Congrats to all who are quitting, or even trying to.
I quit 6 months ago. I didn’t go cold-turkey - used the gum…and 6 months later I’m still occassionally chewing the gum. But I’d rather do that than pick up a smoke.
(Been there done that…quit for 7 months two years ago, decided to “just have one” and didn’t quit again for one year).
I still have cravings though, more psychological than physical: something or someone will remind me of a past smoking experience, and I’ll think “hell, a smoke now would be sooooo gooooooood.”
There may be people who disagree here, but I say think about using something like the gum or the patch BEFORE you pick up a cigarette. I admire people who can go cold turkey…but from my POV use any tool available to get yourself “cured” from this addiction. Don’t think you must go cold turkey or else it’s not worth it…the end result is what you’re after.
Gas stations have kept me from starting to smoke again, for two reasons:
They have pay-at-the-pump virtually everywhere, so I don’t have to go in and stare at the cigarette racks while I’m in line, and rationalize “just one”.
I got in an argument with an employee who was smoking outside the front door… ten feet from the damn pumps. There was even an ashtray there for her. Nobody told her that gas fumes are heavier than air, I suppose.
The biggest temptation is to buy when they’re so… easy…to get to. I buy gum or celery sticks every time I go to the store so I can reward my mouth with something good for having to stare at the racks of mouthwatering tobacco sticks behind the clerk.
Pat yourself on the back not just when you beat back a cigarette urge, but when your mind overcomes your instinct and you just keep the “and a box of xxxx” from issuing from your lips. Take a deep breath and feel how far down the air goes; you didn’t used to be able to do that, did you?
Good continued luck, friends.
Carina, just to share, I had part of a cigarette last night. I didn’t buy any, but I bummed one from a friend while we were at a bar. It tasted sooooo good, and soooo bad at the same time. sigh
Well, I’ve climbed back on the wagon, and I’m still quitting. My body is once again screaming for nicotine though. And I thought I had made it through the worst of it.
Whenever i try to quit something, if I have a little slip, I do the worthless thing Carina did and jsut go back to it, figure, what’s the use, I’m shit, etc- ya’ll ain’t doing this! Thats the ticket!
