Smoking

[Ross]

Well, you won't have to listen to people nagging you anymore.....you are on your way to being SMOKE FREE. Keep up the good work, you can do it.

Nagging is the one thing that ticked me off enough to keep smoking. We all know it's not good for you, but it's a personal choice just like choosing a valve. Like in my case, what am I going to do? Divorce my wife because she chooses to smoke? That's the only way it's getting out of the house and off of my clothes, but realistically, it ain't gonna happen.

 

[Cooker]

Everyone has a habit that disgust, annoys someone. I?m not condoning anything that is detrimental to ones heath??.but I am not condemning it either. For me, I am agreeable to changes in my lifestyle that are beneficial, to me. For instance, losing weight makes me feel better physically and emotionally, same with exercise and quitting smoking.

The point being that life is short and for me to battle a ?bad? habit I better darn well see value add for ?me? or it will not happen. Smoking is bad for you, period??I love it but I see value for ?me? in not smoking. I love to eat, again I see value add in being the right weight for ?me?. I love women, but I see value add in not chasing them do to the wrath of the Queen Chimp.

Weigh each thing individually and make the decision that is right for ?you?

 

[mtkayak]

Trust me, I know how nagging goes and it doesn't work only support helps. Condemning somebody for smoking is not the way to go. My ex-girlfriend (before surgery) nagged me so bad it created constant arguments and is one of the reasons we broke up. I think at this point everybody in the world knows the ill effects of smoking ,if not, you've been hiding under a rock.

There's only been one piece of scientific research that supports only one benefit from smoking. The fact that smoking increases the dopamine levels in the receptors, that in fact, increases your alertness and stimulates the brain. That fact alone means it could help prevent the onset of Alzheimers in older people. Haven't sad that, smoking is still ill advised.

My retort to people who question or nag me knowing I have had heart surgery is it's only the valve that was replaced. It was a birth defect and has nothing to do with my smoking. My cholesterol levels are perfect, my BP is perfect, my coronary arteries are in good shape, lungs are in good shape (according to the suregeon) It is true, still, a very weak arguement. Smoking is a very ignorant thing to do.

I do respect peoples right not to be around smoke and it's harmful second hand effects. I never smoke in the house or in public places and always away from children. I'm glad they've passed the "No Smoking" ordinances in public places. If you want to wreck your health that's fine but it's should not cause harm to others.

I've been smoke free for over a week now! It's getting easier.

 

[Cooker]

Way to go Mike!! I am 2 days now but I must confess I am chewing the nicotine gum. If
I don't have something to help keep me in check I would have fired 3 people already. I had quit before and was gum free for about nine months?..when I decided to lose weight I should have jumped back on the gum. Hope we hear from a few others who are going to try and quit.

 

[mtkayak]

Way to go Mike!! I am 2 days now but I must confess I am chewing the nicotine gum. If
I don't have something to help keep me in check I would have fired 3 people already. I had quit before and was gum free for about nine months…..when I decided to lose weight I should have jumped back on the gum. Hope we hear from a few others who are going to try and quit.

Nice job! Chewing the gum is fine, it's being smoke free is what really counts! I'm using the gum as well. My Dr. told he had much rather I chew that gum for the rest of my life than light up another cigarette if that's what it takes. Nictone is bad but it's the smoke that carries the carcenogenics (sp) and dioxins that will lead to cancer.


This from Wikipedia:

"The currently available literature indicates that nicotine, on its own, does not promote the development of cancer in healthy tissue and has no mutagenic properties."

 

[pamela]

If you find that you still have an ashtray and matches around, on your next walk, walk to a dumpster (farther away than you'd want to walk and buy replacements) and throw the cigarette paraphenalia into the garbage. Quitting smoking isn't just leaving an addiction and habit behind, it's like losing weight -- if you want to keep it off, you need to change your lifestyle. Getting rid of the things that make smoking a "nice" habit will make the change easier.

Good luck, may 2008 be smoke free.

 

[Cooker]

off, you need to change your lifestyle. Getting rid of the things that make smoking a "nice" habit will make the change easier.

Good luck, may 2008 be smoke free.

I think I must draw a line in the sand on this one.......................

 

[sue943]

I can only say what worked for me.

I smoked for about thirty-five years and at my peak lit about sixty cigarettes each day, I say lit as I would light one and take a few puffs then put it down as I worked, it would burn down and would immedaitely light another. At the end I suppose I was smoking about twenty each day, and actually smoking them.

