Quitting is Contagious

[kellerb]

superfreakie's about 24 hours into quitting the spacebar completely

[Superfreakie]

superfreakie's about 24 hours into quitting the spacebar completely

[nab]

Day 12 completed.

jeebus dude, your home free!

just curious... is there any1 else here that smoked at lesat a pack a day for over 10 years? ive got about 18 as a daily smoker... shits seriously hard core for me at this point. i dont think i can do it without a prescription or somethin. :|

I smoked 1-1 1/2 packs a day average from 15yo until just before my 31st birthday.  That's 16 years, give or take some leverage on both sides.  That shit was not only an adult habit, but also ingrained into me from my growing years. 


I will be hitting the 5 month mark by the end of this week. 


Obsessing about the need to have a smoke has always been what broke me in the past.  Alcoholics call it white knuckle sobriety, meaning that you are only hanging on by sheer willpower.  We all know that willpower alone only works so well for so many people.  After all, if willpower was all it took, would any of us maintained the habit for so long?

What is needed is a change in your approach to the smoking part of your identity.  What has worked for me this go round has been to treat that part of my identity as dead.  Literally. 

I went through the whole mourning process as I was beginning to cede myself away from smokes.  I realized that all those things that I enjoyed with smokes could be enjoyed without them and that it was alright to miss the smoking, but that obsessing for its return was fruitless and unhealthy. 

Kind of like when grandpa dies, if you you force yourself to come to the realization that that part of your life is over, really and finally over, you realize you can do all the things you did with grandpa without him as well.  You just need to commit to the grieving process and heal for the plan to work.

The best part is, unlike dead loved ones, you are actually giving your loved ones more life.



It would be unfair of me not to mention that my quitting was my daughter's most important 3rd birthday gift, one I hope to surprise her with much latter on down the road.  I quit on her birthday and plan to use that reminder to not only remember the date myself, but remember to talk to her about the subject as she gets older.  Only when she couldn't believe that her old man ever smoked at all will I tell her the truth and reveal the most important gift I ever gave her.

That sort of shit keeps me on the straight and narrow. 

Hope it helps in some small way.     

[Buffalo Budd]

superfreakie's about 24 hours into quitting the spacebar completely

Awesome  :hereitisyousentimentalbastard

[gah]

Day 12 completed.

jeebus dude, your home free!

just curious... is there any1 else here that smoked at lesat a pack a day for over 10 years? ive got about 18 as a daily smoker... shits seriously hard core for me at this point. i dont think i can do it without a prescription or somethin. :|

I smoked 1-1 1/2 packs a day average from 15yo until just before my 31st birthday.  That's 16 years, give or take some leverage on both sides.  That shit was not only an adult habit, but also ingrained into me from my growing years. 


I will be hitting the 5 month mark by the end of this week. 


Obsessing about the need to have a smoke has always been what broke me in the past.  Alcoholics call it white knuckle sobriety, meaning that you are only hanging on by sheer willpower.  We all know that willpower alone only works so well for so many people.  After all, if willpower was all it took, would any of us maintained the habit for so long?

What is needed is a change in your approach to the smoking part of your identity.  What has worked for me this go round has been to treat that part of my identity as dead.  Literally. 

I went through the whole mourning process as I was beginning to cede myself away from smokes.  I realized that all those things that I enjoyed with smokes could be enjoyed without them and that it was alright to miss the smoking, but that obsessing for its return was fruitless and unhealthy. 

Kind of like when grandpa dies, if you you force yourself to come to the realization that that part of your life is over, really and finally over, you realize you can do all the things you did with grandpa without him as well.  You just need to commit to the grieving process and heal for the plan to work.

The best part is, unlike dead loved ones, you are actually giving your loved ones more life.



It would be unfair of me not to mention that my quitting was my daughter's most important 3rd birthday gift, one I hope to surprise her with much latter on down the road.  I quit on her birthday and plan to use that reminder to not only remember the date myself, but remember to talk to her about the subject as she gets older.  Only when she couldn't believe that her old man ever smoked at all will I tell her the truth and reveal the most important gift I ever gave her.

That sort of shit keeps me on the straight and narrow. 

Hope it helps in some small way.   

That's just...really great. Man, what a gift.  :-)

[sls.stormyrider]

awesome, Nab

[nab]

5 month mark slipped by me yesterday and I didn't even notice.



I have had some weird cravings lately though, nothing even dangerous or tempting, but a reminder that those neurons are still alive.

