QuITtiNG SMokINg

[TyrantNemesis]

Okay, first and foremost, this post is not of bragging or boasting in any kind of way-- Just wanted to make that clear.
I really like everyone on this forum, and I'd like to share a story and maybe even some valuable advice with you guys.

As of January 14 2015, (not long after I joined this forum) I decided to stop smoking cigarettes for good. I realized that my breathing was starting to become less than that of normal, which was obviously not a good thing. I would fall asleep with lit cigarettes between my fingers that would burn holes through my clothes and bed sheets....needless to say, it was becoming a problem to me. I was always a smoker and had started the habit fairly early. I started when I was 14 years old and the habit progressively worsened, especially when I became old enough to buy them myself. Well, I quit and it has been a whole year since I kicked the habit. "Cool! You must be dealing with it great now, right?"...Well, not necessarily. For the past few weeks, I have been craving cigarettes like crazy. In fact, I've craved them ever since I quit...not a good thing. Everyday, lately it seems like its been getting worse.
Yesterday, I was stressing about things, as I left the house to go to work. I wanted a cigarette. On the way to work, I stopped off at the store to grab a Root beer. I grabbed my soda and approached the clerk with my money. "Don't do it!" I thought to myself, as I stared at all of the tobacco products behind the store clerks countertop. I ran outside after the clerk gave me my change and my soda, and I fled from the store. I was having one hell of a craving. I couldn't quit thinking of smoking as I was driving to work...in fact, that's all I was thinking about!
I pulled into the parking lot of my workplace and sat in my car and listened to music, since I got there about 30 minutes early. At this point, I was...almost panicking. My heart beat had accelerated, my mind was thinking 1000 images a second; This was no ordinary craving...no...this was an anxiety attack.
Stress was likely a big factor in the anxiety that I was feeling.
Anyhow, I made it through the day and here I am now. Sometimes, I'm afraid I might start smoking again one day. Its a scary thought. You just never know.

Sad thing is, sometimes I miss smoking the cancer sticks. Sounds stupid right?...it is stupid.
Bottom line is, if you've quit smoking or are thinking about it--Go for it and stay strong. But heed this, the cravings will always be there; they don't go away. I've learned this the hard way. Quitting is easier than actually staying away from the habit, in its self. Don't be discouraged by this warning, be aware!
But hey, if you enjoy your cigarettes, I'm happy that at least your enjoying them, because I remember when I did. I miss those nostalgic days, but they are no more and I have now moved on as an ex-smoker. And yes, I know I could've put this on some "Quit smoking forum" on reddit or something, but I feel more comfortable sharing this story with you guys...plus I don't feel like making an account just for this post lol.

And again, this isn't quit-smoking propaganda or anything along the lines of trying to offend anyone.
I hope you guys enjoyed the read.

- TyrantNemesis

 

[Airaku]

Smoking is stupid to begin with. When I was 6 years old my Grandpa died from lung cancer. I was very close to him and it devastated be for a long time. I had a lot of troubles coping with it. He claimed to have quit multiple times, where in reality he was very good at hiding it. My Grandma has caught him cheating it many times. For example he would do garden work, go grocery shopping or pick up dinner, even take long bathroom breaks with the fan on and windows open just to sneak one in. He'd do a lot of tasks to get away and hide the fact he was still smoking. To be honest, while a lot of the family knew, he was very good at hiding it from me and I don't recall ever seeing him smoke. He was always active and helpful, you would think he was a very healthy man. Then one Christmas he came over in a wheel chair and breathing device. At the time we were living in Vernon BC and my grandparents lived in Los Gatos, California (which is right by San Jose, technically connected). He ended up dying in a hospital in Vernon after staying there for weeks. It was so tragic and I could barely cope.

I don't think anyone should smoke, and I am really happy to read this. There is no such thing as "anti-smoking propaganda". That is all truthful facts, for the most part. The only propaganda is the stuff to convince people to smoke. It really sucks that you are having those cravings. Nicotine is a bitch. You are very lucky that you didn't burn your place down when you fell asleep with the cigarettes. A couple years back an entire apartment burned down because of a cigarette. There was nothing left at all after.

