5 replies to this topic

[Dr. Lostreality]

so I've been smoking since I was 17, and for the last 5 years (since I was 22) i've been trying to quit with varying degrees of success...stopping and then starting and then stopping again and then starting again.

I've finally gotten to the point where I don't smoke regularly, but I can't help but go back to the cigs whenever I am stressed, have a fight with my husband, have a lot of work to do, someone is smoking around me, etc. I can NOT see someone smoking in front of me without bumming a cigarette off of them, it's just like I have no willpower at all, all I want is a cig. I fucking hate myself every time I smoke a cigarette, but it feels so right at the same time, ya know?

Anyways, about 2 weeks ago I was stressed out for some reason I've now forgotten, and bought a pack, and chain smoked it down in 2 days. A few days later I got really really sick...mostly coughing, but also runny nose, stuffed nose...basically I can say with confidence that I got sick because of that pack of cigarettes. And yet I don't fucking learn apparently, cause at Phish on Sunday I bummed like 10 cigarettes off of people. And just now I coughed up some blood!

You think that would be my wake up call too, but Stonehenge is in a week and a half, and I'll be hanging out with smokers, and I know i'll be bumming off of them. In fact, part of me is thinking I should bring some of my own packs, just so I don't have to bum them from other people all weekend (which I think is lame to do and I feel bad about it..but which doesn't usually stop me).

So like.. I don't feel like I should go on the nicotine patch or pills or anything, cause i'm not a regular smoker and that would probably end up with me being physically addicted again- and right now I just feel like I'm psychologically addicted. I also want to get pregnant later this summer, so I thought that would be enough to motivate me to stop bumming cigarettes off of other people...but it hasn't been so far.

Any advice for me?

[In A Silent Way]

Celery & carrot sticks to keep your hands and mouth busy.
When you feel like having a cigarette, just postpone having it for 10 minutes. Repeat. Repeat again.
If you pray, ask G-d to remove the obsession to smoke.

Oh yeah...almost forgot...don't smoke if you're trying not to smoke.

[Mr_Pat]

Cigs are the hardest things I have every quite and I have quite many things in my 34 years

I quit smoking about a month & 1/2 ago (I did the chanix) and I have had zero issues except when I was at the Dead show. I "needed" to smoke there. I have a feeling when we are at the vibes I will have the same issue... I am actually thinking of getting a small bag of tobacco from a smoke shop and a nice glass piece for it and just hit the pipe at the show.... I figure it would be better then smoking a full cig.

[TakeAStepBack]

I feel ya. I refuse to take pills over my BS habit. A good friends father did it cold and he smoked for 30 years...chain smoked at that. He is a V. Vet. and still managed to pull it off years after the fact.

His technique was to 1)not drink coffee 2)not drink alcohol 3) everytime he felt the urge to smoke, he would guzzle water till he felt bloated, then find something to do immediately after.

Best of luck! Damn things are expensive too!

[musicmomma]

good luck rel.

[jackkerouac ANNAMARIE]

I smoked for about ten years. About a pack a day for about 5 years...
I used the gum. Hardcore. I used the gum for the recommended time ........almost 6 months.....i think
But!!!
I did not use the reccomended dose. 2 or more pieces at a time got me to the point where i didnt need a cig. Eventually I didnt want to eat the gum anymore and the mental part was not a problem anymore.
Its work. HARD WORK. VERY HARD WORK>HARDER WORK.
Its been 3 years.