)
English to French
+ ...
Awake! magazine - advice on how to quit smoking Oct 17, 2012

Hello Haluk, all,

I would strongly recommend this series of articles in the May 2011 issue of Awake!, the world's second most distributed magazine, issued by Jehovah's Witnesses:
... See more
Hello Haluk, all,

I would strongly recommend this series of articles in the May 2011 issue of Awake!, the world's second most distributed magazine, issued by Jehovah's Witnesses:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/53768606/How%20to%20Quit%20Smoking%20-%20May%202010%20issue%20of%20Awake!%20issued%20by%20Jehovah's%20Witnesses.doc

It discusses:
- How smoking is a false friend
- How we can strengthen our motivation to quit
- How we can seek out help
- How we can prepare for the hurdles
- How we can win!

It is also available online in other languages, just look for it on http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/h/r1/lp-e

And please don't hesitate to contact me directly!

Alain Alameddine

[Edited at 2012-10-17 21:02 GMT]
Collapse


 
NancyLynn
NancyLynn
Canada
Local time: 10:53
Member (2002)
French to English
+ ...

MODERATOR
Three more Oct 17, 2012

I'd forgotten a lot of this, and this thread has stirred some memories.

One ex-smoker I knew printed out a handy, genuine reminder she taped on the wall by her desk: The urge to smoke will pass, whether or not you give in. I repeated this slogan to myself as often as needed, because it is SO true.

The efforts you put into not smoking, as stated above, is like a savings account. Each day that passes is an addition to the account. You'd hate to break that up.

... See more
I'd forgotten a lot of this, and this thread has stirred some memories.

One ex-smoker I knew printed out a handy, genuine reminder she taped on the wall by her desk: The urge to smoke will pass, whether or not you give in. I repeated this slogan to myself as often as needed, because it is SO true.

The efforts you put into not smoking, as stated above, is like a savings account. Each day that passes is an addition to the account. You'd hate to break that up.

The single most important thing to me was to change my mindset. I had to *become* an nonsmoker. "I have chosen not to smoke." "No thank you, I don't smoke." "I am a nonsmoker."

The link above, though heavy on the Bible references, has some good stuff in it such as:

Weaken the links proactively. Prior to your quit date, begin disrupting any habits linked to your smoking. For example, if you smoke as soon as you get up each morning, put off smoking for an hour or so. If you smoke during a meal or immediately afterward, break that routine. Avoid places where others smoke. And privately practice saying aloud: “No thanks. I’ve quit smoking.” Such steps will do more than prepare you for the day you quit. They will also remind you that soon you will be an ex-smoker.
Collapse


 
Michael Barnett
Michael Barnett
Local time: 10:53
English
+ ...
Professional advice. Oct 18, 2012

Hi Haluk,

Congratulations on your decision to stop smoking. There is no single action you can take that is more beneficial to your health than smoking cessation.

I read through the remarks on the preceding pages. There is some good advice but also quite a bit of what I would consider to be ill-informed opinion and well-intentioned bad council.

For reliable advice see quitnow.ca . This Web site is sponsored by the government of Canada based on recommendatio
... See more
Hi Haluk,

Congratulations on your decision to stop smoking. There is no single action you can take that is more beneficial to your health than smoking cessation.

I read through the remarks on the preceding pages. There is some good advice but also quite a bit of what I would consider to be ill-informed opinion and well-intentioned bad council.

For reliable advice see quitnow.ca . This Web site is sponsored by the government of Canada based on recommendations by experts in the field.

I agree with your decision to quit "cold turkey". The brain tries to maintain nicotine levels, so, if you smoke half as many cigarettes, you will try to suck in twice as much nicotine with each cigarette.

You have mentioned that you have had a bad reaction to bupropion. I cannot promise that you would not have a similar reaction to Champix, but it may be worth a try if you cannot quit without medication. The Champix is intended to blunt the withdrawal reaction from nicotine. Be sure to follow the instructions on the packaging. It is critical that you continue to smoke for the first seven days on the medication, then stop the cigarettes abruptly. Do not use this medication if you have a history of depression. As for the cost of this drug, if you add up the annual cost of your cigarettes, you will see that a seven week course of Champix is a lot cheaper than smoking.

Best of luck and let us know how you are doing!

Michael Barnett, MD
Collapse


 
kmtext
kmtext
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:53
English
+ ...
Another ex-smoker here Oct 18, 2012

I used to smoke around 40 a day, but haven't had a cigarette since early 2001.

I had tried to stop before, using willpower alone and various types of nicotine replacement therapies, but without success.

Personally, I believe that you really have to want to stop, and I don't mean that sense that you ought to stop because it's not good for you or it's costing too much. You have to decide that you are going to stop. I can't remember exactly what Yoda said, but it w
... See more
I used to smoke around 40 a day, but haven't had a cigarette since early 2001.

I had tried to stop before, using willpower alone and various types of nicotine replacement therapies, but without success.

Personally, I believe that you really have to want to stop, and I don't mean that sense that you ought to stop because it's not good for you or it's costing too much. You have to decide that you are going to stop. I can't remember exactly what Yoda said, but it was along the lines of: "Do or do not. There is no try."

It helps if you are making other changes in your life at the same time. A few months before stopping, I had bought a brand new car (big mistake, I know) and I banned smoking in the car. I also knew that I was going to be moving house at the end of February, 2001, so I decided that would be my stop date.

