about quitting smoking...

[jims69camaro]

i guess i am having a hard time psychologically with the transformation from smoker to non-smoker. i am in transition thanks to Chantix, available only by prescription. i had tried all of the other remedies including accu-pressure, gum, patch, lozenge, and certain other programs that did nothing to control the withdrawl from nicotine. Chantix has it all over the other programs and products because it actually blocks nicotine from the key receptors in the central nervous system. it comes on slowly and sooner or later you realize that smoking is doing nothing for you, physically, so why continue?

so, since the 1st i have smoked only one pack. i was up to about a pack and a half per day, so this is a big turn-around for me. and i think the only addiction now is to the psychological effects of smoking. always reaching for a pack, lighting up, having a smoke in my mouth while i am on the computer, driving and smoking, etc. i've almost got this addiction defeated. since the physical addiction is almost zero, the real work will be in working through the psychological things. one day soon i will join the rest of the non-smokers.

so, if quitting was one of your new year's resolutions and you are having trouble keeping it, you might want to see your doctor about a script for Chantix. it's worked for my wife and it's working for me.

[nj85z28]

i was actually thinking of getting a scrip for it this week. thanks

[bad64chevelle]

Good for you Jim! One to stick to his new years resolution!

[FBODS4EVER]

good for you. now if i can only get my wife to quit. its not my habit. but i have to support it.

[Tsar]

Rx for quitting smoking? Do you people not have will power?

[enRo]

Originally Posted by Tsar

Rx for quitting smoking? Do you people not have will power?

Will power plays a big part in quitting. Like Jim said, its more like a habit. I was fine on my own quitting until I sat in front of a computer... it was a habit to light up. Breaking the habit was hard but it came to a point where I would have a box of lollipops alongside of me to help break the habit. Two boxes of lollipops later, it eventually worked, no prescriptions needed. Just have to trick yourself a little bit.

[69BirdX]

good luck. My aunt you to just put a straw in her mouth. she swore it worked

[Tsar]

Originally Posted by enRo

Will power plays a big part in quitting. Like Jim said, its more like a habit. I was fine on my own quitting until I sat in front of a computer... it was a habit to light up. Breaking the habit was hard but it came to a point where I would have a box of lollipops alongside of me to help break the habit. Two boxes of lollipops later, it eventually worked, no prescriptions needed. Just have to trick yourself a little bit.

And your example clearly illustrates sufficient willpower to overcome your wants, and be able to say no to yourself. That's all I'm asking for

[sweetbmxrider]

if everyone could be more like you tsar......


good like jim and congrats on kicking the habit!

[Tsar]

Originally Posted by sweetbmxrider

if everyone could be more like you tsar......

If that was the case you would have no one to admire... I quit smoking when I was 13, so I certainly know its possible. My mother decided to quit one day after smoking for about 20 years, she never picked up a cig again - we must be super human or something.

[sweetbmxrider]

must be the russian. if i ever smoked, i could say something about it. never have never will. the longer you do it, the harder i would think it would be to quit. maybe you and your mother could write a book and make millions. then donate some to the club and we could host a chat room!

[JL8Jeff]

Good luck Jim, I know a lot of long time smokers definitely struggle with quitting. It has nothing to do with willpower if you've smoked for 30 years or more.

[NJSPEEDER]

I don't believe in substituting one chemical for another. It is better to ease yourself off of them.

Start by not smoking the whole thing. Draw a line halfway down every cigarette and call that the end. Then start skipping or at least trying to delay those routine light ups. If you have something else to occupy your time, try to skip it and dive right into what ever else you have to do, if you were planning to relax, wait a bit before you go have the smoke and stick to only having half.

Either way, good luck. It takes the right situation and mind set to quit.

[Savage_Messiah]

Nice man... I've had a pack of gum in my pocket and coffee stirrers handy the past few days myself. Definitely having the most trouble at work, the habitual times (mainly driving), and out at the bars myself

[enRo]

Originally Posted by Tsar

And your example clearly illustrates sufficient willpower to overcome your wants, and be able to say no to yourself. That's all I'm asking for

I was merely backing up your statement

[shane27]

ive been smoking for years and i can go days/weeks without smoking... easily

[Tsar]

Originally Posted by sweetbmxrider

must be the russian. if i ever smoked, i could say something about it. never have never will. the longer you do it, the harder i would think it would be to quit. maybe you and your mother could write a book and make millions. then donate some to the club and we could host a chat room!

Unfortunately it would be as long as my book "how to lose weight", which simply proposed to put down the cheeseburger and start exercising. That wasn't a big hit; I'm guessing people don't really like the truth, and prefer a "miracle" drug/pill instead.

Originally Posted by JL8Jeff

Good luck Jim, I know a lot of long time smokers definitely struggle with quitting. It has nothing to do with willpower if you've smoked for 30 years or more.

O RLY? I wasn't aware that there was a specific amount of years that a person could not quit after smoking for x amount of years. When does it kick in? 21? 27? 29.999 years? Clearly it must be after 20 and before 30, because no one with 30 years of smoking experience could possibly quit on their own!

Maybe you should make yourself more familiar with a dictionary.

