142 hours!

[Nabubrush]

That is how long it has been since I have smoked a cigarette, and I start this thread as a blatant plea for positive reinforcement to make my struggle easier. Any encouragement would be helpful, and thank you in advance. My sweetheart thinks I am more appealing without the smoking, which makes it easier to stick to the not smoking (anything for her) - but any help you folks might toss my way would be much appreciated.

(I tried to make this a poll but either I am an idiot, or the funny miscellaneous blocks on my work computer have rendered it impossible. Perhaps both.)

[jough]

Smoking is for fags.

[AlohaDawg]

Good going! I quit when the Wife's dad lay in a coma, grinding his teeth. Tying the image of a gruesome, drawn-out death (that I got to watch) to the act of smoking was enough.

Just think about how much pinker your lungs are and how much better food tastes. And how happy the love of your life is to have you that much longer. It's all good, and lighting up made you SMELL. BAD.

[andalucia]

Many congratulations and good luck!

[V-Adore]

You. Are. Rad.

[AugustWest]

But, smoking makes you cool!  Also, how are Phillip Morris and R.J. Reynolds going to continue to make obscene profits if you don't let them exploit you?

What the HELL people?

[arkabee]

in a way, i envy you.  my gf and i are trying to concurrently quit.  it's not going so well.  to have "no sex" as an alternative to "no breathing in noxious toxic fumes" might be more motivational for me.

so, sex.  there's a pretty important and potent bio-feedback mechanism right there.  get her to promise you no nookie if you smoke.  note: ya, it's a great idea, isn't it? and, no, those words will never come out of my mouth, so take it with a grain of salt.

money.  cigs are too freakin expensive nowadays.  i used to smoke camel lights, but have wandered over to GPC ultralights.  still to freakin expensive.  think of the cool crap you can buy yourself with all that money.  or save for retirement.  or something.  i have a signifigant amount of camel bucks.  whoooo.  take the legal tender, seriously.

social stigma.  depending on your locale, you can use PEER PRESSURE as a positive force in your life.  this doesn't really work for me, personally, because all it does is make me want to smoke more so i can put my cigarette out in their eye.  ymmv.

i've been using the nicorette gum.  it's horrid.  it's like peppered juicy fruit without the juicy or the fruit.  but it is the most similar gum.  it helps with the nic withdrawl, and the oral fixation crap, but i still miss all the additives.

which leads us to: additives.  if it was just the nicotine, then i wouldn't be experiencing physical withdrawl issues if i'm chewing the hell out of the nic gum.  this is really pissing me off lately.  can they just make a NATURALLY ADDICTIVE cigarette anymore!!??! WTF!!!!!!?  no, they have to add MORE CRAP in it to make it MORE addictive.  great, more retinas to burn.

142 hours, sad, i had to use a calc to do the math.  6 days, you should notice a sense of smell come back.  find one of your ashtrays.  i just about got sick the first time i quit and i sniffed one.  it's really horrible.  next week you'll probably start to notice the smell attached to that shirt you've washed 3 times since quitting.  it's really bad.  the smoke just gets in everywhere.

Coke.  one of the things i miss, is the BURNING sensation in my throat from when you inhale nice and deep.  chug, and i mean CHUG, a coke.  it burns like a bubbly acid down your throat.  it helps.

the new dentyne gum.  i prefer the arctic chill ice.  sugarless.  "candy coated" so if your the nostalgic for chiclets type, hey, there you go.  first couple of chews, ya, it's gum.  about the 4th or 5th, KAPLOWEE, it burns like someone put kerosene in that coke you chugged.  sometimes i have to spontaneously spit the gum out.  it's great.  of course, by about the 10th chew, the burn is gone, so it isn't really timed like a cig.  but it's good chewing gum, it stays quite maleable for long times.

start excercising.  do something constructive with the nervous energy.  i haven't done either, but i've heard it's a good idea.

anywas, obviosly Your Mileage WILL Vary.

Good luck, be strong.  pretty much, i think it comes down to personal inner strength, etc.  i've been so freaking weak this past month or so, it's really starting to get to me.  i think that might be my grail for quitting, though, just to prove to myself i'm not that horribly weak.

