I used patches at first, I know you are not meant to but I only used them to help me fall asleep for the first week or so.

I quit in 2004 I think it was after having smoked for 7-8 years. I wasn't the only one who quit; me and my mates generally gave it a go around the same time, but I was the only one out of 5 of us or so who actually managed to quit back then. That is, the others quit too, but they started again.

For me, it was easy. I decided that okay, when I'm out, that's it. I'm not gonna buy any more and I'm not gonna smoke any more. I did it cold turkey and I took it very seriously. At first, it was really hard going out and drinking without smoking. Especially when I still had friends who were trying their best to make me smoke again. I had a couple of times when drinking that I smoked half a cigarette, but then I realized how pointless that was and it also made me feel guilty so I never smoked a whole cig after I'd decided to quit. Except for those couple of setback which happened perhaps within 3 weeks of me deciding to quit, I never smoked again.

As I wrote, most of my friends also quit, but unlike me they eventually started again. What made the difference, I believe, was that I didn't try to kid myself. I know that deep inside me there is a great love for smoking. I just love it. I can still feel that longing for cigarettes, although as far as cravings go it's quite harmless now and no trouble staying on top of. The point here is, I know I can't just smoke a little every other weekend without starting. I would love it and I would miss it too much during the week days. I don't trust myself enough to smoke even a little bit. With me, it's gotta be all or nothing. So, if it's not gonna be all, it's gonna be nothing. It's a simple rule that's easy to stick to and I can relate to things like that.

My friends who started again would of course eventually allow themselves to smoke at parties or even during special situations like when walking the dog. I think that's a really bad idea.


So, bottom line is; I think quitting is easy. What's hard is to stay quit if you know what I mean. You have a deep love relationship with cigarettes in you and it won't go away even after you've been smoke free for years. Respect that and don't forget it. Smoking at parties years later can revitalize that love so just don't give yourself the chance to start again and it's simple. I used to have dreams in which I smoked and I would wake up feeling so guilty for caving in and starting again :p: I believe it's been a few years since last time, though.

That's what I never get: why, when you're doing your best to quit, and therefore improve, perhaps extend your life, do your so-called mates all do their best to try to stop you, encouraging you to go back? Is there no support among smokers, or once you become a non or trying-to-be-non smoker, are you just seen as some sort of scum and ostracised?

"One of us! One of us! One of us!"
"I keep tryin' to get out, they keep draggin' me back in!"

Don't seem like mates really... :confused:

I'm not sure what the psychology behind it is, but it's typical, isn't it? :p:

It may just be their way of protesting against a life choice that they don't agree with. Maybe I should tell them I'm a teetotaler and a vegetarian and see if they buy me beer and burgers.

Eh I think it's a coping mechanism. I mean by this point in time everybody knows how dangerous smoking is for you, so people try to convince themselves that it's not as bad if they do it with friends. If it's a large group then you can't be ostracized, plus it gives you someone to talk to.

Anyways I have to agree with Tore, I've never found quitting to be that particularly hard, but resisting temptation is a whole other story. Then again even at the height of my smoking I was never more than 3-4 a day, so I don't know how much my opinion counts for on that subject.

Yeah it's not just that though. I think people are inherently dickheads. I see (or used to see) it all the time with a girl in my office who used to fast for charity. Damn hard thing to do, but people in the office would all be exaggerating their enjoyment of their lunch while she drank a glass of water for hers, almost as if they wanted her to fail. Wtf? Are people that insecure that they can't accept someone is able to do something that can't, or won't, so they have to do their best to ruin it for them? :confused: :banghead:

The way around this is just to not say anything if you quit. I don't think it's that bad anyway, I'd just consider it a joke, 'banter' if you will.

Fortunately for me though, none of my friends do this.

That's what I done, just stopped and didn't tell anyone til I had stopped for around a month.

I think it's probably more about group psychology. Humans are social chameleons who adjust their behavior to match their chosen social group, and they expect their chosen "friends" to do likewise in order to maintain group homogeneity. Not consciously of course, but you know what I mean hopefully.

Ha ha! You used the word homo (and a lot of BIIIIIGGG) words in your post! Queer! :D:D:D:rofl: