Too Hard

Well, I have been trying to quit for a long time now. I have smoked on and off for about 4 years which means I have been smoking since I was fourteen. I think I am getting better. I have cut down on the cigarettes big time but everytime I see someone smoke it drives me insane and then I go smoke. I wish there was a cure for that. But I am going to hang in there and keep trying to quit. To everyone, smoking is bad for you. It killed my grandfather. He was a smoker all his life. He was a salesman for Newports and they told him to smoke. So he did. He struggled with cancer for 10 years and then finally died. Its very hard to watch someone to die with cancer. So I suggest, that we all hang in there and try to quit.

smoking

smoking is for loosers!

Extremely difficult

I have been smoking for 15 years - Marlboro 100's at that. I just found out I was pregnant recently and know that it is definately the time to quit this nasty habit. Since I found out, I have craved cigarettes even more. I am down to 10 a day - Marlboro Light 100's and over the next week, I plan to be a non-smoker for life. Wish me luck, I know I am going to need it.

i quit

Actually I had my last one on Sunday, but its Tuesday. I am trying to focus on keeping busy.. because I more or less smoke out of boredom. Keep your fingers crossed....I am seriously determined this time.

still smokin...

You know...I have quit for a period of 3 years in the past 10 years, a period of 5 months, and a period of 21 days. I am sure I will quit for good, but when is the question?If it wasn't for enjoying it sooo much after a exhausting round of fun, or a delicious satisfying meal, it would be easier. But refraining from activities, or changing the way you do something isn't easy.
Any ideas?

Social smoker

I am posting this message anonymously for no good reason other than the fact that if I sign my real name, I am essentially admitting that I am doing something that isn't good for me (which is true). I am thirty years old and have been a social smoker since age 15. This means that I "only smoke when I drink" which ranges anywhere from once every few months to once a week, or whenever I visit someone who smokes regularly. I guess you could say that I am easily influenced by my surroundings, but have been lucky enough not to develop a habbit that affects my day to day living (at least not in my actions). I reallize that what I am doing is playing with fire (literally). I know that each time I pick up a cigarette to catch that little buzz or for that calming feeling of enjoying a smoke with a friend, I am diminishing my quality of life and harming my body (what a selfish thing to do....). I have always tried to lead a healthy lifestyle. But, the smoking is a force that has been pushing my efforts in the wrong direction for a long time now. Good luck to everyone, including myself, in fighting this self-destructive battle.

Weekend Warrior

So I took Zyban and kicked the habit. Then broke up with my boyfriend and picked it back up, but only on the weekends. I now have a personal trainer and I am really starting to get in shape, but when the weekends come I am a virtual chimney. And I have a weak heart to boot. So why do I still smoke, even if just on the weekends? An association habit. Let me explain: There is a little disclaimer on the side of all alcoholic beverages that I recently discovered. It says: "If you consume this beverage you must simultaneously smoke an entire pack of cigarettes." I know everyone can relate. But at what point do we take control of our health and our future and just say f**k this? Somebody please tell me.

the hardest part...

...is changing from identifying yourself as "a smoker" to identifying yourself as "a non smoker". This is a VERY LONG PROCESS. I've been quit for about 6 years now, and the first time I quit lasted for about three years. My mistake was thinking that after a while I was not addicted and could go ahead and smoke "just one drag". I think quitting is a lot easier than staying quit. I think it is important to know that you LOVE smoking, that smoking feels great, that the social event around smoking is fun, and once you quit you are going to WANT to keep smoking. I STILL get cravings for a cigarrette. They pass faster now though. It's taken a long time to get to the point where the HABIT of smoking no longer controls my behavior. As for quitting... Drink LOTS of water (from a pull nozzel top bottle, to satisfy the hand to mouth thing). Accept that you are going to get bitchy and put on a couple pounds. No matter how tired, angry, sad, full, afterglowing, driving, insecure, social you feel, don't let yourself have the excuse. Distract yourself for FIVE minutes, and let the craving pass. Hang out with non-smokers. And NEVERNEVERNEVERNEVERNEVER kid yourself into thinking that you can have just one drag, or just one cigarrette. Eventually you won't want one so bad.blah blah blah. good luck. Below is a pretty cool website.

Closet smoker

I can't stand the smell of a smokey room, the smell of cigarette smoke on my clothes or kissing a woman that just smoked a cigarrette. However, at night when I'm home reading, watching TV or working on the computer, I cant't help but sit out on my porch and smoke cigarrettes. What the hell! I've learned to compartmentalize my smoking into an area that is 4 feet by 4 feet from about 7 pm to midnight. And now that I just turned thirty (30), the big three zero, I came to the conclusion that I have been smoking for over ten years which means I've smoked over 36,500 cigarettes. Holy shit.

READ THE RJ REYNOLDS STORY, ITS UNBELIEVABLE

2 weeks noa smoka, 3 days off the patch, i only want to rip my hair out 2 or 3 times an hour due to nicotine withdrawl, not bad...
actually, the withdrawl symptoms are fading quickly. confidence is high.
You must read the RJ REYNOLDS story, they gave a report to the Czech gvt. telling them that it was saving them money when smokers died prematurly. can you believe it?
READ THE RJ REYNOLDS STORY, ITS UNBELIEVABLE

My chest hurts when I exercise

I have few regrets in this life. Every wrong decision I've made (since it didn't kill me) has made me stronger. Cigarettes are the exception. They may very well kill me. I started in 1959 at age 14. Now it's been 42 years of pretty much non-stop smoking. My chest hurts when I exercise...even a lazy lap across a swimming pool causes me discomfort. Wrinkles that from around my mouth when I suck on a cigarette no longer disappear.I have permeated my body with so much nicotine and whatever else the tobacco companies have laced in the cigaretts that I think my internal organs must all be black with tar. I have driven through snow storms and spent my last dollar for a pack of smokes. I am a bad example for my 3 daughters and my 4 grandchildren. The control I have given this habit over my life is appalling. I would do almost anything to go back and not pick up that first cigarette. But, I won't quit. I say I will. I set quit dates. I buy nicorette,hard candies, patches and tranquilizers. My last date was this past June. The 15th. I lasted 5 hours. I think that if I have to die to learn a lesson this time, I hope it's from a quick anuerism and not years of emphysema. I'm not stupid. I'm an addict.

