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Fag Free Zone - Come and Join!

372 replies

mummylonglegs · 16/05/2005 22:24

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mummylonglegs · 21/05/2005 08:49

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mummylonglegs · 21/05/2005 08:52

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hub2dee · 21/05/2005 09:32

mll: you sound like you're doing well. Nice one. Well done. Stay at it !

2A: you K ? Battle on !

TwoAngels · 21/05/2005 09:52

hey MLL H2D I'm fine thanks still feel achey but DP let me lie this morn bless him!!! I haven't slipped again since the last time on thurs.... Feel really good other than sneezing every 5 mins lol

have had a couple of times where I have got rid of one gum only to shove another in my mouth two mins later which is the wrong thing to do but I think it may of been a time when I was still a smoker when i'd spark one cig straight after the other which is much worse IMO

well MLL how well have u done hun all that nasty nicotine should be gone now and hopefully it's gonna get easier from now..... am still that I couldn't manage cold turkey but really WELL DONE U!!!!

dropinthe · 21/05/2005 09:54

You're getting there MML-Mulholland Drive-a WEIRD film that I'm not sure I got! Is it a David Lynch job? I watched Big Fish but fell asleep ten minutes before the end-my favourite party trick!
Anyway,am working all weekend so offering mucho encouragio for the weekend-think if you can get to Monday so are on a straight run and deserve big hugs and fresh breath kisses for doing so well!
Have a nice weekend fag-free ladeez!!!!

dropinthe · 21/05/2005 09:55

TA-you are doing just as well even with the NRT-keep going!

TwoAngels · 21/05/2005 10:39

thanks DIT have a lovely w/e hun xx

mummylonglegs · 21/05/2005 12:26

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mummylonglegs · 21/05/2005 12:32

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hub2dee · 21/05/2005 14:50

I have no idea. But perhaps a bump will prompt / archive search for their name will prompt them to post an update ?

The cravings sounds nasty mll. Well done for not giving in. Must admit, from the POV of an outside observer just reading your words, things seem to be getting better... Make it last !

mummylonglegs · 21/05/2005 15:12

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hub2dee · 21/05/2005 16:11

Those 'not thinking about it' periods will only get longer, I guess.

Fab news, really.

charliecat · 21/05/2005 17:01

Fionagibs stil about and stopped for a while now..shes on this thread somewhere...Minkmama has VANISHED and mammya im sure is still off the fags.
LOL at me...wasnt I a sad desperate addict? Nearly 6 months away from that now
Well done you lot xxxxxxxxx

hub2dee · 21/05/2005 17:06

Hey, cc.... not bad YOURSELF EITHER, hey....

Well done you clean smelling fresh tasting person you...

TwoAngels · 21/05/2005 17:47

MLL to be honest the only time I was really bad was when I first stopped on monday morning untill the afternoon when I bought the gum, after that though I think because I experienced what it was like cold turkey for all of 12 hours, I really appreciated the effects of the gum and now I feel okish no way near as bad as u have had it this week. I do agree with CC that u have gone this far without anything ( good lassie u) that soon the cravings will die down a lot IYSWIM.

What have u and DD been up to today hun??

Myself and DP took the girls to this fantastic theme park purley for little ones it was great and I actually didn't mind walking past smokers who desperatley drawing on the fags before they were allowed to take there wee ones on rides ect... it was great to be able to walk straight on by and get in there first

mummylonglegs · 21/05/2005 18:51

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charliecat · 21/05/2005 19:17

That brings tears to my eyes mummylonglegs. Like really....thats why no matter what happens in the coming weeks/hours you cannot/will not resort to smoking to get you through it. (Not that it helps as you will have read.)
The ups and downs of the first few threads make me sick to read...I wasted a good couple of years stopping smoking. I was totally consumed by the process, I achieved it though. Jeesus it took a while but I managed it at last.
The funny thing was, all I wanted to do was stop smoking...and its the one thing I couldnt bloody do, all failures selfinflicted of course...but I kept tripping up again and again and again.
It was awful.
Now even on a really bad PMT day where I would like to string my other half up by his balls and gut him I smile thankful that although I feel like shit and im having a bad day I am so so so happy that I dont smoke..
Its like being born again, without that fucking great big black cloud following you up the arse

hub2dee · 21/05/2005 19:27

at mll and cc.

