My hearts a pounding.....
I can feel the anticipation....
just gotta go....
smoke??? What the heck are you talking about Big Had?????
Well, It was 3Pm 12/9 that I decided to quit smoking....Thanks for that final smoke HeadInjury.....
many many years of doing whats bad for me...guess I gotta grow up now
Its a hard thing to do, they say. I disagree...I think it is mind over matter....a discipline..a true test of what a person is made of..because nothing is stopping me from hopping in my car, and hitting the local AM/PM.....but me
I cannot describe the haunting power of cigarettes...how bad I think I want one....it scares me to think that the Cig companies put stuff in their products on purpose....to make it almost a blind cultish following, to get that smoke.
Not me brother, I decided to divorce my bad habit 28 hours ago....I laugh with how addicted I am..this is wrong..its straight up funny....
Anyone else wanna join in the fun?????

Keep it up dude! Its been almost three years for me now and I cant tell you how much it has improved my life by quitting! Chew seeds, eat gum do whatever it takes but dont touch those F%@king things!

More power to ya Brotha!! I quit on New Years 2000. Almost 4 years and counting. Tommorow is one more day, keep that in mind and you'll soon realize tommorow will be almost 4 years. YOU "CAN" DO IT, AND ONLY "YOU" CAN DO IT!!!!! Your spouse is not going to like you for a couple of months, but the irretibility will reside.

Just think how much your going to save, LUNG TRANSPLANTS aren't cheap!!


Jason

You can do it...

I quit 5 years ago at 4:30am. Many times wanted to smoke, even now still get a craving once in a while. But the loger you go without the longer inbetween cravings. After a while you will start to be able to smell on others what you smelled like when you smoked, that's a big helper to stop smoking.

What I did and do when I get a craving for a smoke is to quickly do something else to get your mind off it. Eat seeds like Faster Daddy says or anything to munch on or suck on. It gets better every day. I ate those Caramel Apple suckers always for years.

I smoked for about 20 years before quitting, so it can be done, keep you mind on it.

You can do it......

Hey Had,

I've been there, I was smoking almost two packs a day. I was going for a four day sailboat trip with my Father, on the way to the Dock I crushed an almost new pack of Marlboros and haven't touched'em since. That was over 10 years ago, and man I can't believe how much I enjoy not being addicted!

Carry a pen in your pocket, it helps with the oral fixation. Avoid any of those things you normally associate with having a Cigarette, (except sex and coffee) I had to stop drinking as well and stop going to bars for 6 months. If you have friends or family that smoke, you may need to stay away from them for a while


Stick in there man you will feel great on the other side of this. PM me if you need someone yell at instead of smoking!

Hang in there. I quit chewing tabacco 11 years ago after doing it for 20 years. I still have cravings, especially after eating Mexican food. I think now it is more memory than the need to have it. The first few weeks are the hardest. Good luck!

I quit after 10 years pack a day habit

Oct 8 1988

And still kickin

GET YOSELF SOME BIG HAD...Good luck to you, Slap knows you can do it ...

July 14 1997 -
Woke up and never had another one again.. gained weight - but now losing it.. My life is sooooooooo much better without those little EFFERS..

When you get gas, PAY at the PUMP.. DO NOT GO INSIDE THE STORE!!!! STAY OUT OF THE FREAKING convience stores.. That little s*** behind the counter is an AGENT working for the CIG companies and He will EYE you when you come in. He will Put a pack in your pocket for "later" at no charge cause the "first ones free"..

You are doing the right thing.. After a couple weeks of coughing all that CRAP out of your lungs - you will be able to TASTE the fresh air..
Then it will HIT you like a TON of bricks while you sitting at an Intersection.. Some AZZ-wipe is smoking in some car somewhere and the smoke is going right in your car and in your face..
MAX A/C and close the windows..
Think to yourself - if you can smell it while in your own car - It affects EVERYONE and not just the smoker.
Smokers should take no offense - Call me if you want support on quitting..

i dont know from experience but when you quit you dont realize it but you start to save moeny....

dont know what toys you have but now the $3.50 to $5 youd spend on a pack can now go to spending it on your toy for the desert.

you can do it man... you may not know it but may people are pulling for you...

keep it up. i give you props.

rich

holding true..none today..but boy oh boy....do I wanna have one....I feel soo antci....so nervous....its freaking funny...I am truly getting a kick out of it...I started at 15/16 years old..now 34....many years..many memories....thanks for the support everyone...anybody else gonna stop over the holidays??? (whatever your addiction is) post it...I never realized how much cigs controlled me until I stopped......I drove with my windows up, cause I didn't need to have them cracked...it was nice and quiet listening to the radio...kinda weird...........just one observation so far...

