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Just a quick story for encouragement
My dad quit smoking over 30 years ago. He was a 4 pack a day smoker and he smoked each cigarette down to the nub. He tried to quit a few times but was unsuccessful, finally when a doctor told him that he had the beginning signs of emphysema he decided he was really going to do it this time. He went to a 5 day stop smoking class. The turning point for him was when the time came to see how people we were doing. The leader had everyone raise their hand. He then asked everyone who went the entire day without smoking to lower their hand, then 1 cigarette, 2 and so on. Finally, when he said 4 cigarettes only my dad's hand was still raised. At this point, my dad was feeling pretty bad.
The instructor asked my dad how many packs a day did he use to smoke. My dad said 4. He then asked him how many cigarettes he had smoked today? My dad said 6. He said, Wow you went from 4 PACKS a day to 6 cigarettes a day. That's amazing. Everyone give him a great big hand for being so successful.
It changed my dad's whole attitude toward quitting. He suddenly did not feel like a failure, he realized what an accomplishment he had achieved. He was successful this time and has not smoked since. He is now almost 68 and does not have any signs of lung damage.
So, every day you smoke less than the day before, celebrate your success!
Good luck to you both!
The last cigarette I smoked was on Valentine's Day 2005.
Feel free to piggy back this thread to vent and update on how you're doing. ;)Maybe we can help each other.
And thanks for all the well wishes everyone!
Thank you. I hope we're all successful!
A couple of things that have helped me so far:
1. Diverting the urge. When I have a craving, I pick up my knitting and knit a few rows. It keeps my hands busy and my mind occupied until the craving passes-- and at the end there are socks! If you have some hobby that is both mentally engaging and involves using your hands, you might try this.2. Break the routine. Coffee and a cigarette on the front porch in the morning was a habit. For the first couple of weeks, I stopped making coffee at home in the morning and bought a cup on my way to work so that I was changing the routine that surrounded the morning cigarette.
So far, my real weakness is smoking when I'm out with friends on the weekend. We barhop a lot, and my resistance decreases when I've had a drink or two. So far, I've managed to restrict myself to buying a pack, having a few, and leaving the rest with the bartender to give out to customers who bum smokes.
I really identify with this. I'm not usually a heavy smoker, but alcohol and long road trips change that.
I don't smoke in the house so I'm in the habit of smoking in the car, and drinking really makes me want to smoke more.
Smoking is banned in Colorado bars and restaurants, but that doesn't discourage me from smoking when I shoot pool on Fridays even when it's stupid cold.
In any case, good luck to you all, and remember it's a process. Even folks who are successful have set backs.
My grandmother and uncle were both smokers. They quit (or tried to) at the same time, the year before the nicotine gum was introduced. Grandma decided to because she'd developed emphysema, my uncle because he didn't want his mom to feel alone in it.
One success, one failure:
My uncle did not succeed. He took to chewing tobacco. And then his wife, my aunt, got lung cancer. It metastasized to her bones before anyone suspected anything was wrong. She died three years ago. I have no concept of how my uncle felt other than the realization that after the funeral a whole bunch of us stayed with him for the mutually-understood-but-never-spoken-aloud purpose of a suicide watch. He's accepted things, among that the realization that he doesn't want to quit.
It's like any recovery. You have to want it.
Some people can't do it for themselves but they can do it for others. You have your son to do this for.
Some people can't do it for others but they can do it for themselves. Which is why you have to be the one to want it.
Having never gone through tobacco withdrawl myself I can only give advice on what I watched my family go through, helped them through: Wanting to quit is the hardest part. Once you want it success is just a matter of time and effort. And those are easy.
So far, my real weakness is smoking when I'm out with friends on the weekend. We barhop a lot, and my resistance decreases when I've had a drink or two. So far, I've managed to restrict myself to buying a pack, having a few, and leaving the rest with the bartender to give out to customers who bum smokes.I really identify with this. I'm not usually a heavy smoker, but alcohol and long road trips change that.
I don't smoke in the house so I'm in the habit of smoking in the car, and drinking really makes me want to smoke more.
Smoking is banned in Colorado bars and restaurants, but that doesn't discourage me from smoking when I shoot pool on Fridays even when it's stupid cold.
In any case, good luck to you all, and remember it's a process. Even folks who are successful have set backs.
You shoot pool on Friday evenings? That's generally what I'm out doing every Friday night, too. And yes, it's awfully hard not to light up in those circumstances, even when it means going out into the cold to do it. Really, at the moment I'm happy to be limiting myself to the 8-10 cigarettes I smoke on weekends. If I quit entirely, so much the better, but even if I just maintain my current practice, it's big progress over where I was.
You shoot pool on Friday evenings? That's generally what I'm out doing every Friday night, too. And yes, it's awfully hard not to light up in those circumstances, even when it means going out into the cold to do it. Really, at the moment I'm happy to be limiting myself to the 8-10 cigarettes I smoke on weekends. If I quit entirely, so much the better, but even if I just maintain my current practice, it's big progress over where I was.
