Quitting Smoking: How long does this suck?

**Cocximus** · 01-07-2020, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

Best advice I got from the shrink who ran the group therapy thing that succeeded in getting me to quit 30 years ago, was, you can never smoke another cigarette. Dont fuck with that thing. And, after all this time, I still could enjoy a fresh Marlboro. But I won't.

This 100%. I know if I fail once I will fail many more times. It's been over 10 years since I quit 2 packs a day. Sometimes I have a nightmare I started smoking again. Still there are some "fuck it" times were a smoke would be great. The rare cugar is a good comprise. It's not like I will wake up and have 2 in the morning.

**Benny Profane** · 01-08-2020, 01:35 AM

I had incredibly realistic dreams that I started smoking again right after I quit, waking up and looking for the ashtray, and the same shrink/group leader said that's good, those that have those dreams are more successful at quitting.

**Danno** · 01-08-2020, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by iceman

how'd that work out?

I got to take a lot of breaks.

**mooseknuckle** · 01-08-2020, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by daught

.....The rare cugar is a good comprise....

I prefer my cougars medium rare, but I think I’m with ya.

**muted** · 01-08-2020, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by MTT

When I was in Jail for 2 months It was not too bad.. I knew I was not going to get a cig no how no way. - Candy Bars were important.
When I got out after 60 something days without. First place I went was the 7-11 down the street for a pack of smokes. "IT WAS AWESOME" I have some stage one patches sitting here. I really need to quit. = Maybe after this carton runs out?

Is that why you didn't post here for a bit this summer? Firing guns in the air maybe?

**riser4** · 01-08-2020, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by MTT

When I was in Jail for 2 months It was not too bad.. I knew I was not going to get a cig no how no way. - Candy Bars were important.
When I got out after 60 something days without. First place I went was the 7-11 down the street for a pack of smokes. "IT WAS AWESOME" I have some stage one patches sitting here. I really need to quit. = Maybe after this carton runs out?

Felons can own guns?

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**GiBo** · 01-08-2020, 02:02 PM

Looking back at this thread, I see I tried to first quit in 2012 and didn't fully quit until '14. Carr's book was very redundant and poorly written, but it worked for me. Here's the gist: You're an addict. You don't "enjoy" smoking. You "enjoy" getting your fix. You feel relaxed when you smoke because you're craving your drug and you got your fix. You're deceiving yourself with all of your bullshit rationalizations. You know this.

To quit, admit this fact and stop cold turkey. NOT ONE EVER. What you've heard repeated over and over is: "Quitting smoking is the hardest thing to do!" "Nicotine is more addictive than heroin!" This is bullshit. It's not that hard and people saying that either don't know what they're talking about or are rationalizing why they aren't quitting. And all that bullshit is scaring you into thinking quitting will be really, really hard. It is not.

Once I stopped cold turkey, this first week was a challenge. I got irritable. I had cravings. But it wasn't that intense really. Second week I was better. By week three I was done. Main thing is the mindset: I DON'T SMOKE ANYMORE. NOT ONE EVER.

I don't do blunts or mokes. No cigars. NOT ONE EVER. No nicotine EVER.

**Bunion 2020** · 01-08-2020, 05:16 PM

I farted around with Ciggies when I was young, 14ish and never got hooked. Maybe part of that was my Mom was a ciggie fiend for most of her life until she finally quit at about 65.

I we were separated in a large store I could always find her by her cough. It wasn't a hack but it was recognizable to me. She had COPD from about 65 until she passed at about 83. It looked like a shitty way to spend your golden years.

I started smoking weed at about 17 and smoked regularly until about 3 years ago when I quit. Then last year I got a Vape telling myself that was OK. It isn't.

1st day of this ski season I was strafed on a cat track by a couple of young enthusiasts and I was yelling at them when I ran out of breath before I ran out of words. That was enough for me, no more inhaling burning matter of any sort.

**Benny Profane** · 01-08-2020, 05:20 PM

Edibles.

**blackalps** · 01-08-2020, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by GiBo

Looking back at this thread, I see I tried to first quit in 2012 and didn't fully quit until '14. Carr's book was very redundant and poorly written, but it worked for me. Here's the gist: You're an addict. You don't "enjoy" smoking. You "enjoy" getting your fix. You feel relaxed when you smoke because you're craving your drug and you got your fix. You're deceiving yourself with all of your bullshit rationalizations. You know this.

To quit, admit this fact and stop cold turkey. NOT ONE EVER. What you've heard repeated over and over is: "Quitting smoking is the hardest thing to do!" "Nicotine is more addictive than heroin!" This is bullshit. It's not that hard and people saying that either don't know what they're talking about or are rationalizing why they aren't quitting. And all that bullshit is scaring you into thinking quitting will be really, really hard. It is not.

Once I stopped cold turkey, this first week was a challenge. I got irritable. I had cravings. But it wasn't that intense really. Second week I was better. By week three I was done. Main thing is the mindset: I DON'T SMOKE ANYMORE. NOT ONE EVER.

I don't do blunts or mokes. No cigars. NOT ONE EVER. No nicotine EVER.

