Anyone want to quit smoking with me? (second try) (2 Viewers)

[Jefferson]

I agree with Patrick Sun....it can be done.
I was so proud of both my parents for just putting them down.....boom.
And it is a ten year smoke free mark at this point.
It can be done....and it will be done.
Hang in there, guys.

 

[Rich Malloy]

John, if cold turkey isn't working for you, I urge you to give the patch a try. I failed to quit three times before trying the patch... and I quit for good the very first time I did. It's almost four years now, and the smell of cigarette smoke disgusts me. I can be, and often am, in a roomful of smokers and all it does is put me off smoking more. But it hasn't taken me this long to get to this point - six months after quitting, I felt this way.

But I don't think it's gonna be a cinch quitting with the patch. You'll still will want the whole hand-to-mouth ritual of smoking, even though your nicotine withdrawal symptoms are somewhat ameliorated. But it'll get you through the first week.

And don't believe anyone who tells you that the first 24 hours are the hardest! The second 24 hours are just as hard. And the third 24 is practically the same. Even with the patch, my urge was viciously strong for at least a week. But I could withstand it. Without the patch, on the other hand, I never lasted more than three days.

And there's simply no medical reason why "cold turkey" should be the preferred method. Addiction research mostly tells us just the opposite. "Cold turkey" is a shock to your system - your body will fight you every step of the way, reacting as though it's under attack. The physical addiction of smoking is extraordinarily powerful. Nicotine replacement therapy lets you kick the psychological addiction first - and this is a very difficult first step - and then slowly weans you of your physical addiction by letting you know precisely the dose of nicotine you're giving yourself daily, and then letting you slowly (or quickly if you can) wean yourself down to smaller and smaller dosages. I took my sweet time stepping down to nothing, and those last few weeks were real smooth, despite the many temptations and urges.

If you're serious about quitting, it's a regimen that works. If cold turkey's not working for you, I hope you consider it. Food tastes better, wine explodes on your pallette, you can walk up flights and flights of stairs, you can make love without the annoyingly unsexy wheezing, you can draw huge breaths into the deepest reaches of your lungs without setting off a hack-attack, and you don't smell. It's perhaps hard to grasp now, but it feels great.

 

[Anthony_Gomez]

Hey RAIN, I don't know you, probably never had a chat with you here and will probably never meet you.
but I have to say that your excitement about passing the first 24hrs gave me goose bumbs way to go. I sure hope you give me the 48hr, 72 hr, 96hr etc goose bumps!
Good luck and I wish you the best. (that goes for all of you people!)
oh, on a side note. My fiance's father used to be a heavy smoker (he to quit cold turkey). He said that the hardest part was not the withdrawls, but the associations and breaking routines. ..you know, always having the cig after lunch, one before bed, right when you get in the car etc. He said he would catch himself reaching for his pack that wasn't there-- not becuase he had a craving for a cig, but because he was conditioned to reach for one. The idea of keeping some worthers candies in your pocket is a nice idea. get something else to reach for instead of the cigs. Sugar free candies (which I strangly like better) might be a better one so you don't rot out your teeth instead of your lungs

 

[Rain]

The physical addiction of smoking is extraordinarily powerful.

Again, I disagree. Yeah, there have been some brief periods where I've been somewhat annoyed by the physical withdrawal, but it's just not as bad as all that.
I still believe it's mostly a psychological habit. The fact that you found it so much easier with the patch does not prove otherwise. Yes, it may make the physical withdrawal a bit easier to bear, but its main benefit is most likely a placebo effect. You think it will help and therefore it does.
Oh, and by the way, I'm also finding today much easier to bear than yesterday.
________________________________
Of course, if using an aid helps you, that's totally cool. It's just not for me. I'm determined to go it on my own.
At the end of the day, our goal is the same. So, congrats to those who are still not smoking and good luck to those who are still trying!
Signed,
Rain (smoke free and lovin' every minute of it!)

 

[Frank Anderson]

Cold Turkey works. Another name for it is will power.

 

[Marshall Alsup]

Keep it up Rain, you'll make it eventually!