I missed the smell of a freshly opened pack of cigarettes the other day.  Not the smoking, just the smell.  I also missed the smell of a fresh match applied to a fresh cigarette.

Then I shrugged my shoulders and got back on with life.


Nicotine built some pretty serious pathways in my brain.  I doubt they will ever really go away, but living life without smokes is so much better than with. 


On to trying to develop a fitness plan.  Quitting smoking and two office jobs have really taken a toll on my shape.

[Buffalo Budd]

5 month mark slipped by me yesterday and I didn't even notice.



I have had some weird cravings lately though, nothing even dangerous or tempting, but a reminder that those neurons are still alive.

I missed the smell of a freshly opened pack of cigarettes the other day.  Not the smoking, just the smell.  I also missed the smell of a fresh match applied to a fresh cigarette.

Then I shrugged my shoulders and got back on with life.


Nicotine built some pretty serious pathways in my brain.  I doubt they will ever really go away, but living life without smokes is so much better than with. 


On to trying to develop a fitness plan.  Quitting smoking and two office jobs have really taken a toll on my shape.

I hear you there.  I was completely dizzunk this weekend and walked home from the bar only to find a smoke sitting on my coffee table.  I almost lit up but snapped out of it.
You'd think after 7 months, the cravings would be gone but it can still creep up on ya. 
Keep up the good fight. 

[gah]

5 month mark slipped by me yesterday and I didn't even notice.



I have had some weird cravings lately though, nothing even dangerous or tempting, but a reminder that those neurons are still alive.

I missed the smell of a freshly opened pack of cigarettes the other day.  Not the smoking, just the smell.  I also missed the smell of a fresh match applied to a fresh cigarette.

Then I shrugged my shoulders and got back on with life.


Nicotine built some pretty serious pathways in my brain.  I doubt they will ever really go away, but living life without smokes is so much better than with. 


On to trying to develop a fitness plan.  Quitting smoking and two office jobs have really taken a toll on my shape.

5 months today for me.

Just reading your post there makes me want one though. Ha, maybe I'll have one tonight at the Nas/Damian Marley show to celebrate hitting the 5 month mark.  :roll:

JK, of course. I'm happy to be nicotine free. Kind of.

[Undermind]

Great job gah!  I'm at 67 days nicotine free now and counting.  I plan to start weening myself off of the chantix this weekend.  I'm a little scared because some the people I know that have been unsuccessful with chantix have started smoking again at that point.  I think I'll be ok though! :wink:

[rowjimmy]

My mom quit smoking
after 30+years that
gum is her thing now

[Buffalo Budd]

Great job gah!  I'm at 67 days nicotine free now and counting.  I plan to start weening myself off of the chantix this weekend.  I'm a little scared because some the people I know that have been unsuccessful with chantix have started smoking again at that point.  I think I'll be ok though! :wink:

Nice job so far and good luck 

[nab]

My mom quit smoking
after 30+years that
gum is her thing now

I go back and forth with the gum thing.  I go for a few weeks without it, and then all of a sudden I feel like I need it again.  I buy a box, use it, and repeat the cycle.  I thought at first that I was somehow "cheating" on quitting cigarettes, or that somehow this made me weak.

Then I came to the conclusion that despite the nominal risks of continuing in this pattern, it was sure a hell of a lot better than picking up the smokes again.  Then I eased off the pressure I put on myself to "get off the meds".  Really anything that keeps you from smoking is a good thing.  I'll get off the meds some day (the time period between boxes lengthens each time), but staying smoke free is what is important.   

[UncleEbinezer]

My mom quit smoking
after 30+years that
gum is her thing now

I go back and forth with the gum thing.  I go for a few weeks without it, and then all of a sudden I feel like I need it again.  I buy a box, use it, and repeat the cycle.  I thought at first that I was somehow "cheating" on quitting cigarettes, or that somehow this made me weak.

Then I came to the conclusion that despite the nominal risks of continuing in this pattern, it was sure a hell of a lot better than picking up the smokes again.  Then I eased off the pressure I put on myself to "get off the meds".  Really anything that keeps you from smoking is a good thing.  I'll get off the meds some day (the time period between boxes lengthens each time), but staying smoke free is what is important.

GAH and I have talked about this on several occasions.  Right now the goal is to stop smoking.  If I need to pop a mint of nicotine, no big deal.  The longer I go, the less I need the mints.  For example, sometimes I don't even carry the mints, but if I go out to drink, I bring them with me.  Things are going well for me.

[sls.stormyrider]