Anti-smoking group says "DONT QUIT SMOKING FOR NEW YEARS' DAY"

Bard

Food for thought from http://www.ash.org.uk/html/press/020101.html :

“Don’t try to quit smoking on New Years day – it’s one of the worst days in the year to try it”. That is the advice that anti-tobacco campaigners ASH is giving to smokers wondering whether it would make a good New Years resolution. Unless smokers are already mentally prepared and have it all planned out, New Years Day is one of the hardest days to quit. ASH is advising smokers that haven’t yet made the necessary preparations to make a resolution and start the process on New Years day, then commit to quit on or before No Smoking Day (13 March 2002).



Clive Bates, Director of ASH said:



“Smokers that seriously want to quit should use New Years Day to make the resolution and start the mental preparation, but only take the step of cutting out the cigarettes when they are good and ready to do it.”



“Quitting is like a siege against addiction to nicotine, and you need to build up motivation, find out what will happen, get the best tips, plan some distracting social activities, talk to your doctor about drugs that might help, and make sure family and friends are onside.”



“Most people wake up feeling pretty rough on New Years Day, and then have to face relatives or even more festive fun. The hectic Christmas period leaves no room for the serious business of preparing to quit, so it can be one of the worst days to try.



“Unless you’ve really planned for it, trying to quit smoking on New Years Day is like getting out of bed late and trying to nip up the North face of the Eiger in your pyjamas. Why make it harder than it already is?”



ASH suggested the following six-point plan:



1. On New Years Day make a resolution to quit on or before No Smoking Day (13 March)



2. Set a quit date and stick to it – for example;

a. Burns night (25 Jan)

b. ASH Wednesday and Lent (13 Feb)

c. Valentine’s Day (14 Feb)

d. No Smoking Day (13 March)

e. Any other day that suits you - more than a week away



3. On New Years Day or shortly after phone one of the help lines and ask for advice on how to quit and to be sent some information

a. 0800 1690169 NHS Smokers’ Helpline

b. 0800 002200 Quitline



4. Discuss options a pharmacist and make an appointment to see the doctor. Ask what advice or support they can offer, and ask about drugs such as nicotine replacement therapy or Zyban, which doctors can now offer on prescription.



5. Try to find others to join you – especially your partner - and get friends and family involved.



6. Consult key web sites for further information (see http://www.ash.org.uk/?press for links)

DeadBankClerk

sounds like good advice.
smoking is teh yuch.

WhiteWashMan

too late
alreayd stopped

yes, i am grumpy and yes i do feel awful, but i gave up for 10 months last year, so this time is for good.
and non of those namby pamby patches either

WhiteWashMan

well, 28 days and still off the smokes

azezil

Originally posted by WhiteWashMan
well, 28 days and still off the smokes

so thats why ur such a bítch all the time lol

Well done!

WhiteWashMan

Originally posted by azezil

so thats why ur such a bítch all the time lol

Well done!

absolutely.

im like a man utd fan, any excuse will do

Enygma

Off 'em three weeks today myself, no wussy patches or gum for me either, taking it like a *MAN*!

Still constantly pi**ed off, or maybe that's just the way I am always

WhiteWashMan

Originally posted by Enygma
Off 'em three weeks today myself, no wussy patches or gum for me either, taking it like a *MAN*!

Still constantly pi**ed off, or maybe that's just the way I am always

hahaha, im not any of that crap either.
but today i feel ok, i only hate the world today

leeroybrown

Quitting Somoking is one of the easiest things you can do!

The hard part is staying off the little b*stards

Enygma

yah it's easy, I've done it hundreds of times

bubbles

I was off the smokes for 4 months last year, and to be honest I found it fairly easy to give them up.

I used to of those Nicorette(spelling?) inhalers, and was only on it for a week! Great little thing.

Then the summer kicked, lovely and sunny out so I started taking me little smoke breaks again.

Going to give them up again in a couple of weeks untill the summer again.

Krusty_Clown

I love it when people say : I gave up for x months!
Oh, the irony of it all...

You didn't give up...
Like a puppy, giving up is for life! You just took a break!
BTW : I took a break from cigarettes for 10 months last year..:rolleyes:


Giving up on New Years day is a great idea. It's very easy to work out how long you've been off the ciggies...
29 Days, 12 hours, 46 seconds.. No, 47 secs.. No, 48 secs...

