It's been 26 hours since I quit smoking...

good for you jungle. You're scaring me, you sound like you know me or something
That's why I'm doing it on a weekend...lock myself away so I won't hurt anybody. Yes, no alcohol for me, either. Dam, it's going to be boring.

I hope you're doing better than me. I went 17 days cold turkey, had some issues and went back to smoking 3 a day. I so totally suck
I haven't decided when to quit again, but I'm going to persist and try it again.

Originally posted by worldwatcher
I hope you're doing better than me. I went 17 days cold turkey, had some issues and went back to smoking 3 a day. I so totally suck

I haven't decided when to quit again, but I'm going to persist and try it again.

I went 6 months or so. that was 5 years ago. maybe this time...

poon, do what I did, if you like RPGs. Lock your self up with a couple of video games you already know you like playing, and are good at. New ones will cause you to wreak stuff, because you'll get frustrated. Just do stuff you know you're good at, be it gardening, woodwork, (don't fish!), or play video games. If you have a game shark or code breaker (obviously video games are what I sued), use it, and make the game as easy but as distracting as possible. I highly recomend Grand Theft Auto. For some reason, killing a bunch of cops and criminals feels pretty good during this period . Or, just grab a book you've read several times and read it. The really important thing is to not do something new. It has the potential to be frustrating, and you don't want that. You should call family members, tell them what you're doing (all of mine were really supportive), then unplug your phone. Tell friends afterwards, because some will try to convince you it's a bad idea, and if you've already started to quit, they can be very persuasive. Plus, you'll be resentful towards them afterwards. Just focus on what you're good at, do things that make you happy/feel good, and eat a lot. As long as you have something in your mouth, that fixation is taken care of. Something I did on day three my first time, too, was take a couple sleeping pills and play Final Fantasy 7 until I klonked out. When I woke up (it was really hard to fall asleep that day, don't take more than 3 pills, you don't want to not wake up), the nic fits were gone, thankfully, because I had fallen asleep during a battle and lost my party. If you're playing an RPG, save every chance you can. This way you'll only have to punch a pillow instead of a wall if you die (I know )

Originally posted by worldwatcher
I hope you're doing better than me. I went 17 days cold turkey, had some issues and went back to smoking 3 a day. I so totally suck

I haven't decided when to quit again, but I'm going to persist and try it again.

WW, don't condemn yourself. Just accept you had a weak moment, but persist in your quitting. That was one of the reasons that I quit about 30 times last year. I'd go for a period, cheat, then figure it was all over. I also found so many reasons in my life to start smoking again. If you screw up and smoke, stop, and write down what made you have that cig. Then try to avoid that. However, for some reason having to write out all your foibles that led to the cigarette (don't write what happened in life that made you have that smoke, write what happened in your mind and in your actions that led to it. You need to put it on you, I found this last time. No one can cause you to have a bad day unless you let them, it's just a lot easier to let them when you're quitting ) causes you to recognise the cause and effects that lead to it. Sometimes you'll see it, but choose to ignore it. Don't let this deter you, write down the mental process that took place that caused you to ignore your thoughts and do what you don't want to do. This excersize makes you, eventually, not want to have a smoke because you write about not so good things. I ended up doing this if I started to look for a smoke or something (happened a lot more times than I cheated.) Eventually, it became such a pain in my butt, having to pull over on my way to work, pull out my notebook and write why I started to look in my car for a fallen smoke, that the thought left me. Set a hard date, for sure, but then persevere through your weakness. Your mind will be all too happy to start again if you slip up. You need to work past that, and say to yourself, "ok, I slipped, don't do it again", instead of, "shoot, I blew it...Gonna have to set another date". I'd still be smoking today if I hadn't learned to do the former this last time instead of the latter.

