Let's see..... 1983, I think, is when I quit. I still want one every once in a great while. I'll see a chap with Box Marlboros in a transparent shirt and the ol' mind will say; "Wonder how they taste now?" But I seldom even want one when I drink a beer now. Your desire will fade more and more every year. Congratulations on one year. You didn't need chantix. Anyone can quit cold turkey. The chemicals are out of your bloodstream in less than a week. The rest is merely in your mind. You've certainly done much better with your weight than I have. I've bounced up and down about 3 times since quitting. I'm like Jacky Gleason now. When you go into my closet I have 3 sections;
Regular, Fat, and Very Fat. I'm in the Very Fat range right now. :( But maybe that's not a bad thing with a depression right around the corner. :)
I would say good luck with the cigs but you've proven you're able to control your habit. That has nothing to do with luck.
Congrats!
After smoking often 2.5 packs a day, I quit smoking cigarettes cold turkey almost 20 years ago. About two years ago I started to smoke "the occasional" cigar. Considering my addictive personality, I should have know it would develop into a full-blown cigar addiction!
I started smoking 18 years ago at a very young age, I've tried quitting smoking 6 years ago, I did for 10 months. Didn't stop craving it for a single day, people say the withdraw symptoms decrease day after another, but it wasn't my case. Just smelling smoke in the street or wherever used to drive me crazy, till I woke up one day to a buy a pack of cigarettes and have one with coffee for a breakfast. Since then I buy 4 cigarette cartouches at once to make sure I'll not run out of cigarettes for a single hour.
Now I am father for a young girl, I started reconsidering once again, if you asked any smoke, he would tell you the last thing he/she wants to see is their children smoking.
I have one pack of cigarettes remains. I'll have the rest of the day to think about it .. should I give it another go starting tomorrow?!
I gave up smoking for my daughter. I quit when my wife was around 3 months pregnant. That was a little over a year and a half ago now. For me, it was all about the motivation. I didn't want her to be around smoke at all, and that desire was more powerful than the pull of the nicotine. I still think about smoking occasionally (maybe 1 random thought every couple of weeks), but it's really a non-issue now. My main recommendation is just go for it, but don't worry too much if it takes a few packs. I think I said to myself "this is my last pack" about 3 times over the course of 2 weeks before it really was the last one.
Seems like there are a couple of people here on DPC considering quitting smoking - myself included.
We should all support each other in our endeavors. I am not sure if I am ready to try to quit again, but I am sure with the support of others, I can do it! Maybe I can pick up my camera every time I have a craving for a cig - replace one habit with another!
My biggest problem is keeping my hands busy, especially while watching a movie or TV at night. That's the worst time for me.
Maybe try to limit smoking in situations you feel the most compelled to smoke - for example, if you are so used to smoking while watching TV - maybe try for a week to not smoke in front of the TV at all - instead get up and step outside for a cig on commercial breaks - this may help stop your connection with the TV and smoking.
I don't smoke inside so I don't have any personal experience with this - but I used to smoke while driving alot - then when I bought a new car, I refused to let myself smoke in the car - now I seem to smoke much less since I don't chain smoke while driving.
You have to work on the habit and the addiction. Smoking due to a trigger (watching TV - driving - drinking coffee) is a habit, your mind immediately thinks about the cigarette while doing this activity. Maybe trying to eliminate the triggers/habits will help when you are ready to eliminate the addiction.
I think my biggest trigger/habit is at work - a cigarette break is the only type of break I think of. Maybe I need to find another way to take a 'break' that does not involve smoking.
After smoking often 2.5 packs a day, I quit smoking cigarettes cold turkey almost 20 years ago. About two years ago I started to smoke "the occasional" cigar. Considering my addictive personality, I should have know it would develop into a full-blown cigar addiction!
Be careful with that...I had quit for 2 years and a friend who 'owed' me a wedding gift, and didnt know i quit, gave me a hookah. After a couple of weeks i was lighting it up on my balcony every night. Then on a new years eve I had a cigar, and told myself it would be special occasions. Then I bought some cigarillos and had one a day...now Ive been smoking cigarettes again for 3 years...
Yeah, work is going to be a tough one. It's the only time I get to see a lot of my friends who work in different departments around the building. I thought about getting a bottle of bubbles and just sit down in the smoking pit and blowing bubbles. I saw it in a commercial last night. Day one is half over and I managed to avoid most of the smokers in the building, but that's not gonna work forever. I do have a 10 yoga CD I might bring to work and just lock the doors and do it instead of smoking.
As far as nighttime, that's going to be hard. Tonight I'll be getting my hemp string out and making bracelets to keep my hands busy. I'm sure hubby will be able to think of a way or two also. ;)
Today marks 7 weeks since I quit....the same day I had spinal surgery. I miss it but not as much as I would miss experiencing my sons grow up and have their own families.
Today marks 7 weeks since I quit....the same day I had spinal surgery. I miss it but not as much as I would miss experiencing my sons grow up and have their own families.
I think my biggest trigger/habit is at work - a cigarette break is the only type of break I think of. Maybe I need to find another way to take a 'break' that does not involve smoking.
That is what I am down to as well for the most part. I used to smoke in the car on the way to work (long commute) but now I have a new truck and a short commute so that took care of that. I only used to smoke at home in my basement master bathroom but we remodeled that so that took care of that. So I am down to almost all my smoke breaks only happening at work so unless I win the lottery or retire (not likely) I'm going to have to break that part of the habit the hard way.
Allen Carr's book was what helped me quit cold turkey one year and 9 months ago. Haven't fed the monster once since. It's a great book and I HIGHLY recommend it. Really makes so much sense. It's pretty much perfect in every way.