Will power:
1. Control of one's impulses and actions; self-control.
2. The strength of will to carry out one's decisions, wishes, or plans.
3. The trait of resolutely controlling your own behavior [syn: self-control].

Self Control:
1. Control or restraint of oneself or one's actions, feelings, etc.
2. Control of one's emotions, desires, or actions by one's own will.
3. The act of denying yourself; controlling your impulses [syn: self-denial].
4. The trait of resolutely controlling your own behavior.

Self Denial:
1. An act or instance of restraining or curbing one's desires.
2. The act of denying yourself; controlling your impulses.
3. Forbearing to gratify one's own desires.


Last time I checked no one has died from cigarette withdrawals; so the issue comes down to whether you want to kick the habit bad enough or not. Which in turn comes down to if you have enough self control and will power to exercise your own wishes over what your body is telling you to do.

Dictionary 1, You 0.
Thanks for playing.

[NJ346]

Originally Posted by sweetbmxrider

maybe you and your mother could write a book and make millions. then donate some to the club and we could host a chat room!

haha, Your really set on NJFBOA getting a shoutbox huh?

[WildBillyT]

Originally Posted by Tsar

Unfortunately it would be as long as my book "how to lose weight", which simply proposed to put down the cheeseburger and start exercising. That wasn't a big hit; I'm guessing people don't really like the truth, and prefer a "miracle" drug/pill instead.



O RLY? I wasn't aware that there was a specific amount of years that a person could not quit after smoking for x amount of years. When does it kick in? 21? 27? 29.999 years? Clearly it must be after 20 and before 30, because no one with 30 years of smoking experience could possibly quit on their own!

Maybe you should make yourself more familiar with a dictionary.

Will power:
1. Control of one's impulses and actions; self-control.
2. The strength of will to carry out one's decisions, wishes, or plans.
3. The trait of resolutely controlling your own behavior [syn: self-control].

Self Control:
1. Control or restraint of oneself or one's actions, feelings, etc.
2. Control of one's emotions, desires, or actions by one's own will.
3. The act of denying yourself; controlling your impulses [syn: self-denial].
4. The trait of resolutely controlling your own behavior.

Self Denial:
1. An act or instance of restraining or curbing one's desires.
2. The act of denying yourself; controlling your impulses.
3. Forbearing to gratify one's own desires.


Last time I checked no one has died from cigarette withdrawals; so the issue comes down to whether you want to kick the habit bad enough or not. Which in turn comes down to if you have enough self control and will power to exercise your own wishes over what your body is telling you to do.

Dictionary 1, You 0.
Thanks for playing.

I think it's a lot easier for people who smoke less in quantity (not duration) to quit. If you are a 2-3 pack a day smoker it's going to be a big deal since your body is so dependent on the nicotine.

And in some cases prescription nicotine replacement therapy is merely OTC stuff that is prescription so that you can make an insurance company pay for it.

[NastyEllEssWon]

i quit cold turkey like 4 years ago. i had almost a 2 pack a day habit. i woke up one morning, smoked half my cig and just put it out and threw the pack out. i never smoked another cig.


i also had cravings up to almost 2 years later and now cant stand them. keep going. feels good

[Tsar]

Originally Posted by WildBillyT

I think it's a lot easier for people who smoke less in quantity (not duration) to quit. If you are a 2-3 pack a day smoker it's going to be a big deal since your body is so dependent on the nicotine.

Well the man said that you can't possibly quit after smoking 30 years or more... so i ran with that.

I Googled some common withdrawal symptoms and came up with:
Physical:
* Tingling in the hands and feet
* Sweating
* Intestinal disorders (cramps, nausea)
* Headache
* Cold symptoms as the lungs begin to clear (sore throats, coughing, and other signs of colds and respiratory problem)

Mental:
* Feelings of being an infant: temper tantrums, intense needs, feelings of dependency, a state of near paralysis.
* Insomnia
* Mental confusion
* Vagueness
* Irritability
* Anxiety
* Depression is common in the short and long term. In the short term it may mimic the feelings of grief felt when a loved one is lost. As foolish as it sounds, a smoker should plan on a period of actual mourning in order to get through the early withdrawal depression.

(Last one is laughable )
To add to that list, they are almost never experienced all together, rather they are a combination of a few.

Looking at those I do not see even one symptom that you just simply can't say "get over it" to yourself. What would be the worst case scenario after quitting smoking? Dying? hardly...

To me it's all about self control, if someone wants to treat it like a heroin addiction they might do so - but they are just weak minded people who can't deny themselves a simple want. IMO.

[69BirdX]

I just stopped anf dont have emm anymore. My dad has been trying forever and cant.

[sweetbmxrider]

chemical addiction is different for everyone.

[SRGN]

Originally Posted by Tsar

If that was the case you would have no one to admire... I quit smoking when I was 13, so I certainly know its possible. My mother decided to quit one day after smoking for about 20 years, she never picked up a cig again - we must be super human or something.

How long were you smoking if you quit at age 13?

[Tsar]

Originally Posted by SRGN

How long were you smoking if you quit at age 13?

regular basis 11, randomly since I was about 6 or 7. Why?