In a way, it was probably a type of self-hypnosis, because in the weeks approaching the move date, I spent a lot of time telling myself that I was going to stop, and for the last two weeks, used an inhalator, which was really effective for me. Friends who have tried them have had mixed success, but it worked for me. I carried on using it for a couple of weeks after my stop date, and haven't looked back since. One major plus point for me with the inhalator was that I could use it at my desk - we had a non-smoking office, so smokers had to go outside.

I'm not sure if I'd have succeeded without making the other changes at the same time. I moved 50 miles, so socialising with old friends was difficult and my new friends didn't know me as a smoker, so they didn't offer me cigarettes and so on.

Perhaps a less extreme option than moving house would be to take an activity break for a couple of weeks and do something that's going to keep you occupied while your body gets used to the lack of nicotine. Note when you reach for your cigarettes and try to avoid the triggers. A friend of my mother's stopped over 30 years ago by telling herself that if she really wanted a cigarette, she could have one from the new packet in the kitchen drawer - but only after ten minutes. That same packet is still there, in its original cellophane. She told my mum that she couldn't throw it out because she still needs the emotional crutch of knowing it's there if she really wants a cigarette!

Oh, another thing is to tell everyone you know that you are going to stop - then it becomes a matter of pride if you give in.

Good luck with stopping.
Collapse


 
Inge Luus
Inge Luus  Identity Verified
South Africa
Local time: 16:53
Member (2008)
German to English
+ ...
Why do you smoke? Oct 18, 2012

I gave up smoking 20 cigs a day 6 years ago cold turkey after 24 years of smoking. I tried all sorts of tricks and programs before then to stop smoking but nothing worked. Then I remembered something from my Smokenders course that I did years ago (I don't know if they still exist - probably not - its like the AA). One of the first things we had to do was identify why we smoked. I didn't do the exercise properly then, but 6 years ago I sat down and really analysed what my life situation was l... See more
I gave up smoking 20 cigs a day 6 years ago cold turkey after 24 years of smoking. I tried all sorts of tricks and programs before then to stop smoking but nothing worked. Then I remembered something from my Smokenders course that I did years ago (I don't know if they still exist - probably not - its like the AA). One of the first things we had to do was identify why we smoked. I didn't do the exercise properly then, but 6 years ago I sat down and really analysed what my life situation was like at the time I started smoking. And once I'd figured it out I was free of the addiction. I didn't have any further withdrawal symptoms (or anything that I can remember). I developed a thyroid problem a few months later but I think that the smoking masked that issue and now that I'm on the rights meds for that things are much better.

In terms of your concentration - have you tried supplementing with spirulina, Omega 3 supplements (only Omega 3 - not Omega 6) and Vitamin B. Vitamin C is important for rebuilding your lungs once you've stopped. These supplements have made all the difference for me in terms of concentration as a translator.
Collapse


 
NancyLynn
NancyLynn
Canada
Local time: 10:53
Member (2002)
French to English
+ ...

MODERATOR
Small clarification Oct 18, 2012

Inge Luus wrote:
Smokenders course that I did years ago (I don't know if they still exist - probably not - its like the AA).


In case there is any question, AA is very much in existence

And in fact there is a smaller Smokers Anonymous group based on the exact same twelve steps, with perhaps one or two words changed: Step 1. We admitted we were powerless over (nicotine) and that our lives had become unmanageable...

I'd say that ties in nicely with Inge's question: Why do you smoke, if it makes your life unmanageable.


 
Tatty
Tatty  Identity Verified
Local time: 15:53
Spanish to English
+ ...
Plenty of exercise Oct 18, 2012

I think that you will need to keep yourself very busy during those 2 weeks. Do exercise every day, not just light exercise either. In the afternoon, go out for a long walk. Make sure you eat healthily too. Try and change your whole mindset.

You could also do it for somebody. So you can say every day, another day without smoking and receive praise for it.

Do anything you need to not to give in to the urges. For the first week I drank cups upon cups of tea, the next week
... See more
I think that you will need to keep yourself very busy during those 2 weeks. Do exercise every day, not just light exercise either. In the afternoon, go out for a long walk. Make sure you eat healthily too. Try and change your whole mindset.

You could also do it for somebody. So you can say every day, another day without smoking and receive praise for it.

Do anything you need to not to give in to the urges. For the first week I drank cups upon cups of tea, the next week I drank gallons of liquid yoghurt. I think I took for paracetamol for a while too. But do anything you need to.

You will probably always be a smoker at heart. So when you have finished taking baby steps, you'll need to keep your guard up, that's why you need to change your mindset. Give up drinking too if you need to. A few years later I gave up caffeine.

Good luck! You can do it.
Collapse


 
Pages in topic:   < [1 2 3 4] >


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:


You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

How to Quit Smoking Without Going Bankrupt? I Need Hints






Anycount & Translation Office 3000
Translation Office 3000

Translation Office 3000 is an advanced accounting tool for freelance translators and small agencies. TO3000 easily and seamlessly integrates with the business life of professional freelance translators.

More info »
Wordfast Pro
Translation Memory Software for Any Platform

Exclusive discount for ProZ.com users! Save over 13% when purchasing Wordfast Pro through ProZ.com. Wordfast is the world's #1 provider of platform-independent Translation Memory software. Consistently ranked the most user-friendly and highest value

Buy now! »