[pubdoggy]

I used to smoke about 10 a day - you know "socially". A few drinks and some banter led to a couple - a nice meal led to a couple more - you know the score. Anyway, I stopped when my mum got lung Cancer, and I had to watch her die over the course of 6 months. Pretty rough. Generally - I know shock stories don't work on the hardened smoker (my dad still smokes 4 years on), but being there and living it is the worst kind of torture. Don't do it to yourself, but more importantly, don't do it to the people who care about you.

Good luck.

[slink]

Yea, I quit because my brother's girlfriend's mother died of Lymphoma. And I had quit the time before that 'cause my girlfriend had lymphoma. Just seemed like the tactful thing to do really.

I actually tried to smoke one last night, for so many reasons - stress, panic, extreme leg pain (nicotine being a muscle relaxant used to help) - but it was just nasty. Couldn't even manage a proper draw off it.

So fuck it. Looks like that's it.

Good work dude!

[Gimpson]

I'm currently on three weeks and two days.  Are you using any nicotine replacement?  I'm using the patch, which I like because it provides the constant stream of nicotine.  Theoretically, smoking a cigarette on the patch would be much worse for you than cheating between two pieces of nicotine gum.  

Anyway, for further motivation, when I was in Chicago the weekend before last I saw a pack of cigarettes for over five bucks.  That was actually what motivated my pop to quit...  Let's see, $4.70 (The going Kansas price) x 1.3 packs a day x 30 days = $183 a month saved.  Add to that the fact that I was too dumb to buy by the carton, and tack the cost of a coke and some other junk I'd always buy at the gas station when I got my smokes, and this'll be a serious financial savings as well...

Good luck Nabubrush...  So have you been out to a smoky bar yet since you quit?  I've managed it a couple of times, but that one is tough...

[V-Adore]

On the subject of addictive substances...

Coke.  one of the things i miss, is the BURNING sensation in my throat from when you inhale nice and deep.  chug, and i mean CHUG, a coke.  it burns like a bubbly acid down your throat.  it helps.

This is the absolute gospel, and that effect may be the only thing getting me through this year of college.

(I should try to quit soda again, but I doubt it's going to work.)

[slink]

This is the absolute gospel, and that effect may be the only thing getting me through this year of college.

I tend to use cold water, 'cause yes, aside from the psychological habit, the thing that really got me smoking again and again was the feeling at the back of the throat. A kind of tickling feeling. Cold liquid is the only other thing that hits that!

[arkabee]

Are you using any nicotine replacement?  I'm using the patch, which I like because it provides the constant stream of nicotine.  Theoretically, smoking a cigarette on the patch would be much worse for you than cheating between two pieces of nicotine gum.  

Good luck Nabubrush...  So have you been out to a smoky bar yet since you quit?  I've managed it a couple of times, but that one is tough...

1- gum & cheating.  beyond theory, you are correct.

2- bars, and smokiness thereof: ti is teh suxor.

[V-Adore]

This is the absolute gospel, and that effect may be the only thing getting me through this year of college.

I tend to use cold water, 'cause yes, aside from the psychological habit, the thing that really got me smoking again and again was the feeling at the back of the throat. A kind of tickling feeling. Cold liquid is the only other thing that hits that!

This is useful advice. I actually don't smoke and don't plan to start, but I actually just meant that I've become ravingly addicted to Coca-Cola primarily because of the tactile elements. That shit hits like drinking sweet, sweet fire.

Anyway, back on topic: much encouragement for all attempting to quit. The gum sounds good, insofar as anything at this point is good.

[sjlimmer]

It's a tough road, and I wish you luck.  There doesn't seem to be any one thing that works for everyone.  I only managed to quit because I had a bad enough case of bronchitis that I couldn't smoke for about a week.  But it still took me the better part of a year to ease myself off of them, taking occasional drags from various peoples smokes.  

But, it can be done.  My old man smoked for ~35 years before he managed to quit with the patch. I know a lot of people that have had moderate-good luck with the patch (and freaky dreams if you sleep with it).  Not having an SO that smokes will be a big help...

Good luck.