Today I'm happy about......

[Lord Kangana]

Is that The Easy Way by Allan Carr? (no not that one. Or the that one either).

[Prufrock]

That depends. Yes, unless you're going to say how it's all bollocks and explain why, in which case, no!

He annoyed me at times, but it's working!

I'm far than convinced by his claims that this is because he's figured out so e genius system which you MUST follow to the letter, buy it's working so far.

[Lord Kangana]

Its just some fairly straightforward reinforcement psychology as far as I understand it. Worked fro me for nearly 5 years. I started again for a couple of years, and then gave up finally because, to be frank, I was just fed up of smoking. Just be prepared for it to take time. I think its the NHS slogan "don't give up giving up". That's the best advice by a considerable distance.

[Prufrock]

Yep that's my take on it too. Basically any ex-smoker with a grasp of basic psychology could have written that book. But it's working. I've found it really easy to cut out the day ones, the ones I hated whilst having them, but not been to the pub or football (dear god) yet. I'm a bit wary of being absolutely battered and thinking 'fck it' and then being back on.

Seeing a friend for dinner tomorrow and we usually chain smoke. First test!

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Yep that's my take on it too. Basically any ex-smoker with a grasp of basic psychology could have written that book. But it's working. I've found it really easy to cut out the day ones, the ones I hated whilst having them, but not been to the pub or football (dear god) yet. I'm a bit wary of being absolutely battered and thinking 'fck it' and then being back on.

Seeing a friend for dinner tomorrow and we usually chain smoke. First test!

I hate to say this but my missus found it harder to quit than I did, and she (like yourself) was a smoker who didn't realise she was addicted - she could go down to her mother's for a week and not have a fag, and then come home, go to the pub and smoke one ciggie whilst having a drink.
Me, I was on 60+ a day. I used to wake up in the middle of the night and light up a fag whilst in bed. I found it difficult with the automatic thing, i.e have a coffee, reach for the pack, have a beer reach for the pack, get in the car, reach for the pack, had a meal, reach for the pack. It took me an awfully hard day before I knew that I'd succeeded.
It took my missus nearly three months, because whenever she had a fag, it was always "well, I've not had one for a month, I'm not addicted, I'm just having this last one"
Beware the ides of complacency. When you know you're in a fight you can win; if you don't think you're fighting you'll lose every time, grasshopper.

[TANGODANCER]

For what it's worth (I'm coming up for twelve months without a cigarette), everybody has a different take on it. For me "habit" far outweighs "addiction" every time. When work banned smoking you simply couldn't smoke, so you didn't. Contrary to some opinons, smokers don't dash outside every five minutes for a cigarette. After a total lifetime of smoking I was managing comfortably on four a day at work: I didn't light the first till morning break, then morning break, two at lunchtime and afternoon break. Sometimes, if really busy, I missed a break and didn't bother. Smoking on trains and buses was banned so I didn't have a cigarette till I got home. That's four in almost twelve waking hours. In the evening I'd smoke ten/twelve...simply because I could.

Yes, I enjoyed smoking, but it was from habit, ( well over fifty years of it) not addiction (in my case, I hasten to add). When I did eventually decide to stop, like others here, I just did. I haven't had a single one since. Yes, I have a low-strength e-cig, but half the time I don't even take it with me when going out and my general usage is very low indeed.

What did I miss most about it? The smoking routine; not having your tobacco tin and papers, your mates, with you any more. Truthfully, the smell was always more alluring than the taste (even non-smokers love the smell in a tobacconists. I love the smell of coffee beans, hardly ever drink it) .If that was addiction it was addiction to habit, not tobacco. Sometimes, sat at my pc, my hand still unconsciously reaches out to where my tin was; that's habit because I just smile and have no desire to seek out a cigarette, none at all. It's behind me because I broke the chains on a habit. No books, advice, talks, pills, patches or otherwise can do that. End of day, it's down to yourself.

[boltonboris]

With all due respect Tango, you sound like somebody with an addiction, denying they have an addiction.

[Prufrock]

Is what I thought too when I read it, though to be fair, he sounds like someone who used to have an addiction denying they had an addiction. So fair play however he's managed it!

[TANGODANCER]

Have it as you will. Whatever works for you. If you believe that, offer me a cigarette and see.

Ask any smoker, ex or no, if they've ever been "dying for a cig", lit it and then realised they didn't really want it after all. If they're truthful they'll admit they're addicted to the thought, the imagined pleasure rather than a need. An addiction is something you have to constantly fight against returning to. ( I've seen alcholism at work in my own family in the past, that was addiction) If you offered me a years free supply of tabacco, I'd take it.....and sell it. Smoke it, not a chance. I broke the habit, I no longer smoke, that's it. Best of luck with it all when you finally decide to break the habit yourself.

