Givin' up the cancer sticks

[Shi Huangdi]

If you don't mind weight, you could try eating a piece of candy whenever you feel a craving, I have heard that can be effective.

[NeOmega]

Originally posted by monolith94
I work at a video store, and when the people come up to the counter, within two seconds I can tell if they're smokers or not. It totally works. Sometimes these big fat midwesterners will come up smelling like a 3-pack a day unfiltered fiends, and it's all I can do to not have a visible reaction to the horrific smell.

Yeah, you heard me, horrific.

Wow, you are so much better than them. Why are you working in a video store and not as a detective?

[monolith94]

"Wow, you are so much better than them."

I never said I was. I am, however, better smelling than them.

"Why are you working in a video store and not as a detective?"

Free movies. Not much demand for detectives. It'd be a great job though.

[Gatekeeper]

Also consider the fact that tobacco usage is damaging to your eyesight, lungs, heart and so much more.

[Hueij]

Originally posted by Gatekeeper
Also consider the fact that tobacco usage is damaging to your eyesight, lungs, heart and so much more.

So?

[Gatekeeper]

Hueij:

So? The dude says he wants to quit/not start again. You don't think damage to your eyesight, lungs and heart isn't an incentive on top of everything else to give up tobacco use permanently?

Gatekeeper

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Gatekeeper
Hueij:

So? The dude says he wants to quit/not start again. You don't think damage to your eyesight, lungs and heart isn't an incentive on top of everything else to give up tobacco use permanently?

Gatekeeper

Dude, he was trolling! You totally got punked!

[Dr Strangelove]

If you haven't had cravings after 3 days then you might get away without having them at all.

I quit 10 years ago. I used the nicotine patches and went through the whole 3 month routine. I relapsed breifly six months later when my wife lost important tax documents, but I got right back on the wagon. The cravings were pretty much completely gone after about two years. I think that two things were primarily responsible for getting me off and keeping me off the weed: nicotine patches, and my kids.

[Brundlefly]

Re: Givin' up the cancer sticks

Originally posted by rev

When do the REAL cravings set in, and when do they end? I know they'll always be around, but when are you pretty much out of the woods? I want to have a goal to look forward to -- makes it harder to give into pressure.

I've smoked off and on for most of my adult life. I made up my mind 8 months ago to stop and never start again. I haven't smoked for 8 months - the longest non-smoking period of my life.

Cravings/Woods: It was bad for the first week, thats all. Certain food or activities that trigger the smoking urge may continue to do so for a long time. Most will lose their power with time. For me, a glass of scotch always makes me want a smoke.

Any urge to smoke is an attempt to deal with stress. So work on reducing stress and handling stress without smoking. Reduce stress by identifying what stresses you out - thoughts, people, etc. As much as possible remove those stressors from your life. Handle stress differently by distracting yourself with something whenever the urge to smoke comes. A thought, an activity. Establish new behaviors that you can use in place of smoking specifically to combat stress. For me, that was exercise. Also spend time everyday telling yourself why you need to quit and why smoking is bad.

As far as goal to look forward to, visualize a new version of yourself looking and feeling 100% better as a non-smoker. Make it an extremely detailed visualization and reflect upon it daily. Have complete faith that you will become that person you visualize.

Good luck! You're doing great!

[Whaleboy]

I haven't smoked today!

[Cruddy]

Well done! Been having fits of quitting but have never managed to stop for longer than 36 hours.

[st_swithin]

Whaleboy, we're seeking to make you famous, not me. We can write the part of st_swithin in here and then have the actress of your choice play the role in RL.

Whattaya think? All you need is a couple million dollars, Keira Knightley's phone number, and you'll be a world famous writer.

[Whaleboy]

, considering what I've got in mind... you'll want to play yourself

[st_swithin]

I can read your mind, and I want that couple of million up front, buster.

[Brundlefly]

Originally posted by Kaak
wow, could we take the whale boy-swithin love story to another thread?

or maybe get a room

Give them a break. They are both in their sexual prime, what do you expect ?

I live near a college town and the clubs are always filled with plenty of young girls, which is what I prefer, but I've noticed lately there are female regulars there as well who are my age (early 30's), picking up young guys for one-nighters...... this is kind of a new trend... wasn't this way five years ago...