Im quitting smoking.

[Steel]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!
DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!!

WHY DID I EVER START THIS SUCKS SO BAD!


.... ok, now that that craving is over and i popped in a piece of nicrorette, yeah i decided to quit smoking the other day. I havent had a cigarette in two days now, which is pretty good for me. Im normally a pack a day smoker, so this is quite the change here. Oh yeah.. and it sucks too. I can't wait till it gets easier.
So... anyone else quit for good before? Any pointers? So far im going against the grain here and hanging out with my smoking friends, just to get used to being around it. I needa find something to preoccupy myself when i want a cigarette and i'm not at work. Like right now, im just kinda blabbering, but it sure is keeping me from going outside right now and lighting up.

belh this sucks.

[Oz]

Yeah mate, been there and done that and it hurts.

I suggest patches, the smaller and less obtrusive the better. Go on a step down system, but I reckon you can progress through it much faster than the drug companies suggest, they are simply trying to make some good coin from you by extending the addiction.

I suggest you also make some positive lifestyle changes - maybe start a new excercise regime or more balanced diet. Then tell yourself whenever you have a bad nicotine craving that the horrible feeling is simply your damaged body in the process of healing itself - makes it a bit easier to bear.

Best of luck Steel, be clear about your motivations for quitting and stick to them. Oh, and reward yourself periodically for non smoking - I suggest spending all the money you would have spent on cigarettes for 3 months on yourself in other ways instead to give yourself a pat on the back.

[Steel]

Yeah im thinking in a couple weeks once my lungs vlear out, i'm going to start riding my bicycle again, get in shape again. And the money i save i already know im getting 4 new 6.5" for my civic, cause that car really really REALLY needs new speakers. Yes.

Oh yeah, the girl that i work with too that im after (as per the relationship forum) seems to be impressed with my efforts. So. If this raises my likelihood of getting smooches from her, i have every reason to tough it through.

One question though, how long do these "bad" cravings last? 2, 4, 6 weeks? I've come to terms with the fact that as a 'former' heavy smoker, i will have to live with that little devil in the back of my mind for the rest of my life. And that's cool. But i hope this torture ends sooner rather than later.

[Oz]

The first two weeks are the worst - it gets easier after that. Excercise will actually help clear your lungs out. Best of luck chasing tail dude.

[Igovert500]

Hmm, good ideas.

Few things that helped me:

1) Tell lots of friends you are quitting. And get their support
2) Try and avoid situations where many of your friends/co-workers are smoking. Breaks at work and such.
3) I got cravings whenever i watched somebody on tv or a movie smoking...so ignore those
4) I wore a stupid braclet out whenever I went drinking (because I tend to relapse after a few pints) to remind me not to smoke when I got buzzed

After a few weeks it gets significantly easier. But chances are you will relapse. Most everybody does. Take it in stride, and don't worry about it, don't mentally beat yourself up about it. Just start fresh the next day, don't allow yourself to go back.

Good luck.

[Steel]

Well having a few butts when im out drinking after not smoking for a while i wouldnt count as "relapse", as long as i dont buy a pack and smoke sober the next day. I'll just be another 'social smoker'. I hope.

I still hate this shit, day four and counting.

[travis712]

Take it like a man .

haha no, i'm just kidding. I really hope you quit the cancer stick. With the huge crowd of new people on AF, we need all the old school members we can get. You can't help much if your in a wooden box 6 feet under now can ya? Ofcourse i'm just trying to help you out here man, lol.

Best of luck bro.

[VR43000GT]

Hope you get though this man. I've tried quitting chewing and I simpily could not do it. I know that the guy I work with quit smoking by having just a few dips of Skoal every day to take off the edge. It did work for him and he's been smoke free for about 2 months now. And he was smoking about what you are/were. Whatever works for you and I truly wish you the best of luck.

[BleedDodge]

You have to remember the day you stopped, or else it doesn't mean anything and I'll tell you why. Someone who thinks you still smoke might offer you a cigarette and you'll tell them that you quit, and they'll ask you when or how long ago. Then you can tell them and I bet they'll never offer you another smoke again. For me this day is September 14th 2002. I haven't had a cigarette since, and I smoked for nearly three years.