So far, my real weakness is smoking when I'm out with friends on the weekend. We barhop a lot, and my resistance decreases when I've had a drink or two. So far, I've managed to restrict myself to buying a pack, having a few, and leaving the rest with the bartender to give out to customers who bum smokes.I really identify with this. I'm not usually a heavy smoker, but alcohol and long road trips change that.
I don't smoke in the house so I'm in the habit of smoking in the car, and drinking really makes me want to smoke more.
Smoking is banned in Colorado bars and restaurants, but that doesn't discourage me from smoking when I shoot pool on Fridays even when it's stupid cold.
In any case, good luck to you all, and remember it's a process. Even folks who are successful have set backs.
Yes, I've been shooting an APA double jeopardy league on Fridays for years. 6 out of 8 players are smokers. Curiously 2 basically only smoke on Fridays at pool.
Some folks do well with a gradual cessation, and some folks do better cold turkey.
I prefer reheated turkey to cold turkey. I just prefer it tat way, except on sammiches. ;)
I prefer reheated turkey to cold turkey. I just prefer it tat way, except on sammiches. ;)shakes fist
Damn you! Now I'm hungry again.
+1
GO MOORLUCK!!! HUZZAH!!!!
Cold turkey was how I did it. 10 April 2005 - almost 6 years.
To quote Patches O'Houlihan:
"If you can dodge a wrench..."
1d20
~screams and goes down as the wrench that misses Aberzombie hits me right between the eyes~
The boyfriend has been smoke free for a little over a month now! Iz so proud! Kissing a smoker=not awesome.
Good luck to the Moore clan!<3
Very good!
~screams and goes down as the wrench that misses Aberzombie hits me right between the eyes~GO MOORLUCK!!! HUZZAH!!!!
Cold turkey was how I did it. 10 April 2005 - almost 6 years.
To quote Patches O'Houlihan:
"If you can dodge a wrench..."
1d20
*Jumps out of the bushes*
Yes~! A Reshiram! I MUST HAVE IT! *Starts chucking poke balls @ the silver dragon*
That might not be a good thing to do to cranky people. ;)
That might not be a good thing to do to cranky people. ;)
Just makes it even more hilarious.
That might not be a good thing to do to cranky people. ;)
You're right!
That might not be a good thing to do to cranky people. ;)You right!
DOHP!
....SMOKE....
....
......Are you smoking yet?...
On another note; why is it socially acceptable to openly chastise smokers, when more people die from cholesterol related deaths each year, yet no one says anything to the 400lb guy buying 10 cheeseburgers? I am mostly jesting but as horrible as smoking is, fatness is a bigger killer, luckily I am both, so I will die double-young, I took it as a feat.
Okay, hit me. Today was stressful beyond reason because of some personal stuffs. I broke down and had a few (5) over the course of the day. :(
I look to tomorrow to be stronger.
Five is less than you typically smoked before, right? If your setbacks don't set you all the way back to the beginning, you're still making progress.
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Five is less than you typically smoked before, right? If your setbacks don't set you all the way back to the beginning, you're still making progress.Okay, hit me. Today was stressful beyond reason because of some personal stuffs. I broke down and had a few (5) over the course of the day. :(
I look to tomorrow to be stronger.
I normally smoked 1.5 to 2 packs a day. I found that I want to smoke more when the wife and I have time to sit and talk, so for the past couple nights I've been playing Fallout: New Vegas while she spent time in the chat room and here on the boards.
Okay, hit me. Today was stressful beyond reason because of some personal stuffs. I broke down and had a few (5) over the course of the day. :(
I look to tomorrow to be stronger.
Hang in there! It really is a process. I've known folks who were successful in the long run who fell off the wagon a bunch of times.
I normally smoked 1.5 to 2 packs a day. I found that I want to smoke more when the wife and I have time to sit and talk, so for the past couple nights I've been playing Fallout: New Vegas while she spent time in the chat room and here on the boards.Five is less than you typically smoked before, right? If your setbacks don't set you all the way back to the beginning, you're still making progress.Okay, hit me. Today was stressful beyond reason because of some personal stuffs. I broke down and had a few (5) over the course of the day. :(
I look to tomorrow to be stronger.
Well then, I am very glad that I got that for you!
On another note; why is it socially acceptable to openly chastise smokers, when more people die from cholesterol related deaths each year, yet no one says anything to the 400lb guy buying 10 cheeseburgers? I am mostly jesting but as horrible as smoking is, fatness is a bigger killer, luckily I am so I will die double-young, I took it as a feat.
I don't chastise smokers because they deliver nicotin and other harmful substances into their body reducing their lifespan - they may eat it, drink it, chew, inject or apply in more gruesome manners if they like. The main difference that the aforementioned 400lb guy buys those 10 hamburgers he does to himself of his own choice. The smoker imposes his poison on those around him not to mention that he brings horrible stink.