On another note I thought I'd tell you guys about a dream I had last night......

I dreamed that I had smoked with a buddy who was in from out of town. He told me that we never get to smoke together any more and that just one wouldn't be a big deal. We'd have a smoke for old time's sake so after 5 days I cracked and had a smoke break. I felt like shit about myself. When I wokeup and realized it was a dream I felt GREAT! Man I can't believe I had a dream (nightmare?) about smoking, how pathetic!


oh well, 5 days and still going strong.

-Marshall

 

[Dave Poehlman]

Rain, I just breezed through this thread and I've decided to start smoking so I can quit with you.

I'm off to the gas station for a pack of Luckys!

 

[Rain]

Marshall,
I've had those kinds of dreams before during previous attempts at quitting. The dream is always the same: I forget I'm not supposed to be smoking, feel shitty about donig it, then wake-up relieved that it was all a dream.
I think it's par for the course.

 

[John Stone]

I'm proof that a heavy, long-time smoker can quit cold turkey. It may not be the easiest way, but like Frank said, it's all about willpower. I wanted the physical withdraw over as fast as possible, and I knew that cold turkey was the best way to achieve that. I think part of me wanted to be really miserable so that I would think twice before picking the habit back up. I guess it worked, because there is no way I would go through the quitting process again. I think people have to find the best method for them and go with it. I just sort of sensed which way would work for me.
After nearly 2 years of being smoke-free, I can't even stand the slightest bit of cigarette smoke. Sadly I've found that I've drifted away from my friends who still smoke. I just can't stand being around it anymore. I am truly amazed at how vile smoking seems to me now that I've managed to kick the habit. It's a great feeling when you wake up and thought of a cigarette disgusts you. You'll get there, just stay strong and don't pick up another cigarette again! It's SO worth it, and it DOES get easier after the first week or so. Keep it up!

 

[Rain]

Well, it's now been over 24 hours since my little 4 puff transgression of yesterday.
Right now, I feel pretty damn good. In fact, with the exception of a very slight blurring of my vision (an unexpected phenomenon which I'm sure will pass), I feel pretty great. Good mood, no major cravings. Could use a nap, but why quibble.
Here's the the next 24!
So Marshall and Jasen, you guys are still with me right?
I'm afraid it looks like we've lost Eve and Zen. Hopefully they'll be back soon for another shot at it.

 

[Marshall Alsup]

Hell yeah!

 

[Anthony_Gomez]

Hell yeah!

I second that notion!!

next major goal....THE 48 HOUR MARK!!

...we all have faith in you and the others that are changing their lifestyle for the better=)

 

[Rain]

Right on, Anthony!
Sorry I missed ya before. Stay strong.

 

[Frank Anderson]

Rain,
Stop taking those little puffs. It's not helping you. Like John St said getting the physical withdraw over as fast as possible is best. You're dragging (no pun intended) your agony out.

 

[Rain]

Stop taking those little puffs.

Dude, that was 28 hours ago.

 

[Patrick Sun]

My dad quit smoking via the cold turkey route. The side-effect was that he gained a lot of weight because food tasted so much better to him once he quit smoking.
He quit cold turkey after a life-long friend passed away from lung cancer, and it totally shocked him into wanting to stop smoking, so he just simply stopped smoking.

 

[Rollie]

Hey Rain, I quit cold turkey about a month ago. The big thing for me is social smoking. I know quite a few people who smoke, I just finally learned not to give in. I've stopped smoking before, but never for as long as I have now. I've also taken to hitting the gym and working out. That's what I'm doing now to get rid of any frustrations usually vented by the smokes.
Keep it up man, you can do it!

 

[Anthony_Gomez]

The side-effect was that he gained a lot of weight because food tasted so much better to him once he quit smoking.

I don't know about you guys, but I would take the extra weight over smoking =)...but I am talking 20-30 lbs tops.....ok..probably more than that!
RAIN ..you holding up well? you should be about 38 hours now!! Keep it man! My 48Hr goose bumps are waiting!

 

[Rain]

RAIN ..you holding up well?

Feelin' fine.

 

[John Thomas]

The new Word Association thread!