The Allen Carr book isn't a good book. It's a good way to quit smoking. He quit by hypnosis and I'm convinced that the book is intended to cause a sort of hypnosis through the redundancy. Reading the actual paper book didn't work for me, but listening to the audiobook did. Like magic. I didn't have the problems with cravings or struggling through the first 3 weeks or 3 months. I was just done and never looked back. I literally never thought about it again unless I saw someone smoking or smelled the gross smell on their clothes at work when they came back in from a smoke break, in which case, I didn't want one, I just felt bad for them that they still smoked.

**Danno** · 01-08-2020, 05:41 PM

I'm damn glad I don't have an addictive whatever (personality? gene?), because I was a heavy social smoker back in college and after, probably something like a a cig or 2 a day on average. Easily could have slid into full time use. Same with alcohol, had at least one serious alcoholic phase, but when I was done with that phase of life, I was done being alcoholic.

**Benny Profane** · 01-08-2020, 05:54 PM

When we tried to quit, we were not too fond of your type. I was addicted. 1.5 to 2 packs a day, very first thing in the morning. No offense, but, I knew girls with your no habit habit. You should subject yourself to addiction studies. Seriously. It's a thing that some people just don't have.

**Danno** · 01-08-2020, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

When we tried to quit, we were not too fond of your type. I was addicted. 1.5 to 2 packs a day, very first thing in the morning. No offense, but, I knew girls with your no habit habit. You should subject yourself to addiction studies. Seriously. It's a thing that some people just don't have.

Yep, I get it (who do you think I was smoking with when I was a heavy social smoker?). Only thing I ever got addicted to was weed, even though people like to say it's not addictive.

**jackstraw** · 01-08-2020, 09:30 PM

Originally Posted by Danno

Yep, I get it (who do you think I was smoking with when I was a heavy social smoker?). Only thing I ever got addicted to was weed, even though people like to say it's not addictive.

Physically addictive or mentally addictive?

**Danno** · 01-08-2020, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by jackstraw

Physically addictive or mentally addictive?

Yes

**blackalps** · 01-08-2020, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by Danno

I'm damn glad I don't have an addictive whatever (personality? gene?), because I was a heavy social smoker back in college and after, probably something like a a cig or 2 a day on average. Easily could have slid into full time use. Same with alcohol, had at least one serious alcoholic phase, but when I was done with that phase of life, I was done being alcoholic.

you're lucky. I get addicted to everything. luckily the worst it got was alcohol and i've been sober 3 years now. even more glad that I had the sense to never try coke or heroin, etc, or I'd probably be dead.

**Benny Profane** · 01-08-2020, 10:57 PM

Or really poor and sick from the needles.

SB · 01-09-2020, 06:36 AM

Ewww, needles.

I never once felt the need to inject cigarettes.

**MTT** · 01-09-2020, 06:46 AM

Originally Posted by riser3

Felons can own guns?

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It was a Government frame up. All charges dropped

**MTT** · 01-09-2020, 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by muted

Is that why you didn't post here for a bit this summer? Firing guns in the air maybe?

That was 5 years ago.
This summer I was busy
Jan 12th I have my first USPSA Match for 2020. We will see. Probably not as good as last August

**jackstraw** · 01-09-2020, 08:01 AM

Originally Posted by Danno

Yes

Not sure the science is with you, so I'm gonna roll with mental you kook

**Danno** · 01-09-2020, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by jackstraw

Not sure the science is with you, so I'm gonna roll with mental you kook

well here's the thing: if quitting leads to headaches and being more irritable, how is that not a symptom of physical addiction? And if someone trying to quit struggles with quitting, including a strong urge to partake, does it really matter if "the science" says it is just mental addiction? The science also says that physical symptoms of nicotine withdrawal is at its peak 2-3 days after quitting, and is mostly done after a month. Ask all the people who have struggled with quitting whether it was a piece of cake after they got past a month, what do you think they'd say? The distinction between "physical" and "mental" addiction isn't as clear as you might think.

**jackstraw** · 01-09-2020, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by Danno

The distinction between "physical" and "mental" addiction isn't as clear as you might think.

Sure. Closely linked in many if not most cases I would presume. But I'm just a dentist, so wtf do I know.

**Danno** · 01-09-2020, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by jackstraw

Sure. Closely linked in many if not most cases I would presume. But I'm just a dentist, so wtf do I know.

I'm barely a hygienist, so I don't know squat either. I just think the line is very blurry, and the distinction matters very little to the addicted person trying to quit, who might be feeling physical effects even though people say the drug they're addicted to doesn't have such effects.

**jackstraw** · 01-09-2020, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by Danno

I'm barely a hygienist, so I don't know squat either. I just think the line is very blurry, and the distinction matters very little to the addicted person trying to quit, who might be feeling physical effects even though people say the drug they're addicted to doesn't have such effects.

Yes, a quick search provided this -

All in all, the only way to look at Addiction is as both a psychological addiction AND a physical addiction that are inextricably liked through our psyche's presence in the brain, a physical part of the body.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/b...-is-there-real