Quitting tobacco

[Keral_Patel]

I have given up tobacco.

From last 10 years I had been addicted to it and I myself knew it isn't good for my health still I was not able to leave it.

Tried in vain for 2 or 3 times but couldn't keep myself away from it. Whenever I used to quit for 4 or 5 days something worst would happen and I only had one thing that was my friend and it was tobacco.

From last month I was trying to slowly decrease the intake but all plans were failing. So I decided to just stop it. I told my family members that maybe I will fall ill or something but I was prepared for the sickness etc.

Today is my 5th day and I have not taken it. My brain is playing lots of games with me. But I am trying to tell myself that I have already worked so hard for 5 days why to waste that efforts.

If you are also taking tobacco and want to quit then its a great time. Maybe you and me can take inspiration from each other and it will help.

Thanks.

 

[chandan]

its nice to quit :tu:

 

[James]

We talked about this on IM.

I'm proud of you Nick, Keep going buddy :tu:

 

[liquidcherry]

Good Luck Nick, i keep my fingers crossed for you....i wish i could quit but i don't psses the mindset for it i guess

Cheers

Frank

 

[DebX420]

Nice Nick :D I want to quit, but with all the drama in my life, it's hard

But hey, it's only cigarettes - I don't do drugs or alchohol

 

[Keral_Patel]

I had lots of drama in my life. Much more then a 100 Shakespeares could have written in their lifetimes

But real drama started when my teeths started bleeding and the gums started swelling.

To save myself from the ultimate tragedy I decided 10 years of tobacco was good enough. Now there can be only 2 things one I quit right now and pray that the rest is all good. Other is I still enjoy the feeling of tobacco and I really want to have that feeling but I can't because that I now know is really near the end of the road.

 

[DebX420]

I used to smoke a lot of menthols, full flavors, etc. which were bad for my health, and I eventually went to just lights It helped a lot, but everyone has their ways with co-oping with problems. I am just glad you had that will power to quit - not too many people can do that.

 

[Jeff]

Good job, Nick! :tu:

I "dipped" Skoal™ (18+) for years ... and on Dec. 28th, 2003 I threw it in the trash and never looked back! :yell:
True honest to Goodness story, and I went through - literally - H.E.L.L. for about 5 - 6 months resulting in multiple trips to the Dr's, etc. and my family thinking I was losing my mind! It was horrible. And then, one day, I believe it was in either May or June (somewhere around my birthday) it all just kind of happened - a proud feeling of CLARITY and cleanliness of the spirit that I hadn't had for a long time, IMHO.

Trust me, it's a very VERY PROUD thing to tell folks that you quit ... and you'll remember the exact circumstance, date and time, just like I have. :kickass:
Quitting is a sign of strength of character ... and you don't need to tell anyone or show it, you just need to feel it within your ownself.

Keep up the good work, my friend! :tu
-Jeff

 

[Premiere]

I smoked for 20 years, on and off. Sometimes I wouldn't be a smoker for 2 years, then go back for 2 years. I quit forever about 5 years ago and everything is much different.

The real trick you have to remember, is that everyone who has not been on tobacco does not have this odd perception of tobacco. Only us addicts do. We see a cigarette, or cigar, or pinch at first having the power over us, then we see ourselves as having power but can't help ourselves, then eventually we see our power is real and we can do as we please. This is no different from the withdrawal that heroin users suffer from when they quit.

However this is just from an internal belief that the tobacco (the nicotine actually), will help you cope, or do something, or get through something, or might even help you to quit! The only thing I have found that helps is time.

Now, five years later I can go out to a bar and have a stinky cigarette and think how gross it is and feel like crap the next morning and not want another one at all. This is how most normal people act. One day far in the future you will feel the same.

 

[Jeff]

I was told - repeatedly - when I was going through H.E.L.L. that it was actually easier to quit heroin than nicotine, and I would tend to believe it (though I have no clue about the former) IMHO. :yell:

Think of this opportunity as a RARE GIFT ... embrace it and hold it dear inside - it is an incredible power to have finally succeeded through the agony of nicotine withdrawals ... to then have your body and mind be forever thoroughly cleansed! :hearts:
Trust me!

