Still not smoking *****
- Thread starter Bryan S
- Start date
Dennis Haner
TVWBB Super Fan
I quit on 11/17/2007, about 100 days ago.
Will be 1 year on March 3rd. This was my 4th or 5th attempt to quit, I used the patch and it worked well right from the start. So far I have not cheated, ok I did have 1 puff about 4 months ago. Truth be told, If the damn things weren't so expensive right now, I could easily see myself buying a pack.
Bryan
Let me tell you a story about smoking.
My mother died of smoking in 1984 just days after my son was born. She never got to meet him...and he never got to meet her. One of the last things she told me was that she would like a smoke if the dr would just give her some. That craving takes a long time to go away. Momma never got to meet most of her grandchildren. On the other hand my father stopped smoking about 1950 and died in 2003 at the age of 93, just months after flying to California to be at my daughter's wedding. He was married to another woman for the last 20 years of his life. She was my children's grandmother.
You chose what you want most.
Let me tell you a story about smoking.
My mother died of smoking in 1984 just days after my son was born. She never got to meet him...and he never got to meet her. One of the last things she told me was that she would like a smoke if the dr would just give her some. That craving takes a long time to go away. Momma never got to meet most of her grandchildren. On the other hand my father stopped smoking about 1950 and died in 2003 at the age of 93, just months after flying to California to be at my daughter's wedding. He was married to another woman for the last 20 years of his life. She was my children's grandmother.
You chose what you want most.
Donny Anderson
TVWBB Super Fan
Smoker's saving calculator.
Congrats to all of you for your milestones. My brother and sister and law just made it their first year. Check out the link for the money you are now pocketing.
Congrats to all of you for your milestones. My brother and sister and law just made it their first year. Check out the link for the money you are now pocketing.
It will be 19yrs. in May and I still could have one. I don't know if anyone else has this happen but since I quit, I can smell someone smoking in the car in front of me while driving or if I'm in the front yard I can smell a smoker when they drive but. Imagine what you smell like after smoking one.
Originally posted by Bryan S:
Well I hit my 3 year aniv on Feb 15. Who else is still not smoking.A bunch of us quit, was just wondering. I'll be honest though, I could go buy a pack right now and light one up.
Congratulations Bryan!!!
I remember those threads, wish I had quit with the rest of you back then. Anyway, I've now been smoke free since 12/16/07. I'll never go back!
JimT
George Curtis
TVWBB Olympian
congrats to those who have quit. i stopped in 1969. to this day i have urges at times. i quit by saying to myself "i will not smoke". that was it.
Jeff T Miller
TVWBB All-Star
It was one year back on Dec, 31 that I quit chewing. I had quit several times over the years, once for 2 years. My cousin offered me a chew and I figured it had been long enough that I could control it. I didn't really want to quit but did just because I figured I should.
I am of the opinion once you walk away forever. After that just having one well I handled that, how about another. I was having an urge real bad a couple of months ago. I almost went and bought some of those losenges that have nicotine in them. That is what I used and it helped very much. I doubt I could have quit without them. Well I had quit at least 8 times before and all were unsuccessful, well until now. I was tired of it when I quit and had been for a couple of years, I just kept putting it off. I don't even desire a chew anymore. But I still have that urge sometimes. I would spend $ on the losenges again before I would on chew.
It may help that I don't really work around anyone who chews anymore. If I had to see someone chewing several times a day, I guess that could make a difference.
To those celebrating, Right hand up hand down to left shoulder. Pat yourself on the back. Good Job lets go another.
I am of the opinion once you walk away forever. After that just having one well I handled that, how about another. I was having an urge real bad a couple of months ago. I almost went and bought some of those losenges that have nicotine in them. That is what I used and it helped very much. I doubt I could have quit without them. Well I had quit at least 8 times before and all were unsuccessful, well until now. I was tired of it when I quit and had been for a couple of years, I just kept putting it off. I don't even desire a chew anymore. But I still have that urge sometimes. I would spend $ on the losenges again before I would on chew.
It may help that I don't really work around anyone who chews anymore. If I had to see someone chewing several times a day, I guess that could make a difference.
To those celebrating, Right hand up hand down to left shoulder. Pat yourself on the back. Good Job lets go another.
V. Roberts
TVWBB Member
Congratulations Bryan S. and all else who have quit smoking or chewing.
I have tried to quit chewing once; several years ago, which lasted for a few months, all it took was a pinch of cope and I haven't been able to stop. I'll quit one of these days is what I keep thinking. It seems almost impossible.
Val
I have tried to quit chewing once; several years ago, which lasted for a few months, all it took was a pinch of cope and I haven't been able to stop. I'll quit one of these days is what I keep thinking. It seems almost impossible.
Val
Rick Moore
TVWBB Super Fan
This is the type of story I so want to tell my wife - we have a 2-yr old daughter - whether the story changes to the tune of "my daughter never remembers her mother" or something a little more like "mother misses graduation, marriage, grandchild" or what, I don't know. I just know that I can't force it and hope/pray for the best. I pray for her to quit almost every day...