You have to want to go through with it or else it won't happen. Don't give in and have a smoke and blame it on something bad happening to you because you'll only feel guilty afterwards. I think about smoking sometimes, occasionally I'll have dreams where I'm smoking and I'll wake up feeling so ashamed of myself, but then I feel good knowing it was only a dream and that I still don't actually smoke. I feel great knowing that I had the power to stop when others cannot and they're still spending 10 bucks a day to smoke.

You can do it, I'm here to tell you.

[vinnym86]

wow, congratulations, man. I've been smoking since my freshman year of high school, but i had cold turkeyed it for two years straight. I picked up the habbit when i got to college, and i'm back on 1 pack a week. hopefully, it'll never get more than that.

i tend to get very edgy and tense if i don't have a cigarette, and oh god, sweaty palms!! I had 'quit' for a month this year for the sake of just one clean month, and i gotta say, sweaty palms was the thing that bothered me the most. I just ended up smoking weed to chill myself out and make myself less bitchy, but in hindsight, i guess that defeated the purpose of my 'one clean month' approach... well, congratulations man, it really will help you in life, like getting the girl. for one thing, your clothes will actually smell nice now, instead of smoke. you can run without keeling over and hurling after 100 yards, and, (something my friend did which i found interesting) open a new bank account, and deposit whatever you'd pay for a pack in whenever you get cravings while you're quitting. that way, when you're confident and know you're free, you can take out all the money and buy yourself something nice as a congratulatory gift.

[TexasF355F1]

Just think of all the money you'll save.

[-Davo]

Originally Posted by Steel

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!
DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!!

WHY DID I EVER START THIS SUCKS SO BAD!


.... ok, now that that craving is over and i popped in a piece of nicrorette, yeah i decided to quit smoking the other day. I havent had a cigarette in two days now, which is pretty good for me. Im normally a pack a day smoker, so this is quite the change here. Oh yeah.. and it sucks too. I can't wait till it gets easier.
So... anyone else quit for good before? Any pointers? So far im going against the grain here and hanging out with my smoking friends, just to get used to being around it. I needa find something to preoccupy myself when i want a cigarette and i'm not at work. Like right now, im just kinda blabbering, but it sure is keeping me from going outside right now and lighting up.

belh this sucks.

Man good work! I hope ya stay off them too! I smoked when I was like 13 for 6 months but stopped, w00t!

[fredjacksonsan]

Perseverence.... Two weeks will see the cravings decrease. Easiest advice I've heard: don't even start, not one.

My wife smoked before we met, and said to this day she would still sometimes like to have one, but that she ignores it and it goes away.

Good decision!

[NOBU-SAN]

Two days and counting for me Steel. Tough, sure. I smoked for 12 years. I tried to look ahead and imagine how great it'll be when I haven't done it for a year. Seems too long. I'm just trying to not smoke today. I fully intend to start excercising tonight too. Didn't last night, too busy with the old lady!

Best of luick to you, pray about it too man. That always seems to help.

[Steel]

Welp. Im at a week now, going strong. I still have the times where i would kill for a smoke, like after eating, but i take some deep breaths, chew some nicorette, and feel better. Im down to only 3-4 pieces of gum a day too.

Few things i've noticed:
-i feel great! Waking up in the morning, my lungs dont hurt, i'm not coughing up lung-butter all day, and i'm starting to get more energy. I even have a cold right now, but it's not nearly as bad as it could be.
- damn can i eat a lot of food. Lucky for my high metabolism because i'd likely turn into a fatass with the way i'm eating now.
- except for the regression from the aforementioned cold, i'm starting to get my sense of smell and taste back. And yes, now i notice that my clothes dont stink like cigs. I never really realized how nasty that stale cigarette smell was. Oh yeah, and since the nicorette is minty (slightly, not overbearing like altoids) then i have constantly minty breath, instead of constantly smoky. *ladies may start sending in their applications now*
-I havent gotten on my bike yet, but that's cause it's been raining the past goddamn week.
- with the $5 a day I save, i'll have enough money for a new motor and steering rack for my car in a couple months. Awesome. BTW, anyone have a D15B7 that ISN'T burning oil that they wanna sell me?

Cool. So this is going good so far. Thanks for the support guys. I'm so elated to finally stop saying "I gotta quit these things" and instead be saying "I quit those things..."