Then I was diagnosed as diabetic, type II, and my doctor said diabetics were higher risk for strokes and heart attacks, and smoking doubled the risk.

I went home and thought about me and how I ticked. From experience I knew if I COULDN'T have a cigarette then I craved one, for instance if I ran out I would be pretty desperate and used to have to go to bed as I didn't smoke in bed. So to tell me, or for me to tell myself, that I could not have another cigarette would make me want one, I would be desperate for one.

Solution was NOT to tell myself that I couldn't have another cigarette, just that I would DELAY lighting the next one. The cigarettes and lighter are in the cupboard, they are well stale by now as that was March 2000. I am still delaying lighting the next one - but I know that I can if I want and that is enough for me. Some days I am tempted but I just say 'not yet' and the desire passes.

 

[mtkayak]

For me, it's not the paraphanalia laying around like ashtrays and lighters that's tempting. Luckily, it's just the cigarette itself. Now, that I don't have cigarettes in the house, it's easier to stop and think about what I'm doing before I jump in the car and drive to the store to get a pack. I can stop myself where before it was a desperate "knee jerk" reaction, if you will. People smoking around me make it very tempting because all it takes is asking that person for a cigarette. Most people oblige. It's not like I can just abandon my friends so I have to live with the temptation and hopes that my will power will hold up. I agree to a certain point that it is a lifestyle change. When you've been doing something for years and you suddenly stop, it is a lifestyle change. For me, coffee, alcohol and other people smoking are my biggest obstacles. Just one cup of coffee or one beer is all it takes for me to get the urge. I may have to give those things up for a while which may constitute a lifestyle change

 

[Cooker]

9 days for me now.....it was foolish to ever start back but hey, it's a Chimp thing

 

[gadgetman]

Mike,

I dabbled in smoking (pipes, cigars, etc) during my younger years but it never became a habit. Therefore, I can?t offer any ?magic bullet? solution. I will offer my support and say congratulations on trying to kick this habit. I wish you all the luck in the world.

May God Bless,

Danny

OOOOPS, Bubba has something to say:

Heck, Mike,

Bud, ev'rytime yo' git thet urge t'smoke, jest log on hyar an' post o' answer a thread. Shucks, ah reckon befo'e long yo'll haf mo'e posts than Ross.

Bubba

 

[Curtsmum]

I have quit and started so many times i have lost count. I am planning to quit again very soon, my only problem being that i am a nightmare to live with, any tips on keeping the stress levels down.
Well done Cooker keep up the good work.

 

[pamela]

Have any of the quitters thought about a quit meter? Just google and there are a number of free quit meters that calculate all sorts of stats (including money saved!) and can provide a real visual incentive to keep smoke free.

 

[nicksb]

Interesting eBook

Interesting eBook

I am not a smoker but reading this might, not sure. This is a story "Stephen King". All the best.

 

[mtkayak]

I have quit and started so many times i have lost count. I am planning to quit again very soon, my only problem being that i am a nightmare to live with, any tips on keeping the stress levels down.
Well done Cooker keep up the good work.

I do recommend the new drug Chantix. It seems to be working this time around. My cravings are less and less and no real stress associated with it. It's a nicotine free drug as well. Although you do need a prescription. I'm almost 2 weeks although I did slip up on New Years Eve But I never had a craving the next day.

 

[Bina]

Curtsmum brought up a good point....quitting can be super hard to handle, but what about those who have to live with the quitter? My hubby quit his 30 yr addiction when I was only 6 months post op; I thought I may just jump off a bridge. He was being a major +++ and I was still in the post op blues. Good thing he had decided to quit on April 1st cuz he went for ALOT of walks around the farm.
We survived and you all can too

 

[Cooker]

I know I can be a total chimps arse while quiting. If I feel an episode of chimparsism coming on I walk away and try to rethink the situation....sometimes I fail at this miserably.

 

[Ross]

Y'all been smokin for 2 weeks now. What gives?

 

[Cooker]

Y'all been smokin for 2 weeks now. What gives?

I was only puffing a few to help with diet....stupid I know. It's been almost two weeks now.....I smell better

 

[Tina]

I have smoked since I was 16 - quit too many times to count! For me I am currently on Chantix and it has really worked! When I do have a cigarette I don't want another one right away like I used to - I just need to break the habit - Chantix seems to be taking care of the addiction. In fact, a cigarette now tastes like it did when I first started smoking - yucky!!
Good luck to everyone trying to quit - I have gone 3 weeks with 5 cigarettes.