sandiegoros
06-26-2002, 11:35 PM
Hi everyone, I am new to this board. I have been smoking off and on since I was 16 yrs old - I am 40 yrs old. Lung cancer, high blood pressure Emphysema runs on my mom's side of the family. I have tried to quit, it would last for 3 months and would start up again. The biggest problem I have is I enjoy smoking, the doctor said it wasn't so much the nicotine - it was the habit of holding something between my fingers. When I did try to quit, I would hold a pencil and pretend to smoke. What things did everyone try and really worked for you. Thanks.
Sponsor
cozy
06-27-2002, 02:47 AM
Sandie, I try not to mimic the actions of smoking so that I don't continue to harber physical addition. I wish I could tell you something magical to help make the stop smoking easier. I can't! I used the patch. I stopped going to bars. I had/ have low fat munchies to nibble & dabble with. I just try to keep my mind & hands busy. Maybe someone else will hap along to give better advice. I wish you the best on your venture. Hope to see you here as a regular.
crystalll
06-27-2002, 12:14 PM
Hi Sandie,
Welcome to the board. First of all, let me just say that your doctor is full of it. This may sound harsh, but none of us smoke because we enjoy it. We smoke because we are addicted to nicotine, and we somehow convince ourselves that we enjoy it. We all know that nicotine is a highly addictive drug. Who really ENJOYS inhaling noxious fumes into their bodies?!
The first time I quit (unsuccessfully) I was convinced that I started again because of the habit. This time I know I'll be successful because I understand why I continued to smoke in the first place - nicotine addiction. I am finally convinced that cigarettes are not a crutch, they are not my friend, and I don't need them to "keep my hands busy". Whenever I get the urge I repeat this to myself. I agree with cozy, I have chosen not to substitute anything for cigarettes because that would be somehow admitting that I "needed" them.
I wish you the very best of luck. You CAN do it.
Crystal
Welcome to the board. First of all, let me just say that your doctor is full of it. This may sound harsh, but none of us smoke because we enjoy it. We smoke because we are addicted to nicotine, and we somehow convince ourselves that we enjoy it. We all know that nicotine is a highly addictive drug. Who really ENJOYS inhaling noxious fumes into their bodies?!
The first time I quit (unsuccessfully) I was convinced that I started again because of the habit. This time I know I'll be successful because I understand why I continued to smoke in the first place - nicotine addiction. I am finally convinced that cigarettes are not a crutch, they are not my friend, and I don't need them to "keep my hands busy". Whenever I get the urge I repeat this to myself. I agree with cozy, I have chosen not to substitute anything for cigarettes because that would be somehow admitting that I "needed" them.
I wish you the very best of luck. You CAN do it.
Crystal
sandiegoros
06-27-2002, 12:41 PM
Hi - thanks everyone, I will try to quit, even if I do baby steps. In the long run, I will feel so much better. How long as it been for you that you quit smoking?
Rosalind :)
Rosalind :)
cozy
06-28-2002, 03:24 AM
Rosalind, Baby steps are just fine for many. Very few succeed at the giant steps. Shoot honey, Success at any pace is still success. I've not smoked, as of, July 1, 7months. I can say this in advance because I know it's gonna be a happening for me. You still doing okay?? Donna
[This message has been edited by cozy (edited 06-28-2002).]
[This message has been edited by cozy (edited 06-28-2002).]
crystalll
06-28-2002, 01:50 PM
Hi Rosalind,
I smoked my last cigarette on May 27th. It's only been a short time, but I'm feeling good this time around. I know that I can never smoke another cigarette again.
You mentioned that you've quit a few times in the past. Most of us try a few times before we're successful. You keep hanging in there.
Donna - congratulations to you. You've beat the six month mark!
Crystal
I smoked my last cigarette on May 27th. It's only been a short time, but I'm feeling good this time around. I know that I can never smoke another cigarette again.
You mentioned that you've quit a few times in the past. Most of us try a few times before we're successful. You keep hanging in there.
Donna - congratulations to you. You've beat the six month mark!
Crystal
sandiegoros
06-28-2002, 05:07 PM
Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts and support. I will try and that's all I can do, I know I will feel better in the long run. The last time I had quit a couple of times, this is how it worked for me. I normally smoke half a pack a day, I would only limit myself to 5 a day for a month, the following month, it would be 3, and the month after that than would only be 1. Yes, I did crave it and just the smell of it was great but I can do it. :)
sudzie
06-29-2002, 10:13 AM
HI sandy
I quit in January also. I used the patch, I stayed on each level for a whole month. I had good days and bad days. Then all of a sudden I realized that I didn't even think about them any more. The Patch people have a great support system either phone or online.
One of my biggest helps was I refuse to pay the rising costs. I live in New York State and we have the highest cigarette taxes around. I feel so much better and free not smoking. You never realize what a burden smoking is until you don't do it. It even determines what size purse you use. There has to be room for the smokes. It determines where you will go and who you hang around with. It determines how long you will stay.
They are like a very bad relationship where you know you should leave but you don't.
I can't stand to go into a restaurant where smoking is allowed now. It burns my eyes, fills my sinuses right up and gives me a wicked headache. Now I know what I was inflicting on my poor husband all these years.
Good Luck and try your hardest, you won't be sorry!
I hope that we can help you here.
------------------
Sudzie
I quit in January also. I used the patch, I stayed on each level for a whole month. I had good days and bad days. Then all of a sudden I realized that I didn't even think about them any more. The Patch people have a great support system either phone or online.
One of my biggest helps was I refuse to pay the rising costs. I live in New York State and we have the highest cigarette taxes around. I feel so much better and free not smoking. You never realize what a burden smoking is until you don't do it. It even determines what size purse you use. There has to be room for the smokes. It determines where you will go and who you hang around with. It determines how long you will stay.
They are like a very bad relationship where you know you should leave but you don't.
I can't stand to go into a restaurant where smoking is allowed now. It burns my eyes, fills my sinuses right up and gives me a wicked headache. Now I know what I was inflicting on my poor husband all these years.
Good Luck and try your hardest, you won't be sorry!
I hope that we can help you here.
------------------
Sudzie