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Is Smoking an Addiction ?


LakesideDream

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LakesideDream

I'm a life long smoker, literally since I was 12 years old 47 years ago. Two weeks ago I was smoking 4 packs of non filters a day.. sometimes more.

 

A week and a day ago I decided to quit. Woke up last Thursday no cigs in the house, and didn't buy any. Cold turkey, no patches, drugs, etc. I'm already on a strict diet, so no increase over 1250 cal. daily.

 

The first two days were difficult. Irratible, eyes hurt, felt gritty. Bad taste in the mouth, lots of phlem.

 

After a week (today) nothing, no desire, smiling when I realize I won't be paying $1050 a month for cigarettes. That was my purpose in quitting. I couldn't be successfully retired when I had that thousand dollar hit forcing me to work more than I wanted to.

 

Is another shoe gonna fall? It's been a week... is there a point where It's going to get more difficult?

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OH LSD... CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :love:

 

I quit 13 years ago... I was smoking 1 1/2 pack a day... that's a looooot of cigarettes.. and lots of wasted money ...

 

It won't get any harder.. you've already went through the difficult part..

 

I quit cold turkey.. and I was miserable the next morning ..while taking my coffee.. but that was it.. I never ever missed another smoke after that.. so it was really easy for me..

 

I did put on weight.. (that's when I got my huge breasts)... :laugh: then I lost 29 pounds in about 18 months.. but kept my big girls.. my body was the best then... my life completely changed.. for the better..

 

Please don't quit!!!! (and I don't mean smoking).. :laugh:

 

You're strong.. you're strong.. :love:

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LakesideDream
OH LSD... CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :love:

 

I quit 13 years ago... I was smoking 1 1/2 pack a day... that's a looooot of cigarettes.. and lots of wasted money ...

 

It won't get any harder.. you've already went through the difficult part..

 

I quit cold turkey.. and I was miserable the next morning ..while taking my coffee.. but that was it.. I never ever missed another smoke after that.. so it was really easy for me..

 

I did put on weight.. (that's when I got my huge breasts)... :laugh: then I lost 29 pounds in about 18 months.. but kept my big girls.. my body was the best then... my life completely changed.. for the better..

 

Please don't quit!!!! (and I don't mean smoking).. :laugh:

 

You're strong.. you're strong.. :love:

 

 

Thanks for the good thoughts Lizzie. I won't "go back", I was pretty much "priced out" of the habit. 30+ dollars a day for cigarettes? That what it cost me. That's a herion or crack habit for many people. The taxes are crazy.

 

I wonder what the government is going to do without the tax revenue from the hordes who are quitting.

 

I know I won't gain weight. I've been on a serious diet for 6 weeks now, chart everyday. I have continued to lose weight since I quit, although curiously the amount of weight loss has slowed. I don't know if the two things are related.

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don't obsessed for the weight.. concentrate on NOT smoking... if you quit smoking ..then diet.. it could be too hard.. I know it was for me.. so I decided to 'take care of the weight' later..

 

You have noooo idea how great you'll feel.. everything changes.. even my hair double in thickness.. it's crazy.. in a good way.

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LakesideDream
don't obsessed for the weight.. concentrate on NOT smoking... if you quit smoking ..then diet.. it could be too hard.. I know it was for me.. so I decided to 'take care of the weight' later..

 

You have noooo idea how great you'll feel.. everything changes.. even my hair double in thickness.. it's crazy.. in a good way.

 

 

Lizzie, I already invested a month and a half into the diet.. that's an investment for me! I had planned on quitting smoking.. "someday soon", I just decided to try a week ago and it worked.

 

My question was really why has it been so easy? The diet is much harder, I obsess about food all the time, I'm always hungry.

 

Obviously I can do both. I kinda have the idea that the diet pushed me so far toward my pain threshold that when adding in cigarettes to the mix there wasn't much more pain (discomfort) to be felt.

 

I'm not going back on any of it. Do or die ! Hurrah !

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I want to quit, too. It's making me sick. I don't even enjoy most of the cigarettes I have. Good for you, LS!! Keep it up! Soon, I just might follow suit.

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I'm PROUD of you LSD.. I know you can !!!

 

It's not always 'painful' ... I know lots of people who quit cold turkey and found it very easy...I'm one of them.. ;)

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I want to quit, too. It's making me sick. I don't even enjoy most of the cigarettes I have. Good for you, LS!! Keep it up! Soon, I just might follow suit.

 

You can do it, Marlena! You're a strong gal! :bunny:

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laRubiaBonita
My question was really why has it been so easy? The diet is much harder, I obsess about food all the time, I'm always hungry.

 

maybe the food is more important to your psychie, since you are obsessing about one the other isn't bad at all.

 

and Congrats on Both your accomplishments!

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A week and a day ago I decided to quit.

so now are you going to become one of those ultra-militant-anti-smoking-nazis?

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LakesideDream
so now are you going to become one of those ultra-militant-anti-smoking-nazis?

 

 

OH NO, NO, NO, NO..... !!! This is a personal choice. I enjoyed my cigarettes. If I could get by on $3.00 a day worth, I'd still be smoking. My cigarettes were costing me over $30.00 a day and I had to earn the money to buy them.

