Smoking - advice please.
Posted by: Fisbey on 18 November 2004
I've not smoked for over 7 months now, but sadly I'm still chewing several bits of nicotine gum every day.
Has anyone got any advice on how to stop?
It's better than cigarettes, but it's still basically an addiction...
Has anyone got any advice on how to stop?
It's better than cigarettes, but it's still basically an addiction...
Posted on: 18 November 2004 by DLF
quote:
Originally posted by FISBEY:
I've not smoked for over 7 months now, but sadly I'm still chewing several bits of nicotine gum every day.
Has anyone got any advice on how to stop?
It's better than cigarettes, but it's still basically an addiction...
I'll ask the better half when she gets in tonight. She has run 'give up smoking' clinics in the past. I think she scares them into giving up
.Posted on: 18 November 2004 by sideshowbob
The harsh truth is, that if you're still chewing nicotine gum, you've simply replaced one way of ingesting nicotine (smoking) with another (chewing gum). The only way to break the nicotine addiction is to stop taking any nicotine.
-- Ian
-- Ian
Posted on: 18 November 2004 by DLF
quote:
Originally posted by sideshowbob:
The harsh truth is, that if you're still chewing nicotine gum, you've simply replaced one way of ingesting nicotine (smoking) with another (chewing gum). The only way to break the nicotine addiction is to stop taking any nicotine.
-- Ian
True, the gum may be marketed as a 'medicine' but in reality it is simply an alternative delivery mechanism.
http://whyquit.com/whyquit/LinksAAddiction.html
Posted on: 18 November 2004 by JonR
FISBEY,
Here's a suggestion, you've probably tried this before - with the ciggies maybe, but anyway here goes...
Try gradually reducing the amount of gum you chew over time.
So an admittedly rather simplistic programme covering a 6-month period could be as follows:-
Month 1: Chew, say, 6 bits of nicotine gum a day;
Month 2: Chew 5 bits a day;
Month 3: Chew 4, etc. etc. and so on.
Two advantages to this are:-
1) Whilst 6 months might seem a long time at least that's better than continuing indefinitely with what you're doing already;
2) Changing quantities of gum chewed once a month gives your body a chance to adjust to the change in quantity, which theoretically at least should make it easier to ward off any urges to chew more than you should.
Of course you could do all the above but change months to weeks if you want quicker results!
Anyway, hth.
JR
Here's a suggestion, you've probably tried this before - with the ciggies maybe, but anyway here goes...
Try gradually reducing the amount of gum you chew over time.
So an admittedly rather simplistic programme covering a 6-month period could be as follows:-
Month 1: Chew, say, 6 bits of nicotine gum a day;
Month 2: Chew 5 bits a day;
Month 3: Chew 4, etc. etc. and so on.
Two advantages to this are:-
1) Whilst 6 months might seem a long time at least that's better than continuing indefinitely with what you're doing already;
2) Changing quantities of gum chewed once a month gives your body a chance to adjust to the change in quantity, which theoretically at least should make it easier to ward off any urges to chew more than you should.
Of course you could do all the above but change months to weeks if you want quicker results!
Anyway, hth.
JR
Posted on: 18 November 2004 by Rasher
7 Months of not smoking is a fantastic achievement Fisbey, and I wouldn't beat yourself up too much for removing a serious threat of lung cancer. I don't know if there is a risk of mouth or throat cancer from nicotine gum, but if there is, you could give that up gradually. Maybe set yourself a date, say 1 year, before thinking about what your next goal should be and work towards that, and if that means going onto patches, then do it. Consolidate your not smoking before you worry too much about the next step.
Posted on: 18 November 2004 by sideshowbob
Speaking as a smoker, and from personal experience of attempting to give up smoking through cutting down, I would suggest it isn't a strategy with a high likelihood of success.
However Fisbey chooses to do it, eventually, if he wants to end the nicotine addiction, he has to simply stop taking any nicotine. I would guess that after 7 months of not smoking he's already done the hardest bit, and the withdrawal symptoms from just stopping taking the gum overnight will be relatively mild. Cutting down, on the other hand, is likely to simply delay the day when the withdrawal symptoms arrive.
A friend of mine, a heavy smoker, gave up over a decade ago, but still uses (lots of) nicotine gum all the time. He'd be the first to admit that he hasn't really kicked the nicotine habit, and he is still at risk of gum cancer. He's also fucked up his teeth and gums with years of aggressive chewing. Not wishing to put a downer on Fisbey's achievement, but since he's kicked the smoking habit I reckon he should aim to kick the gum habit too.
You can, of course, choose to point at me and yell "nyer nyer what does he know", since I'm still smoking 20 a day and am well aware of the irony of my advice...
-- Ian
However Fisbey chooses to do it, eventually, if he wants to end the nicotine addiction, he has to simply stop taking any nicotine. I would guess that after 7 months of not smoking he's already done the hardest bit, and the withdrawal symptoms from just stopping taking the gum overnight will be relatively mild. Cutting down, on the other hand, is likely to simply delay the day when the withdrawal symptoms arrive.
