Ah, yes – I know some people like that. I always figured it was because they really wanted a cigarette and just couldn’t stand to see anyone smoking.
I don’t think I’ll have that problem as I am pretty much a live and let live kind of guy. I’ll usually just remove myself from a situation I am uncomfortable with rather than expect everyone to bow to my wishes. So if someone wants to smoke, it’s their choice. If they want to quit or want some information about quitting, I’d help 'em out. But I ain’t no preacher, for sure.
Smoking causes poor circulation. That combined with high blood pressure, and you might as well kiss your erections goodbye (so to speak!). If that doesn’t impel you to quit, then I just don’t know.
Consider this. Before too long, your sense of smell and taste will re-awaken. You may not be aware of it now, but tobacco has dulled those senses badly. Everything will taste like the nectar of the gods. You might even put on weight.
Watch out for the guy who, knowing perfectly well that you’re trying to quit, will still try to get you to smoke. Don’t be bashful about asking friends and family for support; find out if there are any support groups in your area.
Good luck. I’ve been tobacco free for five years. It’s a hard slog, but it can be done.
ETA: I watched my sister-in-law’s mother, a heavy smoker, die of lung cancer. You do not want that.
I used hypnotherapy successfully, and there was no post-quit stress, no trying to not smoke, I just didn’t want/need to. I always recommend this method to anyone who asks. That being said, not all hypnotherapists are equal. I had a good one.
Congratulations on your decision, and best of luck.
You know you are serious about quitting when you finally throw out your smoking ‘stuff’ - you know, like the old tin can you use on the balcony as an ashtray, your favorite emergency spare lighter, that sort of thing.
Hmmm. Good point. I have an emergency lighter at home and a lighter in my pocket. The one in my pocket is practically new. I guess I should give that one away (I hate to waste something which is perfectly good). The other one I should toss out. Damn! I just remembered that I have 1 or 2 other lighters as well and a cigarette tin. Gonna have to get busy getting rid of stuff!
Yeah, cold turkey seems to be the only way I can make a dent. Other methods didn’t work in the past. At least this way it is only torturous for a few days. After that it is merely difficult.
Sigh Now I’m going to need a new bad habit! I seem to remember that it is written somewhere that everyone needs at least 1 bad habit, right?
You mention that you started again last time after some major stress. I used to smoke to cope, but then I started thinking about it and there was never ever any problem/issue/stressor that was helped by smoking. Not one. Smoking doesn’t change anything. Smoking never changes anything.
I’d been able to quit cold turkey for months prior to and after two surgeries, but what got me to be quit for good was Chantix. I know some people have had problems with it, but I had none at all. Didn’t even use the full 90-day protocol. Thought about smoking once. Sometimes still wish I could have a cigarette and a beer, but mostly the thought of smoking makes me wanna hack. It’s been three years? God bless Chantix forever.
Heck, smoking actually makes things worse. It’s a stimulant so physically it actually makes you more tense. The only relaxation you feel is from feeding the addiction, and that’s fleeting. Once that has passes you will feel worse than you did before the cigarette.
Gum is good, I have been told that Wrigleys Doublemint is esp good for trying to stop.
Another thing to note- smoking is not good for the nerves, it does not relieve stress- it causes stress. What smokers perceive as stress reviel is just the addiction getting fed another dose.
Jenaroph is right on about the habits. Don’t go to bars for a while, and if you associate coffee with smoking, switch to tea or something. You may be associating beer and smoking- drink wine instead maybe? Or, let’s give you a reward- now that you will be able to appreciate it, get a nice $40 bottle of Singlemalt. Every day without smoking and you get a shot.
You are saving $10 a day, yes? Ok, then your reward is to have fun every day with that $10. Nicer (not bigger!) lunches- “Hmm, instead of Burger King, I can get a Steak sandwich or a Ceasar sald”. A movie- “$13 for a 3D movie? Why not, I saved that much by not smoking”. A massage once a week- “I have not smoked this week I get a half hour massage from that chiroprators office!”
Yep. I read all about that effect as well. Sometime I think it is just a crutch (psychological). You think you need that cigarette because it is always what you do when under stress. But the reason is that the stress actually (if I recall correctly) causes the blood to become more acidic and this flushes the nicotine out of the system faster so you get the urge to smoke to replace the lost nicotine. Of course, if you have not been smoking, I figure it is just the reinforcement of habit over the years – more stress = smoke.
Ok, have not had my lunchtime cigarettes. Starting to feel it a bit. Funny thing it does to me is make me kind of groggy. Loss of the stimulant I guess.
Along this same line, a friend of mine is in a 12 step program for compulsive eating and one day she told me that the reason she wasn’t eating to cope with some serious work stress that day was because “Right now I have one problem. If I eat compulsively, I’ll have two problems.” That’s always stuck with me, both for compulsive eating and smoking.
My main focus when I quit smoking was to keep it simple. I read on these boards that the trick to quitting smoking was simply to never put another cigarette in your mouth. That’s it. That’s the whole trick.
For the first few weeks, I’d remind myself that I simply need to keep a small filter out of the space between my lips. That was all I had to do, didn’t have to solve the worlds problems or run a marathon. Simply keep tab A out of slot B. Seems overly simplistic for a task as big as quitting smoking, but it absolutely worked for me.
I’ll be smoke free for 3 years this coming March after smoking for about a decade.
The only down side to quitting is that I tend to love a lot of smokers and now that I’m not solidly locked in denial of what smoking does to your health, I worry for them a lot.
Simple, but at the same time it can be incredibly hard. That little voice going “come on, man, 1 little smoke won’t hurt you. You can have one…” Argh!!!
Not true because one smoke leads to another and another and pretty soon, half a pack a day or more. Just gotta make it to the end of this day. Then we’ll see what tomorrow brings.
