Stop Smoking, Helping Each Other to Quit

[malcolminthemiddle 32]

6 minutes to close of registration

[tuky 341]

30 years old, smoke 40 + when not drinking, when drinking up to 80 a day. Promised my wife I would quit but I am not sure I can.

help

[malcolminthemiddle 32]

Registration is now closed.

We have 35 registered members including Tywais for who I given the benefit of the doubt, Mrs Manum is on stand by I am waiting her confirmation of registration.

A full list will be posted shortly.

[dr_Pat_Pong 7]

Registration is now closed.

We have 35 registered members including Tywais for who I given the benefit of the doubt, Mrs Manum is on stand by I am waiting her confirmation of registration.

A full list will be posted shortly.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

CONGRATULATIONS MAL.... go for it. I am not a reformed smoker, rather, I am now an informed non smoker and I too thought it impossible.

[Tywais 12,112]

Sorry about that, yes I really do want/need to stop so please register me also even

though it is now 5:20pm past deadline...

Hi tywais,

Are you asking to be registered? Registration is for people who know thay want to stop, you sound as if you are not sure?

[malcolminthemiddle 32]

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to register.

I had started to welcome each of you on board individually, but the sudden in flux made that a little difficult, so apologies if you didn't receive an individual welcome.

Below is a list of all the smokers who have registered their intent to stop. If your name is not here and you think it should be, please let me know. We have 35 members, 33 of you are men and 2 ladies, I think.

Just for the record, Lourens has promised to pay for the end of programme party and Elfe has offered to be "very friendly" if the programme works for her.

The rules of our forum are simple and are my rules, from now on in only registered members will be allowed to post.

I plan to post Step 2 on Monday, meanwhile enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Peter991

Kringle

Mrs Manum

JockStar

Wilgus

Hajo

Ady277

TallThai

Pjallittle

Ravisher

ray23

wolfie

canadian

h90

mpdkorat

JuniorExpat

mickey

nam

lourens

iceangel

pandit35

pschef

e-rik

tors

RBO

viet60

teco

kon dee

joopderooij

amestigon

thaipauly

Bull

elfe

tukyleith

tywais

[Foggy Bottom 41]

Sign me up.

I am 60 and smoked since I was 13. Had a quad bypass at 48. Now have emphysema and smoke 30 cigarettes per day.

I have quit a few times for a few weeks or few months but find I can't stand the misery. It does not get easier for me as the time goes by, it gets more difficult, even after 9 months. I quit for 9 months after the bypass out of fear. But the misery outweighed the fear.

Tried most things, even hypnotism... It is not the quitting that is so difficult, it is living with the craving that I cannot stand.

Ravisher.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My grandmother smoked for 50 years - pack a day - and was told to quit in her 70's - soon as she did emphysema set in and she died due to not having her morning "smoker's hack" to clear her lungs - the specialist at the hospital said if she hadn't quit, she'd have had another ten years.

Senior medical opinion is moving heavily towards NOT quitting if you've smoked more than 30 years.

My sister is a consultant haematological analyst at a major UK hospital path lab - her data from 20 years of study shows that smokers of ready made cigarettes make up 99%+ of lung cancer victims who smoke - cigars, roll-your-owns and pipe tobacco smokers are less than 1% - she believes it is the saltpetre in ready mades that causes the lung cancer .... which may also explain the higher than average lung cancer incidences amongst military types and gun nuts (both smokers and non-smokers) - the cartridge powder also contains saltpetre (causing the acrid smell of gunsmoke) and they inhale a lot of it when shooting.

[iplay 0]

56, male. I spend time in Bangkok (where I can't stop smoking 2 packs daily) and UK (where it doesn't bother me to stop smoking completely). Strange I'd love to stop in Bangkok too.

[erain 0]

Hi I am 30, Smoke 1 and half pack a day roy@thaimotion.com , tried to quit once while taking medication but lost health insurance card so could not continue (or an excuse i give to myself)

please sign me up !!