Though at thought of Mr cc's punishment.

LOL.

mll - we don't always see 'eye to eye,' so to speak, but even where I am I can see someone emerging from some kind of fog.

Deffo write something down somewhere to remind you how you feel, and look back on it when you wonder if it's worth 'just having one'

Don't stop now, it's only just beginning.

Listen, I'm at Hyde Park Corner next week with the soapbox. You coming ?

(joke).

charliecat · 21/05/2005 21:57

I wrote TORTURE on the back of my bedroom door so that upon waking I would be reminded of the hell id been through to get to the point I was at
Oh yeah...I found it a breeze giving up didnt I???!!!!
Your moments of high MML, Allen Carr calls them the moments of revelation...and they are!
I am reaching my 6 month mark...ohh...6 days now and im going to celebrate more on that day than I ever have for any of my birthdays. Ill be half a year free, half a year healthier and my tormented mind is free of those evil self hating thoughts. [woohoooooooooooooooooooooo]
Mr cc by the way has no idea of my thoughts about him bet your even more now...he calmly remarks how im in a mood and I grit my teeth and agree thinking YOU HAVE NO IDEA Hormones are the oddest things!!!!

mummylonglegs · 21/05/2005 22:30

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charliecat · 21/05/2005 22:35

My god you know your stuff...its took me months to realise what you are "getting" in the first few days a few brain cells thrown my way would have been handy at birth
I remember laying down reading a magazine to prove that i could relax without a fag.
I recognise the manic too...really...your sort of like acting like a fresh duracell battery without really knowing why but you do....

mummylonglegs · 21/05/2005 22:38

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charliecat · 21/05/2005 22:43

My god I know what you mean...
Lokking for somethingelse but found this:

Understanding the Emotional Loss

Experienced When Quitting Smoking

----------------

In her 1969 book, On Death and Dying, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross identified five distinct phases which a dying person encounters. These stages are "denial," "anger," "bargaining," "depression," and finally, "acceptance." These are the exact same stages that are felt by those mourning the loss of a loved one as well.

Denial can be recognized as the state of disbelief: "This isn't really happening to me," or "The doctor doesn't know what he is talking about." The same feelings are often expressed by family members and friends.

Once denial ceases and the realization of impending death is acknowledged anger develops. "Why me?" or "Why them?" in the case of the significant others. Anger may be felt toward the doctors, toward God, toward family and friends. Anger, though, doesn't change the person's fate. They are still in the process of dying. So next comes bargaining.

In bargaining, the person may become religious, trying to repent for all the sins that may be bringing about their early demise. "If you let me live, I will be a better person, I will help mankind. Please let me live, and I will make it worth your while." This stage, too, will come to an end.

Now the patient, becoming aware he is helpless to prevent his impending fate, enters depression. The patient begins to isolate himself from his surroundings. He relinquishes his responsibilities and begins a period of self mourning. He becomes preoccupied with the fact that his life is coming to an end. Symptoms of depression are obvious to anyone having contact with the patient in this stage. When the patient finally overcomes this depression he will enter the last stage, acceptance.

The patient now reaches what can be seen as an emotionally neutral stage. He almost seems devoid of feelings. Instead of death being viewed as a terrifying or horrible experience, he now peacefully accepts his fate.

As stated above, these stages are not only seen in the dying person but likewise in the family members mourning the loss of a loved one. However, on careful observation we can see these same stages in people who lose anything. It doesn't have to be the loss of a loved one. It could be the loss of a pet, the loss of a job, and even the loss of an inanimate object. Yes, even when a person loses her keys, she may go through the five stages of dying.

First, she denies the loss of the keys. "Oh, I know they are around here somewhere." She patiently looks in her pockets and through her dressers knowing any minute she will find the keys. But soon, she begins to realize she has searched out all of the logical locations. Now you begin to see anger. Slamming the drawers, throwing the pillow of the couch, swearing at those darned keys for disappearing. Then comes bargaining: "If I ever find those keys I will never misplace them again. I will put them in a nice safe place." It is almost like she is asking the keys to come out and assuring them she will never abuse them again. Soon, she realizes the keys are gone. She is depressed. How will she ever again survive in this world without her keys? Then, she finally accepts the fact the keys are gone. She goes out and has a new set made. Life goes on. A week later the lost keys are forgotten.