Jungle, you have some great advice there. Yeah, unfortunately this isn't my first time quitting either. I don't know about the sleeping pills; before replaced smoking tobacco with smoking...you get the idea. but this time, I'm not even going to drink or anything. So far, it's not that bad. San Andreas sounds fun and yes, I am expecting to gain weight from all the dam eating (I heard somewhere you gain 10 pounds after quitting smoking regardless of a change in diet, though). I also disagree with the AA mentality that if you cheat or slip that it's all over. BS!! It's just a slip. but when it becomes a HABIT again, well, it's over then.

Originally posted by poonchang
I'm going to join the club. I have been weening myself off cigs for the last couple of days and this weekend I'm done.

any updates alwayslearning?

Hey poonchang...
Well unfortunately have fallen off the wagon a few times. On my way though, I smoke then go several days without. It doesn't consume me like it used to.

I do enjoy some of them though...damn!

Thanks for asking, buddy. And good luck to you! All I can say is stay away from coffee for a few days!

My husband and I both quit on July 26th, He' started smoking again, but I am happy to say that so far so good, I haven't. I find that I can go days without even thinking about having a cig.Mind you,when I got in the car yesterday the first thing I thought of was to light up than...wait a sec I don't even smoke anymore and I don't want one.It does get easier.

Yeah, well I've cheated a few times, as well. It was take a drag or two from a buddy's cigarette, or kill someone/break something.

So I'm not perfect, and noone said it was easy...I'm still quiting.

It's not easy I've quit since january 1st 2005.Everybody I work with still smokes and that stinks but I just take a look at thier ashtrays and try and act like it makes me sick.Fiancee and my kids are proud that I quit right now that's what is getting me through.I have quit before though,about 6 months,and it was easy as hell to pick them up and start again. Have lost relatives to smoking,not easy watching someone waste away my kids took it hard been two years and they still talk about Grandpa they miss him alot, it's worth it to grow old with my kids.

My big day was June 28, 2002. I have not had a cigarette since then.

Unfortunately, I had smoked for 40 years, one pack a day, and now I have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The pulmonologist says it will not degenerate to me pushing around an oxygen tank, providing I go to the gym every day and keep my weight down (I've lost 21 pounds since the first of the year); but I can no longer run for a mile, and am not sure if I'll ever be able to hike the Canyon again.

There's enough of a correlation between smoking and pulmonary and cardiac disorders so that only a weakling (which I was for forty years) or a fool will try to convice you or himself otherwise.

OTS, your story is amazing and inspiring. I wish you the best of luck and good health.

P.S. You are my hero

Originally posted by poonchang
OTS, your story is amazing and inspiring. I wish you the best of luck and good health.

P.S. You are my hero

I second that emotion! I'm gonna get back on the wagon again...poonchang...you commin witme?

Originally posted by junglejake
alwayslearning, you make it?

Hey jungle...just noticed now you asked me this. Sadly, as you noted already I fell off the wagon...but I have the will....I went 10 days before stupidly breaking down. Fricken bad habit gets the better of me. But I'll keep trying.

Keep it up, AL. You can do it!

Originally posted by AlwaysLearning

I second that emotion! I'm gonna get back on the wagon again...poonchang...you commin witme?

Sure, AL!! I havn't "cheated" today, but set a date and we'll go for it!!

Poonchang...we'll get there one of these days yet! One day at a time, eh! :bnghd:

Parrhesia - thanks for the encouragement buddy! :bnghd:

keep up the very great work!!!

this is a very hard thing to do...

i never smoked (i am too young and i will never try it) but i heard it is VERY hard to stop...

my advice is:

take some of those nicotine (sp???) gum...

and be addicted to SODA and not smoking...

Originally posted by they see ALL
keep up the very great work!!!

this is a very hard thing to do...

i never smoked (i am too young and i will never try it) but i heard it is VERY hard to stop...

Don't ever start my friend...don't ever give in to peer pressure. That's what got me started all those years ago!

Thanks for the encouragement!

Hey AL,

Are you on the wagon again? if not pick a day soon. I've weened myself down to less than a cigarette everyday (yeah, I know-start,stop,start,stop). I'm going to stop completely any day now (like tomorrow or the next day). I'm quitting this week for sure. If you're on the wagon again, forget you ever read this