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

An hour passes. Still no smoke.

The reason is that if I have one now, having a cigarette becomes a reward for abstaining. 'Well done, you haven't smoked all day, now you can go and have a cigarette'. And that clearly isn't a good thing. I've bought some nice beer, which will be my reward instead.

But I'm going to have to have one at some point, because I haven't given up.

That devil voice is constant, Wilma. I can't escape it. I can't think of anything but smoking. You're right, you do feel a little bit mad. It's sort of... other-worldly? I don't quite feel here.

I'm glad you mentioned that, because I thought it was just me getting a little edgy. Now I can go mad happy

Good to have comp'ny, innit?

You're right, though; taking a dismissive tone with it is great. Actually, that tip really helps - I'll get another half an hour at least.

Hhmmmm....I might have to try the dismissive tone, though knowing my luck the voice will get really peed off and shout at me!!

That would work for me Venus, because if The voice started shouting, I'd know he was losing his temper. And that would mean I'd definitely be winning!

Good for you
So, are you going to consider quitting altogether?

I said at the beginning of the year, i would try quitting once the nice weather came.....it's still raining and not very warm

Just imagine the pandemonium: all of us wrangling with our inner devil voices. What *would* people say!?

On the subject, I think I am going to have to come up with a name for mine... Hmm...


(weather turns tonight, though, V )

I think i'll call mine George.

I've ordered rain for the next two weeks!

Why George??!

(in that case mine can be Bush... just for the sheer joy of being able to say 'Oh b*gger off Bush') ... (oh, I see. Yes. george is good too at self )

(I might move to Essex ) (Essex? Is was Essex, wasn't it?)

I might do. It's hard to explain. If I said 'I'm trying to quit', my family and friends would be really happy and supportive and blah blah blah. Then I'd lapse. I'd either secretly have the odd smoke (and feeling guilty) or have one openly (failure and disappointment). There's a huge amount of potential for negativity there.

If I cut down to single figures in a day, that's a success. If I don't have any, for a day, week or month, that's even better. But I'm not going to consider myself a failure if I have a couple of smokes now and then - see the difference?

Yeah, let's wrangle with our devils in public

If you do manage to quit, Venus, I'll be round to cook you dinner in celebration

Oh you would'nt want to move to Essex, theres nowt here but us mad people that shout b****r off George!

I can see where you're coming from Rich, no one can do the
'i told you so' if you say you're going to quit, then don't do it.

Now theres an offer i can't refuse
It's a deal, if i quit you can cook me dinner

Yes, I see what you mean... can't be going 'round muttering 'b***r off George in my household, anyway I'll have to do Bush in saff London, then

Yep, that's where I came unstuck. When Trog said he was quitting, I said I was too . Stupid. Especially since he regularly quits - for months at a time. Then starts up again and it is my fault . Then quits again

Yes, but it's a personal thing as well, Venus. If you 'give up' and then have a smoke, you feel like you might as well have another because you've failed. And it takes a long time to pluck up the courage to have another go at quitting, because nobody likes failing.

So I'm cutting down as far as possible. Single figures every day is a realistic aim, and days like today will make me feel good about myself. Most days I'd had had 20-25 cigarettes by this point. Today I haven't had any.

I will certainly be round to cook you dinner if you manage to quit, Venus

I did give up for 6 years, then on a night out with some friends i had one ciggie....then a couple of weeks later with the same friends, i had a couple more. That was it, i was smoking again and havent plucked up enough courage to go through the 'giving up' again yet. I intend to get the patches, as i've been told i'm evil when i'm trying to quit

Maybe I'll give it a while between you quitting and me making you dinner, then. Depends what sort of evil you are, really

I'm ok once i've got over the cravings, it's that initial stopping. Thats where the patches are meant to help....i hope

The patches will help with the addiction, but not with the habit. You need to break the habit yourself. That's what I've been concentrating on, because I think it's harder than physically giving up the drug.