NO MATTER WHAT, I won't go back.

Day 5 and all is well (note the sarcasm). Everything may not quite be sunshine, but it's getting better. I can actually form complete sentences now, and I anticipate I'll be able to have a conversation sometime in the next week that doesn't focus on what stage my nicotine withdrawls are in. I'm like the person going through a bad breakup who can't talk about anything else that everyone wants to avoid. A typical conversation with me goes something like this - "Anthrax, wow, that's too bad. Almost as bad as my headaches. Did I mention how I have the shakes yet? Three times? Oh yeah, I can't seem to concentrate either, did I tell you about my headaches?"I know I'm not going to fail. The worse the symptoms get, the stronger I get. It helped me to make up my mind that NO MATTER WHAT, I won't go back. No excuses, nothing about work stress, relationships, nothing is an excuse. When it got bad, rather than questioning whether I could do it or not, I asked myself how much worse would it have to be before I felt I couldn't go on. Twice as bad, Three times, five times? Haven't I been through more pain in other ways and gotten through? Would I give up if I were facing an outside foe instead of myself? No way! Maybe if it were ten times as strong, then it would be a contest. I check my resolve, feel my strength and I can't even begin to see the end of it. It's good to feel strong again, good to be proud of myself. Good luck to everyone fighting alongside me, post a message and let me know you're doing just as well.

this is the third time i have quite in ten years.

I seems that the older you get the harder it gets. On top of it i have mild anxiety. Im on my third day and I am feeling strong. Im in good shape and started working out three weeks ago. But this is hard as hell. The first night i quite i woke up at five in the morning sweating and queazy. I could not sleep. Its getting better. I too have traveled through wind, sleet, and snow to buy a pack of smokes. I have spent my last dollar and even barrowed money. I have excused myself to get a fix. this is insane......good luck to all and god bless you and this great country

it always starts with that harmless drag you take

Here I am smoking a cigarette as I am typing this message, how depressing. I have been smoking again for 2 weeks. This past time that I "quit" lasted for 1 year. The prior time lasted for 5 years. That time was when I thought I had really won the battle with smoking. I never thought that after 5 years of not smoking that I would ever go back. Surprise, surprise...it always starts with that harmless drag you take and even has you start to cough, choke, become lightheaded and tell yourself how gross that drag is-you inevitibly spiral down and realize that you are once again "back for another round".

once you quit smoking you put on like 20 lbs

hi there-I just stumbled across this sight a few minutes ago but I've been wanting to quit smoking for quite a few months now. The thing is,(this is going to sound really shallow) I heard once you quit smoking you put on like 20 lbs and I don't want that. I don't want lung cancer either though. I'm 21 years old and I feel like the time is NOW for me to quit (I started when I was 18.) But honestly,I would just like to hear from people who have quit if they did gain wieght or not. ThanksJessie

I'm a recovering alcoholic who quit smoking six years ago.

Ten months ago, I picked up again (anger) and now I can't quit. I managed to put down cigarettes for a week (substituing Nicoret gum) but that lasted only a week. I couldn't deal with the constant rage that I felt. I didn't crave a cigarette, but just couldn't tolerate the constant feelings of extreme anger. Any suggestions?

President and CEO, American Lung Association

10-30-07

Bernadette Toomey

Big Tobacco thinks it has won. Once again, Congress failed to attain a veto-proof majority for the expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Now, the bill faces an expected veto, condemning millions of low-income children—many suffering from asthma and lung disease—to continue to live without health insurance, without access to specialists, without the medications they desperately need.
Why does Big Tobacco oppose SCHIP? Because they don't want a 61 cents-per-pack tax increase. Because Big Tobacco doesn't want to discourage smoking. And it's our children who will pay the price. Ridiculous.


It is us versus Big Tobacco – and it is about time that we win. But we need your support to continue the fight. Please donate to the American Lung Association:


https://www.kintera.org/AutoGen/Simple/Donor.asp?ievent=254430&msource=schip07c&en=lwIRL7NWKmKVK8NVJcLQKdO5IoKYIgPYIjIUKhMaIAK
Increasing the federal cigarette tax is a win-win for children's health; in addition to providing much-needed medical care for our nation's low-income, uninsured youth — including those living with lung diseases such as asthma — this substantial increase of $.61 will have the added benefit of reducing youth smoking.

This isn't about Democrats or Republicans – this is about the health of our children. It's about access to critical medical care, about reducing youth smoking, about breathing easier. Eight in ten Americans—majorities of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents—support the expansion.1 Yet, Washington is at a crossroads, unable to force the change our children need.

The American Lung Association will continue to fight for this change. But we need your support. Please donate $25 dollars today:

https://www.kintera.org/AutoGen/Simple/Donor.asp?ievent=254430&msource=schip07c&en=lwIRL7NWKmKVK8NVJcLQKdO5IoKYIgPYIjIUKhMaIAK
Enough is enough. We demand that our children have the health care they desperately need and we ask that you join us in this important fight.

Thank you for your help,

Bernadette Toomey
President and CEO, American Lung Association


The mission of the American Lung Association is to prevent lung disease and promote lung health.