Stopping Smoking

Well, it's been 84 hours since my last one. So far so good. Is there any "pit-falls" I should be aware of? So far it's been unbelievablely easy. How long till you can say your not a smoker anymore?

Good for you, Cowboy. I've never had the desire to quit. They say the first week is the easiest part and it begins to get harder after that. About 15 years ago Readers Digest had a great article that explained what happens in your body when you quit smoking.

I'm not sure you can ever say you a not a smoker . . . I suspect it's kinda like alcoholism in that you will always be a recovering smoker!!

Good Luck to you.

Congrats on the first 84 hours, Cowboytx!

I found the first 4 days torturous, then it gradually waned, and got easier every day.

My 2 big pitfalls were, 1) after a few smoke-free months, thinking I could have just one a day with my coworkers at the afternoon coffee break, and keep my smoking "under control". Doesn't work like that for me, yet I know people who are situational smokers with no problem. 2) Not having some sort of backup crutch for the first big stress that comes along -- mine was the death of a close family member. I thought I would just quit again after the funeral, and ended up smoking for the next 9 years.

Good job Cowboy yeeeeeehaaaaawwwwww!!!!!!! :D

Now let's go celebrate by having a ciggy!



joe http://users.pandora.be/eforum/emoticons4u/smoking/rauch25.gif

I really empathize. About 12 years ago, I stopped smoking. Since I had smoked for 30 years (with one two-year break--I started again when I had a fight with a boyfriend), it was very traumatic. I did go through what I would describe as almost a psychotic phase for a few weeks, but then got some pharmaceutical help from my physician which got me through it. You are no longer a smoker since you have stopped, but (sorry to say this), you will always be an addict. I still want it despite the fact that I haven't had one since the moment I stopped. One thing that really helped me during that first difficult phase was finding a special place out in nature with lots of trees around where I could hike in peace a couple of times a week and breathe in pure, fresh air. Another thing that helped me was (this is really weird) reading "Interview With The Vampire" by Anne Rice. My sister had just lent it to me and said that it was a really good book. Rice's writing is hypnotic in that book and helped to tranquilize me. Luckily, those things helped so that I didn't have to hit the chocolate too hard and gained only about 10 pounds. So, try to find some new things that you can do with yourself and keep in mind the reason(s) why you stopped.

Good luck!

Good Good Good Luck to you, you are very brave to even try this! I had pneumonia first of this year, never wanted to quit before, and have not quit now. But I can tell you, this is the most difficult thing I have ever tried to do, and is soooooo frustrating. I have now quit smoking inside my apt. gives me some reason to smoke half as much I figure, and any amount you ( or me !!)don't smoke is a good amount, but honestly, good luck to you.
Marie

Thanks all.

I was hoping the first week would be the worst. So far so good. Not sure if it's the book or the pills, but I really dont want a smoke that much.

Good luck to ya cowboy! once I got over the addiction problem, I couldn't stand them anymore :D

How is it going, Cowboy? :)

Best of luck to you, Cowboy! Both of my parents died painful deaths in their early 60's from smoking related diseases. Fighting an addiction is tough, but you can do it and we'll all give you support when you need it. :)

autumn

The flu hit me so hard this year, I landed in the ER with breathing difficulties. I started smoking about 6 years ago(not a good vice)even knowing I had asthma...although not active still I have it.
The addiction to ciggs is beyong what I ever thought...I mean I was in my late 20's when I started.
So, it's been about a week with no ciggs, yet as I'm recovering from the flu the urges are coming back...like the regular routine after waking up, get some coffee get a cigg...grrr. So now trying to quit the coffee too, cutting back. So, I'm stocking up on things to snack on and drinking lots of liquids. I don't really wanna go the pills or patch route. It's a pain right now, cause part of me is saying "i need the cigg" and I'm saying hell no way do i need the crap!Hell, the way I feel today, I'll take a one nighter just for the release of these urges....sucks, it really does.

:mad:

Venus, I would use whatever methods I had to to get rid of this addiction, patches, everything. Especially with your asthma. Many young people die every year of asthma and people ignore it.

