Ready to quit smoking? or Have you already Quit?

[Accountable for Me]

Ready to quit smoking? or Have you already Quit?

Yes, this was a great thread. I did well for several weeks in 2008 with the quitting because of the support here. Good idea for bumping this, LVT.

Reading back on my posts I wonder why I started again. That p's me off.

Anyway, round two - ding! ding!

[MissDoodleBug]

Ready to quit smoking? or Have you already Quit?

I quit a 30 year 3 pack a day chainsmoking habit 1.5 years ago, never have wanted one since. I used Chantix for two weeks then read Allan Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking. And I made sure never to be around smokers, I think that is a major part. It's funny, now I can "taste" cigarette smoke from a block away; it leaves an awful metallic taste in my mouth. I hate to be anywhere near it.

It is just too bad, considering that 90% of the population drinks alcohol, that we can never get away from drinkers!

Stay strong!

Love,

Doodlebug

[Seacailin]

Ready to quit smoking? or Have you already Quit?

Thanks for bumping this up LVT. I am on Day 5 of the Chantix. I am nauseous and tired but I don't want to stop it. I have to quit smoking, whatever it takes. Thanks for the support everyone. I really need it!!

[5thaday]

Ready to quit smoking? or Have you already Quit?

I quit cold turkey in November, 2000. I smoked about a pack a day for 6 years, although much more when I drank. I only had one slip earlier this year, but I don't count it because I was very drunk and didn't have a cigarette due to any cravings; just random drunken decision-making. In fact, after about 1 year I noticed that my cigarette cravings completely disappeared. Now the smell of smoke disgusts me.

[doubter]

Ready to quit smoking? or Have you already Quit?

one month since the fresh quit

Hmmmm. Should count as one of the most painful posts I've ever put up. Or is it relief?

Anyway, just finished one month of not touching a cigarette. Had my last fag on 13th December at 7 p.m. and then quit cold turkey. I had a wonderful quit going for more than one-and-a-half years from Jan '07 and stupidly, moronically, idiotically, imbecilely, brainlessly ( add the other synonyms..) lost the quit when I violated the Law of Addiction and sneaked a puff. I thought I could get away with recreational smoking. Learnt the hard way that I can't. Smoked on and off for a month plus, and more importantly, did it on the sly. Keeping it a secret from all near and dear. From family- from friends. And was feeling guilty all along. Confessing up to the indiscretion, almost feels like catharsis.

For me, smoking was a far, far more serious addiction than drinking. For about 18 years, I averaged a pack a day. And when I first quit smoking, that was a major trigger for other positive changes in my lifestyle.

This present one month quit has not been that difficult, truth to tell. For the last one week, I have fallen sick and have been diagonised with bronchial asthma, so have been too busy tending to myself. And yes, have a sneaking suspicion that the present bout of illness has been caused by smoking.

I am fairly confident I have quit smoking for good now. And I also know that complacency has always been my biggest enemy.

I am putting this up as a marker of my resolve to stay away from both smoking & drinking in this calendar year.

Thanks for the thread LVT.

Thanks Angel for all the support.



Karmayogi

[swans]

Ready to quit smoking? or Have you already Quit?

I quit on Oct 2 2008, thanks to reading a book by Allen Carr called "The easy way to quit smoking". I know other people who quit using the same method, it was painless, no drugs, no patches, nothing but reading the book. I was a pack a day smoker, sometimes more for over 20 years.

[sunshine_gg]

Ready to quit smoking? or Have you already Quit?

I'm on day 6 smoke free 25+ cigarettes a day most of my life.... I'm using Chantix, though.

I'm curious.. how can a book make you give it up... with no cravings, etc?

[changemylife]

Ready to quit smoking? or Have you already Quit?

I'm on day 2 of smoke free. I am physically feeling the withdraw but also generally feel better. I don't feel like I have a lead weight in my ass.

I quit 4 years ago for 6 months and then foolishly went back due to the stress of buying first house.

I know what I need to do. Can't wait to be free of the NIC.

[FallenAngel]

Ready to quit smoking? or Have you already Quit?

doubter;518545 wrote: I had a wonderful quit going for more than one-and-a-half years from Jan '07 and ...... lost the quit when I violated the Law of Addiction and sneaked a puff. I thought I could get away with recreational smoking. Learnt the hard way that I can't.

I know all too well how it feels my friend.... I too lost a 2-3 year quit many years ago thinking those same thoughts. But unlike you, I continued to smoke for 8 long years, until I finally had enough & quit for good this last time. I commend you for getting back on track so soon! :goodjob:
I'm sure the emotional lashings you have been giving yourself (oh yeah...and the ones from me too LOL) are far worse than the physical damage from this slip. You gave your body a year and a half of healing time...your body has benefited from that greatly & you are still reaping those rewards....so don't you be worrying about what damage this slip may have caused, okay?? :l

It seems like one of the things we really have to look out for in our recovery quits (smoking, drinking, etc) is complacency. Our addiction, which will live with us for the rest of our lives, is patient & cunning. Even though you may think you have locked it up in some far recess of your domain, never forget that you & it still dwell under the same roof... and silently it waits...patiently waits for the perfect time to strike. Be vigilant. Be alert for signs of it awakening from its slumber. Check daily for cracks in your armor. Always be on guard & ready with a battle plan...because my friend, this is no game... we are literally fighting for our lives.

