Flatbedford
Minister of Fire
Almost three weeks now. Don't worry. The cravings will stop in a couple years. You will get used to them.
(OT) any ex smokers out there? How did you kick it?
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firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
Keep up the good work Bfunk . . . one day when your kids are old enough to understand your sacrifice they will thank you.
Flatbedford said:
And they will be a lot less frequent. Only hit in the odd moments, and they will be more of the nature of mutterings than cravings. I went for years without experiencing that, and out of the blue one day after ten years, there it was. It passed quickly. Maybe a last bit of nicotine or tar that was stashed somewhere in my cells and got tossed out in the spring cleaning. Who knows?
What I did know was that if I indulged myself in a smoke, I'd have lost half the battle, and if I ever smoked another pack again, I'd be a smoker again. So all I had to do was not smoke that first one.
For years I thought of myself not as an ex-smoker, but a smoker who had been abstaining for X years. I knew the addiction would never end for me. But for now the bear is sleeping, and maybe even at this point died in its sleep long ago. I never stopped having a healthy respect for the destructive power it had in my life.
I think the three-week mark is an important one. It seems to get a little easier at that point. Celebrate it!
Hey Bfunk,
I'm still lurking around. You are in my thoughts, been busy with the contractors and stacking next years wood. So happy you are still smoke-free! Go Bfunk Go!
I'm still lurking around. You are in my thoughts, been busy with the contractors and stacking next years wood. So happy you are still smoke-free! Go Bfunk Go!
Flatbedford said:
Gulp!
A couple years? Kidding, yeah i can see that actually.
I was talking with an older fellow i work with, he quit 20 some years ago and says he still thinks about it from time to time.
Certain times when he would really like one, "if i was told tomorrow i had a month to live, i would go but a carton".
I guess its just something you learn to live with.
Flatbedford
Minister of Fire
Yup. You will learn. I still think about it after 8+ years. I have sneaked a few in that time and they were always disgusting and made me sick, which is good. I know not to even bother now. I joke that I may start again if I'm still around at 80 or 90. Couldn't make things much worse to start at that age. Actually if they were not very unhealthy, expensive, socially unacceptable, and didn't make me smell nasty. I would probably still smoke. :lol:
Keep up the good work there my friend.
Keep up the good work there my friend.
Not me. You could not pay me enough to smoke a single cigarette. I'm too fond of breathing.
However, it took me awhile to get to this point.
A few years of the occasional crave is not much of a price to pay to spend your life with your amazing family. Looking at your two kids--your firstborn looks like a sweet, good person, and the younger one looks like mischief on a stick--I gotta say, I'd want to see how they turn out.
The other thing to keep in mind is that you don't have to do that couple of years right now. All you have to do is get through today. And sometimes it's just a matter of getting through the next twenty minutes. That was another trick I used: I'd tell myself if I still wanted a smoke that bad in another twenty minutes, I'd have it. And I never, ever, not once did. The craves are wave-shaped crescendos, and the good thing about wanting a cigarette really, really badly is that the wave is about to crest. Just sit back and observe it dispassionately sometime, and you will know your enemy much better for that.
And then meditate a bit on the fact that cigarette manufacturers coldly and calculatedly made the decision to increase the amount of nicotine in cigarettes to make them more addictive to ensure their profits would continue. Think about it: if your product kills a third to a half of the people who use it, you need to have a long-range plan in place to keep making money. That's worth pondering: do you really want to take enough money to send your kids to college and turn it over to people who don't mind if you die using their product, as long as they can find another dupe when you're gone? These are not people I would choose to subsidize.
Keep your eyes on the prize. You're doing good.
However, it took me awhile to get to this point.
A few years of the occasional crave is not much of a price to pay to spend your life with your amazing family. Looking at your two kids--your firstborn looks like a sweet, good person, and the younger one looks like mischief on a stick--I gotta say, I'd want to see how they turn out.
The other thing to keep in mind is that you don't have to do that couple of years right now. All you have to do is get through today. And sometimes it's just a matter of getting through the next twenty minutes. That was another trick I used: I'd tell myself if I still wanted a smoke that bad in another twenty minutes, I'd have it. And I never, ever, not once did. The craves are wave-shaped crescendos, and the good thing about wanting a cigarette really, really badly is that the wave is about to crest. Just sit back and observe it dispassionately sometime, and you will know your enemy much better for that.