GOOD LUCK!
And congratulations to all of you who've made it!

i'm a failure

Everytime I think about how much Those Grits cost nowadays?

I was bitchen about it when they got to be a Buck a Pack!

I know...I keep telling myself its a 450 payment
still holding strong....today though, has been the worst as far as cravings go....mind over matter....mind over matter......

well, the worst is behind me...I am done with it....the real question I ask myslef is, why I smoked for so long...I feel fantastic now. No morning cough, my pulse has come way down...actually, it was nowhere near as hard as I thought it would be....I would say a little will power is needed, thats all. Dieting is harder.
I just kept telling myself that weak minded people get addicted to things, and I am not weak minded.....discipline to say no was what seperates men from boys...actually, my daughter asked me some questions for a high school project-
1. Why do I smoke?
2. Am I addicted?
3. Do you smoke around non-smokers/family/kids
4.Do I enjoy smoking
5. Am I aware of the health risks, and does that concern me?
6. How much money do you spend per month on cigs?
7. How long have I smoked?
8. How much longer do I think I can smoke without health effects?
9. Do I want my kids to smoke, am I setting a good example with my lifestyle?

OUCH! Black eye, black eye...
I know this isn't a therapy site and I will remove this topic in the next week...I just hope I can give someone that nudge, who was like me...smoking like a mindless drone...day in, day out, wanting to quit, but not ever trying....

Exact same here. My kids did the same thing and was a good push to stop. but it still took years to stop. I finally just like you kept telling myself, "I'm too smart to be smoking". Why would I be smoking when now we know it causes cancer. The further I got along after quitting the better. Now I smell a cigirette and people who smoke alot indoors and they smell. I think I use to smell like that, yuke. But I still after 5 years now sometimes smell a smoke outdoors and think ummm, I remember smoking after eating, sex, all the good things. Makes you want to have one. But I always tell myself "I'm too smart to smoke". Works for me.

ITS A GREAT THING TO HEAR ALL OF YOUR STORIES. WE GO TO THE DUNES WITH SOME REALLY GREAT PEOPLE, BUT.... SOME OF THEM SMOKE. I MEAN, THEY ARE ALL GREAT PPL, BUT WHEN THEY LIGHT UP, I CANT HELP BUT WALK AWAY AND THINK ABOUT TURNING AROUND AND RIPPINT THE DAMN NAIL OUT OF THEIR MOUTH AND YELLING AT THEM ABOUT IT, BUT, THEY ARE GROWN MEN, AND IF THEY CANT STOP THEMSELVES, WHAT GOOD AM I GOING TO DO!?!? ALL I KNOW IS THAT ITS GREAT THAT ONE LESS PERSON LIGHTS UP A CIG EACH MORN. AND THAT IF WE ALL, WELL, THEY ALL, JUST DO IT, IT WONT BE HARD AT ALL TO QUIT. GOOD LUCK GUYS

Big Had - It takes longer then a few weeks to quit.. It takes months and years to quit.. Never let your guard down. Look at how many have gone years without a smoke and now they are back to a pack a day..
Dont take this topic down. It it helps one more person quit its worth every word typed.
It is a big deal. Keep at it, keep testing yourself and keep walking away.. Ive managed to convice myself how bad they are that I literally get sick if I try to smoke one. When others smoke it does not bother me at all though and I made a promise to my self not to be a hypocryte and preach to other people who smoke..
Keep on it.. though time lay ahead, but your on the right track..

Congrats on your decision to become tobacco free. It will be one of the hardest things you'll do in your life. I know because I smoked since I was 13 years old, I'm 45 now. I quit for the 3rd time Sept 12, 2002 and I'll never go back. The most important thing about quitting is you must have the desire to stop. If you don't really want to and you're doing it for someone or something else, you'll never accomplish the goal. As long as you want to quit, you'll get there. Just like you said yourself, it's mind over matter.

The first two times I quit, once for 9 months and once for 3 1/2 years, I did it cold turkey. I just threw them away and told myself I don't do that anymore. That worked fine but as I have grown older, my will power was not as strong. I needed some help this time. Once I made the decision, I haven't touched one but I had some help. Nicorette gum, the stuff worked great for me. It worked for my wife too, she's been smoke free for almost a year now. The gum really takes the cravings away, gives your mouth something to do and gives you a nicotine fix while doing so. Some people have a problem with the taste and the sensation but it's well worth it if you can manage.