A friend of mine, a heavy smoker, gave up over a decade ago, but still uses (lots of) nicotine gum all the time. He'd be the first to admit that he hasn't really kicked the nicotine habit, and he is still at risk of gum cancer. He's also fucked up his teeth and gums with years of aggressive chewing. Not wishing to put a downer on Fisbey's achievement, but since he's kicked the smoking habit I reckon he should aim to kick the gum habit too.
You can, of course, choose to point at me and yell "nyer nyer what does he know", since I'm still smoking 20 a day and am well aware of the irony of my advice...
-- Ian
Posted on: 18 November 2004 by Nick_S
A smoking treatment given in the book Single-case Experimental Design by Barlow and Hersen (1984) may be relevant. This is called a stepwise criterion design.
The participant does nothing but record the number of items consumed per day for a week. This is the baseline phase. The next two-weeks sets a target of say 90% of the first week (e.g., breaking the gum into halves gives say 10 pieces per day in the baseline week with a target of 9 pieces in weeks 2 and 3). Every time the participant goes over target they pay a penalty of 1 dollar (pound or Euro) for each additional item consumed to a chosen other. For weeks 4 and 5 the target is lowered further, e.g., 8 pieces of gum; for weeks 6 and 7 a target of 7 pieces of gum etc. Keeping a written record each day and regularly discussing the treatment, targets, and progress with another person are likely to improve the likelihood of success. Some adjustment of the monetary penalty from 1984 costs to 2004 may also be in order.
Nick
[This message was edited by Nick_S on Thu 18 November 2004 at 13:57.]
The participant does nothing but record the number of items consumed per day for a week. This is the baseline phase. The next two-weeks sets a target of say 90% of the first week (e.g., breaking the gum into halves gives say 10 pieces per day in the baseline week with a target of 9 pieces in weeks 2 and 3). Every time the participant goes over target they pay a penalty of 1 dollar (pound or Euro) for each additional item consumed to a chosen other. For weeks 4 and 5 the target is lowered further, e.g., 8 pieces of gum; for weeks 6 and 7 a target of 7 pieces of gum etc. Keeping a written record each day and regularly discussing the treatment, targets, and progress with another person are likely to improve the likelihood of success. Some adjustment of the monetary penalty from 1984 costs to 2004 may also be in order.
Nick
[This message was edited by Nick_S on Thu 18 November 2004 at 13:57.]
Posted on: 18 November 2004 by DLF
quote:
Originally posted by FISBEY:
I've not smoked for over 7 months now, but sadly I'm still chewing several bits of nicotine gum every day.
Has anyone got any advice on how to stop?
It's better than cigarettes, but it's still basically an addiction...
The cavalry had arrived.
How are you chewing your gum?
How many pieces are you chewing a day?
Posted on: 18 November 2004 by long-time-dead
Fisbey
Belated congratulations on your achievement.
Work on your gum addiction now but take strength from the knowledge that your chewing will not cause any passive problems with your immediate contacts and you will also be able to chew gum in public places if you wish.
May I suggest a gradual transfer to Bazooka Joe ? It will still piss people off but you will have fun !
Belated congratulations on your achievement.
Work on your gum addiction now but take strength from the knowledge that your chewing will not cause any passive problems with your immediate contacts and you will also be able to chew gum in public places if you wish.
May I suggest a gradual transfer to Bazooka Joe ? It will still piss people off but you will have fun !
Posted on: 18 November 2004 by 7V
Well done Fisbey. You're nearly there.
I stopped smoking about three months ago, having read Allen Carr's "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking". No, it wasn't particularly easy for me and yes, I'd still quite fancy a cigarette - but not as much as I did and not enough to actually smoke one. The habit is dying.
However, the main reason I smoked, the addiction, died some time ago - about three months minus three days.
I don't know about the 'cutting down' method with gum. I failed using that approach with cigarettes because the more I cut down, the more I valued and looked forward to those few cigarettes I still smoked.
You're halfway there. Buy yourself a few packs of Wrigleys (because you've probably established a gum habit and you can substitute for it) and go cold turkey. Kick the nicotine gum.
It will be a little uncomfortable at first but within 3 days you'll be over it.
Other hints I've picked up from Alan Carr's book ...
... If I see people smoking I substitute the old thought: "I wish I could have one of those" for a new thought: "Poor buggers - they'd stop if they could".
... I remember that the only reason I found cigarettes relaxing is because the addiction to nicotine built up a stress that wanted releasing. Once the addiction's gone, nicotine doesn't relax.
Go for it.
Steve M
I stopped smoking about three months ago, having read Allen Carr's "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking". No, it wasn't particularly easy for me and yes, I'd still quite fancy a cigarette - but not as much as I did and not enough to actually smoke one. The habit is dying.
However, the main reason I smoked, the addiction, died some time ago - about three months minus three days.