And then meditate a bit on the fact that cigarette manufacturers coldly and calculatedly made the decision to increase the amount of nicotine in cigarettes to make them more addictive to ensure their profits would continue. Think about it: if your product kills a third to a half of the people who use it, you need to have a long-range plan in place to keep making money. That's worth pondering: do you really want to take enough money to send your kids to college and turn it over to people who don't mind if you die using their product, as long as they can find another dupe when you're gone? These are not people I would choose to subsidize.
Keep your eyes on the prize. You're doing good.
Hope all is well with you and the family...What's the latest stats?? I too still have cravings every once in a while. Just learned to live with it. The more I remain smoke-free, the fewer and further apart are the crave wave attacks. Amazing how long the detox portion of the process is..Are you taking the kids out on Halloween? Be prepared!
Lumber-Jack
Minister of Fire
Great point Leopard, That's the way it is, and that's the way you have to use your head or you'll just be a disposable pawn of the cigarette companies.snowleopard said:
I never had much problems with cravings when I quit. Whenever I felt like smoking I use to think about a dirty ashtray. To this day I find the sight and smell of a dirty ashtray sitting in someone's livingroom disgusting. It's like sitting beside someone's unflushed toilet. Only difference is, a toilet is something we all need to use occasionally, smoking isn't. Which brings up another thing to consider, just how hard quiting smoking is really when compared to other problems people all over the world face on a daily basis. Especially when compared to say something as simple as over eating. With smoking you can eventually quit and put it out of your mind and out of your life forever, but with an over eating problem you still need to eat, so you constantly have to deal with the self control issue for the rest of your life. Really, if you think about it, smoking is one of the easier addictions to quit.
Both of you bring up a good point. It helps to have a visual focal point of reprehension. The more vile, whether it be a disgusting ashtray, lung xray or tobacco company cynicism, the better. That helped me a lot.
Good job bfunk!
I smoked for 10 years or so and quit cold turkey, I had one failed attempt that lasted six months. I've been quit since Feb. of 2007 now. I found it would never work until I really wanted to quit since I enjoyed it. When I quit I thought of myself as a lifetime smoker, when people asked if I quit I told them "no one likes a quiter, I'm just taking a break".
I smoked for 10 years or so and quit cold turkey, I had one failed attempt that lasted six months. I've been quit since Feb. of 2007 now. I found it would never work until I really wanted to quit since I enjoyed it. When I quit I thought of myself as a lifetime smoker, when people asked if I quit I told them "no one likes a quiter, I'm just taking a break".
Good Morning,
Bfunk how are you? Didn't see an update so I hope you're on vacation or just too busy..Remember we are here for you!
Bfunk how are you? Didn't see an update so I hope you're on vacation or just too busy..Remember we are here for you!
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
Yeah, don't forget to keep us updated on your progress Bfunk . . . believe it or not . . . some of us truly are rooting for you and hoping you're able to kick the habit.
Flatbedford
Minister of Fire
Lumber-Jack
Minister of Fire
bfunk13 said:
That's Great!
I wish there was something I could change in my life right now that would put and extra $163+ a month in my pocket, while at the same time improve my health and save 13 hours of my life.
Most health improving things I try to do for myself either cost me money,,,, or take up my time, which I could be using on other things.
I think you got a good thing going there Mr. Bfunk, keep up the good work.
CL
madrone
Minister of Fire
You rock!
Smelling stale smoke on other people was a huge realization for me too. I had no clue what I was putting other people through.
I quit 10 years ago. (wow.) At this point, it's hard to believe it took me as long as it did. At some point, the occasional cravings are just gone. Within a few months, I could stand around with a bunch smokers and not want one. Now, I can't stand around with smokers without berating them in an annoying way.
Beautiful family. They're worth it.
Smelling stale smoke on other people was a huge realization for me too. I had no clue what I was putting other people through.
I quit 10 years ago. (wow.) At this point, it's hard to believe it took me as long as it did. At some point, the occasional cravings are just gone. Within a few months, I could stand around with a bunch smokers and not want one. Now, I can't stand around with smokers without berating them in an annoying way.
Beautiful family. They're worth it.
jimbom
Combustion Analyzer
lessoil
Minister of Fire
bfunk13 said:
I feel your pain!
It took me 3 times before I finally quit. It has been 24 years now. Was 31 at the time and had smoked for 10 yrs. 1-1.5 packs/day.
I quit when they were $.90/pack!!
I quit without patches etc. Not sure if products like that were around.
Anyway, my "crutch" was Trident gum!! I must have gone through a truckload of it.
As I remember, after 3 months the urge to light up was on its' way out.
Good Luck!!
lessoil
Minister of Fire
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