Because I am. Current mood is short-tempered bitchiness. Headache is also really pleasant.
Thought that maybe, if other were suffering, it would make me, well, not happy per se, but, you know: misery loves company. I’ve never tried quitting before, actually, so this is my first withdrawal experience. Needless to say: not enjoying it.
Any idea when the headache ends and me running 10Ks begins?
Obviously, title should read “cigarettes” not “cigarette.”
Probably a bad sign that I can’t type that word without an all-consuming craving for nicotine, followed by an irrational hatred of my neighbor at work. Yes, Dennis. That’s you. I hate you. You studious, quiet, diligent, man, you.
I am! Today is my first day.
I’ve tried quitting many times. The first few days are hard, but it gets easier.
My newest technique was to read Allen Carrs EZ way to quit smoking, and to post signs in my basement (used to be the smoking area) and the door to outside. The signs read: “Don’t Die of Cancer.” I’ve also been paying attention to the anti-smoking ads on TV, when before I would just ignore them.
Anyway, don’t give up. Drink a lot of water and at night, some kind of decaf tea.
I quit recently, back in October. I’ve been using the patches, which have stopped my cravings but still leave me addicted to nicotine. So far, just a couple of lapses, but nothing that made me go back to smoking on a regular basis.
Good luck!
Meow Meow: I have no technique. I’m just trying cold turkey, which, I suppose, in itself, is a technique. Hmm. Anyway, I’m stubborn enough to think I can just quit, probably because I’ve never failed before—fingers crossed. (Also, love your screen-name. It’s what I called my cat when I was 12 and too embarrased to call him by the name my Dad gave him, which was MacCavity, which was from “Cats” and was in fact rather dorky, even in retrospect).
Baron: Thanks. Congrats, as well.
Ha! When I was 12 I was acting “Cats” out in my living room, even though I wouldn’t have seen the play for 10 more years. Now that’s dorky.
The idea behind Alan Carr is basically that we are addicts. Cigarettes don’t even taste good, it’s the nicotine that makes us THINK we are tasting something good. I like that idea, the idea that I’m not missing out on anything good.
He also talks about the fact that smokers are not happier than non-smokers, but that is what the evil that is our addiction would like us to think.
Not to mention that we’ll be saving a lot of money. I like that, too.
Sorry if I sound preachy, but it’s what helps me. I’ve been smoking since I was around 15. I’m 36 now. I need all the help I can GET!
Well, that’s kind of reassuring. I mean, I really enjoyed smoking. I liked the smell adn the taste (or so I thought, perhaps) and, being a Californian, I liked how it forced me to go outside & enjoy the day, take a break from work or the kitchen or whatever else. I’ll miss that part, I know. Maybe I should start going outside for 10 minutes with the crossword puzzle or something. Ugh. Can’t think about it anymore.
I like the saving money part too. I think we should put $5 a day on the side (I was a pack-a-day man, personally) so I can remember how great it is not spending that money.
Let’s do this meow meow. For Bustopher Jones (who was not skin and bones. In fact, he was remarkably fat)
I’m with ya! Deep breaths, and knowing that with each moment we are getting healthier.
also for Mungojerry AND Rumpleteezer.
Through college and university, I’d always smoked occasionally, but over the past year (second year of Uni) I’d started smoking much more heavily. Particularly buying my own cigarettes, and buying them when I was sober.
So I gave up a few weeks ago, because smoking’s not as cool as I think it is.
Getting drunk and resisting temptation would have been hard before. Now that smoking’s banned in public places and has been for nearly a year, though, going outside and chatting to friends and strangers is a really enjoyable part of the night.
I managed not to smoke at my New Year’s party, despite being offered several. But I’m going out tomorrow night and if something’s going to tempt me into having one, it’ll be seeing my usual friends leave for a cigarette. What’s even more likely to make me go outside for one is if I find out a girl I find particularly attractive smokes, I know that’ll probably be the only chance I’ll get to talk to her in a noisy club.
Silly reasons, but others will know what I mean. And good luck to you all. Remember - you smell nicer now. Probably.
That goes without saying, really.
I will be quitting again. I was clean for 360 days last time, and I’m still putting up a feeble resistance, on the theory that quitting a quarter pack a day habit will be easier than a pack a day habit. I used the gum. You can’t chew it by itself (it’s like chewing a cigarette) so I get some sugar-free bubblegum and chew them together. Also, exercise. Any time you get a craving, do soem exercise. You’re going to be eating a lot more.
Best 11 bucks I ever spent. To this day, I can’t believe how fricking easy that book made it to give up smoking.
I quit on September 04, 2006. It’s going surprisingly well. This is my second truly earnest attempt at quitting since starting up 13 years ago. The first time I had quit for 4 1/2 years then started up again. :smack:
The things that make me successful in my attempts are quitting drinking for a month or so after quitting and finding something, anything to do other than smoke a cigarette when I’m having a craving. I would pick up a magazine, go for a walk, call someone just to B.S., turn on the T.V., read a few pages out of a book, throw a load of laundry in the dishwasher, etc.
It’s working and I’ve saved a ton of money in the past four months.
Good luck and kudos to all of you that are trying to quit.
Yeah—I just ate 12 pounds of chow mein. Uh oh.
Apparently quitting smoking makes me a little crazy what with throwing my laundry in the dishwasher and all. I meant the washing machine. Really! I swear!
I quit years ago. Here’s my tips:
Don’t try to quit until you’re ready to quit. Many people get caught in the on/off cycle of quitting and starting up over and over. I only tried to quit once, and when I smoked my last cig, I knew it was my last one forever.
In working up to quitting, eliminate the places and times where you smoke. Stop smoking in your house, car, and other places. Make yourself go outside to smoke even when you don’t have to.
If all else fails, do what I did. Quit when you have your wisdom teeth out. You’re going to be miserable anyways and you shouldn’t be smoking. Any minor surgery would work. Use it as an excuse.
The Allan Carr book really helped me as well - I’ve been off cigarettes for a month after a 20 year habit (started at 15). Not long but does feel easy this time.
The main thing that’s working for me is to realise that you’re not actually missing anything (to paraphrase a previous poster) - the pleasure you get from a cigarette is just the satisfaction of a nicotine craving, and if you can break the nicotine habit then it’s not actually a pleasure at all.
That said, I did quit for two years a while back and fell off the wagon again - but it really does help to think “thank goodness I don’t have to smoke any more” rather than feeling like you’re missing something.
Good luck to anyone who’s trying - keep at it!
You do NOT want anything mechanical to break when you’ve just quit.
Nickyxx9,
A month is long time, if you really think about it. Considering the typical nicotine addict seems to get a craving about every 20 minutes after just having smoked. If you were a pack-a-day smoker you’ve just spared your body about 600 cigarettes. Pat yourself on the back.
I use Quitmeter.com to track my progress and others I know use Quitnet.com. It’s very encouraging when you can see how much you haven’t smoked and how much money you’ve saved.
I was able to get my partner a new I-Pod for x-mas and she got me a ping pong table. This would not have been possible if we had been spending the money on smokes.
That’s the message from Carr’s book that helped me too.
I quit for three years – easily, without withdrawal or stress – and started again when I was going through a bad time at my job. I told myself that smoking would help. :smack:
It also helped that Carr shoots down the myth about nicotine – that it’s harder to quit smoking than it is to stop heroin. Nicotine is out of your system in three days and the physical withdrawal symptoms are negligible.
Good luck, Birdmonster!