h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This is thread where all my friends are invited to needle me into giving up buying cancers.
I need the money for a number of better things.

So please turn up often as possible and remind me how stupid smoking is and how I am robbing myself of my health and pints of beer and the freedom of not having bills and expenses hanging over my head and train fares to the sinny and to see the lovely, rare and beautiful Suz in her native environment.

Ok, I'll try to remind you of this. Not that you wouldn't lknow this anyway, as you pointed out in the very first post.

with your attempts at stopping to smoke

it smells awful..puts people off wanting to kiss you..and it costs money..nag needle nag
how's that for a start?

The next time you give in to a fag, take the time to really SAVOUR it. Notice its taste, its aroma. Get as much satisfaction out of it as you can. Don't just shove one in your mouth and absent-mindedly smoke it, or gulp it guiltily down your lungs as fast as you can. That's less likely to satisfy your cravings, and more likely to make you smoke more. Really NOTICE it. Enjoy every lungful. But don't smoke it down to the stub: they say the last few puffs have the most tar in 'em.

Erm... sometimes I hate going to clubs because smokers can be so blinking inconsiderate. I always wake up the next morning smelling worse than wet dog because some idiot was lighting up cancer sticks left and right. And I hate to think of the effects this stuff has on my lungs.

Is that needle-y enough?

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-5330941790223116453

Deepak Chopra offers advice that contradicts mine. Ya pays yer money... http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=7124417989610965220&q=smoking

Speaking of paying your money...
http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-4110929264311760440&q=smoking

Blithering fool:
http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-5904711166131563134&q=smoking

Don't you understand the dangers of smoking?
http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=3747402023264471182&q=smoking

And if all those aren't enough to convince you, here's an image that'll keep you awake at night:
http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-2884416382451066202&q=smoking

Looks like everyone else is doing well, so I'll tackle another angle

Not only will you have more money to buy beer, you'll be able to enjoy it more because you'll have an actual functioning sense of smell, instead of the substitute one that you have while you're a smoker.

That's a great point! A friend of mine who quit smoking actually said food started to taste better. He actually lost weight because he was able to satisfy his sweet tooth with less.

Uhmmm. And taking those walks to battle the weight will be lots easier...

Nice work. Keep it up.

Like I say i don't want folk being all suportive. I've been a bit stressed and have fallen onto the ritual of smoking to alter my mood. So fire some criticism at me.

One day at a time. Just resist that next ciggie when you urge it. Don't think about all the millions of possible cigs you might have had time to let invade your system. Just hold that next one away as far as you can.

the more money you save..the more times you can visit Suz...and you won't smell of cigarettes and put her off

Been smoking so long I don't notice the smell on myself and clothes anymore. Still notice it on others and unpleasant smell of ashtrays though.

Certainly would be good if my clothes did smell of the jojoba like I think they do and not fags.

Trust me- after you've quit smoking for a week or two- you'll notice. You'll wonder how you ever let yourself reek like that.

I've been cutting down on cigs now for about 3 weeks & i notice, definitely. I never smoked in the bedroom, & now when i get up & open the door to the rest of the place it smells horrible! And that's just from cutting down, not totally stopping.

The trick i used was to put the wretched things way out of reach, so if you "really" need one, OK, but you have to make a physical effort to go & get one (yes one! put the pack back after!) I found i could cut down by between a third & half doing this. And it works for me 'cos i don't feel totally deprived.



zdt

Do a bit of math. How much would you usually smoke? What did it cost you? Would putting that amount in a piggybank, say weekly, make you realise how much you're actually saving? In the spring, come visit Sweden, you'll have enough for sure - free boarding at my house. Open invitation. (Oh, anybody so inclined is welcome to the same!)

I'd be saving about 13 to 15 quid a week. Although I have smoked less in the last week than I usually have I have failed to not buy fags at all. I still see cancers as a quick and easy way to... to avoid dealing with stress. And that's what I have used them for this week and haven't actually enjoyed smoking a sigle one. I've stopped taking lorazepam and whenever I have used my remaining stock it's been ineffective/made me feel worse. Once Igo long enough without fags I hope I recognise any fags I might buy on a bad day as foul crutch on the first breath.

Can you try replacing smoking with another behavior? Like I don't know, knitting?

Perhaps, I just haven't thought of yet.