But I know she already knows these things - sometimes that makes me feel better about things, sometimes worse...it is a very tough spot to be in.
On a lighter note, congratulations to you all who have quit - it has been about 15 years for me - although mine was a high school/college thing - not sure it was easier, but at least I only had to break a few years worth of addiction...
George Curtis
TVWBB Olympian
i have met folks on both sides through the years. those that quit and go back and those that quit and stayed that way. all of the succesfull ones were the ones were the person just said never again to themselves. the ones that had a hard time never seemed to say this to themselves. no preaching, just an observation. like i said i still have urges. the want will never go away. tough, real tough.
Next month it will be two years smoke free for me. Absolutely the hardest thing I've ever done in my life! And, same as you Bryan, I could go to the Kwik-E-Mart right now and buy a pack and start up again.
Aaaah, I sure miss it <STRIKE>sometimes</STRIKE> most of the time!
Congrats to all quitters!!
Update: Just hit my two years today
Steve
Did you know:
Your addiction to nicotine is/was:
Physical
Psychological
Behavioral
If you decide to quit, your Physical Withdrawal will peak at three days and Cease by 12. By only THREE days time, all extra nicotine and nicotine byproducts will essentially be passed from your body.
Your psychological dependency will come and go, but it too will essentially pass in only three months time.
Trap!! (lie) "I have to keep smoking because of all the stress in my life!"
TRUTH... you may certainly have stress in your life, but this particular "stress" you are feeling isnt coming from life, its coming from your Belief that nicotine relieves stress (COPENHAGEN....it SATISFIES <----(lie, it addicts)...in essence, the nicotine addiction itself.....is what causes this feeling
Here's Why
Nicotine releases Dopamine in your brain, a "feel good" drug that causes the "ahhhhhh" (melting sensation) As your use of nicotine increases, so do dopamine receptors in your brain. The more receptors you develop, the more nicotine you need to "feel good". Hence the addiction. Studies show nicotine users have up to 300% more dopamine receptors than the normal non-user.
When you quit, the "stress" you feel is your body telling you... "GIVE ME DOPAMINE!!"
As you heal, the receptors degenerate and your Physical addiction ceases to exist.....you no longer need the dopamine.
where did the "stress" go?!
What about the behavioral addiction, how long does that last?
What is a psychological "cue"?
For answers to these questions, and many more, i would strongly urge anyone still addicted to nicotine to educate themselves via the web, there are many sites that have relevant truth.
(i say this out of affection for anyone who is addicted, as i myself...once was...this helped me immensely)
One last thing,
here is an excerpt from a great website on quitting nicotine addiction, the following is from this website....in reference to
Nicotine Replacement Products
"The key to nicotine dependency recovery is not in dragging out the 72 hours of detox by toying for weeks or months with gradual nicotine weaning or other creative means for delivering nicotine. The nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) industry want smokers to believe that a natural poison is medicine, that its use is therapy, and that it is somehow different from the tobacco plant's nicotine molecule. The truth is that the pharmaceutical industry buys its nicotiana from the exact same growers as the tobacco industry. They want you to believe that double-blind placebo controlled studies proved that NRT doubles a cold turkey quitters odds of quitting and that only superheros can quit without it. The truth is that their studies were not blind as claimed, and that all but a tiny sliver of earth's successful quitters are quitting entirely on their own. Here are a few facts that those selling creative nicotine delivery devices would rather you not know:
Nicotine is a psychoactive drug whose "high" provides a dopamine "aaahhh" sensation and an adrenaline rush. Would you have been able to tell, within 5 minutes, whether the gum or lozenge you'd been given contained the nicotine equilivent of smoking two cigarettes or was instead a nicotine-free placebo? So could they.
A 2004 study found that NRT studies suffered from massive wide-spread blinding failures (May 2004)
A nicotine smoker's natural odds of quitting for six months, entirely on their own, without any products, procedures, education programs, counseling or formal support is roughly 10% (June 2000)
Those using the over-the-counter (OTC) nicotine patch or gum as a stand-alone quitting tool have only a 7% chance of quitting smoking for six months (March 2003)
Up to 7% of OTC nicotine gum quitters are still chronic users of nicotine gum at six months (May 2004). Question: isn't 7 minus 7 still zero? (May 2004)
36.6% of all current nicotine gum users are chronic long-term users (May 2004)
You truly would have to be a superhero to quit while using the nicotine patch if you've already attempted using it once and relapsed.
The only two patch user "recycling" studies ever conducted have both shown that nearly 100% of second-time nicotine patch users relapse to smoking nicotine within six months (April 1993 and August 1995, see Table 3)
91.2% of all successful long-term ex-smokers quit entirely on their own without resort to any product, procedure or program of any kind including hypnosis, Zyban, Wellbutrin, acupuncture, magic herbs, laser therapy, or the nicotine patch, gum, lozenge, spray, or inhaler (ACS 2003)
Education, understanding, new skills and serious support can more than triple your natural six-month odds of 10% (April 2003)
Those who refuse to allow any nicotine back into their bloodstream have 100% odds of remaining nicotine free today! (Today, Tomorrow & Always!) "
i must also give credit to my Lord who led me to said knowledge, answered my prayer to keep me from cancer, and most importantly, has shown me what does satisfy.
regards,
Your addiction to nicotine is/was:
Physical
Psychological
Behavioral
If you decide to quit, your Physical Withdrawal will peak at three days and Cease by 12. By only THREE days time, all extra nicotine and nicotine byproducts will essentially be passed from your body.