 

I ran out of the time and energy to earn the money, and buy the cigarettes. I can work 1/3d less now with the same result. I'm 59 Alpha... and I need to slow down some. This is already helping.

 

I will never pressure anyone to quit smoking. It's none of my business.

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TogetherForever

Hey LSD,

I quit this year on Feb. 27th.

It's almost 8 months.

 

You did it cold turkey but I needed help. I used the patch.

 

Good job on your quit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep it up!!!!!

 

Oh & if you'd like the name of the website I use for help please let me know. I'll pm it to you.

 

Again, Congrats & keep it up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

TF

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TogetherForever

My Stats:

Your Quit Date is: 2/27/2009 9:00:00 PM trans.gifTime Smoke-Free: 229 days, 18 hours, 55 minutes and 45 seconds trans.gifCigarettes NOT smoked: 4596 trans.gifLifetime Saved: 1 month, 5 days, 2 hours trans.gifMoney Saved: $1,154.60

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Well done LSD, as far as I am aware smoking IS an addiction and thats why its so damn hard to quit!

 

I read somewhere that the first 28 days of any habit are the hardest, because thats how long it takes for us to successfully change habitual behaviour patterns.

 

You seem to be doing great so far!

 

In my job I have to give out a fair bit of "smoking cessation" advice, and one of my patients recently saved all the money up each month, and used a third of it or something to buy herself something really nice. (for her it was jewellery)

She said the planning of what she was going to buy helped take her mind off the smoking and gave her an incentive.

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OH NO, NO, NO, NO..... !!! This is a personal choice. I enjoyed my cigarettes.

where did you find time to smoke 80 cigarettes/day? if the average person is awake 16 hours/day that meant you were smoking 5 cigarettes per hour

 

i only smoke 10-15 per day

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LakesideDream
where did you find time to smoke 80 cigarettes/day? if the average person is awake 16 hours/day that meant you were smoking 5 cigarettes per hour

 

i only smoke 10-15 per day

 

 

Self employed forever. Work in front of a screen now. No problem. I've been smoking this much for 35 years or so. 4-5 sounds about right, worse when I'd drive on medium or long car trips.

 

No more.

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TogetherForever

I was trying to remove all the mumbo jumbo from my stats post.

It wouldn't let me.

Sorry.

 

TF

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indeed, us smokers are a dying breed.

 

i'm going to go out and have another coffin nail....back in a few.

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You can do it, Marlena! You're a strong gal!

 

Thanks for your vote of confidence, Donna! Don't know if I can go cold turkey but I can at least cut down.

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I will never pressure anyone to quit smoking. It's none of my business.

 

Same here. Even if I were to quit, I would still continue to understand why some people need to smoke. Besides, it's a free world. As long as others don't have to breathe in the smoke, then, everyone is entitled to his/her life choices.

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ahh thats better *cough cough hack*

 

i wish you god-speed in your journey to the world of the non-smoker

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TogetherForever

My Stats:

Your Quit Date is: 2/27/2009 9:00:00

Time Smoke-Free: 229 days, 18 hours, 55 minutes and 45seconds

Cigarettes NOT smoked: 4596

Lifetime"]Lifetime Saved: 1 month, 5 days, 2 hours

Money Saved: $1,154.60

 

 

If I quit, anyone can!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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You bet it's an addiction and a hard one to break at that. Congrats to you lakeside. I myself went cold turkey after a good many years of smoking 1/2 a pack to a pack a day. Did you know that by day 3 the nicotine is out of your system? Imagine that just 3 days. So, IMO the first fews days are the hardest.. but, once you get over the hump, you will see how it does get easier as the days and months move along. Good for you for doing this. What a GREAT healthy lifestyle change you've made here.:) Keep up the good work. Oh, and if need be, look into a smoking cessation program in your area. I joined one and it helped me remain smoke free. Now trust me here, if I can quit andyone can.;)

 

Mea:)

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LakesideDream
You bet it's an addiction and a hard one to break at that. Congrats to you lakeside. I myself went cold turkey after a good many years of smoking 1/2 a pack to a pack a day. Did you know that by day 3 the nicotine is out of your system? Imagine that just 3 days. So, IMO the first fews days are the hardest.. but, once you get over the hump, you will see how it does get easier as the days and months move along. Good for you for doing this. What a GREAT healthy lifestyle change you've made here.:) Keep up the good work. Oh, and if need be, look into a smoking cessation program in your area. I joined one and it helped me remain smoke free. Now trust me here, if I can quit andyone can.;)

 

Mea:)

 

 

Mea, It's been nine plus days now. Honestly I thought it was over two weeks. I had to check my journal.. anyhow, I can feel that the chain is broken. I was a VERY heavy smoker, and I'm still feeling a little physical withdrawl, mostly soreness behind the eyes (typical) but it's not a problem.

 

I'll never go back. Life is to short. Especially at my age. I already feel better, more oxygen in my system for sure. The urge probably only hits once an hour or so, and it's hurmorous. Lighting up is something I don't want to do anymore.... certainly not something I'm compelled to do anymore.

 

I've quit a few times over the years, this is the first time I did it because I wanted to quit... not the exW, not a doc.... blah blah. I wanted to quit.

 

Losing weight is important to me too. I'd like to start 2010 they best I can be. Break the status quo. My "inner canine" is pushing me along (LoL).

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