What does all this have to do with why people don't quit smoking? People who attempt to give up smoking go through these five stages. They must successfully overcome each specific phase to deal with the next. Some people have particular difficulty conquering a specific phase, causing them to relapse back to smoking. Let's analyze these specific phases as encountered by the abstaining smoker.

The first question asked of the group during the smoking clinic was, "How many of you feel that you will never smoke again?" Do you remember the underwhelming response to that question? It is remarkable for even one or two people to raise their hands. For the most part the entire group is in a state of denial - they will not quit smoking. Other prevalent manifestations of denial are: "I don't want to quit smoking," or "I am perfectly healthy while smoking, so why should I stop," or "I am different, I can control my smoking at one or two a day." These people, through their denial, set up obstacles to even attempt quitting and hence have very little chance of success.

Those who successfully overcome denial progress to anger. We hear so many stories of how difficult it is to live with a recovering smoker. Your friends avoid you, your employer sends you home, sometimes permanently, and you are generally no fun to be with. Most smokers do successfully beat this stage.

Bargaining is probably the most dangerous stage in the effort to stop smoking. "Oh boy, I could sneak this one and nobody will ever know it." "Things are really tough today, I will just have one to help me over this problem, no more after that." "Maybe I'll just smoke today, and quit again tomorrow." It may be months before these people even attempt to quit again.

Depression usually follows once you successfully overcome bargaining without taking that first drag. For the first time you start to believe you may actually quit smoking. But instead of being overjoyed, you start to feel like you are giving up your best friend. You remember the good times with cigarettes and disregard the detrimental effects of this dangerous and dirty habit and addiction. At this point more than ever "one day at a time" becomes a life saver. Because tomorrow may bring acceptance.

Once you reach the stage of acceptance, you get a true perspective of what smoking was doing to you and what not smoking can do for you. Within two weeks the addiction is broken and, hopefully, the stages are successfully overcome and, finally, life goes on.

Life becomes much simpler, happier and more manageable as an ex-smoker. Your self esteem is greatly boosted. Your physical state is much better than it would ever have been if you continued to smoke. It is a marvelous state of freedom. Anyone can break the addiction and beat the stages. Then all you must do to maintain this freedom is simply remember - NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF!

whymummy · 21/05/2005 22:44

hello everyone
MLL i smoked 20 a day,i stopped for 2 whole months and i now smoke about 15.i look forward to talking to you all on monday

charliecat · 21/05/2005 22:44

I said it every day of the clinics, it's in almost all my posts, and you see it at the end of each of these short articles. Even so, I still feel I cannot repeat it enough - NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF! It is not that I am afraid that you will like the cigarette and decide how wonderful going back to smoking will be. To the contrary, it will probably make you dizzy, nauseous, and generally sick. You may absolutely hate yourself for having done it. Even this, though, is not the problem.

The real danger is the reinforcement of the nicotine addiction. It is a powerful addiction. One puff can send you back to your old level of cigarette consumption within days. We have had clinic participants who have previously quit smoking for periods exceeding 20 years. One day they decide to try just one. Even after this great period of time, the first cigarette is enough to start the whole addiction withdrawal process. They are again hooked on a drug and within days their full chemical dependency returns. All of the physical dangers, psychological problems, and tremendous expenses return to their previous levels. If you do not believe this can happen to you, come into the first or second night of my next stop smoking clinic. Listen to all of the new enrollees who are there to quit smoking. These are people who were once off cigarettes for a substantial period of time before, people who liked not smoking, people who loved not smoking, people who now need help to once again reclaim their nonsmoking status because of one tragic mistake. They were not immune to the first drag. The odds are, neither are you. Consider this the next time you have a passing thought for a cigarette.

Now you have a choice. You can remain an ex-smoker or you can become an addicted smoker once again. Consider both options carefully. Which way of life better suits you - a slave to a deadly weed or a truly free person? The final decision is yours. If you choose the latter, simply practice the following advice - NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF!

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