Also I would sure hope that no one is offended by what you said. Smoking is one dumb as hell. When I was a kid I would take cigarettes out of peoples mouths and crush them. I can't recall but I may have even crushed full packs LOL People were surprisingly calm about it though, I'm sure they were pretty ****ing ****ed in their minds and later after I walked away. **** is pretty expensive when it adds up.

 

[TyrantNemesis]

I'm sorry to hear about your Grandpa. It's never easy dealing with the loss of someone you love, especially when it's due to something dangerous they could've have prevented; and at least you didn't cope by picking up that nasty habit yourself.
Crushing up cigarette packs is something I also did to my parents when I was little, so I can definitely relate to that one! lol
Cigarette addiction is probably the worst addiction anyone could ever take up in their life...EVER. It's right down the street in a store, it's legal and one will always have the cravings; they become a part of your life, even after one quits them! Your right, they are extremely expensive too when you think about it, especially in this day and age. I like the part where you said there is only "start smoking" propaganda, because your right; there is no such thing a "quit smoking" propaganda.
Thanks for the reply Airaku!

 

[La Femme Fatale]

Thankfully, as a society I think we're getting over the whole 'smoking is cool' phase and it's becoming rather taboo. I know a lot of people who won't date smokers, including myself (because let's face it, it smells bad) and my province is making smoking increasingly difficult. I don't see the new generations taking it up, so I do think it will be waned out eventually.

Anyway, good for you. Never was a smoker, but lost both my grandfathers when I was a toddler to lung cancer and my father smoked for many years and quit about a decade ago. Sure, he turned to other vices - like food, but now the whole healthy-eating thing has been taking off and we're pretty ok.

 

[TyrantNemesis]

Yeah, smoking is definitely being looked down upon these days. That damn lung cancer gets a lot of smokers. I'm sorry to here about your grandfathers. Cancer is just one way that nobody wants to die from. Good for your Dad, by the way. 10 years is a HUGE accomplishment!!! Good luck with the healthy eating thing! I still gotta work on that!
And thank you for reading La Femme!

 

[Jen]

I greatly admire you for how you're quitting, it's so difficult to give it up. Like others here, I have had family die through smoking and my closest auntie and uncle are smoking sixty a day. Even after being told that she has the lungs of an 80 year old, my auntie won't quit (she's 57).

I know it's easy for me to say, but keep it up. Every time you're resisting the craving, you're winning a battle.

 

[TyrantNemesis]

Wow!!! 60 a day!?... I'm sorry to hear that. That's how my Dad smokes his cigarettes. He's missing teeth, his gums are black/brown and just looks really bad. I feel for you Jen.
But thank you for reading and the encouragement One day at a time, so they say.

 

[Jen]

Yeah, they're also alcoholics. If being told that they're health has declined so badly won't stop them, nothing will. It can only come from them. I'm sorry to hear about your dad too.

You're welcome. All the best to you.

 

[Cheer]

That is really great to hear. I am not as strong willed as you but i am working on it. I was able to go from 40 a days to 10 a day. and hopefully someday in the next few months i will be free from it.

 

[TyrantNemesis]

That is really great to hear. I am not as strong willed as you but i am working on it. I was able to go from 40 a days to 10 a day. and hopefully someday in the next few months i will be free from it.

Takes time, my friend. You'll know when your ready, believe it. And thanks by the way

 

[Venomous Oddball]

I don't find it stupid that you still crave them, my mom quit smoking about six years ago and says she still craves them. Her reason for not buying them is the fact that she has COPD and I have asthma. At the time another reason was that we lived in the middle of nowhere and were very poor (maybe that's why I'm so greedy now and don't like to spend my money too much), so it was a huge waste of money.
You're doing a good job! Thanks for sharing your story with us. Stay strong!

 

[TyrantNemesis]

thanks maddy. I will!

 

[cheezMcNASTY]

Power to you. I quit several times and succumbed back every time (usually began with drinking).