.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Without wishing to pot stir...

Nicotine is said by the science bods to be one of the most addictive substances on the planet.

Personally I think smokers are addicted to the nicotine and the habit thing described by Tango. Some folk find one or t'other harder to deal with. I found the habit part more difficult when I quit, but I know others that were the opposite.

[Prufrock]

Yeah I think it's both.

Think it's 'most addictive' in the sense you need very little to become addicted rather than the 'strongest' addiction .

[TANGODANCER]

Without wishing to pot stir...

Nicotine is said by the science bods to be one of the most addictive substances on the planet.

Personally I think smokers are addicted to the nicotine and the habit thing described by Tango. Some folk find one or t'other harder to deal with. I found the habit part more difficult when I quit, but I know others that were the opposite.

Not pot-stirring at all A.T. Smoking's actually an interesting topic. In the fifties all the rock and rollers smoked. It wasn't a new fad and, without going historical, it had a macho element that drew people in as a fashion. Adds like "You're never alone with a Strand" in the Bogart mould, then Marlboro Man and St Bruno Man (he was a pipe-smoker) were promoted unashamedly as the male image. It was the done thing since Hawkins, Raleigh , Francis Drake or whoever first introduced it to our shores. Doesn't really matter what you see it as, you either smoke or you don't. Way I see it, you may not be smoking,( assuming you're a smoker) or even particularly thinking about it, but if someone offers you a cigarette you take and light it. Is that just being sociablel, from addiction or just from sheer habit? We're not all alike anyway are we?

[Prufrock]

I dont think it has to only be one TD. You said before you'd be dying for a cigarette and then find yourself not wanting it. Why would you smoke it then if not addiction. That's not rational behaviour (and I know exactly the feeling - don't we all!)

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Without wishing to pot stir...

Nicotine is said by the science bods to be one of the most addictive substances on the planet.

Personally I think smokers are addicted to the nicotine and the habit thing described by Tango. Some folk find one or t'other harder to deal with. I found the habit part more difficult when I quit, but I know others that were the opposite.

Not pot-stirring at all A.T. Smoking's actually an interesting topic. In the fifties all the rock and rollers smoked. It wasn't a new fad and, without going historical, it had a macho element that drew people in as a fashion. Adds like "You're never alone with a Strand" in the Bogart mould, then Marlboro Man and St Bruno Man (he was a pipe-smoker) were promoted unashamedly as the male image. It was the done thing since Hawkins, Raleigh , Francis Drake or whoever first introduced it to our shores. Doesn't really matter what you see it as, you either smoke or you don't. Way I see it, you may not be smoking,( assuming you're a smoker) or even particularly thinking about it, but if someone offers you a cigarette you take and light it. Is that just being sociablel, from addiction or just from sheer habit? We're not all alike anyway are we?

Quite correct, we aren't all alike.
I'd still say that both my wife and me had an addiction. Mine was an addiction because I got massive withdrawal symptoms if I didn't put a fag to gob every five minutes or so. My wife was addicted because, although she could go weeks without smoking, eventually she had an overwhelming craving to light one up. In neither of our cases was it 'only' habit, it was addiction.
And although technically speaking I can see what you are saying regarding it being merely a social habit, in your case, but my inner self is screaming to me, because of the very nature of my own addiction, that you are fooling yourself that you didn't have an addiction, it's just that you weren't on the screaming abdab withdrawal end of the addiction spectrum.
I might be wrong, and I don't want this to turn into a stale yes you were, no I wasn't type of argument, so I'll attempt to stub it out, and not rekindle the argument, only I needed to get my last point across

[Montreal Wanderer]

Speaking strictly for myself I believe it was more an addiction than a habit. I had to go through a lengthy period of chewing nicotine gum to eradicate the cravings. Chewing gum was always a habit I deplored. But everyone is different.

[boltonboris]

Perhaps rather than denying you had an addiction to nicotine, you should give yourself more credit.

[Gary the Enfield]

Perhaps rather than denying you had an addiction to nicotine, you should give yourself more credit.

Amen. Well done Tango, and Pru, and anyone else who has given up.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

The new beast

[Enoch]

My best buddy had emphysema, or COPD as it's lately tagged. From the first time he died to the last time eight years later, he didn't have another cigarette, though he never stopped wanting a fag, or so he told me.

I thought it took 14 goes to break a habit or somesuch, I think he was well past that.

[Gary the Enfield]

My best buddy had emphysema, or COPD as it's lately tagged. From the first time he died to the last time eight years later, he didn't have another cigarette, though he never stopped wanting a fag, or so he told me.

I thought it took 14 goes to break a habit or somesuch, I think he was well past that.

Without wishing to make light of the situation Enoch, are you sure that's what you meant?