Anyone else want to give up smoking? Moral support needed!

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I gave up last year for 3 months and thought I had it cracked...Have also stopped at various other points, found it easy when pregnant. Did it last year by reading Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking, but sadly replapsed a month ago. I really want to stop again, what has worked for people? I kind of go with Carr's theory that you shouldn't use nicotine replacement since you will still be taking the drug you are trying to kick. Apart from getting pregnant again (bit drastic!), any ideas?

oooh, I wondered if you would notice that this meant I have not given up smoking yet! Setting a date is a good idea. I need a day where I am fully occupied so will choose one.

Joanne, sounds like you have deciced to smoke in NYC. Hope you manage to get back on the straight and narrow after your weekend. This is NOT judgemental, but I know that I started again after just the one and I know that when I stop again I must never smoke again since, for me, it's the beginning of the end. Hope you have a great weekend whatever you do

Hi, never posted before but thought I'd join in cos I have finally decided enough is enough. Have bought Allen Carr's book on your recommendation www and am going to start reading it this weekend. I also did a quick calculation of how much I have spent over the years, something I usually avoid - and it was SO SCARY. So, step one this weekend and lets see how it goes. Wishing everyone luck!

Welcome Thumper and good luck with giving up. I am not a smoker myself but can't imagine giving up anything I like.

However if this baby does not arrive soon I will give serious consideration to STARTING smoking....just kidding!
Can I ask the peolple on this thread a possibly daft question? For those of you who are mums, when you were in labour was there any point when you were dying for a ciggarettte? ( as stress relief)

Jasper, I gave up when I got pregnant and didn't smoke again for a several months after ds was born. However, I know someone who immediatley after giving birth, shuffled down the corridor to have a fag! She also asked several times during labour whether she could nip out and have one.

Im afraid I'm another one that needs to join the giver uppers. I stopped when I was pregnant with dd, only used to smoke about 3 or 4 a day (evening only) and never in the house so it made it quite easy to stop. Since have dd I started about 8 weeks after (anniversary lunch with hubby) and am back on the 3 or 4 a day but determined to stop again. Once I finish my current pack of 10 !

Update and Encouragement for you soon to be ex-smokers!
Well I?m pleased to report that I?ve been doing very well as I have not smoked since 24th Feb. So that?s nearly six weeks and I?ve passed the one-month mark where I normally give in. Hooray!
I?ve had to REALLY brainwash myself, but it does seem to have finally worked this time - my third attempt at stopping in the past 6 months. I truly believe that I have cracked it and I feel very sure that I?ve stopped for good. The biggest obstacle was that ?social? cigarette ? the one you ?need? with a glass of wine in your hand. But, I?ve cracked that too. At last! I?ve just had to convince myself that it?s all or nothing. So no ?occasional? cigarettes ? it just means that I?d buy a packet and then just have to smoke them all.

Eventually, I just had so many reasons as to why I should stop, that the reasons to carry on smoking were either negated or quashed.

So for those of you still struggling or trying (and I?m probably being a touch evangelical today for which I apologise), but the books most definitely helped ? the two mentioned in notes below (Susan Hepburn and the Allen Carr) both contributed to my overall brainwashing process.
As I said, the list of reasons to stop just grew and grew and the books endorsed and added to this list. Actually, that should read MY list of reasons to stop. I think that?s the key.

So now I just need to use the same strength of character to lose weight????
(Although that?s mostly the extra pounds I had when smoking so can?t really use giving up smoking as the excuse for my general tubbiness!).

Still hanging in there - not giving into temptation which seems to be lessening as time goes by. Have had lots of aches and pains and health issues lately, and that has seemed to spur me on to desiring and working towards all around healthfullness (did I just make up a word?!?)...

Definitely with you both on the dieting front. Have realized that what I see in the mirror is not reality - when I see photos of myself, I am wondering who that chubby woman is??? 'cause I KNOW it's not me!

What I see in the mirror is a svelte 24 year old -the pictures are telling me I am a round 36 year old - shame on them!

And BTW, congrats to you both...

Well done Joanne and Star. Love the word 'healthfullness'!
Like you Star, my intention was to kick smoking first and then hit the gym. My hope was/is that by stopping smoking my lungs might be able to cope better with aerobic activity.
I guess there's only one way to find out so I'm down to the gym at lunchtime today...
My main problem at the moment is the pile of easter eggs at home - it's so tempting to help the kids get through them.........(and I didn't even like chocolate that much when I smoked).

Ok have bitten the bullet and have been "patched" up for the last week. I used to smoke heavily, gave up several months before I got pregnant, couldn't bear the smell of them during pregnancy, swore I would never start again..... and by the time my ds was 2 I was back on 20 a day. So, figuring it was the best birthday present I could give him, I bought patches (worked last time) - did a few days of the full strength ones, am now on the middle ones and will give it a few days and go on to the tiny ones and then ditch them. So far so good, a couple of cravings and I just tell myself to ignore them as I want to stop smoking more than I want a fag. (Am frantically trying to make myself believe this!)Plan to spend the money I save on lovely things (eg: me) So here's wishing everyone else here strength and luck! I know I need them.

I had to go outside for a cigarette before I could add to this message board. I started smoking when I was 15 and gave up in 1990. I didn't smoke for 8 years and in that time, got married and had two children. We then moved house in 1998 and I started socialising with my old neighbours and, one night, after one too many vodka's, decided to have a cigarette. That was my first one in 9 years! Since then, it seemed that whenever I met up with these friends, I would have a cigarette but then, before I know it, I was having the odd one during the day (while the kids were at school and I was alone in doors - only work part-time). Since then I have been smoking more and more and am now on 20 a day. I just cannot find the willpower to give up.