Now I vape because even though the research isn't in yet:
A) it just can't be as bad from so many angles
B) No smell
C) I FEEL healthier than when I was smoking. It's a huge noticeable difference.
D) I feel better about my chances when I decide to kick vaping, since it allows you to ween off the nicotine gradually.

And E) if everything except B winds up false, I FEEL better about my chances quitting and mindset is literally 100% of quitting.

 

[TyrantNemesis]

Power to you. I quit several times and succumbed back every time (usually began with drinking).

Now I vape because even though the research isn't in yet:
A) it just can't be as bad from so many angles
B) No smell
C) I FEEL healthier than when I was smoking. It's a huge noticeable difference.
D) I feel better about my chances when I decide to kick vaping, since it allows you to ween off the nicotine gradually.

And E) if everything except B winds up false, I FEEL better about my chances quitting and mindset is literally 100% of quitting.

Vaping WOULD be easier to kick on a lot of levels, and is way healthier on a lot of levels. What I usually miss about smoking is the taste and actually holding the cigarette and taking a drag. The nicotine doesn't really make me wanna go back. But hey, thanks cheez. I say go for it when you decide to quit. It's a lot easier just not doing any of it. One of my biggest motivators for quitting was: "I want to live my life without this, because I don't need it. I want to carry out my day without being addicted to something." It helped/helps a lot

 

[cheezMcNASTY]

Vaping WOULD be easier to kick on a lot of levels, and is way healthier on a lot of levels. What I usually miss about smoking is the taste and actually holding the cigarette and taking a drag. The nicotine doesn't really make me wanna go back.

Yeah... I can relate to that. I definitely withdrew from that when I switched. I was used to popping out front after certain tasks and would catch myself going out the front door halfway automatically. The funny thing was, once I dragged the vape those urges vanished. I still had a slight nagging that there was something i should be doing, but it wasnt hard to cope with at all. After 2 weeks id gotten over it completely. In my case at least, it was the damn nicotine behind every single aspect of it. All the positive things i remembered about smoking (the taste, the act of lighting, holding the filter, etc) disappeared when i got my dose through another means. Now that I've been vaping for 6 months or so, I have all those positive mental associations reassigned. It quite literally feels just as enjoyable as smok ing did.

What's more, I tried a cigarette again one day at work when I forgot to charge it and couldn't believe how gross it was. You know all those images of tar and black lungs people like to spread around? I FELT that gross breathing it in. Maybe it always felt that way when I was a smoker and I was numb. Who knows.

I'm not posting all this to promote vaping or anything. I substituted one bad habit for another which is nothing to brag about. I just wanted to share my experience for those who might relate.

Side note: I had a math teacher in his 50s who always subconsciously tried to ash his stick of chalk. Staying smoke-free can be a life long struggle for some.

 

[TyrantNemesis]

Yeah... I can relate to that. I definitely withdrew from that when I switched. I was used to popping out front after certain tasks and would catch myself going out the front door halfway automatically. The funny thing was, once I dragged the vape those urges vanished. I still had a slight nagging that there was something i should be doing, but it wasnt hard to cope with at all. After 2 weeks id gotten over it completely. In my case at least, it was the damn nicotine behind every single aspect of it. All the positive things i remembered about smoking (the taste, the act of lighting, holding the filter, etc) disappeared when i got my dose through another means. Now that I've been vaping for 6 months or so, I have all those positive mental associations reassigned. It quite literally feels just as enjoyable as smok ing did.

What's more, I tried a cigarette again one day at work when I forgot to charge it and couldn't believe how gross it was. You know all those images of tar and black lungs people like to spread around? I FELT that gross breathing it in. Maybe it always felt that way when I was a smoker and I was numb. Who knows.

I'm not posting all this to promote vaping or anything. I substituted one bad habit for another which is nothing to brag about. I just wanted to share my experience for those who might relate.

Side note: I had a math teacher in his 50s who always subconsciously tried to ash his stick of chalk. Staying smoke-free can be a life long struggle for some.

Hellyeah man. Stick to vaping! Wayyyyy better!!!