Topic: I can't quit smoking

[gpw11]

I've been having a hell of a time with it.  Like, it's not even withdrawl, it's just a complete lack of will power to even go more than a few hours because I think up some reason I should totally smoke.

And I know it's totally illogical and ridiculous, which is horrible.  Especially since everyone else I see smoking these days look really poor and ugly.

[idolminds]

Hey. Hey you.

Stop.

OK?

Stop it.

[Pugnate]

Well, that completely worked on me Idol. I don't feel like smoking.

(click to show/hide)

OK, so I am not a smoker.

[idolminds]

I work my magic.

[Pugnate]

That's what the ladies say.

[Cobra951]

I've never smoked, beyond the obligatory trial in a school bathroom.  So I can't tell why it's so bloody hard to quit.  It will kill you.  Does that help?

[gpw11]

I've never smoked, beyond the obligatory trial in a school bathroom.  So I can't tell why it's so bloody hard to quit.  It will kill you.  Does that help?

It's funny, I can never figure out why it's so hard either.  Nicotine is viewed as one of the most physically addictive substances we know of, but it's fast acting, your body clears it quickly, and the physical withdrawl symptoms are extremely minor.  Literally all you're dealing with from the physical side is a slight feeling of emptiness and hunger for a couple of days (I also go through moments where my head feels cloudy).    But the qualities of niccotine easily add up to being the perfect storm of something you can convince yourself you can control.  That, plus the largely socially acceptable nature of the addiction makes it really easy to trick yourself that you're actually getting something positive out of smoking.

Honestly, for me, a lot of it is just habit and knowing that my withdrawl symptoms aren't bad, so I can go days and then all of a sudden find myself smoking because "Oh, sure I'll have one...that whole quitting thing is pretty easy".  So, essentially, because I'm a dumbass.

[scottws]

I quit cold turkey after smoking a pack a day for almost ten years about a decade ago. The only way I was able to is that I wasn't hanging out with any smokers at the time. Even up to three years later I still felt like I wanted a cigarette every once in awhile but I haven't smoked a single one since I quit.

It's bad for you and expensive. Just not worth doing it.

[K-man]

Quitting is one of the hardest things I've ever done.

[K-man]

That said, Chantix made it about as easy as it could have been.  It's definitely not for everyone, though.  Sister had suicidal thoughts while taking it.

[gpw11]

I'm avoiding any medication like the plague.

I've gone pretty close to 24 hours here without any real cravings or anything.  I can't say for sure, but I definitely remember the first 24 being the hardest in the past, so that's a good sign.

I think the thing is that I don't even WANT to smoke.  Like, I've convinced myself there is really no benefit to doing it and a shit ton of detriments.  I don't even enjoy it, why bother?

And so that's only left the physical withdrawal, which isn't bad at all so far.

[gpw11]

Day 5.  I think maybe I won?

[idolminds]

Just keep at it.

[Cools!]

Find something else, like eating candy.

[K-man]

Day 5.  I think maybe I won?

I started back a year later.  Quit again.  going on 3 years now.  The key is to put it through your head that you can never ever have another one.  Not socially, not just a hit off one, nothing.  It was all or nothing for me.

[scottws]

I agree with K-man. Anything less and it is too easy to start again.

[gpw11]

Yeah, I think that's the key to it ling term. And I guess also being in the headspace that you don't even want to smoke, rather than you want to but won't . You know, if that makes any sense.

[Pugnate]

I never took you for a quitter.

Don't be a loser. Don't quit.

[gpw11]

I hate you, Pug.

Day 14 or 15.  Whatever.


One thing I've noticed since my sense of smell returned:  Depending on where you are in any given urban area, everything either smells like barbecue or piss.

[Quemaqua]

It started to kill my lungs and I had to quit. It wasn't terribly difficult for me probably due to the fact that if I kept at it I felt like I was going to keel over. My willpower has maintained pretty well, though I've had one or two here or there at a friend's house or something. But I always regret it on some level and have done pretty well just keeping off it entirely. It's been several years, not really sure how long... and I did go back to it for a brief while after the initial quit. Actually, and I'd quit for several years before my divorce, but that started it up again. I used to really abuse them in order to de-stress (which is stupid as hell considering the effects on the body).

Keep at it, man. Shit is terrible for you. Most of the companies are also using continually more toxic stuff as they go, GMO tobacco, and they do some pretty awful animal testing.

[Pugnate]

I hate you, Pug.

Day 14 or 15.  Whatever.


One thing I've noticed since my sense of smell returned:  Depending on where you are in any given urban area, everything either smells like barbecue or piss.

Come to Pakistan and it is just piss.

[Cools!]

Maybe if you wait long enough smoking will quit you?

[Pugnate]

 it will. After it is done with your body.

[gpw11]

Ahahaha.  Fuck these things,  right?  I'm on day 40-something and all of a sudden all I want to do is buy a pack so I can smoke like 5 in 10 minutes and throw the rest out.  It just came from out of nowhere.

[Pugnate]

OK all joking aside, keep it up man. 40 days sounds like a big accomplishment. Don't give in now. The moments when the craving comes back, I am sure are less frequent. When the craving hits again, just tell yourself that it is only a temporary want and you will make it through it.

[Quemaqua]

That can work if you actually have a bad reaction. The few times that happened to me early on, I felt so terrible after smoking a few (and chucking the rest, thereby wasting money which also felt stupid) that it was a potent reminder of how bad the things really are. I'd feel crappy for 2 or 3 days afterward because I could feel the shit in my lungs, and that was all I needed to stay off for another 3 or 4 months without any desire. It also helps that I live with this disgusting psycho of a landlady. She smokes a pack a day and is literally the most disgusting person it's ever been my misfortune to be around. It's done a lot to reinforce the negative when it comes to smokes.

[gpw11]

61 days, yo

[Xessive]

61 days, yo

Props, yo!

[Ace_O_Spades]

It doesn't hurt that the Lower Mainland in particular has legislated away almost every place you could previously smoke in public. Parks? Nope. Bars? Fughettaboutit. Legally you have to be what, 6 metres away from a door or air intake, which is pretty dang far.

Congratulations on your 60+ days! My mom quit for 15 years and just recently started up again at age 57. Not sure why I shared that, maybe to remind you to be vigilant?

[ren]

61 days, yo

90+ now, right?

[gpw11]

120 Something.  Although if I'm going to be perfectly honest, it's more like 5 days. I managed to smoke like 2 to 4 a day for a few days there for no reason other than I was curious as to if I'd miss it. It was super weird.

[PyroMenace]

I'm going on 11 months of sobriety right now, longest run I've ever gone. I've had a night here or there where I got wasted from some stress but it never went beyond that. I still get some cravings... and I'm understanding why I've been so back and forth with it because after about 4 to 5 months of sobriety, my cravings start coming back again. I've been dating someone for about 10 months now and she's very allergic to hops, its pretty much been my boon and I'm truly grateful for it otherwise I know I would be back swimming in it. And I did actually do what you did about a month ago. She had to do a sleep study for a night so I tried some of my old favorites out again. I had about 4 or 5 and just couldn't keep going, just felt shitty and remembered why I stopped in the first place.

[Cools!]

[Quemaqua]

Way to go Pyro! I've had to pretty much completely give up booze because of the heart, and I've been craving it like I never did before. I'd cut way back and stuff even before I stopped completely, but now that I can't even have a shot or two to take the edge off on a really bad night, I find I miss it a lot. All the more so because this heart thing makes me feel really fucking tense almost constantly, and there's nothing at all I can do to relieve it.