Your psychological dependency will come and go, but it too will essentially pass in only three months time.
Trap!! (lie) "I have to keep smoking because of all the stress in my life!"
TRUTH... you may certainly have stress in your life, but this particular "stress" you are feeling isnt coming from life, its coming from your Belief that nicotine relieves stress (COPENHAGEN....it SATISFIES <----(lie, it addicts)...in essence, the nicotine addiction itself.....is what causes this feeling
Here's Why
Nicotine releases Dopamine in your brain, a "feel good" drug that causes the "ahhhhhh" (melting sensation) As your use of nicotine increases, so do dopamine receptors in your brain. The more receptors you develop, the more nicotine you need to "feel good". Hence the addiction. Studies show nicotine users have up to 300% more dopamine receptors than the normal non-user.
When you quit, the "stress" you feel is your body telling you... "GIVE ME DOPAMINE!!"
As you heal, the receptors degenerate and your Physical addiction ceases to exist.....you no longer need the dopamine.
where did the "stress" go?!
What about the behavioral addiction, how long does that last?
What is a psychological "cue"?
For answers to these questions, and many more, i would strongly urge anyone still addicted to nicotine to educate themselves via the web, there are many sites that have relevant truth.
(i say this out of affection for anyone who is addicted, as i myself...once was...this helped me immensely)
One last thing,
here is an excerpt from a great website on quitting nicotine addiction, the following is from this website....in reference to
Nicotine Replacement Products
"The key to nicotine dependency recovery is not in dragging out the 72 hours of detox by toying for weeks or months with gradual nicotine weaning or other creative means for delivering nicotine. The nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) industry want smokers to believe that a natural poison is medicine, that its use is therapy, and that it is somehow different from the tobacco plant's nicotine molecule. The truth is that the pharmaceutical industry buys its nicotiana from the exact same growers as the tobacco industry. They want you to believe that double-blind placebo controlled studies proved that NRT doubles a cold turkey quitters odds of quitting and that only superheros can quit without it. The truth is that their studies were not blind as claimed, and that all but a tiny sliver of earth's successful quitters are quitting entirely on their own. Here are a few facts that those selling creative nicotine delivery devices would rather you not know:
Nicotine is a psychoactive drug whose "high" provides a dopamine "aaahhh" sensation and an adrenaline rush. Would you have been able to tell, within 5 minutes, whether the gum or lozenge you'd been given contained the nicotine equilivent of smoking two cigarettes or was instead a nicotine-free placebo? So could they.
A 2004 study found that NRT studies suffered from massive wide-spread blinding failures (May 2004)
A nicotine smoker's natural odds of quitting for six months, entirely on their own, without any products, procedures, education programs, counseling or formal support is roughly 10% (June 2000)
Those using the over-the-counter (OTC) nicotine patch or gum as a stand-alone quitting tool have only a 7% chance of quitting smoking for six months (March 2003)
Up to 7% of OTC nicotine gum quitters are still chronic users of nicotine gum at six months (May 2004). Question: isn't 7 minus 7 still zero? (May 2004)
36.6% of all current nicotine gum users are chronic long-term users (May 2004)
You truly would have to be a superhero to quit while using the nicotine patch if you've already attempted using it once and relapsed.
The only two patch user "recycling" studies ever conducted have both shown that nearly 100% of second-time nicotine patch users relapse to smoking nicotine within six months (April 1993 and August 1995, see Table 3)
91.2% of all successful long-term ex-smokers quit entirely on their own without resort to any product, procedure or program of any kind including hypnosis, Zyban, Wellbutrin, acupuncture, magic herbs, laser therapy, or the nicotine patch, gum, lozenge, spray, or inhaler (ACS 2003)
Education, understanding, new skills and serious support can more than triple your natural six-month odds of 10% (April 2003)
Those who refuse to allow any nicotine back into their bloodstream have 100% odds of remaining nicotine free today! (Today, Tomorrow & Always!) "
i must also give credit to my Lord who led me to said knowledge, answered my prayer to keep me from cancer, and most importantly, has shown me what does satisfy.
regards,
Bob H.
TVWBB Hall of Fame
I started smoking in the 6th grade. I quit
at 29. I watched my grandfather die of mouth
and throat cancer with only about half of his
face left. When the surgeon told my dad in the
recovery room after his 2nd bypass, "I cant do
this again. If you smoke you die." That was
all that I needed to hear. Cold turkey. It has
been 28 years now.
at 29. I watched my grandfather die of mouth
and throat cancer with only about half of his
face left. When the surgeon told my dad in the
recovery room after his 2nd bypass, "I cant do
this again. If you smoke you die." That was
all that I needed to hear. Cold turkey. It has
been 28 years now.