<iframe width="420" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RaeSgnMMrgE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Language NSFW
Good luck! If your attempt fails read The Easy Way to Stop Smoking by Allen Carr. Several years ago, after many failed attempts this book showed me the way
Congrats and good luck, Batman. I do have to ask, though. I've been a smoker for the better part of 20 years. At my worst, it was a little over a pack a day. That's when I had a lot of free time in college. Where the hell does one find the time to smoke 60 cigarettes a day?
No kidding. Kools? :-D- Hey, hang in there, Batman. I planned quitting 2 years before I did it, then went cold turkey after one hell of an org... party. Woke up, and that was it. Sure, I might not have quit smoking, allegedly (according to some people - don't believe them!), but no cigarettes since, except for a couple of times when I was very drunk and someone offered me one. Was merrily smoking away when the S.O. saw it and yanked it out of my mouth. "You don't smoke, remember?" That's what she told me. I grinned and nodded my head. So yeah, hang in there. Having a groovy chick watching you're back helps one hell of a lot, so you're aces in that department. Have to say, though, that I can't lead a pure life. Sure, I'm mostly boring as hell, but without letting my hair down from time to time (a joke, because there ain't much), I think I'd go crazy. Brownies with walnuts or pecans are the way to go. That, and the odd 18 year old Scotch, from time to time. You are stronger than I am. Revel in your time!
I saw some at Smoothie King just yesterday. It's funny because they caught my attention and I've never seen them before.
I dont see how people start smoking in the first place?? Either way, good luck, bro. I hope you do overcome the evil addiction.
once you have the will, which it looks like you have it, quitting becomes easy. go for it! keep challenging yourself. if you break, it's okay, you just have to start a new streak...
To Cheetah: I actually didn't smoke Kools that whole time. I smoked Camel Filters or Marlboro Reds until '96 then I ran out at a party and was too drunk to leave and get more so I bummed Kools the rest of the night and the next day when I went and got my regular brand, something was missing. I got hooked on the menthol. Also: What are "good" cigarettes? Like Nat Sherman's or something? I was a Lone Star beer drinker too. I've never had a taste for gourmet. Thanks. I do have the will. Now I'll find out how strong that will is. It's not okay if I break. I've quit three times in the last two years (for months each time), each time with that crazy-making drug Chantix, and each time all it took was one puff to put me right back where I started. But even with the Chantix, which while making me crazy was alarmingly effective at killing my jones, I never felt as ready as I do right now. It has a lot to do with lifelong anxiety finally being effectively alleviated. It's day three. I have urges, especially at night, but they pass. It's marginally harder than quitting drinking was, but really anything would be. Quitting drinking, after so many unsuccessful tries in the past, was a breeze for me. In 16 months I haven't had a single urge for that. Right now this thing feels very manageable. And I guess it will get even easier over time. Oh. Someone asked how there was time in the day to smoke 60 cigarettes. It's easy. You start when you wake up and you don't stop until you go to sleep. That was the way my habit worked.
I abhorred the nicotine buzz. It made me feel nauseous and dizzy. I was glad when I'd smoked enough that the buzz was no longer a part of it. As for how one starts smoking, for me at least it was a lot of effort. I hated cigarettes at first, mostly because of the buzz, but my 14 year old self-conscious self wanted to be a smoker. And where there's a will there's a way. I doubt most people really like them at first. I doubt most really like beer at first either. They were both acquired tastes before becoming required tastes for me. Coffee too actually. Years ago I was working at a law firm and a lawyer asked me if I ever thought of quitting smoking. I said, "Have you ever tried starting? It was a lot of effort. You're suggesting I give all that up?"
A couple of things I remember that helped put me in the right mindset to stop... You are not giving anything up. Cigarettes do nothing for you. Instead of relieving stress, they actually cause it by constantly creating the nicotine craving that you must satisfy. So be happy that you are stopping. Think of a ll the positive gains you will make by stopping smoking. You will have more energy, be less stressed, be more self confident, feel more free, and overall be much happier without smoking. Never mope or listen to thoughts about missing smoking. You are not giving up anything. But you have so much to gain by being free of tobacco. The actual physical nicotine withdrawals are minor. Its the brainwashing about why we smoke that makes smoking hard to stop. For this reason using substitutes like the patch or gum can actually prolong the withdrawal period because you are keeping the nicotine alive in you system. You've got to believe that you don't need cigarettes and know that you will never smoke one again!
with three packs a day, how much are you saving? one of my oldest friends has smoked a pack to two packs a day since we were 18 (34 now). he got the e-cig and has bought one pack of cigs since (friday night which he gave away after smoking two of them). he figured he's saved $291 as of saturday night, so over $300 now.
Great post, Donut. Thanks. I agree that I'm prolonging the withdrawal by using the patch but I also think I'm increasing my chances of long-term success. Smoking is hard-wired into me now and though I believe I can kick it with relative ease, I do not want to fail this time. People have suggested the e-cigs, nicotine gum and all sorts of non-nicotine cessation aids (regular gum, seeds, toothpicks) but I don't want to swap one action for another. It is the action itself that I need to forget about. By wearing a patch, I'm not actually doing anything active to replace the smoking so I'm getting used to not needing an activity to replace smoking. And meanwhile, I'm slowly stepping off the nicotine addiction without really thinking about it (since I apply a patch once a day and forget about it). And actually these replacement habits (gum, seeds, whatever) just remind me I'm not smoking. This time I'm not thinking about it so often that I feel the need to otherwise occupy myself. I'm pretty busy as a rule and work is enough to occupy me. This time, I just want to forget I smoked. The patch and no other aid is the strategy I've chosen and it seems to be working pretty well. I think your advice is sound. I just want to give myself every possible chance to succeed.
The meat market I go to has them at the checkout counter. I would buy their whole box every time I was there, which was twice a month to fill up the freezer. I still go there and buy a package just to chew on all day. Good stuff!
Right on. Sounds like you are doing really well so far. After about 5 days with no nicotine I had virtually zero physical cravings... so once you wean off the patch you will be totally free. All you have to do is never smoke even one cigarette ever again. Smoking just one re-awakens the nicotine monster in our bodies. Keep up the good work and stay positive!
