I am about to really be hated over this one...

 

I am going on four months without a cigarette and lately, since the three month mark, it has been hard. Never stated out that way.

Lately though the subject of cannabis has come up a few times. Going from tobacco to cannabis is mostly a lateral move in the way of "quitting".

Then here we get the non-stop line of three day quitters who are SO proud but never last in their "quit".

 

How many long term quitters though do not have some other habit that carries them through? I suppose if someone has their booze, weed, or NRT to help them, then maybe they hang on to their quit.

I have none of those. And four months in, not having a cigarette still sucks.

 

When someone has some other chemical addiction helping them through, is it really quitting though? Kind of cheating really.

 

Too often "I quit smoking" is not the entire story.

 

I hear what you say.  I believe that making the quit you have to be honest with your self for the hard work to quit really sticks.  If you do have other "chemical" addictions sometimes nicotine is the last one you give up.  Also you have to look at how many cigarettes you had each day to the amount or use of other "chemicals" that were used.  In my recent quit I have gone cold turkey, and not using any other substances (NRT, alcohol, weed, even coffee) in fact most of those items would have been a strong trigger for me.  As I said I get what you say that "I quit smoking" may not be the entire story but if you are true to yourself then that is the important thing and will make you stronger in your quit.  

Edited February 3, 20188 yr by Martian5

I'll get back to you .... sorta busy at the moment.

Edited February 3, 20188 yr by reciprocity

In my opinion if you took paxel,  welbutyrin, OxyContin, alcohol, meth, cocain, heroin, weed or any other substance when you smoked, I see no reason why you can’t continue to use those substances as a none smoker. Your personal choice..   just don’t smoke cigarettes.

 Edited to add, but if using these other substances triggers you to smoke then I personally would recommend steering clear of them. 

 

Edited February 3, 20188 yr by Octain

^^^ Yes, actually A LOT of people reduce or eliminate their alcohol intake for at least the early part of their quit because they fear it will reduce their will power to stay quit. Perhaps if you're an addictive personality, quitting smoking might cause you to increase your participation in another addictive vice but for most normally adjusted people - I don't see this happening.

Alright i was kind of rude. the craves for a relaxing cigarette are kicking my ass lately 9 ways to Sunday. I thought it would be OVER by now. But no, everything and everyone is pissing me off.

 

But there is good news. I got this email with a "happy B-day" message from some forum I was on years ago. I had forgot I ever signed up.

It is a forum for those struggling in relationships. I can go there and be a complete asshole until they ban me

That way I do not get in trouble here.

Edited February 3, 20188 yr by Jetblack

Well..I claim to be a sausage holic..well yes I KNOW I'm a sausage holic... But I always was so I havnt swoped a cig for a sausage..

No seriously....I havnt quit one thing for another...I just rid myself of nicotine... I've never been a big drinker...and that's still the same..

I am trying to treat my little body with respect...I don't think after 52 years of abuse ,it could handle another addiction...

My intake..you get so far into your quit..and then bam something happens..and you come to love and respect your body ,for the wonderful machine it is....

Jetblack,  rude all you want. Personally, I don’t care. All I care about is whether you smoke or not. Don’t.

Don’t romance the cigarette. It’s not “relaxing“.  Don’t want a cigarette. You don’t smoke anymore. 

 

 

On 2/2/2018 at 6:27 PM, Jetblack said:

Too often "I quit smoking" is not the entire story.

 

 

I quit eating chocolate but I still crunch peanut brittle when the urge strikes... therefore I have a "lateral move" crutch  and didn't actually quit eating chocolate. 

 

Do you hear how ridiculous of a (non)argument of (non)logic that is?

 

 

 

EZPZ

21 hours ago, Jetblack said:

 a relaxing cigarette

 

 I can go there and be a complete asshole until they ban me

That way I do not get in trouble here.

 

A relaxing cigarette?  What I've finally learned is the only thing cigarettes "relax" are symptoms of withdrawal from nicotine.  You can probably remember being relaxed when you took that first drag of a cigarette, especially after you'd been wanting one for a while. Ahhhh, what a relief!  A relief to quell the edginess of withdrawal, that is.  That's REALLY all it was. The only way you'll be free of having those cravings for relief is to never ever feed that insidious addiction again- that and really understanding how this addiction works. 

 

Sounds like you're getting something out of being a complete asshole, otherwise why would you say "I can?"  This makes me wonder if you're feeding a negativity in the same way as feeding thoughts of loss about smoking in the form of thinking about how relaxing it was. Please understand... These are not criticisms!  I hear that you're having a hard time and I feel for you. Parts of this are relevant to me also this last week, so I'm saying it for both of us. Kindness and understanding toward yourself goes a long way. I'm going to try to replace some of my self-defeating thoughts with ones that build me up as well as focus on the positives of people around me. As adults, we are the sole cultivators of our internal landscapes. 

 

If none of this resonates, don't give it another thought- just keep it parked here. 

On 2/3/2018 at 1:45 AM, Jetblack said:

Alright i was kind of rude. the craves for a relaxing cigarette are kicking my ass lately 9 ways to Sunday. I thought it would be OVER by now. But no, everything and everyone is pissing me off.

 

But there is good news. I got this email with a "happy B-day" message from some forum I was on years ago. I had forgot I ever signed up.

It is a forum for those struggling in relationships. I can go there and be a complete asshole until they ban me

That way I do not get in trouble here.

This made me literally LOL!  You can be a Azz all you want if that's what keeps you from smoking.  I remember all too well the up and down moods in the first year.  Some of us have EZPZ quits and some of us go kicking and screaming.  I kicked and screamed.

BTW-Cigarettes don't relax you.  They never have.  All it does is ease the withdrawal from nicotine for a few minutes and the moment you put it out you start the downward spiral again.  To help get past this for me I used exercise, when I was able.  Replace the smoking you did to "relax" with something else.  You're doing a great job hanging in.