Health arguments are more as extra ways to convince smokers to quit.And I think that this would be not only my reason but others who try to fight smoking.
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I normally smoked 1.5 to 2 packs a day. I found that I want to smoke more when the wife and I have time to sit and talk, so for the past couple nights I've been playing Fallout: New Vegas while she spent time in the chat room and here on the boards.
The hardest part for me (at first) wasn't the chemical addiction, but the routine I was in: when driving, after each meal, every morning around 10 am, then again around 1 pm, etc.
One thing that helped me out was that I started to exercise routinely. I was lucky at the time because the apartment building I lived in had just opened a work out room. And a few months later, when I moved in with Sarah, the new place had an even better exercise facility.
Okay, hit me. Today was stressful beyond reason because of some personal stuffs. I broke down and had a few (5) over the course of the day. :(
I look to tomorrow to be stronger.
Good luck for tomorrow.
But until then:
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA!
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA!
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA!
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA!
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA!
(This was a warning laugh. Repeat offences carry a penalty of longer laughs. On your voice mail ;-P)
On another note; why is it socially acceptable to openly chastise smokers, when more people die from cholesterol related deaths each year, yet no one says anything to the 400lb guy buying 10 cheeseburgers?
Those 10 cheeseburgers don't stink nearly as much as those disgusting f+#@.
And there is no second-hand cheeseburger, either.
A colleague once told me about this study about second-hand smoking he read where they say that statistically, 3500 people die each year in Germany from the consequences of second-hand smoking.
That's 10 people a day.
I suggested that we non-smokers strike back: Shoot 10 smokers each day until they stop. }>
....SMOKE....
....
......Are you smoking yet?...On another note; why is it socially acceptable to openly chastise smokers, when more people die from cholesterol related deaths each year, yet no one says anything to the 400lb guy buying 10 cheeseburgers? I am mostly jesting but as horrible as smoking is, fatness is a bigger killer, luckily I am both, so I will die double-young, I took it as a feat.
No-one gives overweight people a hard time for being overweight or overeating??
What planet do you live on Karl?
I gave up smoking about a half dozen times before I properly quit, even then I would lapse again about once or twice a year (social situations) before I finally stopped entirely.
Good luck and just keep trying
I suggested that we non-smokers strike back: Shoot 10 smokers each day until they stop. }>
Hmmm, that's an idea... Did I mentioned that I like your ideas? :D
I suggested that we non-smokers strike back: Shoot 10 smokers each day until they stop. }>Hmmm, that's an idea... Did I mentioned that I like your ideas? :D
Lock and load. We need to fight back.
Hope my own story will help too....My parents have always smoked as long as i'm alive (i'm 40), my sister has only 1 year less and she has been smoking since she was teenager.My 20 years old brother also started smoking very soon ; even i tried to start and smoke some 3 cigarettes a week for about one year, but hate that things so much by seeing my family example that i quit before even starting.
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Good luck Moorluck!!
I've been on the patch for about 11 weeks now (this is my second time around), and am feeling pretty good about it. The patch is a cheap (around $26/two weeks generic), effective way to get off the smokes. Just remember how much you're saving and how much better you feel when you think about wanting a cigarette.
As Rob Schneider says in all of his movie roles nowadays:
"YOU CAN DO EET!!!"
Just finished watching episode of Castle in which sister of the victim is addicted to crack. Castle and Kate find her in abandoned warehouse, fevrish and shivering and think that she took and are afraid that she might overdosed and instead learn that those are symptoms of withdrawal as she resisted urge to take th handful of crack she had.
Hope everyone trying to kick the habit is still going strong. For those having a lot of trouble I highly recommend the Chantix route. It can be a little pricey if you do all three months, but I found that the first month's supply was more than enough for me to kick the habit.
I went from raging addict (at times in my life I was smoking upwards of 3 packs per day) to not even having the slightest desire for a smoke over the course of about two weeks.I had zero side effects, but I did hear from those who had one or two from the list of possibles, strange, vivid dreams being the most common.
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Hope everyone trying to kick the habit is still going strong. For those having a lot of trouble I highly recommend the Chantix route. It can be a little pricey if you do all three months, but I found that the first month's supply was more than enough for me to kick the habit.
I went from raging addict (at times in my life I was smoking upwards of 3 packs per day) to not even having the slightest desire for a smoke over the course of about two weeks.I had zero side effects, but I did hear from those who had one or two from the list of possibles, strange, vivid dreams being the most common.
See, I tried chantix and it worked great for the first 3-4 weeks, then it's like my pills were switched out for sugar pills because I had the desire to go smoke every cigarette I had missed in that month period. I'm glad it worked for you though :D.
Another thing to be wary of if going the chantix route is some of the potential mental health related side effects. I got very irritable and short-fused when I was on it (more so than when I had quit other times).