Are you smoker?

[msalper]

I have smoking for 4 years. And I'm embarrassed now. I've already tried to stop smoking but I was unsuccessful. When I drink a coffee or tea, I want to smoke; after a lunch or dinner I want it. Puffff...
Once, I lied to my boss about it, I thought I couldn't smoke in office hours because I said "I don't smoke". So it was working but just in office hours. Then home and smoke again. Now I try to find a way.

Also everybody say same words about "after stopping it you can find different taste in meals"

I hope tomorrow is a new day...and new beginnings.

 

[pdswife]

Nope.. not me.

 

[mrsmac]

I used to smoke, I still miss it. I can't drink boubon anymore cause it reminds me of smoking!
I have quit a number of times before this final time. Last time i quit was cause I was pregnant (and one of the earlier times too) Obviously you won't get that motivation, but once when I did give up for a year or more I quit using a rewards system which my friends and family helped with. After a day without a ciggarette I got a small thing I wanted (chocolate, magazine whatever) then after 1 week my friend took me to a cafe for afternoon tea, after 2 weeks a bigger treat and so on, I even got flowers sent to me after 1 month! We have a "quitline" here which you can ring for advice or help. They said everytime you feel like a cigarette stop and have a big glass of water and try to distract yourself. Also I found habits to do with smoking made me want to smoke so I gave up coffee and drank tea for ages. I also avoided situations where I always smoked until I was under control.
Sorry to be so long but I know how hard it is to quit.
Hang in there, think of the money you'll save and your health, I just watched my husband's grandfather die of lung cancer caused by smoking and its not much fun.
Message me if you would like an online quitting coach!!

 

[Raine]

You have to find something to replace smoking when doing those activities where you would normally smoke. Toothpicks, and mints worked for my husband and brother. For me, gum.

 

[middie]

i admit i am. i chew alot of double mint gum. or those listerine pocket packs work pretty good too

 

[Corinne]

Smokers

I am a smoker, too. I have been for a very long time. I have no intention of quitting anytime soon. I enjoy it. I won't quit until they say "or else" & then it will be because of pressure from everyone else. Right now, I don't really care. I must admit that I hate being the pariah these days... I try to be as considerate as possible of those around me. I am not a bad person because I smoke.

 

[callie]

No, you're NOT a bad person because you smoke! I don't smoke - never have - but I think it's awful the way smokers are treated like second-class citizens...

 

[Corinne]

Oh, Callie - I am so glad to know there is someone out there like you!
Corinne

 

[wasabi]

I tried it, didn't like it, so no, I don't smoke.

 

[SierraCook]

Nope, tried it a couple of times and that was enough for me. Ick!!

msalper, if you decide to quit, I know you can do it. Good Luck!!

 

[msalper]

Thanks for your advices...

Mrsmac; you were real warrior against smoking. You did well. I also have same problems like smoking with tea or coffee.. I think I will tell to my friends and my family about your reward system .

Raine; I will start to go gym. tomorrow (Monday is a day for new beginnings ) Thank you...

Corrinne; Don't worry about it;ofcourse we are not second class citizen... But I think; you must think to quit. Don't wait for pressure...

Thank you all guys...

Monday will be first day without smoking again... I will ,weekly, let you know about my steps to quit...

 

[pdswife]

Thanks for your advices...

Mrsmac; you were real warrior against smoking. You did well. I also have same problems like smoking with tea or coffee.. I think I will tell to my friends and my family about your reward system .

Raine; I will start to go gym. tomorrow (Monday is a day for new beginnings ) Thank you...

Corrinne; Don't worry about it;ofcourse we are not second class citizen... But I think; you must think to quit. Don't wait for pressure...

Thank you all guys...

Monday will be first day without smoking again... I will ,weekly, let you know about my steps to quit...

Best of luck! I know you can do it!!!

 

[BlueCat]

I am a smoker, too. I have been for a very long time. I have no intention of quitting anytime soon. I enjoy it. I won't quit until they say "or else" & then it will be because of pressure from everyone else. Right now, I don't really care. I must admit that I hate being the pariah these days... I try to be as considerate as possible of those around me. I am not a bad person because I smoke.

I'm a former smoker and I think it's terrible how smokers are treated. The people who act like you are a second class citizen don't have a problem in the world imposing highway robbery taxes on you for your cigarettes. Wait until the day that the majority of smokers have quit because of the cost (and other factors) and then they can absorb all those costs. If you were an alcoholic or a heroin addict, you could get into sponsored programs for your addiction - but they don't look at this as an addiction when it comes to helping a person quit.