[ProfessorFart 1]

Good luck to one and all especially Jockstrap! Hahahahaha.......

[george 2,886]

This thread is now closed, awaiting Part 2 on Monday.

Good luck!

/admin

[malcolminthemiddle 32]

Forum is now back open

Over the weekend a couple of new members have been added; unfortunately Mrs Manum didn't confirm; here is the definite final list of 38 members. Please only posts from these people from now on.

Peter991

Kringle

JockStar

Wilgus

Hajo

Ady277

TallThai

Pjallittle

Ravisher

ray23

wolfie

canadian

h90

mpdkorat

JuniorExpat

mickey

nam

lourens

iceangel

pandit35

pschef

e-rik

tors

RBO

viet60

teco

kon dee

joopderooij

amestigon

thaipauly

Bull

elfe

tukyleith

tywais

Neeranam

garysdth

jaloochapurr

erain

[dr_Pat_Pong 7]

Admins wish you all every bit of luck

[malcolminthemiddle 32]

Step 2 Self Education

The second step is self education; we all know that smoking is bad for our health but why does it feel so enjoyable and why is it so difficult to stop?

This second step will teach you to understand your addiction, only then can you control and break it for good; you are to become experts on the subject of "Nicotine Addiction".

For those of you, who think you know (all) the answers, please bare with those who do not.

When I decided to quit, my point of reference was a web site called http://whyquit.com/ There are loads of other informative web sites out there, but for our project this is the one we shall use.

Your next task is simple; you are all to go to http://whyquit.com/ and read and read and read.

To police your self education; I will begin posting questions directed at individual members.

1. All the answers can be found within http://whyquit.com/

2. Clues are available if you need them, just ask, and will be given at my discretion

3. Only the designated member is allowed to answer their own question.

4. If you fail to post your answer within a reasonable time you will be given extra homework.

5. If you would like to volunteer for extra homework; just ask.

6. While you are reading the different articles within http://whyquit.com/, you will come across a fact, an issue, something that catches your attention; we shall call this a "Wake Up Call".

During Step 2 each registered member must post at least one "Wake Up Call". "Wake Up Calls" can be posted at any time, they must be identified as a "Wake Up Call", repetition is not allowed.

Here is an example of a "Wake Up Call".

"To get a sense of what it feels like to breathe with emphysema take a deep breath and hold it. Without letting out any air, take in another deep breath. Hold that one too. One more time, take in one more breath. Okay let it all out.

That second or third breath is what it feels like to breathe when you have advanced emphysema. Emphysema is a disease where you cannot exhale air. Everyone thinks that it is a disease where you cannot inhale but in fact it is the opposite. When you smoke you destroy the lungs elasticity by destroying the tissue that pulls your lung back together after using muscles that allow us to inhale air. So when it comes time to take your next breath it is that much more difficult, for your lungs could not get back to their original shape. "

A few other things for this post;

1. Don't forget to follow other members Q & A.

2. If you want to drop out at any time, please say so, do not sit on the fence, be pro-active and contribute.

3. This is going to be a team effort, support each other, ask any questions you may have, offer any opinions.

4. Please, direct all posts at me.

5. I retain the right to expel any registered member who fails to follow the forum rules.

For you sleepers out there; (smokers who have not registered but are following the thread) DO NOT GO AWAY. Your opportunity to join the group publicly will come; meanwhile please remember your "Wake Up Call"; you will need it later.

And finally, so that you all know; sometime in the near future I will be setting the day when you will all, together, stop smoking. For all of you including those of you who decide to stop before this date; here is our forum slogan:

NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF

[Neeranam 5,280]

I didn't have a cig. yeasterday unil 7pm, then I thought I would have only one more before I went to bed. At 10pm, i said "what the f#@#" and had 6 more one after another.

Well today is another day, bloody hard as it is a holiday.