As of 10:00 PM EST on Saturday, April 8, I smoked my last cigarette. This thread will be my diary dealing with the day-to-day strugg;e I have, as I think it (and the encouragement of others here) might help me.
Sunday was the first full day without tobacco. It was not easy. I am using Zyban, which I can’t say enough good things about. It is keeping me sane. I’ve been on it for almost 2 weeks now, and cigarettes started tasting bad, and I don’t crave them as much.
The problem is the physical stuff - oral fixation, keeping my hands occupied… So I masturbate a lot more now. Okay, I’m kidding… Actually, I bought a box of toothpicks, which seems to fix both things to a degree.
Still, it was a pain all day yesterday, as the NEED for a cigarette came pretty often - every couple of minutes or so.
I cleaned and aired out my apartment, cleaned and aired out my car, and am burning a smelly candle at all times.
I went to bed glad I managed a full day without smokes for the first time in a long time. I’ll keep this diary going - the good and the bad that happens - for as long as it feels right.
My last smoke (so far, and I’m hoping for awhile) was at 8pm Sunday night. Tonight, b-day party for sister-in-law, which means if I want to avoid smoking I probably need to have zero beer or anything else. When is it worst for you, Satan?
I quit 15 years ago Satan. I know how hard it is to imagine yourself not smoking. But just hang… the cravings will lessen and pass. That will be soon too, maybe another week or two. That ain’t long… not really. Then you will be patting yourself on the back for doing something monumental. Quiting nicotine. congratulations and all the luck!!!
Satan, you ever read Aleister Crowley’s 1922 novel DIARY OF A DRUG FIEND? I recommend it…of course, the protagonists are merely trying to get off heroin, which is a snap compared to quitting cigarettes, but still.
Wow, with all of the personal discoveries, life changes, and big events Satan has gone through lately, I expect him to start a thread to chronical his invention of a perpetual motion machine.
Satan - I quit smoking Oct. 1994. The biggest problem I had was handling the stress from my job. I evidently had always used smoking (and eating) to handle stressful situations. My third week and third month were hardest for me, I think becuase I quit cold turkey without the use of a patch. My doctor told me much later that I should have tried to get with a support group/team to help deal with stress and other subjects such as oral fixations. I had to stay away from social functions for awhile because I always would smoke more if I were drinking. So try to think of the places or occasions that you smoke the most at and avoid them for awhile.
I stopped on December 20th. It’s been hard. But it has also been worth it. I still get a craving every now and then, but I really wonder if it’s craving as much as knowing I smoked before. At any rate, it takes 21 days to break a habit.
** Sigh. So many men, so few who can afford me ** Original by Wally
I’ve learned that if someone says something unkind about me, I must live so that no one will believe it.
Congrats and good luck, Satan. As a field trip, it might be worth it to go to the hosiptal and talk to some lung cancer patients. I watched a good friend/boss die of lung cancer that cured me of ever even being tempted to start.
A little persistance goes a long way. Announcing:
“I go on guilt trips a couple of time a year. Mom books them for me.” A custom made Wally .sig!
You know, I was asked this before, and I understand it. Habitual smokers are exactly that, and certain events - like the morning coffee, after a meal, after sex, etc. - really WILL bring about a tough craving.
However, I was up to two packs a day. As such, I would have to say that it’s toughest WHEN I’M BREATHING!
The advantage here is that my cravings are spaced out all day - not really hard urges which bring me to my knees.
Wow, there are two other people who are quitting! That’s cool, like a support group online! Any of you guys doing anything like Zyban, the patch, etc.? How long you smoked? Tried to quit before?
I’ve smoked since I was 20. I quit two years ago for seven months. Started again when I foolishly thought I could smoke one or two without getting hooked again. Yeah, right… Lesson learned…
Here are my reasons for quitting, in order of importance to me:
[list=1][li]I want to live longer to spend more time with Libby.[/li][li]I am sick of spending $120+ a month on cigarettes.[/li][li]Ashes and smoke-filled apartments in my wake suck.[/list=1][/li]Okay… I like this thread already…
First off, congratulations. I tried once and miserably failed, but I learned. Hopefully, the next time I’ll try I’ll finally quit the damn noxious weed.
A few suggestions.
First: Don’t underestimate the Zyban. If anything, be conservative about stepping down or quitting (I’m not sure how Zyban works). Once you’ve got the habit out of your system, you can start forcing out the nicotine. Trying to do both is near suicidal (in my humble experience).
Second: Change your life. Re-do your schedule. If cigarettes are part of a daily routine, don’t merely skip the cigarette part. Change the entire routine so that you’ve got a new way to handle things in which cigarettes aren’t even a part. It’s easier to get past the cravings when you aren’t saying “Nows about the time I’d be going out for a smoke…”
Third: Reward yourself. Frequently and heavily. Put aside all of the money you’d normally spend on cigarettes and splurge on stuff. Computer games. New tapes and CDs. Surprise flights up to see DB. At the very least, it’ll be something else to focus your mind upon rather than smoking.
Well, the neat thing about Zyban is that it takes away the nicotine craving.
Go to The Official Zyban Website for more information, but essentially, it was (and still is perscribed) as an anti-depressant drug, and then people saw that the urge to smoke was leaving depressed smokers.
Extra research showed that the drug was affecting the part of the brain that gets addited to nicotine, making it not feel addicted.
Having used the drug the last time I quit, I found it to be perfect for me. You smoke for a couple of weeks after starting the drug so it builds up in your system. Towards your quit date, cigarettes start to taste funny. I found that I was cutting back without even trying up to my quit date. It was interesting…
Anyway, I recommend Zyban for people who want to quit. I quit for seven months before, and I don’t remember it being nearly as hard as it was when I tried to quit on my own. That was, for me, impossible…
If I remember correctly, after the first couple of weeks of feeling bad (not dead, but not great), I didn’t miss it as much. By the time I stopped taking the drug, I would only have a brief craving from time to time, but nothing that MADE me smoke again. Just reminded me that I don’t anymore.
Congratulations! You are extending and enhancing your journey of life.
I agree with John Corrado. Change your routine. If you associate that first cup of coffee with the first cigarette of the day, drink OJ (nothing can taste worse than orange juice and a cigarette) or wait until you get to work to have your first cup. After a meal, take a walk or do something else active.
Wait until you taste food for the first time (again). I mean, REALLY taste it. Also, wait until you can smell again. You will not believe how much your senses have been affected.
I wish you all the luck in the world.
“Words fascinate me. They always have. For me, browsing in a dictionary is like being turned loose in a bank.” - Eddie Cantor
Picture me in a cheerleader outfit, leaping up and down bumptiously cheering you all on!
Rah! When I’m dieting and really want to eat something, I think, “No food tastes as good as being thin feels.” Maybe try the cigarette version of that . . .
I don’t have a cheerleader outfit anymore, but I’m jumping up and down, waving my arms and yelling ‘You Go Guys!!’
I won’t pretend to really know what it’s like, having never smoked, but I can empathize with how hard it is to do. Hang in there, and I’ll be cheering you on, or passing out hugs, whatever is needed.
Any of you guys doing anything like Zyban, the patch, etc.? How long you smoked? Tried to quit before?