I should add that I'm very glad that I don't smoke anymore. My lungs thank me and my wallet thanks me. I don't get dirty looks from the "holier than thou" crowd. I had a terrible bout with double pneumonia earlier this year and had I still smoked, I am certain that I would not have pulled through. It is, however, one of those things that you have to want to do - and then it's very difficult.

Best of luck to all who try to break the habit! To all who still smoke, I'm behind you too.
BC

 

[tweedee]

I smoke and enjoy my camels. But if I am in a public place then I have enough respect to think about the non-smokers and take my smoke outside.

 

[GB]

I am a former smoker. I still miss it very much. I don't remember how long ago I quit, but it is probably about 6 or 7 years at this point. I never found that replacing smoking with another habit did anything for me. The only thing that worked was telling myself that when i decide to quit then I will never ever have even a single drag off a cigarette ever again no matter what. It took me a number of tries, but once I accepted the fact that I would just never do it again then I was able to stop cold turkey. It also helped that I quit with some of my friends. Two out of the three of us were successful. I still miss it terribly, but I can look at my family and know I will be around a lot longer for them and that makes it so worth while. Not to discourage anyone who is trying to quit, but I never found all the positive things that everyone else seems to find when quiting. My food did not taste any better. I could not smell things any better. I did find that I was not out of breath as much or as soon so I guess that is a good thing. I do not regret my decision to quit for one second though.

 

[msalper]

First Day

I am a former smoker. I still miss it very much. I don't remember how long ago I quit, but it is probably about 6 or 7 years at this point. I never found that replacing smoking with another habit did anything for me. The only thing that worked was telling myself that when i decide to quit then I will never ever have even a single drag off a cigarette ever again no matter what. It took me a number of tries, but once I accepted the fact that I would just never do it again then I was able to stop cold turkey. It also helped that I quit with some of my friends. Two out of the three of us were successful. I still miss it terribly, but I can look at my family and know I will be around a lot longer for them and that makes it so worth while. Not to discourage anyone who is trying to quit, but I never found all the positive things that everyone else seems to find when quiting. My food did not taste any better. I could not smell things any better. I did find that I was not out of breath as much or as soon so I guess that is a good thing. I do not regret my decision to quit for one second though.

I wonder GB, if I will miss smoking after a year or 7 year later like you. It is very interesting that some of my friends tell me that feel like you about missing it. But I can't understand. Because you never take another one after quitting. You must be very strong-willed.

Today is my first day of quitting and I'll have a breakfast. I used to smoke in the morning before eating anything. I'm in dizziness...

 

[mrsmac]

I miss the act of smoking still. It was like a nice little oasis of calm just for me to have a cigarette. I think once you've smoked you'll probably always miss it but you just learn to get over it!! I keep hoping someone will decide that its not bad for you and make it really cheap lol.
Good luck with day 1.

 

[Zereh]

I am "one of them" too. Rather ironic that I won't eat an animal but I'll stick a cigarette into my mouth, isn't it? ... I don't smoke in my house, but I do in my car. I can go hours and not have one but the the thought of never having one again makes me crazy. A pack can last three or four days unless I'm out shooting pool or having a drink.

One of these days I'm sure I'll have the strength to walk away from them.


Z

 

[Raine]

When someones applies the pressure, may be too late. Have you ever seen anyone waste away from cancer?

My best freind's father died from smoking (lung cancer) when they found it, it was already too late. Watched him wither up for over 2 years.

My sister died from cancer(smoking), first it started out as emphysema. She didn't quit after being told she had emphysema, then after she found out she had cancer, she lasted about 3 months.

My brother died from heart dissease, and stroke (brought on by smoking). He had quit, but then stated he was going to smoke no matter what.

After the stroke, the doctor said it looked like someone had put a shotgun to the back of his head and pulled the trigger.

I haven't smoked in 20 years, husband almost as long.

You will not stop, until you are ready, just don't wait until it's too late. It really does matter to those you leave behind.

 

[Claire]

I don't smoke and never have, and as for the illegal stuff, I DO NOT NEED an appetite stimulant in my life!

That said, I get very angry with people who have no tolerance for others' vices. I have even seen people accost smokers in smoking sections and outside. My parents both smoked for much of my life (perhaps why I don't), and when I was young I was the only person I knew who didn't. I still have friends who smoke, and they are all universally polite, and even when it is ten degrees out, will go smoke on the back porch.

Everyone has a vice, and we all like to think ours is better than theirs. If second-hand-smoke kills you, I should have been long dead. I sincerely hope that all who are smokers here manage to quit (Dad did after 40 years of smoking!! And he didn't do it for health reasons, but because it just got to be a P in the A to do it). But if you don't, there's a place for you on my back porch!