When I have tried in the past (to prove to H that I can do it) I find myself dreaming about cigarettes and the thought of never having another cigarette completely takes over my mind. I find I cannot think of anything else apart from the cigarette.

If I am smoking a lot (like I am at present - lots of problems in my life) then I find I don't really enjoy all of them - it is more habit. But if I cut down, I find I really enjoy them and each one feels like it is the first of the day, you know that light-headed feeling.

I have got to congratulate those of you that have managed to kick the habit. I wish I had the willpower to do it and ONE DAY I will, just not today.

Bumblelion, try the Alen Carr book it really is good. I am giving up my 3 a day again on Saturday - so wish me luck everyone. One thing that got me, a friend saw a sign in the docs saying ' if you think it's hard giving up smoking try telling you're children you've got cancer ' that's done it for me..

I am sure I have seen the Allan Carr book in W.H. Smiths. Will see if I can find it and give it a read.

Bumblelion, I completely understand that feeling of being obsessed with the thought of never having another...especially through stressfull times, and you are certainly in the midst of some very heavy stuff. So I just wanted to let you know - I never thought I would find not smoking more pleasurable then smoking - but it is happening - last Friday went out with friends - had a couple of glasses of wine - smokers all around, and I kept turning them down - one aquaintence who was very used to seeing me as a social smoker actually put one up to my lips! Really confused as to why I would stop - when I did it so rarely - but truth be told, when I was stressed, the habit would increase dramatically...

So best of luck - with everything! Take care of yourself, and when you are ready, you will have all the support you need here.

Tillysmummy and Willow2 - big wishes of strength here for you! And Tillysmummy, you're right - I keep thinking - what if I am not here to raise dd? My father left six children between the ages of 9 and 17 when he died of lung cancer - smoked 2-3 packs a day - and there were times as I was growing up that I felt like he really bailed out on us - I wondered why he would have so many children, and then smoke himself to death!

JoAnne427 - when I stopped smoking for the 8 odd years, I still went to pubs, parties, etc. and never felt the need to have a cigarette. Before I stopped that time I could never imagine doing something like going on holiday, lying on the beach (pre-kids) and not having a cigarette but you do it and don't even miss the cigarette.

One thing I do hate but cannot seem to stop myself from doing at the time is when I go out with my friends, have one too many vodkas, one too many cigarettes and wake up the next morning with a mouth like the bottom of a parrot's cage - think I am never drinking/smoking that much again, until next time anyway.

Well I thought I'd join in... I orginally smoked from my teens. I gave up in 1996 when my father had heart surgery & all of us made a family pact to give up together! Mum lasted 2 hours, brother 3 days father 2 months. I nearly gave in but didn't UNTIL 2 years later. I then got preg with ds in 1999 & gave up immediately ( I seem to find it easier to give up for someone else?). I stayed off the dreaded fags when ds was born but gradually went back to it when he was about 8 months old (but I smoked outside, never in the house and never around children). anyway. I became preg again in November last year & so gave up again...I'm determined to stay off them this time once & for all......... but have recently been haveing cravings for a cigerette, 5 months later. I have had some traumatic times & the pregnancy has had various problems and was diagnosed diabetic at 8 weeks preg (not sure if just gestational or permant). i stumbled on this thread & thought I'd join in as
a) you may help me fend of my cravings
b) I may be able to help you lot too!

One thing I found that really helped put me off having a cigerette was that advert with John cleese...he emptied an ashtray of just 5 cigerette butts into a glass jar, shook it up & left it for a week. When he went back to look at it a week later it looked awful! and he siad "just think what your insides look like"

Yes it put me off for quite a while, but also I made my own one. I put 5 ciggy butts into an old coffe jar with some water. Put on the lid & shook it up! I kept it outside by the back door, everytime I was tempted I'd look at the jar (or even open it, the stench was horrid!) and it worked for ages I really didn't want a fag at all!! It has also inspired some friends...when they go outside for a quick puff (don't allow smoking indoors since had ds & gave up myself back then). Some of my unknowing friends have said "what is this in the jar" so I say "open it & smell" they do & I tell them "thats a bit what your breath probably smells like!" I know it's harsh but it worked for me & also 2 of them have given up as well!!

Uck! I know - that horrible horrible taste is the worst - like something crawled in your mouth and died! and I swear that the times I have had a hangover, it was mostly from the smoking!

I have one friend in particular who comes to visit me regularly on Friday night - single, no children - she is very knowledgable about wine, and always brings a wonderful bottle for us to try - and she is a smoker - she hasn't been around lately, and I know when I see her it will be a challenge - I love having a glass of wine with her and a cig - when I pass that over, I will feel wonderful!

JoAnne427 - I think it is the cigarettes that give me more of a hangover than the actual alcohol (well, that is my excuse anyway).

I kind of agree to the hangover point insomuch as I DO think smoking contributes to headaches. That was another one of my multiple reasons to stop smoking.
Like the jar of butts idea.

Still hanging on there. Think one of the nicest things so far has been not having that late night panic of "oh my god, have I got enough ciggies to last until I can get to the shops tomorrow". Even managed to spend the afternoon with my mother, a chain smoker, and not have one. Re the fags versus drink hangover conundrum - read somewhere that nicotine stops you getting drunk so quickly, which is the reason why you smoke yourself silly when you're on a bender. Only problem is, while you might not end up in the gutter having told all and sundry that "I don't know who you are but I love you", you have still drunk yourself stupid and smoked yourself into oblivion so you still wake up with a double whammy of a hangover. That's another thing about not smoking, you get smashed far quicker so you save money on booze too. Hoorah!

congrats Willow2! One of the biggest tests is to be around other smokers and not relent!

Well done ASBF. You are doing very well.