Smoking

[Sable]

I was never really a heavy smoker... In fact I could go days without, but some days I really craved, and if I ever had an alcoholic drink or coffee, or was walking/waiting somewhere alone, id get an overpowering urge to smoke. I tried to give up so many times but never did... Until recently, its been over 2 and a half weeks, and it feels really different this time. I didnt announce to anybody I was doing it, and made it a little deal as possible, and I feel like this is finally it... I walked past someone smoking the other day and it made me gag, (I have heard ex smokers are the worst hypocrits ) Just wondering if anybody else has recently given up smoking, might be good to support each other?

[Sonia]

I smoked off and on between 13-20.. mostly socially. I don't get addicted to things very easily, so it wasn't too difficult to quit and I haven't smoked in a year or more. I still get the occasional urge to smoke, but what stops me is just thinking about the future. I want to live as long as possible so that I can spend as much time as possible with my loved ones - my family, my husband, my future children. Life is short and I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I lost time with them because of something as stupid as smoking. Each time you tell yourself "no" it gets easier, just stick with it and remember why it isn't worth it.

[loopyloo]

Well done, you two. Quitting this young means you are unlikely to have any health problems in the future. My dad died of lung cancer shortly before my university graduation. His dream in life was to see me graduate, move into my own place and marry, but he died when I was 21. When smokers tell me they'd rather shave a few years off their lives than quit smoking I always think of how devastated my dad was when he realised he would not live to see to see any of these things.

[lawson12]

Yeah, buddy. Even i was going through the same phase in my life since giving up smoking is the hardest thing in this world to do. But feels nice that i have overcome that addiction. I have started feeling healthy and good. I must admit that those were worst days of my life.

[YummyDollie]

I'm on week 10 of been a non smoker I'm 16 weeks pregnant and found out when I was 5 weeks gone so immediately cracked on with quitting. My personal way was to do it without any nicotine replacement as I didn't want to then become addicted to that. I read Allen carrs easy way to quit smoking and quit instantly never craved or smoked a cigarette since (god I sound like an advertisement haha) I found the free PDF online though so didn't buy the book (cheapskate haha) good luck anyone else quitting its so worth it!

[laurie]

about 90% of my family smokes and way too many of my relatives have breathing problems or have passed away from lung cancer, so i haven't had a cigarette since i tried one when i was 16.
i most definitely do not want to have to struggle with something as basic as breathing nor do i want to effect (affect? eh, always confused me ) any of my friends and family with second hand smoke.

[nothinggold]

I had smoked since I was 15. Two years ago I started smoking more heavily and became addicted. I was up to about a half a pack a day to like 3/4 of a pack a day. I went cold turkey one day. I've had a cigarette here and there since but I honestly can barely stand to smoke the whole thing.
Sometimes I still consider breaking down and buying a pack after a bad day but I haven't caved yet. Smoking was weirdly personal to me, much of my close family smoked and on my favorite aunt still does. My best friends smoked. My boyfriend did not and hated that I did and I quite mostly because of him. I think that's kinda stupid and bad because if we ever break up, the first thing I'll do is probably buy a pack of cigarettes. I did do it kinda for myself but mostly for him and yeah. I have horrible anxiety and smoking honestly helped me a lot. It seems stupid but it did and when I was really upset, going out and having a smoke really helped me regroup myself. Now I get upset and I don't really know what to do with myself. I struggle to regroup. So I mostly miss it when I'm stressed. Otherwise, I could care less. I used to smoke in the car a lot and now I just chew gum when I feel like smoking. I keep a big pack of my favorite kind.
Quitting was difficult for the first week but it got easier. It's just gotten a lot harder to stay off them because of stress.
I cannot stand phony smokers. Until you know what it's like to crave that cigarette with all your might and the relief you get at that first hit, you don't smoke. I always hated it when people would be like "Yah I smoke" bum a cigarette, and then not even smoke the whole damn thing. No, you don't.

