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Smoking

I quit cold turkey years ago. I'll be honest the only things that got me through was thinking of it as not smoking for one day only. (maybe those AA groups have something with the "one day at a time" thing). If I thought about never smoking again, I would freak out. I LOVED to smoke so the idea of never having a cigarette again? I felt that was impossible. I would tell myself "It's just one day." when I got a really bad craving. Just promise yourself TODAY.
Also, I cut a straw into the same size as my cigarettes. Sounds weird but I highly recommend it. Carry it, chew it, breathe thru it. It's the same thickness, unless you smoke slims. You might look strange but I found keeping the physical actions of the habit going helped me hold on through the process. Those actions were ingrained in my day to day life. So I had to deal with nicotine loss but not what to do with my hands. Most people eat. This is a healthier alternative. Good luck. You CAN do this!!
 
dianeseattle said:
Timely question.

I've smoked on and off since the Sixties. When I "needed" it, I smoked a pack a day, filtered, unfiltered, even menthol. So stinky! I don't know how anyone could stand to be around me.

I also dragged at least a dozen partners or friends into the habit. Even if someone told me my cigarette made them want to smoke so bad, I lit up. No mercy.

I could write a book about smoking. I've quit many times, once for five years, once for 10 years.

Most recently, I started up a few months ago, never allowing more than 5 a day, usually sticking to 2 or 3, smoking outside, relighting the same cig a few times as if it were a cigar.

Ugh. Stinky. Wheezy. Achy. Certain I was getting lung cancer. Ashamed. Embarrassed when I had to excuse myself to go outside and came back in with cigarette breath.

And I was religiously attached to brass ashtrays, fancy lighters, unique matches, 2 for 1 coupons, etc.

All the while, I hated the mental addiction. I'm mentally addicted right now. I'm in hell, wanting to smoke right now.

In the late 70s, I lived with my folks, and my dad had quit for 25 years. In the morning, he'd be making lunch in the kitchen and I'd be smoking in the living room, getting ready to leave. He said, "Man, every time I smell a cigarette, I still want one." Horror! To be so addicted you never stopped wanting one...

You know what? It's no harder to give up smokes than overeating. If you can make a commitment to health, you'll suffer through the process of withdrawal from the habit. And you'll succeed, but it will be hard. Try quitting on a weekend, where you can sleep through the heaviest withdrawal. Then hang out with nonsmokers during the week, be active, visit the gym or the farm or the woods, exert yourself so you're out of breath.

Quitting only takes a few days, but it is painful and you want to give up every five seconds. But you'd think that struggle would make you never want to be addicted again. Not so. You have a defect in your physiology that wants cigarettes to fill it. If you succeed in quitting, never pick up tobacco again. After a while, the pain will fade, and you will feel normal, average, not addicted.

I have no tips. I'm chewing nic gum, but it contains more nicotine than I usually consume in a day. And it doesn't satisfy my need for slow, deep breathing.

To me, that's the key. I am a shallow breather who is always a little on edge, panting or breathing quickly, or holding my breath. I advocate deep breathing for a lot of reasons. Surely it wouldhelp if you're trying to give up cigs.
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Thank you for your openness.
 
missyinacage said:
I quit cold turkey years ago. I'll be honest the only things that got me through was thinking of it as not smoking for one day only. (maybe those AA groups have something with the "one day at a time" thing). If I thought about never smoking again, I would freak out. I LOVED to smoke so the idea of never having a cigarette again? I felt that was impossible. I would tell myself "It's just one day." when I got a really bad craving. Just promise yourself TODAY.
Also, I cut a straw into the same size as my cigarettes. Sounds weird but I highly recommend it. Carry it, chew it, breathe thru it. It's the same thickness, unless you smoke slims. You might look strange but I found keeping the physical actions of the habit going helped me hold on through the process. Those actions were ingrained in my day to day life. So I had to deal with nicotine loss but not what to do with my hands. Most people eat. This is a healthier alternative. Good luck. You CAN do this!!
Click to expand...

thank you!!!
 
missyinacage said:
I quit cold turkey years ago. I'll be honest the only things that got me through was thinking of it as not smoking for one day only. (maybe those AA groups have something with the "one day at a time" thing). If I thought about never smoking again, I would freak out. I LOVED to smoke so the idea of never having a cigarette again? I felt that was impossible. I would tell myself "It's just one day." when I got a really bad craving. Just promise yourself TODAY.
Also, I cut a straw into the same size as my cigarettes. Sounds weird but I highly recommend it. Carry it, chew it, breathe thru it. It's the same thickness, unless you smoke slims. You might look strange but I found keeping the physical actions of the habit going helped me hold on through the process. Those actions were ingrained in my day to day life. So I had to deal with nicotine loss but not what to do with my hands. Most people eat. This is a healthier alternative. Good luck. You CAN do this!!
Click to expand...
 
I quit smoking in 93. I weaned myself with a book from American cancer society. There were a lot of steps. Writing a pro con list choosing the best pro best con. Making a mantra. My primary reason to quit is my kids were starting to pick up the habit. I got down to one or two cigarettes per day when I realized I could quit. I dreamed for a long time that I was still smoking. It was weird. My cousin used the patch. May your journey be successful.
 
I've quit multiple times during this 6 month pre-op process. I'm a "smoke when I drink" kind of person. I'm still enjoying wine in the evenings, which makes me want a cigarette. The only thing keeping me going RIGHT NOW is knowing I can't have the surgery if I smoke. They said they'll test to see if I'm lying. I've Googled how to beat the test (not trying to give ideas, lol). That's too much hassle and it might not even work. For me the surgery has to be more important. I like what missyinacage said about telling yourself it's just one day every day. I know that's not much from someone who never smoked more than 10 a day, but addiction is real, no matter the scope of it. Best of luck quitting. You can do it, however painful it might be.
 
Stephanie1117 said:
I was not mean at all about it, iv sent messages to people no reply, there are more active people then not. Just making a statement.
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I feel for you about smoking. It is one of the most difficult habits to break. I was one of the luckier ones when I tried to quit. The 1st time in the late 1980s, I quit after having bronchitis and had to go outside to smoke in January. Crazy! I picked it back up, but was successful the 2nd time in the early 1990s, quitting cold turkey both times.

My husband, however, is quitting now after 50 years of smoking. The nicotine patches are a help somewhat, but it is beyond difficult for him. He has made it cigarette free for 40 days. He still wants to smoke, but not with the same intensity as he had in the beginning. I feel for anyone struggling with kicking the habit, but it is doable.
 
My surgeon won't let me do patches, gum or a vape with any type of nicotine,well he said it was ok but the nurses said no once I failed my first nicotine test vaping at the lowest nicotine, so I had to quit all together. I'm pretty sure after I will pick the habit back up, I don't have the mind set to quit just yet. Hopefully in the years to come. That's why I was wondering if anyone ended up smoking again after surgery.
 
Stephanie1117 said:
I was not mean at all about it, iv sent messages to people no reply, there are more active people then not. Just making a statement.
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I agree that this group is small and doesn’t generate as many posts as some other support groups. I’ve noticed that it is usually the same handful of people who reply. It’s not a bad thing, just different. There is another online support group that has more members and posts. It’s called BARIATRICPAL.COM. You should check it out. I find it very helpful to join several support groups so that you get lots of answers to questions and concerns.
 
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