Help A Smoker Out

[GOT2FISH]

I started smoking when I was 17 quit for seven years about 10 years ago. After my wife passed away I started up agian, I cant stand the taste, smell and cost but cant seem to quit. Tryied the patch that worked for a couple of months tryied wellbutrine the stuff makes me loopey tried to pay myself to quit and that didnt do it. Has anyone else been through this and if so how bout some new ideas I'd like to live long enought to take my 1 year old grandson fishin.

[ 03-10-2004, 12:04 AM: Message edited by: GOT2FISH ]

[Sky-Guy]

It sounds like you already hate the habit enough to quit.
What it really comes down to is self-discipline. You know what you have to do if you have already quit in the past.

You just have to decide that this is the last time and stick with it. Keep it as simple as that.


I'll be smoke free for one year March 19th after smoking for 14 years. I am 31.

[BuKuBass]

If you never smoke that next cigarette, you'll never have another. Remember and believe that you're better and stronger than one lousy smoke. Such a thot worked for me; I quit cold turkey after smoking a pack a day for 35 years. Good luck and stay strong.

[1pump]

"Quitting smoking is easy; I've done it a hundred times."

- Mark Twain

[Ivana Fishalot]

I think that the number one most important rule for success is to remove all things associated with smoking. Instead of getting up and lighting up first thing in the morning, get up and walk straight to the shower and brush your teeth right after.

Persistence is right up there too. It took me awhile to quit but I haven't to have a cigarette since Dec. 12.

I do have to admit that I am actually quitting after a relapse. I quit for darn near 3 years and started again for almost 6 months. I allowed my self to use a few health issues as my facilitor to smoke. I figured I had too much stress in my life so I deserved to smoke. Boy, was I wrong. It turns out, I owe it to my kids not to.

Oh yeah, put a picture of your grandson in the sleeve of your pack. Make sure and look at it everytime you grab one. It tends to put things in perspective. Gawd, I really love a good cigarette and I had to convince myself that the reality of that love is the fact that I would have to forfeit some time on this earth with my kids. It didn't take long to realize that my smoking was selfish and not worth the opportunity costs.

Last thing, do not use quitting aids as an excuse. I kept telling myself, "when I get the patch" But the fact of the matter is the patch only helps take the edge off and doesn't replace that smoke filling your lungs. (The sensation of which I still am in love with) It doesn't take away the desire to put your hand to your mouth either. I guess I am saying is just be realistic. You most likely will not be successfull on your first or even your fifth attempt for that matter. But, if you keep recommitting yourself than it'll happen.

I hope you realize that I am not preaching. It is only with these realizations that I ever found the will power to quit. I hope I never lose focus again. If you want someone to talk about smoking pm me. I'd love to help out by lending an ear when the desire rises. I am not a shrink by no means but have a good set of ears on me.

I really would like to wish you luck but instead I'll offer you a prayer. A prayer that you'll find the strength within yourself. Once you find that strength it'll be easy.

[MacEFL]

I smoked for fiteen years or so and haven't had one in fifteen or so. Here is what I did.
It was a month or so before my birthday, so I told myself that quitting smoking was my gift to myself. Gave me focus and a firm date. I figured what was my favorite smoke of the day and cut that one out. For me it was the one as soon as I dragged my self out of bed. After a few days when I was comfortable with that I did it again. This time it was the smoke right after a meal. I waited a half hour after eating before allowing myself a smoke. At the same time as this I consciencely (SIC?) smoked less throughout the day. After two or three days each time I picked what was my favorite smoke of the day. Five days before my birthday, at about two in the afternoon. ( i worked at seven so had been awake all day!) I took my pack of smokes out of my pocket, pulled one out, grabbed my lighter, and thought to myself," I do not want this ciggerette"! I have never had the urge, not even once to smoke another. I have been through some pretty stressful situations since then and smoking has never been an issue!
Good luck, I KNOW THAT YOU CAN DO IT IF THIS IS REALLY WHAT YOU WANT!

[3riversBob]

Let me know if you find something that works. I've quit cold turkey for as long 4 months and started again. I tried cutting out the ones I love and tapering off. That only worked for awhile. I've tried the patch and as long as I was on the patch that worked but when I was off of it I went back to smoking. For me the visualization of myself smoking is always there. I love to sit by camp fire and have one. I am going camping in a couple of months and I can already envision myself smoking. I have thought about hypnosis to try and rid myself of the image problem. Anyone else ever use hypnosis? They that quitting smoking takes practice and that everytime you attempt to quit you get that much better. I too have grandchildren now and want to see them graduate/fish with me/marry/give me great grandchildren. I also married a great woman a couple of years ago that is 17 years younger than myself. I would love to grow old with her. Maybe if I get an IFISH sticker and everytime a fellow IFISHER see's me light up kick my butt? Congrats to those who have quit and good luck to those trying.

