trying to kick the habit

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21

Re: trying to kick the habit

Lajawab is a good person for you to talk to. He's quit smoking and I remember when I opened a thread in the Cafe to encourage Jassoos to quit, he was a big help. :)

22

Re: trying to kick the habit

i heard something … you are on pills :wink:

whats cooking ...... /What did you .... [merged]
whats cooking ...... /What did you .... [merged]
23

Re: trying to kick the habit

There’s only one thing that really works - START JOGGING

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Re: trying to kick the habit

Thank you all for your replies and advice.

I have not smoked since 1/24. Thats almost 2 weeks today. I went cold turkey for first 3 days and on the third day the cravings were terrible. I was restless and sleepless. So I put on the nicotine patch and started taking the antis.

Lets see now.

What should India do now....
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Re: trying to kick the habit

Did you know they also have these tablet things like in cherry flavor that help get rid of the cravings? I saw it on a magazine ad once. :phati:

26

Re: trying to kick the habit

try to keep urself busy …n keep ur mind off smokin…dun buy anymore cig paks…dun havng out wid ppl that smoke…have no somkin signs all over ur house…keep reming u..

ohh i duno…:bummer:

27

Re: trying to kick the habit

good work 5abi, keep going, it will be soon a month, then a quarter then a year, ...keep focusing on benchmarks, challenge yourself, and btw if you slip up once in a while thats okay. dont let that derail the progress.

28

Re: trying to kick the habit

yah i think i know what you are talking bout, commit Lozenge. Its an OTC medicine

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Re: trying to kick the habit

I don't have any advice, but I sincerely wish you the best as you do this. I'm certain it won't be easy, but it's very important.

30

Re: trying to kick the habit

joina support group ........................... really helps

31

Re: trying to kick the habit

Yea 5abi you should join a Fight Club. :phati:

Fairy Meadows
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Re: trying to kick the habit

I do have the 800 number for that support group/class thing but i never joined them. Dont know, i think if i can last a few more weeks with the patch and lifesyle/behavior change, i can do it. Ive cut down on caffeine intake, coffee and soda. That was one of the triggers I had, morning coffee and cigarette. Another was smoking after a meal, now i just use the gum instead. Ive changed my daily routine a bit as well, and have started to jog, have changed my diet a bit as well. It now includes, OJ, V8, Green Tea etc. And I got me the Baoding balls to keep my hands and mind busy and away from cigarettes. Yes, ive thrown away all my lighters and ashtrays already. Ironically, among my friends, im the only one that smoked. So its all good.

What should India do now....
33

Re: trying to kick the habit

awww good for you, pal. :slight_smile:

hahahhahaha so THAT’S what the diddly ding ballsss were forrr :phati:

34

Re: trying to kick the habit

dun make fun of my balls :smilestar:

they relieve stress as well

35

Re: trying to kick the habit

good job punjabi, i'm working towards that too.

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Re: trying to kick the habit

Dannyboy, cigarette smoke is listed as one of the causes of most major diseases. Here are a few that are directly linked to smoking.

Emphysema
Chronic Bronchitis
Asthma
Lung Cancer
etc

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Re: trying to kick the habit

Here is a PM that i received from Khumar (Thanks for your time and effort :khumar:). Im pasting here for the benefit of others contemplating kicking this habit. Dannyboy, pay attenton.

*Arright took me some time to find all the info, but here it is. It may sound a bit practicy…but it does come from the health psych class, so bear with me.

Ok so quitting cold turkey may not work. So in that case you need to go on nicotine replacement therapy, which is just patch or the gum.

Another thing to keep in mind is to try to keep away from stress, which I know seems easier said than done. So in that case, you might want to get some kind of social support to help combat the stress. (I would mention group therapy , except I know the desi aversion and fear of anything that has the word therapy attached to it). Social support basically means friend or family that you can talk to and help deal with the stress. Self coping through other ways can help as well, like relaxing techniques and what not.

Try to avoid places and people that you usually hung out with/at when you were smoking. Reminds me of that friends episode when chandler was trying to quit and he kept walking outside the building where his other smoking buddies hung out, just to inhale the second hand smoke, and eventually he lit up again. I know…weird example, but yea, you get the point.

One thing that you have to remember is that if while quitting you end up smoking a cigarette…that’s not the end of the world. Hota hai, and it can’t be helped. But that does not mean that you can relapse and start smoking a pack a day again. Try to see why you relapsed. Like for example, if it’s the fear of weight gain, then it’s ok. You can work it out. And eat different to help with the weight. If it’s the withdrawl symptoms, then look forward to what happens when you finally quit. Because the quitting process can be a bit ugly at first, but the benefits do wonders.

When you quit smoking you do end up getting cranky and depressed, and that’s ok. So that means taking up smoking again is no excuse since you already know that you will be cranky and depressed. But that does not last long, that is good news.

Withdrawl symptoms also include

  • dizziness (which may only last 1-2 days in the beginning)

  • depression

  • feelings of frustration and anger

  • irritability

  • sleep disturbances, including having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep and having bad dreams or even nightmares

  • trouble concentrating

  • restlessness

  • headache

  • tiredness

  • increased appetite
    but the benefits are:

  • In 20 minutes your blood pressure will drop back down to normal.

  • In 8 hours the carbon monoxide (a toxic gas) levels in your blood stream will drop by half, and oxygen levels will return to normal.

  • In 48 hours your chance of having a heart attack will have decreased. All nicotine will have left your body. Your sense of taste and smell will return to a normal level.

  • In 72 hours your bronchial tubes will relax, and your energy levels will increase.

  • In 2 weeks your circulation will increase, and it will continue to improve for the next 10 weeks.

  • In three to nine months coughs, wheezing and breathing problems will dissipate as your lung capacity improves by 10%.

  • In 1 year your risk of having a heart attack will have dropped by half.

  • In 5 years your risk of having a stroke returns to that of a non-smoker.

  • In 10 years your risk of lung cancer will have returned to that of a non-smoker.

  • In 15 years your risk of heart attack will have returned to that of a non-smoker.
    When you start to quit smoking, my prof was telling me that you end up hacking like gross looking gray/yellow/green mucous. He said that is all the stuff that was in the lungs, but now that you have quit inhaling all that smoke, the tiny hair that are lining the lungs and your nose are finally beginning to work, and they being the sweepers of your lungs can now finally work properly and get rid of all that tar and gross stuff.

Also, the food will taste better and you can smell better again.

oh and also try to do other things that keep you busy. because for many smoking is more like a habit than anything else, something to keep the hands busy. so i dunno…find something else.

and keep at it :whack: Inshallah you will be smoke free *

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Re: trying to kick the habit

no you’re not you big stupid oaf. :mad: you’re just sitting there on your bum smoking away.

why can’t you be more like 5abi bhai? :naraz:

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Re: trying to kick the habit

5abi im so proud of you....keep up the good work!! :)

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Re: trying to kick the habit

and how long have u been saying this now? :mad: