submitted by anon to askanon10 monthsJun 22, 2024 10:16:46 ago (+3/-0) (askanon)
I keep re-picking up smoking. Been smoking on and off since 16 (mid 30s now). Sometimes breaks are days, sometimes years. Usually I can quit for 6 months to a year.
I did not smoke at all yesterday but I am really trying hard to not buy a new pack today but I might punch someone if I don't.
Nobody in my family smoked, except my sister. She was a heavy smoker, every single day cigarette after cigarette and hated it. Talked about quitting all the time. Nothing ever worked, patches, medicine I even tried bribing her with an all expenses paid vacation if she would not touch a cigarette for a year. Didn’t work. I have no answer, I’m just sharing my story. I thank god I never started smoking. Once it gets a hold of you, it never lets go.
You need something to help with the self control. Carry a reminder around with you as to why you are quitting. For example, if you have kids carry their picture. Then whenever you want to smoke, take out that reminder and reinforce the decision not to smoke. Quitting without a strong reason to quit will lead to relapse. You need to implant a good reason for quitting in your brain and always have a reminder to keep you on track. Look up behavior modification.
Quitting is a game of inches. Do every little thing you can think of and more to stack the deck in your favor. Top of the list is feeling good without smoking. How do you do that? Be kind to someone(including yourself). Do things that make you feel good about you. Exercise, rest, eat well and maybe listen to some good music. In the end it's all about you and that's okay. Learn to love yourself enough to stop hurting yourself. Good luck my friend.
[ - ] Trope 1 point 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 13:28:33 ago (+1/-0)
The withdrawal is only three days. It’s like being very depressed and life has no purpose or meaning. I would schedule some time off work to just relax at home or maybe in a cabin setting.
Alan Carr’s books help prepare you for the right mindset. Every time you see a cigarette, you can enjoy the smell of freshly lit tobacco and think to yourself: I’m so glad I’m free of that drug.
After the peak of withdrawal, you’re pretty much healed by day 5. The withdrawal is awful but very short lived. Quitting caffeine was far more difficult because that fatiguee follows you for months.
i went through the same process trying to quit. what did it was moving into a new place and committing to never smoke indoors. also broke up with smoker gf. also smoking weed periodically.
Just quit. Stop doing it. I was a two-pack-a-day smoker for 11 years and then, one day, I realized I didn't enjoy it anymore so I stopped. The hardest part of quitting, is undoing the muscle memory that you develop from the habit. Get a straw, cut it down to the same length as a cig, and carry it with you or have it nearby where you normally smoke. Reach for that and "smoke" it. Over time, you'll unconsciously stop doing it because your body is no longer being rewarded. It worked for me and only took a week and half. If you struggle with self-control, you may need to ask someone trustworthy to help keep you on path.
[ + ]anon
[ - ] anon 3057462 2 points 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 10:41:15 ago (+2/-0)
[ + ]anon
[ - ] anon 3993253 2 points 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 12:29:24 ago (+2/-0)
[ + ] FacelessOne
[ - ] FacelessOne 2 points 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 12:56:25 ago (+2/-0)
[ + ]anon
[ - ] anon 3986407 2 points 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 12:57:39 ago (+3/-1)
[ + ] Trope
[ - ] Trope 0 points 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 22:05:51 ago (+0/-0)
[ + ]anon
[ - ] anon 5224762 1 point 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 10:38:04 ago (+2/-1)
What is a "small" pack?
[ + ] anon
[ - ] anon 3159178 [op] 0 points 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 10:41:31 ago (+0/-0)
[ + ] anon
[ - ] anon 5224762 2 points 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 10:46:10 ago (+2/-0)
[ + ] AugustineOfHippo2
[ - ] AugustineOfHippo2 1 point 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 10:43:03 ago (+1/-0)
Quitting without a strong reason to quit will lead to relapse. You need to implant a good reason for quitting in your brain and always have a reminder to keep you on track.
Look up behavior modification.
[ + ] ProudRebel
[ - ] ProudRebel 1 point 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 11:49:47 ago (+1/-0)
[ + ]anon
[ - ] anon 1983918 1 point 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 12:43:02 ago (+1/-0)
[ + ] ItsOk2bArian
[ - ] ItsOk2bArian 1 point 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 13:10:41 ago (+1/-0)
[ + ] Trope
[ - ] Trope 1 point 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 13:28:33 ago (+1/-0)
Alan Carr’s books help prepare you for the right mindset. Every time you see a cigarette, you can enjoy the smell of freshly lit tobacco and think to yourself: I’m so glad I’m free of that drug.
After the peak of withdrawal, you’re pretty much healed by day 5. The withdrawal is awful but very short lived. Quitting caffeine was far more difficult because that fatiguee follows you for months.
[ + ]anon
[ - ] anon 2659920 0 points 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 10:33:50 ago (+1/-1)
It is not the tobacco growers/manufactures that are getting rich on them, it your good buddy US GovCorp.
[ + ]anon
[ - ] anon 2560144 0 points 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 12:32:01 ago (+0/-0)
[ + ]anon
[ - ] anon 2431389 0 points 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 12:48:31 ago (+0/-0)
[ + ]anon
[ - ] anon 3435854 0 points 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 12:50:34 ago (+1/-1)
[ + ]anon
[ - ] anon 6615697 0 points 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 12:53:40 ago (+0/-0)
[ + ] Hermes
[ - ] Hermes 0 points 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 15:48:39 ago (+0/-0)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5641975/
[ + ] Anus_Expander
[ - ] Anus_Expander 0 points 10 monthsJun 23, 2024 08:54:38 ago (+0/-0)
[ + ]anon
[ - ] anon 2791860 -1 points 10 monthsJun 22, 2024 12:16:06 ago (+0/-1)