Today I stop smoking (2 year update)

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: jman19

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: AnMig
congratsI am so tired of hearing people say, I can quit anytime I want, I just dont want too (denial).

I used to say that all the time when I was a smoker. Guess what, I did. Just stopped one day, never to smoke again. Sure, it's an addiction but I think it's breakable. I know I broke it. It takes willpower and mental toughness, but I think those that try and say they can't are either weak, don't really want to stop or are using the addiction as an excuse to continue.

Of course it is breakable; what makes it an addiction is that quitting isn't as easy as just not doing it again. It is a struggle for almost anyone who has smoked significant amounts of cigs.

I smoked a pack a day for 10 years.
Then one day I stopped.
Sure, you have to fight cravings and it's no picnic, but anyone can stop IMO.
Just takes mental toughness and willpower.
There's no such things as "I can't".
I think that people who say they can't don't really want to stop or they just don't want to put in the effort necessary to fight it off.

 

[Trevelyan]

Originally posted by: ThePresence
I smoked a pack a day for 10 years.
Then one day I stopped.
Sure, you have to fight cravings and it's no picnic, but anyone can stop IMO.
Just takes mental toughness and willpower.
There's no such things as "I can't".
I think that people who say they can't don't really want to stop or they just don't want to put in the effort necessary to fight it off.

I think there is a real scale for physical addictions. In my experience and from what I know of my friends, some people have it easier than others.

 

[AStar617]

Congrats! :beer:

P.S. I like i-hacked, and poke my head over there fairly often to see what's new.

 

[Chiropteran]

Today makes two weeks I have gone without drinking code red mountain dew. Or almost any soda, though I did drink a mr. pibbs from mcdonolds just because i had to have something to wake me up enough to drive home after a show.

 

[jman19]

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: jman19

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: AnMig
congratsI am so tired of hearing people say, I can quit anytime I want, I just dont want too (denial).

I used to say that all the time when I was a smoker. Guess what, I did. Just stopped one day, never to smoke again. Sure, it's an addiction but I think it's breakable. I know I broke it. It takes willpower and mental toughness, but I think those that try and say they can't are either weak, don't really want to stop or are using the addiction as an excuse to continue.

Of course it is breakable; what makes it an addiction is that quitting isn't as easy as just not doing it again. It is a struggle for almost anyone who has smoked significant amounts of cigs.

I smoked a pack a day for 10 years.
Then one day I stopped.
Sure, you have to fight cravings and it's no picnic, but anyone can stop IMO.
Just takes mental toughness and willpower.
There's no such things as "I can't".
I think that people who say they can't don't really want to stop or they just don't want to put in the effort necessary to fight it off.

Well yea I mean having to put in the mental willpower is what I think makes it an addiction. I don't mean that an addicition is unstoppable. It just makes it harder to stop. Anyone can stop, but some people have it tougher than others and aren't willing to make the sacrifice, sadly.

 

[Cobalt]

Wowwaaweewa. GJ, I was doing good for a month and started again... That was back in Spring. :\

 

[OpenThirdEye]

Congrats!!

I tried quitting about 8 months ago and then somebody very close and dear to me passed away suddenly...that was enough to get me back on it. (I'd only quit for about a month).

I just quit again 2 weeks ago and it's sticking this time dammit! I'm tired of wasting money on it...

 

[George P Burdell]

 

[MaxDepth]

Woo-hooo!!!!

8 years myself. I had a dream in which I smoked. It didn't bother me that I was nor did I have a craving when i woke up. I think I am past it now.
:thumbsup:

 

[alien42]

congrats, just passed the 1.5 year mark myself

 

[MisterJackson]

Originally posted by: hevnsnt

Originally posted by: MisterJackson
three years here

sorry, not trying to best you, just saying I understand you. Congrats on sticking with it man.

haaha didnt take it that way at all congrats!

But did you post about it on atot?

no, i've mentioned it a time or two, but when I chose to do it I didn't try and make a big deal out of it or let a lot of peeps know because I'm the kinda guy who wouldn't deal well with the pressure of other peeps reminding me I'm quitting. It would only make me think about it and crave one.

Now I will admit I've been bad. I went out last Friday with my ex wife for drinks at a few pool halls/bars. I bought a pack of Newports and smoked those while I drank. Something like half a pack that night.

I hurt SOOOO bad the next morning. It easily reminded me why I quit. The smell on my clothes alone was overwhelming, it stunk up my whole house.

Not to mention the health benefits. You feel ten times better, and that night put it into perspective when I had trouble breathing the next day

So, even social smoking is out for me. That was the first time in three years though. I have no desire to go back.

 

[superHARD]

Tell us how much $$$ you have saved by not smoking for 2 years please!

 

[ITJunkie]

Originally posted by: hevnsnt
Today 11-15 makes TWO YEARS Smoke free.

I completely rule

How about this for history with ATOT

Seriously I think ATOT helped

:thumbsup: Well done!

 

[Ausm]

Congrats!

I am going on 3 years myself. Everyday gets easier!

Ausm

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Congrats! It's a bitch to quit for good. I did it 10+ years ago, and never see myself picking up another cigarette again. Keep it up

 

[Lorax]

Originally posted by: superHARD
Tell us how much $$$ you have saved by not smoking for 2 years please!

agreed.

also for health insurance, how long does it take before your rates start to drop?

 

[Fingolfin269]

Congrats man. I know full well what it takes to get to where you are and I don't have it yet. I've made it 6 months smoke free twice before getting back on board and puffing away again.

I quit again 9 days ago. It is only 9 days but for anyone who smoked a significant amount you know that 9 days is a big deal.

 

[TeeJay1952]

You will be free when you don't know how long it has been.
I smoked (tobacco) for 20 years. Tried to quit but never could make it. Saw a buddy and he wasn't smoking. Asked hem how he did it and he said:
"Quit putting them in my mouth and lighting them." I can tell you when I quit drinking (alcohol) but smoking is lost in the mist of time.

 

[Madwand1]

I quit a pack-a-day habit of years so long ago that I don't even want to say how long. But this thread make me think about smoking again. Not that I'll do it; I'm not that stupid.

My point is that getting over it means stop even thinking about actively; put it behind you and think of it as wilful damage to your own body and self-humiliation that you can live without. Thoughts and desires can come and go; all you have to do is not act on them. Even posting on ATOT about it years later or reading such a thread is acting on it in a way, and it's doing me no good, so many years later.

On a more positive note: Grats to the OP.

 

[snoopdoug1]

Originally posted by: hevnsnt
Today 11-15 makes TWO YEARS Smoke free.

I completely rule

How about this for history with ATOT

Seriously I think ATOT helped

oh course we did!

 

[randay]

i need a cigarette.

 

[sash1]

congrats, son!

 

[Old Hippie]

Nice Job hevnsnt!:thumbsup:


I wish I could do it.

 

[ThePresence]

When I stopped I found an additional motivation was telling everyone I knew, especially my smoking buddies that I stopped.
So if I would light up I would look like another loser who couldn't stop.
It's not much, but it certainly helped me.

 

[stars]

Did you guys change your daily routines after qutting smoking? While I only smoke outdoors, sitting behind a computer for long periods makes the craving for a cigarette worse.