I don't know about the 'cutting down' method with gum. I failed using that approach with cigarettes because the more I cut down, the more I valued and looked forward to those few cigarettes I still smoked.
You're halfway there. Buy yourself a few packs of Wrigleys (because you've probably established a gum habit and you can substitute for it) and go cold turkey. Kick the nicotine gum.
It will be a little uncomfortable at first but within 3 days you'll be over it.
Other hints I've picked up from Alan Carr's book ...
... If I see people smoking I substitute the old thought: "I wish I could have one of those" for a new thought: "Poor buggers - they'd stop if they could".
... I remember that the only reason I found cigarettes relaxing is because the addiction to nicotine built up a stress that wanted releasing. Once the addiction's gone, nicotine doesn't relax.
Go for it.
Steve M
Posted on: 18 November 2004 by 7V
quote:
Originally posted by sideshowbob:
You can, of course, choose to point at me and yell "nyer nyer what does he know", since I'm still smoking 20 a day and am well aware of the irony of my advice...
A mother took her son to a Zen master and asked if he would help her son give up smoking.
The master replied "Come back in two weeks' time."
Two weeks later the mother and son returned and the Zen master helped the lad to kick his habit.
The mother said to the master: "Thank you very much but tell me, why did you originally ask us to come back in two weeks?"
The master replied: "I had to give up smoking myself first."
_______________________________________________________
Sorry about that, Ian but couldn't resist. Please report back in two weeks.
Warmest regards
Steve
Posted on: 18 November 2004 by sideshowbob
Sarky bloody ex-smokers. 
Glad to see you agree with my advice though, Grasshopper.
-- Ian
Glad to see you agree with my advice though, Grasshopper.
-- Ian
Posted on: 18 November 2004 by Steve Toy
One of the partners in the taxi firm I work for has quit smoking in the last week.
He's been getting increasingly irritable and was rude to me tonight in an unprecedented fashion, and later he made his wife cry.
He should be forced to start smoking again.
Regards,
Steve.
He's been getting increasingly irritable and was rude to me tonight in an unprecedented fashion, and later he made his wife cry.
He should be forced to start smoking again.
Regards,
Steve.
Posted on: 18 November 2004 by Deane F
quote:
Originally posted by JonR:
FISBEY,
Here's a suggestion, you've probably tried this before - with the ciggies maybe, but anyway here goes...
Try gradually reducing the amount of gum you chew over time.
So an admittedly rather simplistic programme covering a 6-month period could be as follows:-
Month 1: Chew, say, 6 bits of nicotine gum a day;
Month 2: Chew 5 bits a day;
Month 3: Chew 4, etc. etc. and so on.
Two advantages to this are:-
1) Whilst 6 months might seem a long time at least that's better than continuing indefinitely with what you're doing already;
2) Changing quantities of gum chewed once a month gives your body a chance to adjust to the change in quantity, which theoretically at least should make it easier to ward off any urges to chew more than you should.
Of course you could do all the above but change months to weeks if you want quicker results!
Anyway, hth.
JR
The only problem with this method is that the step is from a small dosage which the body is familiar with; to total abstinence with which neither the body nor the mind is familiar.
While it makes some sense to titrate dosage downwards with drugs that have a large physiological component in their dependance liablility (eg: opioids) it makes less sense with drugs like nicotine where the associated behaviours are part of the addiction.
The step from the lowest dose to abstinence is still one hundred percent of that dose.
Perhaps the cravings will not be so bad Fisbey. Just stop and when you crave ask yourself if it really is so bad and whether going back to the beginning would be better than how far you have already come by stopping.
Deane
Posted on: 18 November 2004 by Tim Danaher
Fisbey --
Congrats on your achivement so far.
Now, this may seem a bit facile, but -- get yourself one of those pill boxes (the ones that are divided into compartments for daily/weekly dosages). Put the number of chews you intend to have that day into the box. Tell yourself that once the last one is gone, that's it for the day. Like I say, it may sound facile, but the box acts as a 'limiter' -- it's placing bounds on your consumption. It's more of a help than saying 'right only six today', when there's always the option of nipping out for some more. Then you can do the monthly (or weekly) reduction thing.
Cheers,
Tim
_____________________________
Os nid Campagnolo yw hi, dyw hi ddim yn werth ei marcho...
Congrats on your achivement so far.
Now, this may seem a bit facile, but -- get yourself one of those pill boxes (the ones that are divided into compartments for daily/weekly dosages). Put the number of chews you intend to have that day into the box. Tell yourself that once the last one is gone, that's it for the day. Like I say, it may sound facile, but the box acts as a 'limiter' -- it's placing bounds on your consumption. It's more of a help than saying 'right only six today', when there's always the option of nipping out for some more. Then you can do the monthly (or weekly) reduction thing.
Cheers,
Tim
_____________________________
Os nid Campagnolo yw hi, dyw hi ddim yn werth ei marcho...