Who managed to quit smoking? or is trying to quit?

[other one]

53 minutes ago, farouk said:

 @Alive Sounds like quitting cold turkey worked for you...............

Basically one has to come to the conclusion they are going to quit... No matter what,   and just quit.   It takes about five or six days to get over the chemical addiction as I remember, but the psychological takes a lot longer.    I stopped smoking a good 35 years ago but still when I pick up a ringing telephone I reach into my shirt pocket for a cigarette....    It's not some terrible need that lasts and one can just laugh about it, but the psychological triggers are there.   For about a year I kept large straws cut the length of cigarettes in my shirt pocket for something to grab and chew on so I wouldn't think about it.

[farouk]

1 minute ago, other one said:

Basically one has to come to the conclusion they are going to quit... No matter what,   and just quit.   It takes about five or six days to get over the chemical addiction as I remember, but the psychological takes a lot longer.    I stopped smoking a good 35 years ago but still when I pick up a ringing telephone I reach into my shirt pocket for a cigarette....    It's not some terrible need that lasts and one can just laugh about it, but the psychological triggers are there.   For about a year I kept large straws cut the length of cigarettes in my shirt pocket for something to grab and chew on so I wouldn't think about it.

Gum works for some ppl, too.................

Thanks for the comment.

[other one]

All gum and patches do is postpone the inevitable.   Well, they do give your lungs a break from the stuff that really does your body harm.

 

BTW vaping causes popcorn lung and is much deadlier than cigarettes.

 

[missmuffet]

On 11/20/2022 at 11:22 AM, farouk said:

Thoughts, folks?

Very difficult to quit and many are not successful. Especially women. The addiction is more difficult than a heroin addiction. 

[JohnD]

Started smoking in 1972 at age 11.

Smoked like a chimney until I was 25 in 1986.

I started having chest and left arm pain that scared me.

I quit cold turkey.

Hardest thing I ever did.

Hardest I ever prayed.

It actually took years for the cravings to go away.

All the time I reminded myself, all the suffering I went through

was for nothing... if I took another puff.

Been 36 years.

Found out in the meantime that I am asthmatic.

My shortness of breath wasn't just from smoking.

[JohnD]

5 hours ago, missmuffet said:

Very difficult to quit and many are not successful. Especially women. The addiction is more difficult than a heroin addiction. 

I've heard that.

But, I've also been told that's not exactly true (by a former shipmate / smoker / heroin user).

[farouk]

On 11/21/2022 at 7:05 PM, missmuffet said:

Very difficult to quit and many are not successful. Especially women. The addiction is more difficult than a heroin addiction. 

@missmuffet Sometimes it's linked with friends or family. Quitting social smoking - even if not done heavily - can be like quitting being around friends and family, since inhaling with them can be part of knowing them and having their company.

[farouk]

1 minute ago, Walter Goraj jr said:

It's a process for most. I had to attempt it like four times. Got to a point where I was down to one cigarette a day. Then it was like ... why am I doing this?

So was this some time  ago that you finally succeeded in quitting?

[farouk]

14 minutes ago, Walter Goraj jr said:

November 1995. It was at the time when smoking was in the process of being banned in public places. I think that might have helped. 

If one's wife is trying to quit at the same time, it can help.

Not unusually spouses either smoke together or stay quit together.

[farouk]

1 hour ago, Walter Goraj jr said:

True. I have a very understanding wife, but I'm sure she was very happy when I finally quit!

@Walter Goraj jr Sounds like Mrs. G. had already quit, or maybe never was a smoking lady at all....