[hollaatmegurl]

I had smoked since I was 15. Two years ago I started smoking more heavily and became addicted. I was up to about a half a pack a day to like 3/4 of a pack a day. I went cold turkey one day. I've had a cigarette here and there since but I honestly can barely stand to smoke the whole thing.
Sometimes I still consider breaking down and buying a pack after a bad day but I haven't caved yet. Smoking was weirdly personal to me, much of my close family smoked and on my favorite aunt still does. My best friends smoked. My boyfriend did not and hated that I did and I quite mostly because of him. I think that's kinda stupid and bad because if we ever break up, the first thing I'll do is probably buy a pack of cigarettes. I did do it kinda for myself but mostly for him and yeah. I have horrible anxiety and smoking honestly helped me a lot. It seems stupid but it did and when I was really upset, going out and having a smoke really helped me regroup myself. Now I get upset and I don't really know what to do with myself. I struggle to regroup. So I mostly miss it when I'm stressed. Otherwise, I could care less. I used to smoke in the car a lot and now I just chew gum when I feel like smoking. I keep a big pack of my favorite kind.
Quitting was difficult for the first week but it got easier. It's just gotten a lot harder to stay off them because of stress.
I cannot stand phony smokers. Until you know what it's like to crave that cigarette with all your might and the relief you get at that first hit, you don't smoke. I always hated it when people would be like "Yah I smoke" bum a cigarette, and then not even smoke the whole damn thing. No, you don't.

That's mainly why I'm finding it hard to quit. I get anxious and stressed about a lot of stuff (that I shouldn't even get anxious about but what can ya do) and it just calms me down and helps me regroup. Also because I actually like the taste of it (which sounds like a dumb reason I know). Just makes me feel better.

Do you guys have any tips for quitting? Other than mental reasons, like "I don't want to get lung cancer" because I'm not exactly the most strong-minded person and that probably wouldn't help me quit. Have any of you tried the patch things or the gum that's supposed to 'reduce cravings'?

[BrunetteBarbie]

I started smoking on and off when I was fourteen, I stopped completely about ten months ago. It wasn't really a gradual thing, I just stopped. I don't miss it. I started chewing gum as a replacement( just regular gum). Never tried the gum that stops cravings but I've heard the patches work pretty good. Try electronic cigarettes, also.

[YummyDollie]

I had smoked since I was 15. Two years ago I started smoking more heavily and became addicted. I was up to about a half a pack a day to like 3/4 of a pack a day. I went cold turkey one day. I've had a cigarette here and there since but I honestly can barely stand to smoke the whole thing.
Sometimes I still consider breaking down and buying a pack after a bad day but I haven't caved yet. Smoking was weirdly personal to me, much of my close family smoked and on my favorite aunt still does. My best friends smoked. My boyfriend did not and hated that I did and I quite mostly because of him. I think that's kinda stupid and bad because if we ever break up, the first thing I'll do is probably buy a pack of cigarettes. I did do it kinda for myself but mostly for him and yeah. I have horrible anxiety and smoking honestly helped me a lot. It seems stupid but it did and when I was really upset, going out and having a smoke really helped me regroup myself. Now I get upset and I don't really know what to do with myself. I struggle to regroup. So I mostly miss it when I'm stressed. Otherwise, I could care less. I used to smoke in the car a lot and now I just chew gum when I feel like smoking. I keep a big pack of my favorite kind.
Quitting was difficult for the first week but it got easier. It's just gotten a lot harder to stay off them because of stress.
I cannot stand phony smokers. Until you know what it's like to crave that cigarette with all your might and the relief you get at that first hit, you don't smoke. I always hated it when people would be like "Yah I smoke" bum a cigarette, and then not even smoke the whole damn thing. No, you don't.

That's mainly why I'm finding it hard to quit. I get anxious and stressed about a lot of stuff (that I shouldn't even get anxious about but what can ya do) and it just calms me down and helps me regroup. Also because I actually like the taste of it (which sounds like a dumb reason I know). Just makes me feel better.

Do you guys have any tips for quitting? Other than mental reasons, like "I don't want to get lung cancer" because I'm not exactly the most strong-minded person and that probably wouldn't help me quit. Have any of you tried the patch things or the gum that's supposed to 'reduce cravings'?

