Smoking and wanting to stop.

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Member Since: Mar 08, 2004

Hey I figure some of you guys have smoked in the past so I wanted to see if any of you have advice.

I am a smoker. Like a pack and a half a day. I actually want to quit and have tried before but never went very far. It seems when I'm quiting all I can think about is wanting to smoke. I've even tried the patches and that went nowhere.

I've smoked for about 11 years(started when I was around 19 and I'm 30 now). Never seemed that long. I sit and add up the money spent on cigs in a month and it ticks me off. I am also a singer in my band and the drummer so to say I get winded is an understatement.

Everything I do seems to revolve around smoking. When I record, mixing, driving, after eating, etc.
I really need to stop but can't seem to make myself do it out of fear of how I felt when I tried before.

Anyone got any advice?

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Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Mar 07, 2005 03:15 pm

First...admirable, I congratulate you on the wise decision.

Second, I know this sounds like a smart aleck remark, but I am really serious...just don't put 'em in your mouth.

It's gonna suck for a while, you're gonna go nuts, don't kid yourself...it's a *****.

But the end result is far better than the quiting is sucky by ratio.

That, and find something healthy to do...excersize, sports, landscaping, something to occupy your time.

Member
Since: Mar 08, 2004


Mar 07, 2005 03:18 pm

Well I've heard alot of peaople say the only way is cold turkey. Just stop and use you're own will just to stop.

And my wife will hate me. I am VERY irritable when trying to stop. But she will be cool with it if it's for this. She's been on about quiting since we've been married. Plus I have a 2 1/2 year old that I want to see get older and all and I sometimes like these things are gonna one day get the best of me.

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Mar 07, 2005 03:22 pm

As the old saying goes, anything worth anything is hard work...yeah, it's a drag, but there is no better reason in the world than a kid. You surely don't want to child suckin that crap in...after a while you'll learn that your sense of taste and smell come back, food taste better, freshly cut grass smells better...being able to teach you child how to shoot hoops and catch a ball without getting winded is more fun

it's worth it...go for it, just throw it away...now. And don't look back.

Hold 'Em Czar
Member
Since: Dec 30, 2004


Mar 07, 2005 03:25 pm

i've been off and on this boat for a while....

www.homerecordingconnecti...d=6763&frm4

all i can say is you hafta really hate and dispise them little cancer sticks...

i'm down to 2-3 packs a week (depending on how much beer i drink) it's a never ending battle, but i'm never gonna quit tryin' to quit. it'd be nice if everyone i associated myself with quit also! lol

good luck

wyd

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Mar 07, 2005 03:31 pm

Well, when I was quiting the various habits of mine I did the simplest thing, I changed who I associate with, changed my entire life...and funnily enough, I found most of them really weren't that good of friends...sadly.

Life is better today...

Hold 'Em Czar
Member
Since: Dec 30, 2004


Mar 07, 2005 03:36 pm

see that's a bit more difficult, down here in tennessee, we've got that 'good 'ole boys' attitude and have managed to remain good friends with the same ppl we went to highschool, most (if not all) of my friends have been in my life for more than 10 years now, and we all are real close...i don't think i could just ditch them....i've really come to cherrish our circle of friends, we've shared so many good times and bad, and basically have all grown up together...some are married with kids now (also to highschool friends) i donno, we've got somethin' that i've learned alotta ppl don't. my 'best friend' has been in that role since we were 12 (i'm 25 now).....alotta ppl have this mentality that friends come and go, but i donno, i've had a few like that but the core of who "we" are has always been there......

Bohemian
Member
Since: May 04, 2003


Mar 07, 2005 03:37 pm

I'm Not a smoker not was I ever, But I found this to be a great tip I read somewhere

Don't try to stop at once, most won't succeed in that, the thing is... Smoking has become a habit, Break the habit and eventually stop smoking.

so when you feel like taking a cig and normally you'd take one, wait for 10 minutes...
and and then take one, take one when you really think you need one, not because you "normally" take one... once you take yourself down to less smoking, quitting will be easier.

I hope you succeed

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Mar 07, 2005 03:42 pm

wyd, yeah, that's what I thought to, much of the crowd I hung with was around for many years, a couple over 20 years, since we were litterally in single-digit ages...and one my "best friend" of all time...

What I found out was I, as well as many I know that have been thru it, is that I started unhealthy relationships, or they have grown in to unhealthy relationships over time.

Never give any friendship credit for more than it's worth...and that's easy to do...and that small town "good ol' boy" crap often leads to the worst offenders of unhealthy relationships. Been there...small town tennessee is no different than small town, Iron Range, MN...

On another note, flame started a web site for this type of thing

www.artistswithissues.org

no disrespect intended toward small town, just a different social structure then other places...it has it's good points and bad points, just like everything in life. Myself, I hate it and really don't wanna go back to that lifestyle at all.

A small pie will soon be eaten
Member
Since: Aug 26, 2004


Mar 07, 2005 05:54 pm

I think a definitive decision has to be made before an attempt at quiting is even possable. There is a certain confidence and comfortability that is attached to any vice, These are two things not given away easily.

When ever i attempt to quit i find that things go well untill i have a beer in my hand!

being active certainly helps. I play cricket on Saturday's and we train 3 hours a night, two nights a week, Your body seem's to naturally resist the need to smoke the more active you are (in my experiance).

Also, Focussing on the postive's of quiting rather than the negitives of smoking is also helpful.