WhiteWashMan

Originally posted by Krusty_Clown
I love it when people say : I gave up for x months!
Oh, the irony of it all...

You didn't give up...
Like a puppy, giving up is for life! You just took a break!
BTW : I took a break from cigarettes for 10 months last year..:rolleyes:


Giving up on New Years day is a great idea. It's very easy to work out how long you've been off the ciggies...
29 Days, 12 hours, 46 seconds.. No, 47 secs.. No, 48 secs...

wheres the irony. so someone managed to stay of the smokes for x months.
personally i was of them for 10 months until april of last year. and this time i intend to stay of them for good.
you are notofficially a none smoker until you have not smoked for 2 years aparently.

and a little bit more of a helpful attitude would be nice...

Dustaz

still taste great....

BioHazRd

Off the smokes for 9 years now - and I still miss em occasionally

If you are trying to get off them, hang in there, it's worth it

Krusty_Clown

Hey WhiteWashMan,

I too gave up for 10 months last year and so far, 30 days this year.. (without patches). My point is, I agree with BioHazRd and leeroybrown.

Giving up is easy. Staying off them is hard, for this reason: I love to smoke. I love smoking. Sadly, giving up is not going to change that...

I find getting a suitable replacement hobby helps alot...
Mechaniking...
footie...
etc..

And treating yourself to something nice at the end of every month you successfully stay off them (with the money you saved by not smoking, or using patches)...

Maybe you could put my non-helpful attitude down to the fact that I'm grouchy... Maybe not...

Krusty_Clown

Another thing: You have to qestion why, after a number of months, when the nicotine had worn off, and your system was recovering, you (like me) went back on the cigarettes.

Only by understanding this, can we hope to avoid this pitfall, the next time around..

SheroN

I never started smoking in the first place....it's the best way to stay off them.

Kix

Originally posted by Krusty_Clown
Another thing: You have to qestion why, after a number of months, when the nicotine had worn off, and your system was recovering, you (like me) went back on the cigarettes.

Because they create a psychological dependency as well as a physical one and let's face it; we think they make us look cool...

K

WhiteWashMan

Originally posted by Krusty_Clown


And treating yourself to something nice at the end of every month you successfully stay off them (with the money you saved by not smoking, or using patches)...

i bought a car, but i still want a smoke

Originally posted by Krusty_Clown

Maybe you could put my non-helpful attitude down to the fact that I'm grouchy... Maybe not...

sorry. me too


its the sitting in a pub with nothing to do with my hands which is really bugging me.
when you think of the repetative nature of smoking of bringing your hand to your mouth about 500 times a day, it gets fairly ingrained over the ten years i smoked.
so ive taken up public masturbation. it may not be social as smoking, but i find it very relaxing

Bard

I plan to give up cigarettes by Valentine's Day... and to give them up for good. I'm then hoping to buy a car later this year.

Yikes.

Enygma

I'm spending more on the gym trying to get fit (and keep/get the weight down).
Looking for a good one to join, anyone know good ones in Cork? PM me.

Bard, good luck with it, only the first two-three days are really that rough. Just think of the car

Jimi-Spandex

Good luck all!

I hope to give up after the leaving cert( Been smoking for 5 years) , i gave up for 7 weeks last summer, i was actually going insane for the first two weeks, not very pleasant, the reward is fúcking worth it tho, i had so much more money for that time, but i was exposed to second hand smoke every day at tea break and after work so it gradually broke my resistance down I am going to quit apart from when i've a pint in front of me during the summer, the totally quit, thats the plan)

Basically, the only advice i can give is, when you start to think of fags, remember every disgusting cancer related image you hve ever seen on tv or in papers, once the mind associates the two actively, its harder to look on them positively, even if you are dying for one.

Once again Good Luck!

billy the squid

Gave up for two months last year

managed to pay my eircom bill ontime with the money saved

WhiteWashMan

well, off them a whole month now
to be honest i waws cutting down for the 2 months before anyway. started not smoking in the car, then not at home as well. then stopped smoke breaks at work. in fact i got it down to only smoking when having a drink. and now that is gone.
and i feel really good. the first 3 weeks is suppose to be the toughest. i actually went out for dinner for my birthday last night, followed by a few drinks. and i didnt once even think about smoking. the good thing about england is that a lot of the bars have non smoking sections which are an absolute god-send when youre trying to quit smoking

still want a smoke though

Victor

Congrats WWM.