Smoking

@ariciunervos,

I stopped many, many years ago after several failed attempts. My eventual (and successful) way was to imagine the cigarette manufacturers as some sort of ghastly drug-dealer cartel. Every time I wanted a smoke I imaged some board room filled with the worst, sleazy criminal types, all laughing at the fact that they had me hooked! That visual image acted like a sort of aversion therapy. I would now rather eat garbage than have a cigarette.
Good luck - the pain is worth it.

@Icon,

Interesting techniques. Thanks guys. I think Poseidons got something. I have been clean for three days and in those three days, I went for an 8 miles nature hike with a 20 lb pack, jogged a total of 10 miles, did 300 situp, 300 push ups and 150 squats. At this rate, I'll be ready for olympic soccer next spring. Hahaha

@Icon,

LOL @ Icon. We're a lot alike... LOL. The stubborn and not taking medication, it's funny when I read your post.

What makes it even funnier is that I too smoke and have been desiring to quit as well. Actually, tomorrow.. today now, I've actually planned it. My last cigarette was today and at 3:30 I'm going to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned and quit with a fresh mouth. Smile

I've quit smoking twice in the last 10 years, once with my wife for a year when we both quit cold turkey, and then once on the patch. Both times it was most important to not visualize myself as a smoker anymore. It was when I seen myself smoking and visualize myself as a smoker that it was tough but once I changed how I looked at it, it was actually very easy.

If you are a people watcher and you actually take a look at people from a birds eye view and watch the smoker outside and in the rain and forgetting the keys but remembering the smokes... on and on and on. You'll see just how ridiculous it is and it will be easier to quit. People can lose weight too, but if they still see themselves overweight, they'll put it right back on. Same goes with smoking I would think.

My downfall was that I convinced myself after quitting for a year that it was actually very easy to do with the right frame of mind. So easy I thought I'd celebrate with a cigarette and just quit again in a year or two. That was a wrong move. Needless to say, I'm quitting as well!

We should open a Quit Smoking Support group for those who are quitting.

Icon wrote:

I don't get discouraged if I fail. I find out where I went wrong and do it again with a few tweaks. I do that until I get it right.

No ifs! :bigsmile:

@Justin,

Really - good luck to all of you! I know you two can do it if you put your minds to the task.

@xris,

xris;35313 wrote:

Wrong attitude..give yourself a dead line and stick to it..dont be a tart..

Come on. About 80% of people who try to quit require multiple attempts. It's more addictive than cocaine.

@Icon,

OK, since this is something that two of us are doing, maybe there are more who would be interested in setting up a social group to support each other as we quit smoking. I've created the group called: QUIT SMOKING - Support Group and once we have 5 members, we can open a social group forum. Please, join the group and we'll get this additional forum opened up.

@Justin,

Maybe one day I'll give it another go... In the mean time, if you could use a cheerleader, let me know and I'll join.

A doctor to field medical questions might also be useful *hint*

@Icon,

I've never picked up the habit myself, but I've gathered from other smokers that much of the pleasure from smoking comes from the psychological "act" of smoking. As others said, it gives you something to do, and after a time, you start to enjoy the physical act of smoking the cigarette, inhaling the smoke, the taste/smell, etc.

This is why the the nicotine gum seems to be especially effective; you can ween yourself down on the nicotine dose while also giving your mouth & tastebuds something to do like with smoking. The act of chewing the gum gives your mind something to focus on like it did with the act of smoking.

@Pangloss,

I too smoke, and share the concerns many of you have expressed.

My problem is, if I'm really honest about it, that I don't want to want to stop. I want to continue. Knowing that it'll likely cause a slow, painful, choking death - for whatever reason - hasn't deterred me. Perhaps I'm being self-destructive, maybe I'm "living for the moment, the future be damned". Most likely it's a combination of these things.

I just wish I wanted to stop; more than i do. It's an expensive habit (and in that way alone, one I can ill afford).

Good luck to those endeavoring to quit; hopefully I'll be joining your ranks soon.