Good luck, I truely hope you succeed. It's a great feeling to have the monkey off your back.

I had friends that didnt smoke, who did not make it easy for me to smoke around them, that helped me alot.
I needed to have a bad attitude about smoking and being around people that smoked.


Sucks though? Your metabolism slows down with that heartbeat,,,,went from 195 to 220lbs

yep, one week today...yaaahooo...I feel so much better already, WOW....
I don't mind if I gain some weight, cause I can always fit in with the Big Belly Crew selling stuff

props to you big had...ive quit 3 times and still smoke.......

Right on Big Had!! I quit at midnight,July 31, this year and feel great........definitly big belly crew material now though, went from 215 to 240 since then. Walking it off every day though now. It was the first 21 days that were the hardest....good luck man.....Todd

Why to go Big Had. I hope you can inspire others to throw the true devil weed down and get on with thier lives.

Keep it up dude! First week was the worst for me but it was a breeze after that! EFF those coffin nails!

ah, 10 days of bliss....no running outside during commercial break, no first thing after I start the coffee in the morning, life is good folks. I haven't felt this relieved since I dumped whatsherface.......for years I thought, how am I gonna quit???Too hard.....WRONG! It has been a little hard, but overall, I cannot beleive how easy it has been. The hardest part is saying your gonna quit right now, and meaning it. I have been quiting for years, "after this weekend", "after this year", after my birthday, after the workweek, after Glamis, etc....I just woke up and told myself, your done, once I got past that morning urge to smoke it was all down hill......come on, someone out there wanna play too????

Not to step on toes here but smokers suck period! They all claim it is thier lungs and they can smoke if they want too. But I get to smell the smoke to and I did not ask for it! You all stink, it is in your skin and clothes. You might not think you do but believe me YOU DO! Do us all a favor and please quit.
For those of you that did and are trying I commend you for doing so, and if you are trying to I wish you success. BUT for those that continue to blow smoke in my face without consideration I have no sympathy for you when you complain about a 5.00 pack of cigs. They should be 25.00 a pack.

Its posts like this that make me wanna light up again.........because I am not a criminal and should not be treated as one if I smoked.....

I am kind of neutral about this, I don't like getting smoke blown in my face, but I don't think we have a right to tell someone they can't smoke.

Depends here. If Im expecting it, it does not bother me. When it hits me with surprise - I move or leave.

Im amazed that I can smell the smoke at an intersection etc.. When we go to AZ to visit family - I expect it everywhere as they allow it. We get spoiled in CA now that we can go inside and not have to worry about it.

Some people hate it and thats their deal. I see both sides of the story cause Ive played on both sides of the fence.

Smokers don't bother me. When I quit I made my mind up I wasn't going to be one of those anti-smoker protester types. All my brothers and sisters and in-laws smoke. Doesn't bother me at all, I can sit right next to them. I know in my head I'm not smoking so doesn't make a difference.

Ya know, Slap understands that smell thing. It can get perty napptacious when Slap travels to Mother Glamis with Mrs. McDuner and she just had herself a bowl of broccoli..."TALK ABOUT THAT DIRTY SOCK SMELL, YEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOWWWWW..." OH it hurts Slap just thinkin about it..."Anybody got a match?" "uh...yea Slap, yer face and my butt..." But seriously, don't let your lady crunch down on any type of vegietable or Power Bar before you hit da road, it could make for an ugly trip. It is her right to crunch down, but it really do suck bein at the receiving end of one of her...um...uh...'FLATULATIONMCNAPPITATION"...

Cigarrette smoke or smell? Heck, Slap don't care about that, just don't fart!

I get down right GASSIOUS when I get the Broccoli. I think the wife would rather I smoke than smell my stank A$$!

Well, it's kinda unfair to place all smokers in the "you suck" catagory. I can gaurntee that I've never blown smoke in your direction and if you don't like the smell of my clothes then step back, I may not like the smell of your feet!
I have a feeling that if smokers weren't treated like criminals they wouldn't ACT like criminals.

Bottom line. There's lots of stuff in this big 'ole world that I don't like much. At work I can smell the absolute worst smell from the kitchen when the Filipino workforce starts cooking up fish and rice, but that's their thing. Some people at work wear WAY too much perfume... makes me ill!!! When I have a problem like that, I work it out with the person and I don't treat them like a criminal or like a lower class of human. This society is about compromises. Smokers have made MASSIVE compromises and still they are told that "they suck"... Some people won't be happy until it's criminalized... Fine, when they do that then call me a criminal... but until then it's legal. I'm sorry you don't like the smell or that you have run into some inconsiderate smokers, but don't paint us all with the same brush.

please.