[swans]

Ready to quit smoking? or Have you already Quit?

Hi Sunshine, you have to read the book of course, the author is brilliant. He actually makes you think of all the reasons why you smoke and eventually you come to the realization that the cigs do nothing for you, and you start to not want them. Of course like everything else you have to have some desire to quit.

sunshine_gg;518832 wrote: I'm on day 6 smoke free 25+ cigarettes a day most of my life.... I'm using Chantix, though.

I'm curious.. how can a book make you give it up... with no cravings, etc?

[FallenAngel]

Ready to quit smoking? or Have you already Quit?

sunshine_gg;518832 wrote:
I'm curious.. how can a book make you give it up... with no cravings, etc?

First of all...congratulations on making it through the hardest week of your quit! :goodjob:

I didn't read Carr's book, but I took an online course that is very similar to his method.
To answer your question simply, would be to say "knowledge". Knowledge in learning the facts about our nicotine addiction, knowledge in understanding how the brain & body react to nicotine & all the chemicals in cigarettes, knowledge in knowing exactly what to do when a craving happens.
My last quit was an educated quit, and that has made all the difference. I know my enemy now..I know its tactics & I will not be caught off guard.


Knowledge is Power

You asked about cravings, so let me share an experience I had in about my 3rd month of my quit.
Yardwork was always a trigger for me to smoke... mow the lawn, have a smoke.... rake the lawn, have a smoke. I used cigarettes as my reward to get tasks done. In the fall of my first year I was out raking leaves...suddenly out of the blue I got such an overwhelming craving that it felt like it was totally consuming me. Between the usual trigger that yardwork would bring on & the smell of dried leaves, I was put into a state of craving that I had not had since my first week. Similar triggers had happened to me in previous quits, which sent me running to the corner store for a pack thinking that I would die if I didn't have one... and hence, another attempt to quit always ended in failure. This time I knew what to do, because this time I had the knowledge that I needed to get through it.
I stopped what I was doing, sat down & closed my eyes...I did not resist the crave, but rather, leaned into it... like letting a wave wash over my body. When we don't resist and let it happen, and pay full attention to the real feeling, we come to realize that a craving is not painful at all...it is merely a sensation that washes over the body...and in fact, can be quite an amazing feeling. I sat there for a few minutes with my eyes closed, taking it all in. When I finally opened my eyes, I was calm, the craving was gone...I felt renewed, and was ready to get back to what I had been doing.
Not only did this technique save my quit that day.... it gave me the winning edge to take on whatever this addiction could throw in my direction.

[doubter]

Ready to quit smoking? or Have you already Quit?

Angel, as you rightly say, complacency is what we have to guard against in our chemical addictions.

I also realise the truth that we have only arrested the addiction. The addiction is hardwired into our brain.

changemylife and sunshine_gg, great that you both have quit smoking too :goodjob:and I wish you both the very best. Just remember, the craves ease out with time. As you both are in the early stages of your nicotine quits, I would like to add that the knowledge I'd gained at the website whyquit.com was very helpful in my smoking quit. Really opened my eyes for all the real reasons for which we smoke, why we should stop, how to quit and how to keep the quit. Do take a peek, you may find the site useful.

(the usual disclaimer : hope I'm not violating forum rules, referring to another website. )

[changemylife]

Ready to quit smoking? or Have you already Quit?

My Biggest Problem is getting through the Anger. I am Mad. I want to Rip into people for just being there. I hope this passes.

[FallenAngel]

Ready to quit smoking? or Have you already Quit?

changemylife;519681 wrote: My Biggest Problem is getting through the Anger. I am Mad. I want to Rip into people for just being there. I hope this passes.

Don't worry...this will pass, as do all things. Our brains are actually rewired in some areas by nicotine & it takes time to heal the damage. Many of our emotions were numbed by these chemicals & we are now feeling raw emotions that we haven't felt in years (maybe never).
Just try to realize that this is a stage that you are going through & be gentle on yourself. Soon you will be feeling great & will see how worthwhile this withdrawal process is.... just hang in there for the time being, okay?? :l
Come here & vent...let out a primal scream...do whatever you need to do...just DON'T SMOKE

[LVT25]

Ready to quit smoking? or Have you already Quit?

Just a quick hello to "FallenAngel". You were one of the very first to welcome me here at MWO and very helpful in both my "quits". Great to see you and thank you!!:h