Thanks

@Khethil,

Like all smokers you are kidding yourself...you want to jack it in but have not the bottle to try..iknow ive been there..now i am the hate everything about it, i cant stand people who even smell of them they make me feel sick...you have to build up an aversion to them..give yourself a date about a week away to give your inner mind time to accept it..Then realise every time you crave for one the desire only lasts thirty seconds...its every half hour to begin with then the time progressively gets longer...are you man or a mouse? dont answer that...

@xris,

xris wrote:

Like all smokers you are kidding yourself...you want to jack it in but have not the bottle to try..iknow ive been there..now i am the hate everything about it, i cant stand people who even smell of them they make me feel sick...you have to build up an aversion to them..give yourself a date about a week away to give your inner mind time to accept it..Then realise every time you crave for one the desire only lasts thirty seconds...its every half hour to begin with then the time progressively gets longer...are you man or a mouse? dont answer that...

Haha, nice.

Well, quite the contrary, I'm well aware of what's going on. I just don't want to stop bad enough. When I make that decision - when I want to enough. I will. For now, I don't Smile

Thanks

@Khethil,

Khethil wrote:

Haha, nice.

Well, quite the contrary, I'm well aware of what's going on. I just don't want to stop bad enough. When I make that decision - when I want to enough. I will. For now, I don't

Thanks

http://inventorspot.com/files/images/tar.jpg

How about now ? Laughing

-

@Icon,

Thanks for the painful memories of coughing up all of that tar for those few months after quitting. If you think cigarettes taste bad going down, wait until they come back up.

@Icon,

congratulations on a smart decision. two things: accept that for an undetermined amount of time, you will want something you cannot have. also, treat nicotine like any other serious addictive drug. there is no such thing as 'just one.' much like there are no speed monkeys who freebase occasionally.

@jane phil,

jane wrote:

congratulations on a smart decision. two things: accept that for an undetermined amount of time, you will want something you cannot have. also, treat nicotine like any other serious addictive drug. there is no such thing as 'just one.' much like there are no speed monkeys who freebase occasionally.

HAHAHAHAHAHA. As someone who has never been addicted to any sort of illegal substance, I don't know what that is like. To be honest, this is my first true addiction besides sex. I have quit sex for the time being so I guess I'll just have to figure out the same method for smokes.

And no, self pleasure is not how I quit so I CAN follow the same technique.

@Icon,

here's the other thing. when i quit, i quickly realized that i used cigarettes for dealing with everything--happy, sad, neutral situations. not having that is scary for a time; everything feels brand new. this is okay. just be comfortable with perhaps not acting like yourself for a while. i was a smidge weepy for a few weeks.

@Icon,

Icon wrote:

HAHAHAHAHAHA. As someone who has never been addicted to any sort of illegal substance, I don't know what that is like. To be honest, this is my first true addiction besides sex. I have quit sex for the time being so I guess I'll just have to figure out the same method for smokes.

And no, self pleasure is not how I quit so I CAN follow the same technique.

Have you quit sex or has sex quit you???I can give up dope ..easy peasie..fags bit difficult... red wine my only friend could i say goodbye??..but sex oooo twitch twitch bury me deep..

@xris,

xris wrote:

Have you quit sex or has sex quit you???I can give up dope ..easy peasie..fags bit difficult... red wine my only friend could i say goodbye??..but sex oooo twitch twitch bury me deep..

Unfortunately for a couple of very attractive ladies, I have quit sex. I cannot have that sort of emotional distraction in my life right now. I need to finish my book and get some things in order and sex (which is an emotional thing for me as well as physical) is nothing more than a hinderance. Though, one of them still believes she can convince me to act according to her will. I am fairly sure the other has accepted my choice or is atleast tactful enough to wait until I've had a few.

@Icon,

Icon wrote:

Unfortunately for a couple of very attractive ladies, I have quit sex. I cannot have that sort of emotional distraction in my life right now. I need to finish my book and get some things in order and sex (which is an emotional thing for me as well as physical) is nothing more than a hinderance. Though, one of them still believes she can convince me to act according to her will. I am fairly sure the other has accepted my choice or is atleast tactful enough to wait until I've had a few.

Do you need a surrogate lover for a while..im available

@xris,

xris wrote:

Do you need a surrogate lover for a while..im available

Not sure you'de be able to fill the role. :poke-eye:

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