Smokers : which is the better choice? ( Archived) (256)

Allen Carr's Easyway to Stop Smoking is brilliant - anyone with a bit of sense should check it out

smoker myself but in my experience its a filthy dirty rotten habit ,its gone to such a stage now that its becoming totally anti social to be a smoker have my packet of champix got so hopefully in the next few days will make the effort lot of aides to help you on the market but willpower is also required so hopefully i can kick this bad habit for once and for all

those champix are supposed to have serious side effects

ya was on them before but consulted my doctor and she said side affects pass after a while ,last time i was on them was seeing pink elephants running around on the ceiling in bed at night being on here has side effects also

Hi Hen .., aka Blow-in

As an ex-smoker, I can honestly say I enjoyed every single cigarette I ever smoked. I did find them relaxing, I found them to be a social outlet, especially when the smoking ban came in. A little group huddled under a shelter can be great craic.

I chose to give them up for several reasons, but mainly because I just wanted to.
I knew I would omly do it once ever.
So I did do the patches. I was totally allergic to them btw. I was like a junkie trying to find a vein, trying to find a clear bit of skin to stick it on! I also told nobody as I didn't want the constant questions and reminders. I did buy herbal cigarettes though. I know me. I knew if I went out for a few drinks I would be hanging for a cigarette. So I used to smoke one of those god-awful things. It did the trick though.
I am now off them nearly 9 years. I still miss them on occasion, but never regret giving them up.
It was my choice to do so. No matter how often you are told about the health issues/cost/secondhand smoking etc., it won't make a slight bit of difference. Until the smoker themself is ready in their head to give them up, it won't happen.

That was my experience anyway

Lol, hi Cheeky Molly
I agree with you. Banging on about health issues only makes a smoker smoke more, usually, lol. Same goes for the awful pics they are now putting on packs - none of that works. It simply reinforces to the smoker that they should think about stopping, and when that panic kicks in, the smoker has another cigarette whilst he thinks about stopping some other time, lol.

Interesting topic and to get everyone's views...

PS I smoked for 22 years, am off them the last 12.

hiya fifi hahhaha only passing through hope you are well yes its shame that its gone

One reason is withdrawal is not nice.

I quit 6 months ago, but before that time I had made several unsuccessful attempts. I would sometimes using the patches for the first few days, sometimes go cold turkey and I carried a E-cig with me for a while when I went out. Even listened to hypnosis tapes. I found that the nicotine products took the edge off the withdrawal and satisfied my cravings when I was drinking. I still found that every now and again I would slip.

In the end I felt quitting for good was just due of getting enough leverage on myself to effect permanent change, rather than any of the quit aids (with the perhaps the exception of the tapes).

Although this i sort of hard to prove as that period of a year where I was an on/off smoker and using patches could have made it easier for me to quit.

I also use the E- Gig (well the vapor pipe ) and have cut down from 18mg to 3mg now, and it is defiantly worked for me.

A nicotine tablet to treat the mentally ill is being developed. Smoking has a calming effect on some of them but the effect is weak and short-lived. I wonder how many smokers are actually self-medicating without knowing it and should they even try to give up?

Not at all u claimed smokers are self medicating.

If you want to stop just stop.

On the contrary, I said some people with mental illness are smoking as a means of self-medication. I don't make that claim, it is made by mental health professionals.