Bob

[lost_sailor]

Watching my dad die of lung cancer was pretty inspirational.

Afraid I can't offer anything else, I've smoked on occasion but never got hooked. Maybe a physiological thing, I've never enjoyed the effect of the drug that much - compared to other drugs .
I go for a cigar every year or so.

My hopeless addiction is coffee. [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

[Cool Texan]

Here, just surf these pictures....these should help. (dont do it while eating though)

http://www.lungusa.org/learn/lung_images.html

[thecougdad]

Well it's been two and half months and I am still fighting the "I need a smoke thing". It will probably be something that never goes away. What seems to be working for me is the same thing that BuKubass said, if you never have that next smoke. Kind of like AA, if I can just get through this hour,morning,evening,....without one. My kids tell me I don't "stink" anymore, hows that for motivation? Besides someone on ifish promised us quitters a Springer trip..

[Elwix]

I smoked for over 25 years, and was up to 3 packs a day when I decided that enough was enough. I’d watched my Dad die of cancer. That was certainly a deterrent, but even more than that was the realization that I wasn’t in control. I enjoyed smoking, but I couldn’t control the urge. It was something I had to do. So I quit. No patches. No help of any kind. I just quit cold turkey. It was hard, and I was climbing the walls for days. I’d tell myself that just one wouldn’t hurt, but I knew that wasn’t true. I didn’t really want a cigarette. I knew they were bad for me. My body just needed its fix. The cravings were messing with my mind, making me think I wanted a cigarette, when I knew I didn’t want one - and knowing that made me stubborn enough to resist the temptation.

It’s now been 19 months for me without a smoke. I haven’t given into temptation even once. I’m never going to smoke again. I’m sure of that. But it’s hard to give up doing something you’ve enjoyed doing for so long. Cigarettes are both a physical and mental addiction, and beating them is hard. But it can be done.

You’ve just got to be stubborn, and remember that you can’t have just one. Don’t wait until you finish the pack you started, or until you finish the carton you just bought. Don’t wait until the weekend, or your birthday. Just quit. I quit in the middle of a pack, and in the middle of a carton, and gave away the cigarettes I had left. It was hard – especially for the first few days, but I did it, and so can you.

3riversBob: I enjoyed smoking while sitting around a campfire visiting with friends too, but now that I’ve quit, I find that I still enjoy sitting around a fire at night visiting with friends. I enjoy such times now every bit as much as I used to. It isn’t the cigarettes that make such times special. It’s the campfire, and your friends, and the great outdoors. When you think that cigarettes are part of what makes times like that special, that’s just the nicotine talking. That’s how the addiction works.

thecougdad: You’ll make it. Two and a half months after I quit, I still felt the temptation, but the second two and a half months were a lot easier than the first two and a half months. Now 19 months later, I rarely think about them anymore. I made it and you can make it too.

[Mello-Yello]

My dental hygienist explained this to me last year. When a person starts smoking, the brain actually 'creates' new sensors that release endorphins (chemicals that make you happy/satisfied). Unfortunately, these sensors (related to nicotene I believe) don't go away, EVER! They continue to demand satisfaction the rest of your life, though their intensity does go down with time. But it never, ever goes away.

Many other addictive substances work the same way, but the sensors die off and go away with time. The nicotene ones never do. It's too bad this knowledge isn't more widespread to our youth. Most of them, like myself, will just say "I'll do it now and quit when I get older", not realizing what they are really up against.

Something that a lot of folks have had success with is hypnosis. It doesn't work for everyone, but the one's that it's worked for don't have the cravings that other folks experience. Perhaps the brain is able to over-ride these sensors signals.

Good luck!

M-Y

[Smily]

What helped me was to put something in my mouth instead of cigarettes. Started with sunflower seeds and when I couldn't make a mess I went to sugarless candy. Cold turkey is the only way and cravings for me went on about a year. I Still like the smell of cigarrete smoke from time to time too. It's been 11 long years I think I'll light up now. :shocked: Just Kidding. Happy to be smoke free. Much healtheier and more active!! Good luck.

:smile: Smily :smile: