another quiting smoking thread

[Gangsterfist]

Its all about will power, and I am an ex-smoker. I quit several times cold turkey. One time for 8 months, one time for 1.5 years, and another time for about 5 months. Started back up each time after that.

Now I can smoke 5 or 6 ciggarettes when Im out drinking and not smoke another cig no problem for days. I can basically smoke at will and quit at will. I know smoking is obviously bad for me, but when I am out with the guys shooting pool and such, and have a few drinks in me, I'll pick up a cig and smoke one.

The thing is I have conditioned my mind to controll my cravings. I know it sounds tough to do, but I do it. My friends who smoke get all crazy about it. They are mad that I can stop at will and not smoke for over a year and then pick it back up and then immediately quit for another year.

Its just something that comes with will power.

[red5angel]

I've got an idea GDA. Let's do a reality series where you try to quit smoking. We won't tell you when it starts but basically, whenever you pick up a cigarrette, eye a cigarrette, or a cigarrette advertisement, or whenever I think you are thinking of smoking, I'll come from off screen and punch you. It will be not so random as our last idea, and will be even more riveting because now, it's not just a matter o when you will get hit, it will also be a matter of wil this radical new therapy actually help you quit smoking!?

[PangQuan]

lol Red. I bet you could market that. But you will need help, if you get alot of orders. I will help but I think Ill do kicks instead of punches. You could get headbutters, throwers, kickers, punchers, etc.. and see which method works best.

[Ming Yue]

I started young, smoked for 10 years, then quit cold turkey. I craved for a while but always got past it.

Now it's been years since I've had a cigarette, and I am completely neutral toward them. I don't like going to super smoky clubs or eating when there's smoke around me, but the occasional whiff of cig smoke doesn't bother me either way. I have no desire to smoke.

be resolved, you've made good progress so far.

[Jhapa]

I don't like going to super smoky clubs or eating when there's smoke around me

even when i was smoking 1 pack or more a day, i never liked being in a smokey place, or eat while there is lot of smoke, i actually sit in nonsmoking section. i don't even like a lot of smoking the car either. i actually don't smoke in the car either. i actually act like a nonsmoker, with a smoking habit. only time i smoke is few at work and few at home, on the porch with the old lady, about 1/3 of a pack. been slowly cutting down last few months. i'll end up quitting soon, not enjoying as i used to.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

I started young, smoked for 10 years

yeah thats something i didn't mention. i started very very young. sometimes i even lie about how young i started because when i tell people the truth they dont believe me .... they dont say anything, but i can see it in their expression.

the truth is i started smoking at 7 years old not a lot mind you ... but i dont think more than a day or two would go by without me having at least one. also, i didn't start inhaling until around 10 or 11, but the fact that i was puffin on them so early means that i have almost no memories as a non smoker.

by 12 i was smoking half a pack a day of camel non filters. switched to basics at 14 or 15 cause of the clinton tax i think and smoked those up until about 3 months before quitting when i switched to camel filters.

now i dont want a ****in pitty party or anything, but the reason i wrote all that is because i really think "it's only a matter of will power" is a little callous when it comes to a history like mine or worse. bottom line sure ... i cant argue it .... but for myself smoking wasn't something that i liked it was a part of who i am. it is a defining characteristic of mike seals/aka GunnedDownAtrocity. i know that i can redefine myself .... its going to take time and a lot of effort but yeah i know it can be done. i hope to some day be where ming yu is at.

my point is that i see a lot of people pass judgment on smokers after they quit. i'm not saying anyone here doesn't remember where they once were, but it is extremely common. a guy will smoke for a couple years durring college, quit, and then look at the guy whos been smoking twice as long as he's been alive like hes a piece of ****. i understand we should feel proud of ourselves for quitting, and if you pat yourself on the back by comparisson i can't blame you, but to seriously judge someone for doing what you were doing just a while back aint right.

[tug]

Started when I was 16, I am 34 now. Quit twice during that time, once for 6mos, the other for about 2mos. Presently smoking as we speak. But the first time I quit, I was miserable for about 2weeks, then it seemed to get better. Obviously it didn't take. Unfortunately, I still really enjoy my smokes, especially with a nice 12 year old scotch or an ice-age port, but I digress.

I don't believe the cravings/nostalgia/whatever you want to call it ever go away for anyone who has been a smoker. A good friend of mine's father has not smoked for about 30 years and he still tells me he gets cravings, so having said that - once a smoker, always a smoker. Even if you have successfully quit, it will stay with you forever in some form or fashion.

Keep it up, man, good on you and good luck!

(and PLEASE don't become one of those "ex-smokers" you so fondly referred to)

[Gangsterfist]

been smoking on and off for over 10 years GDA. Some of my friends cannot quit b/c they cannot get past their own addictive personalities. I hate to be a jerk and tell you its all about will power, but it is. I quit cold turkey after smoking for 8 years.

Technically the first ciggarette I ever smoked was at age 9 or so, but never started actually smoking more than one till about 12 or so, and once I hit about 14 I was a regular smoker. So our pasts are very similiar.

I feel your pain man. It sucks, but if you can go 2 weeks with out smoking you are over the hump, the rest of it is in your head. I think nicotine only stays in your system for about 1 to 2 days total. So anyting after a few days is psychological addiction and not physical addition. Unless you are an oral fixation type of person.

You can quit, you just need to will it. Talking about smoking right now kinda makes me want to light one up right now, but I am not going to.

[Becca]

yeah thats something i didn't mention. i started very very young. sometimes i even lie about how young i started because when i tell people the truth they dont believe me .... they dont say anything, but i can see it in their expression.

the truth is i started smoking at 7 years old not a lot mind you ... but i dont think more than a day or two would go by without me having at least one. also, i didn't start inhaling until around 10 or 11, but the fact that i was puffin on them so early means that i have almost no memories as a non smoker.

I believe you, man. I was 11 when I started regularly smoking, too. But I did know some who started as young as you did. If kids are around them, they inevetably try them. That's why I don't smoke what so ever around my kids, and made a point of letting them know were that smokers hack came from; pointed out how nasty it smelled. I actually found enlisting my oldest boy in my efforts to quit to be very helpfull.

[PangQuan]

Ok, youve had your pep talks. You quit, final. Dont smoke anymore or you suck.
Really man, you already quit, just stick with it. What would your sifu tell you?

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

my sifu would ***** slap me like that one guy in the video.

i think drinking last night for the first time in while without smoking actually helped too. i was thinking it would be hard like it was before, but to be honest i got to drunk to remember what smoking was.

[Ming Yue]

you went out drinking on your birthday and you didn't cave and light one up?


you're golden. you're good to go if you toughed that out.

[Jhapa]

it has been one whole week since my last cigarette. don't really miss it. don't even crave it. lets see how long this will last.

[IronFist]

Can you substitute one addiction (a good one) for an old one (smoking)? I've heard people with addictive personalities can do this.

Get addicted to weightlifting or something instead. I dunno. Learn to play guitar or something if you don't already.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

one year b1tches.

my ram arrived today as well. 1 year 1 gig of ram.

i was going to get 2 but i couldnt swing 160 with xmas coming up