That said, i still smoke! i'm just not ready to quit! i think thats important. i know that's a lame excuse but there is nothing logical about smoking!

Good luck


Member
Since: Jan 18, 2003


Mar 07, 2005 07:17 pm

1. try going out and overdoing it one night. smoke too much. chain smoke all night.
2. wake up coughing. think 'damn whyd i do that? listen to me here.' feel the lousiness.
3. swear to yourself 'that's it! im done!'
4. believe in that all day. it's easy because on this day you are literally sick from smoking.
5. ideas for healthier things will arrive unbidden. youll daydream about all the things you could be doing if you didnt smoke. running, smelling, working out. losing the windedness. becoming connected to the idea of health. i think cigs actually sever the natural connection to the body that most people have. doing healthy things reconnects you.


i am having a hard time getting beyond step five, but the one sure thing i've found is that overdoing it with smoking on a particular night will give me a burst of motivation that can last up to two months. (longest quit yet). the motivation is the most important thing, of course. its what the willpower draws from.

Member
Member
Since: Nov 28, 2004


Mar 07, 2005 07:29 pm

I'll quit with you thats allways good....try to out do one another...it seems like a good idea,I wanna quit too

Hold 'Em Czar
Member
Since: Dec 30, 2004


Mar 07, 2005 07:32 pm

lemme finish this pack (tonight) and i'll join ya tommrow....bottled water and sunflower seeds kept the oral fixation side under control.

Member
Since: Mar 08, 2004


Mar 07, 2005 09:37 pm

Well Wed. or Thur. is the day. I am finishing off what few packs in the carton I have and then it's on.

If anyone is with me that would be very cool. We could have a threead talking ourselvers outta grabbing one,etc. Kinda like a HRC quit smoking support thread.

I am very into doing this this time. So I'm very into it. So anyone else with me?

Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003


Mar 07, 2005 10:05 pm

Well I'd offer some advice but since I haven't managed to quit either, it probably wouldn't be very good advice. :)

I will say the time I tried the patch was the closest I ever came to quitting, I lasted for nearly 3 weeks.

I just might give it another go with ya chris, good luck!

Dan

Member
Member
Since: Nov 28, 2004


Mar 07, 2005 10:10 pm

Kay just post the date and we'll give it a go...Ive quit b4 and i thought each time i quit it would become easier boy was i wrong!this is probably my third time quiting so lets hope its a charm

SM7b the Chuck Noris of Mic's
Contributor
Since: Jun 20, 2002


Mar 08, 2005 02:19 am

I'm with you all , I'm over here in Iraq and believe me it's hard to quit but i have a kid on the way and i can't be doing that crap anymore, i just hope i don't relaps when i get to germany (beer, beer, and more beer after many months of none) .

Member
Member
Since: Nov 28, 2004


Mar 08, 2005 02:35 am

kay guys seriously lets do it together the more the marry er ,lol I have had a few and I can honest;y say this is a great idea the more people that wanna quit the easier its gonna be...whos gonna have the balls and mindstate to quit?IM down soon as some one challanges me seems weird but i think a compition will be a great way to kick the habit once and for all lets support each other and be the best we can be just give me the word and I'll give it my best im really lookin forward to proving myself to God,me and everyone involved...you ever tell God your gonna quit then don't?I feel REALLY stupid and not worthy when I do sucha thing so please help me and give me the support I need to overcome this cancer inflicting piece of ****,lol.man mabey im being to real but im dead serious whos with me...who feels like I do?I wanna change make the change with me...

Member
Since: Jan 08, 2003


Mar 08, 2005 09:51 am

I quit a year ago this month, I used to say 'I'll just finish this pack', or 'I'll quit next wednesday'. I quit dozens of times for a day, a week, a month... In dozens of ways, the gum, the patch, hypnosis... It finally took looking at a half full pack and saying f-it... Threw 'em away.

Told myself every day, if you go back now, you're going to have to experience this feeling all over again. It wore off after a couple months, and now the scent, the feel, everything about them disgusts me.

I know no-one else that's succeeded with any other method...

W.

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Mar 08, 2005 10:01 am

Kudos Waldo on the year cancer-stick free. Indeed a notable accomplishment.

Smoking cigarettes is something I did for a while, but not long enough to make "quitting" very difficult. I did however have a select few other vices that were a beotch to quit. I kinda did it by necessity. I didn't want to expose my children to it, and I realized that if I wanted to get any positive momentum in my life I needed to put my head down a focus.

So I never really actually "quit" formally I just realized one fateful morning that I needed to re-align my priorities in life to properly execute the next stage of it...so I will even now say I haven't "quit", there just isn't room in my life for it right now...and hasn't been for around 10 years...

If ya'll wanna start a thread, do it at flames site www.artistswithissues.org I think it would be an awesome journal to start on that site.

Member
Since: May 09, 2004


Mar 08, 2005 08:28 pm

I quit recently. I'd tried before, but unsuccesfully. I think the only difference between this time and the others was that I had clear cut reasons for quitting. When I had thought about and realised those reasons, I wrote them down onto a piece of paper that I cut to be about the size of a dollar bill. I then put it in my wallet, and made myself the rule that I would have to read that list before I would allow myself to smoke, no exceptions. I've never had to read the list. It was like a way of looking over my own shoulder so to speak.

Member
Since: Mar 08, 2004


Mar 09, 2005 06:53 pm

Hey tomorrow is the day. I will start a thread at www.artistswithissues.org. I will call it the HR stop smoking thread.

So if anyone is still with me then just go there.

Holla

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