I am very careful with this, because I've seen terrible cases of otherwise healthy young people going into fatal asthma attacks because of smoking and even passive smoking. You know, like you I have this disease, too.

Please do everything you can to stop, girl. If I can help with something, tell me. :(

Yes, and I had always been careful prior to becoming a smoke addict. I would have the No Smoking signs on my home door, in the vehicle..people knew you don't smoke near me...well that was then.
Honestly I don't know much about the patches...only that it's like putting the nicotine into your body just not the smoke? I'm scared to go that route. But I did make it through the night not to smoke at all, so no smoke since Oct 16th. But stuffing myself as you know with asthma is no fun either and i don't like gum...lol boy am I grouchy and picky. I just keep saying over and over why I will not smoke.

Venus, if I were you, I would heed Maria's advice and get the patch. Get every drug you possibly can to help you keep from succumbing to your addiction. Be aware that you will always be an addict. You will always want to smoke. When you pass through difficult moments even years in the future, you will get the urge to smoke. It is like an undertow. If it catches you offguard, you may not be able to resist. Although I stopped smoking 13 years ago and have not smoked even a puff since the moment I stopped, I STILL want to smoke and I know that I will always want to. The problem is that nicotine is a very useful drug. It helps us to perform, sharpens our mind and is a wonderful, comforting crutch during times of stress and pain. You need to learn to cope without it, so the patches and drugs will enable you to start acquiring those skills during your initial withdrawal period.

Good luck!

Yes! Use any means needed. My ex's brother was just diagnosed with lung cancer two days ago. He is only 54. He was a smoker for over 30 years and tried many times to quit.

I smoked only for about 3 years (from 16 to 19) and then when I would drink I would smoke. I had a dream last night that I had started smoking again from one of those times I smoked when drinking. I was so upset in my dream that I was smoking again. I remember the feeling so well ....having to have that cigarette. It was a terrible dream. I woke up saying"Oh thank goodness! Just a dream!" Funny thing is I have that dream every so often. That nicotine is so addictive!

Good luck!!

In France they use the patches a lot. You give yourself the nicotine you won't get from the cigarette, so that you can resist at least the nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

This is best done with a doctor to follow you. It's not a method 100% sure, because there are other addictive drugs inside a cigarette, other elements, and also the routine of the act of smoking at certain times...routine is psychologically addictive, too.

Smoking main damage happens to your lungs, so by using the patches you shortcircuit this phase, the lung phase and protect your lung cells. Then with the help of the doctor, you can reduce the amount of nicotine you take on your patches.
I'm not a specialist, but that's roughly how it works.

In Luxembourg there's a number you can call and they give you names of doctors who are used to helping people to quit. You wouldn't believe how huge is the problem in Europe.

I'm condemned to stay home, if I go to a restaurant, to a pub, to a tea house, to the movies (in the lounges) everybody is smoking. I have become so angry with this, I just can't stop but feeling completely disgusted.

Hang in there, and think that after sun, smoking is the second big "cause" of wrinkles.

Maria, come visit me here. It is much better for non-smokers than Europe. Even bars are all non smoking in some places! No smoking in the cinema or any public places like the mall or grocery store. It is great! (bad for the smokers)

If I come, can you find me a boyfriend? ;) Non-smoker, please, smoking causes impotence...:rolleyes:

Patricia, I hear you and yes I feel that I will try the patch, eventually. I'm tired of getting heartburn from muchies...lol But still no cigg but cravings do seem to be worse at night so patch will come i'm sure.

Tru, I don't like those dreams at all either. Sorry to hear about your ex's brother, sad sad.

Well an update would be good from Cowboy, I hope you are doing good with no ciggs? It's making me wiry, erratic, you know those withdrawels (cravings) and grouchy and twiddling my fingers...grrr...lol But I'm just saying NO NO NO!!!!

I am new to this site, but not the issue of smoking, i smoked for 30 years, and stopped, it's that easy, i recently watched a friend die from lung cancer, it was not nice to watch, i see so many young folks, mostly women, and it just upsets me. i hope at the time of this writing, you are still not smoking, the bottom line is you will live longer, isn't that what you want. good luck stay with it. You can do it.