The one thing I read in that Alan Carr quit smoking book that stuck by me the most was the way he explained tht its not smoking that "calms" you down your body's stressed and becoming distressed on top of your usual stress eclipse its screaming for nicotine so once you have a cigarette you feel "calm" because you've shit that silly nicotine craving up. So one you've quit you don't have those proper stresse out niggling "I NEED A CIGARETTE NOW TO CALM DOWN" feelings because their no longer there. Smoking doesn't fill a void it causes one (I'm such a preachy ex smoker haha) good luck!

[YummyDollie]

Sorry for spelling mistakes I'm on my phone!

[Angie V]

I could never get into smoking because I know I'd get addicted. I tried it once and it was such a heavenly taste I seriously considered caving in after that but I didn't (so far).
I hate the aftertaste of unfiltered cigarettes, though. It's initially good but afterwards the taste in my mouth was like.... spoiled jerky or something. So nasty.

But yeah, I used to not understand how and why people could smoke but now my perspective has changed.

Good luck on your endeavor! Stay strong!

[hanmyo]

I really shouldn't smoke. I have asthma and it recently gave me bronchitis so severe that i ripped up the muscles around my rib cage and had to go to the hospital.

I only do it at my one friends house. she offers and I dont turn it down. Its one every so often so its not hard to quit. I just dont want to.

[hollaatmegurl]

^ I also have issues with actually wanting to quit. Part of me does, part of me doesn't give enough of a shit to want to quit.

[Sonia]

I think it's pretty much impossible to quit if you don't genuinely want to. It helps to tell people close to you that you're trying to quit and to tell them when you have a craving so they can talk you out of it.. I did this with my husband and although I was sometimes like fuck you and smoked anyway, it did often change my mind. But ultimately, you have to have that desire to quit to begin with.

[paperbackwriter]

^ I also have issues with actually wanting to quit. Part of me does, part of me doesn't give enough of a shit to want to quit.

Quitting was really hard for me. I was a pack-a-day smoker for a couple years at the end of it and my boyfriend just really wanted me to quit so badly that it was a problem. I think I smoked three more months after I told him that I quit (it was an LDR). The guilt of having lied eventually made it easier for me, and it was hard because it was freshman year of college and all of my friends were smokers so I had to kind of distance myself. I think I actually inspired a few of them to quit which was pretty good for them.

Literally everyone in France smokes. Sometimes it's a little hard and I get cravings but I resist it because it is so damn expensive.

[nothinggold]

I'm so horrible. I got a pack of cigarettes and have been lightly smoking this week. Just one here and there. I was doing so good. I feel like shit but ugh nicotine.

[MakeupGirly]

It's strange, when I drink I want f.a.gs sooo bad. Any other time I don't crave them or think about them at all. As soon as alcohol hits my system I can't get a f.a.g into my mouth quick enough It's not too bad if I'm not around smokers, the two friends I go out with most don't smoke so generally we stay inside (can't smoke indoors here) and that keeps the idea from getting into my head. I try to tell myself before I go out that I'm not smoking, but when I'm drunk that all goes out the window. I haven't smoked in a month though which is good!

[BornThisWay94]

I haven't smoked in eight weeks and I'm very proud of myself. Quitting was very hard for me to do at first, but I found myself not needing cigarettes anymore. It's a nasty habit.

[Doctor's Companion]

It's strange, when I drink I want f.a.gs sooo bad. Any other time I don't crave them or think about them at all. As soon as alcohol hits my system I can't get a f.a.g into my mouth quick enough It's not too bad if I'm not around smokers, the two friends I go out with most don't smoke so generally we stay inside (can't smoke indoors here) and that keeps the idea from getting into my head. I try to tell myself before I go out that I'm not smoking, but when I'm drunk that all goes out the window. I haven't smoked in a month though which is good!

I know what you mean. I quit a few years ago and the only time I come close to slipping up is when I drink alcohol. However, I'm unable to consume alcohol at the moment due to the medication I'm on, which has killed any cravings I've had.

Congrats for not smoking for a month.