The Pastor

God I would hate to smell somebodys fart at a stop light. There are a lot worse smells in the world than the smell of a Marlborro red.

Yeah, like to grease between your leg crease after a few days in G....did I say that out loud???

what the heck did I write? It should say (about the smell) " like the grease smell between your legs" oh well,
Merry Christmas Ya'll

BIG HAD = + +

HA..

I like veggies and PICKLED EGGS!!! Makes for a GREAT game of DUTCH OVEN!!!

Keep it up! You will really start to feel better soon. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for yourself

Congrats to you mentally tough Effers. It's the hardest thing you'll ever do. I've seen a few addicts quit and they went thru total hell. Keep up the strength. Your loved ones will thank you. Peace

N00b to the site. Been lurking around for a while reading all the funny crap you guys spout off about. Truly hilarious...

This topic hit home for me though. I've been a smoker for the past 14 years. Quit twice; once for boot camp, lasted about 1 year and once for 9 months. Both times I started back up while sitting at a bar with a beer one hand and someone else's cig (bummed) in the other. I've been playing with the idea of quitting for the past two weeks now and had settled on the doing after my Glamis trip this weekend. After reading this topic last night I decided that I was just making excuses to postpone the hell of quitting. So I had my last cig before taking a shower and heading to bed for the night.

Today is like hell but I get through this mess like twice before. It's weird how one minute I'm fine and the next minute I'm going nuts with my eyes bugging out of my head.

Should make for an interesting trip this weekend. Everyone I camp with are non-smokers and are always attempting to get me to quit. I don't drink anymore and haven't seen the inside of a bar for 5 years. So Mr Al Cohol should not be a problem.

Just thought I would share a let all of you know that this topic was just the nudge this smoker needed try and quit.

Good fr you Amergin, the whole trick I found is when I would crave a smoke or doing somehting that I would normally smoke at, you just need to find something to do instead to get your mind off wanting the smoke. Like a eat candy or suck on a sucker or just go and do somehting to change your thinking to keep yourself busy. It isn't easy but can be done, just need to apply will power.

The trick I found is that it's all in your mind. You must convince your mind that "you are no longer a smoker."
So, when you get that urge you have to tell yourself... "I'm a non-smoker and non-smokers do not smoke."
I know it sounds hokey... but it works.

The trick is that normally when you are quitting you are telling yourself that the reason you feel like crap is because you are quitting. This causes you to remember the fact that you really want a cigarette but you are just not allowing yourself one...

But if you instead, tell yourself that you are a non-smoker and non-smokers do not smoke, this allows your mind to forget for a momment that you are depriving yourself of something you want. Hopefully long enough for it to slip from your mind for a while longer.


When you tell yourself that you are quitting you focus your mind on the negative aspects of the whole quitting process.
When you tell yourself that you are a non-smoker you concentrate on the positive aspects of not smoking.

If I remember correctly the withdrawl symptoms are only around for a couple of days or so. After that, it's all mind power baby!

Also, having an alternative thing to do with your hands is very helpful. I carried a hacky-sack around with me everywhere. Whenever I wanted a smoke I would pull the hacky-sack out... give it a squeeze or two and hold on to it until I got tired of holding on to it, then I would put it back in my pocket. This helps you to get your mind off of the smokes. You are thinking about the hacky-sack instead.

I know, I know.... "But Pastor... you smoke like a chiminey!!!"... Yeah, I do.. .but using the steps above I quit for over two years...
It took a WOMAN to get me to start smoking again!!!

Good luck

The Pastor

Allright Had
time for the update

I'm more like LowBuck...I chewed tobacco for 19 years. Got married. Promised the wife I'd quit when she got pregnant. 3 weeks after that deal was struck I learned I was going to be a Father. A shady deal it was, but a deal none the less. I had always wanted to quit. Nasty habit. I went cold turkey. My car pool members hated for a couple of weeks. It's been 3 1/2 years now. Stick to it....It gets soooo much easier as time goes by.

SolMaster

00 Yamaha Banshee

you can see me out in G and make your own observation.......

for those of us that dont see you, what is the result?

Keep up the good work

I'm up to 1.5 hours!!! Woo Hoo