-Jeff

 

[GILSAN]

I smoked for 35 years and gave up 12 years ago at Xmas time after getting a very strong bout of flu. You know, the ones where you have no strength, your body is sore and cigarettes taste awfull. I decided to quit for the first time, allways remembering that my kids hated cigarete smoke. I said to myself "I'm going to try it for myself and for my kids". The first 15-20 days were very dificult. I counted the minutes and the hours.

After the inicial month it became progressively easier to handle and instead of counting minutes and hours I was only counting days and weeks.

I would say it took me at least a year to forget about tobacco and then started concentrating on getting rid of the 5 kg of extra weight I gained during this time (food tastes so much better). It's much easier to get rid of 5kg of fat than kicking a smoking addiction.

Strangely enough during this period, the smell of cigarete smoke didn't bother me at all but the smell of ashtrays with cigarette butts did.

Your first month is going to be the the highest hurdle, after that the hurdles get smaller and smaller. Good luck.

 

[Michelle]

:kickass: Good for you hunny. I gave up nearly 4 years ago. Still miss it now and then but hope I will never go back..Is it easy giving up, is it hell ... Its one of the hardest self battles I have had to take but... I did it and so can you.

If you ever need some support just pm me

 

[tonyfloyd]

i myself am facing the same dilemma....longest i had quit for was 31 days...and like an idiot i went back!!!......now here i am again....wanting to quit......have smoked for 20 years.....have gone from Marlboro Reds to lights to now..Ultra lights.....and changing cigs is like changing seats on the Titanic!!!......wont help you!!.......wife is nagging me..etc.....but its easier said than done....the hardest addiction to overcome!!.....so easy to say "i wanna quit"....and so so hard to do.....

 

[Ross]

A craving only lasts 60 seconds. If you can pop it out of your head without getting the keys to go the gas station then you will be fine. I had tried quitting multiple times in the past and all resulted going to the gas station before work and buying a pack out of a mindless routine. I finally said thats enough and stopped. I also use a hookah from time to time, with the non tobacco stuff.

I used to smoke a lot of menthols, full flavors, etc. which were bad for my health, and I eventually went to just lights It helped a lot, but everyone has their ways with co-oping with problems. I am just glad you had that will power to quit - not too many people can do that.

Lights are just as harmfull as the menthols or full flavors by the way. the only difference in a light is that it allows more air to go in with the smoke. If you look closely at the butt of the cigarette you will see little little holes that go all the way around the butt. This allows fresh air to come in with the cigarette. You can achieve the same thing with a full flavor if you poke a small hole just before the butt starts on the cigarette. In no way shape or form is a light better for you compared to other types of cigarette.

 

[mis_chiff]

Good Luck with your battle -Nick-
Stay strong, and remember why you're doing it
(now if I can only do the same)

 

[Jeff]

Go Nick! Gooo Tony!

.....but its easier said than done....the hardest addiction to overcome!!.....so easy to say "i wanna quit"....and so so hard to do.....

For those of us that WERE - past tense - addicted to nicotine at one point in time, we KNOW your feelings of guilt and the recurring viscious circle ad nauseum "wanting / trying to quit", "it's so hard", etc. IMHO.
It is very DIFFICULT to quit, know this now ... but it will get better in a few months time! :yell:

Throw the remaining packs (lights/ultra/whatever) in the trash right now, and start your new, happy, and completely cleansed life today!
No one that I am aware of has ever died from nicotine withdrawal, and you'll be just fine with time! :imho:

All the best.
-Jeff

 

[shockie]

smoking definitely isn't healthy, but quitting is very hard as well. it's a tough step you're taking so good luck! :tu:

 

[dmi]

TalkTobacco.com just dropped... What you did might inspire you to build a great forum.

Anyway, good luck with staying away from tobacco.

 

[hubbychan]

Good luck mate....
my dad said that its not that easy to quit tabacco..good luck! good luck!

 

[GILSAN]

Quitting smoking is the only thing I can think of that brings you and your family great benefits especially to your health. And you know what, it doesn't cost you a cent, in fact you save a considerable amount of money every month that you could put to much better use, such as .... buying more domains. Don't give up in the first month at least. After that the pain will be less.