Ask a smoker

[Aroura]

You CAN quit!  I know how hard it is, I tried many, many times before doing so successfully. 
Think about the issue you are having now, and how it will only get worse.  Think about how it might ge better if you quit!  There are a lot of smoking cessation programs out there, many of them are free. If you live in the states, I think most states will give you one box of either patches or gum for free.  Counseling can also help.  If you know someone else who smokes, get them to quit with you, so you have a support buddy, or make a friend at the smoking cessation program and lean on each other.  Put $1 a day in a jar every day you don't smoke, save up for something you really want.  Use sunflower seeds when you get a craving (I ate bags of them, they really help).

Sorry, not to be on a high horse or anything,  I just know the pain of wanting to quit and struggling, so just trying to give helpful advice.  Its been almost 9 years for me since my last cigarette, and it is sooooo great not to be a slave to tobacco anymore. I still fear the smoking I did will come back to haunt me someday, so the sooner you quit the better. I hope you get to feel that freedom again someday.

Thanks Aroura for you concern   I think my biggest problem is not the actual quitting method, but having faith in the idea of what it would be like to be a non-smoker... and perhaps you can help me with that as an ex-smoker. I just can't imagine what it would be like not to be able to have a short mental break (which is ultimately what a fag break is) every time I'm triggered to smoke... say between different activities or when I'm stressed. Do you still have those sorts of breaks in a different form (eg coffee or something) or did the need for them disappear after you'd quit?

Ah, I think that is a common worry, especially if you take smoke breaks at work.  I think the need for them mostly disappears after you quit, but when you still feel the need for that mental break, you can find something else to replace it. Depends on what you like.  Reading?  Music?  Gaming?  Use someting else enjoyable and rewarding to replace it for those times you really just need to get away from everyone and have that 10-15 minutes to yourself. 

I used to read while I smoked, and I worried that reading would trigger that desire.  I did need to change where I read, but it was fine to keep doing those things.  I did pretty much quit drinking because it lowers my inhibitions and made me more likely to give in and smoke, but that is temporary. I think think the key to being able to do the things you associate with smoking is to just do them in different settings.

Yes, I still take short mental breaks.  It depends on what kind of breaks you want.  You might find an app on your phone or tablet that you can play mindlessly, or bring a book with you everywhere and sit and read a bit when you feel a craving come on. If you are the type to try meditation, that works really well.  Music alone can help too, but music with mediation together gives you that mental quiet you might miss.
For some people doing something quiet might only make the craving worse, you might find you are the need to stay active and distracted sort, instead.  In that case, go for a short walk, play PvP or something more engaging on your computer, wash your dog, etc.  Anything that gets you through those cravings. They feel like hell, but they pass in 10 to 15 minutes.

Also...deep breathing. For me, just breathing and thinking about my breathing for 5 minutes, followed by 10 to 15 minutes of keeping my mind busy elsewhere worked.  And have someone you can call or text (or PM!) who you can talk to.  You will want ot cry, punch things, kick things, etc, on occasion.  Don't e ashamed of the emotional outbursts, just find whatever works to get you through them.

I'm a pretty big wuss, so if I can do it, I know others can.   Feel free to ask here, or PM me anything.  Don't rush it.  I understand setting a date bout 2 weeks away and preparing yourself mentally as you get closer to that date really helps it to stick.

[Pyrrho]

...
You sound a lot like my dad ...

Now you are making me feel old.  (I am old enough to be your father, but I was not thinking about that before your post comparing me with your father.)  But, and this is very much to the point, I don't have a problem with having sex.  I commonly go on hikes of 10 miles or so, which involve more than just walking on level ground.  So, one can be "old" but not be in bad shape.  But you don't get this way from leading a very unhealthy life.

As for advice on how to quit, you will want to look to others, as I was never a smoker (I have smoked a total of maybe 3 packs in my life, and maybe two or three cigars).  My grandfather smoked, and when his doctor told him he needed to quit if he did not want to die shortly, he quit cold turkey.  He was a strong man.  He ended up dying in his 80s, and was pretty healthy after he quit smoking.  He got exercise and ate good food, which helped him last as well as he did.  He also drank moderately.  And that is something I also do.  It is something that is good for the heart, but only in moderation.

[emjay]

Thanks Aroura for you concern   I think my biggest problem is not the actual quitting method, but having faith in the idea of what it would be like to be a non-smoker... and perhaps you can help me with that as an ex-smoker. I just can't imagine what it would be like not to be able to have a short mental break (which is ultimately what a fag break is) every time I'm triggered to smoke... say between different activities or when I'm stressed. Do you still have those sorts of breaks in a different form (eg coffee or something) or did the need for them disappear after you'd quit?

Ah, I think that is a common worry, especially if you take smoke breaks at work.  I think the need for them mostly disappears after you quit, but when you still feel the need for that mental break, you can find something else to replace it. Depends on what you like.  Reading?  Music?  Gaming?  Use someting else enjoyable and rewarding to replace it for those times you really just need to get away from everyone and have that 10-15 minutes to yourself. 

I used to read while I smoked, and I worried that reading would trigger that desire.  I did need to change where I read, but it was fine to keep doing those things.  I did pretty much quit drinking because it lowers my inhibitions and made me more likely to give in and smoke, but that is temporary. I think think the key to being able to do the things you associate with smoking is to just do them in different settings.

Yes, I still take short mental breaks.  It depends on what kind of breaks you want.  You might find an app on your phone or tablet that you can play mindlessly, or bring a book with you everywhere and sit and read a bit when you feel a craving come on. If you are the type to try meditation, that works really well.  Music alone can help too, but music with mediation together gives you that mental quiet you might miss.
For some people doing something quiet might only make the craving worse, you might find you are the need to stay active and distracted sort, instead.  In that case, go for a short walk, play PvP or something more engaging on your computer, wash your dog, etc.  Anything that gets you through those cravings. They feel like hell, but they pass in 10 to 15 minutes.

Also...deep breathing. For me, just breathing and thinking about my breathing for 5 minutes, followed by 10 to 15 minutes of keeping my mind busy elsewhere worked.  And have someone you can call or text (or PM!) who you can talk to.  You will want ot cry, punch things, kick things, etc, on occasion.  Don't e ashamed of the emotional outbursts, just find whatever works to get you through them.

I'm a pretty big wuss, so if I can do it, I know others can.   Feel free to ask here, or PM me anything.  Don't rush it.  I understand setting a date bout 2 weeks away and preparing yourself mentally as you get closer to that date really helps it to stick.

Okay Aroura, I'll set a date - two weeks from now. And you'd be happy for me to PM you when the going gets rough? Like a 'sponsor'?

My fag breaks are much shorter than that - 2 minutes or so - because I make very thin rollups but I have quite a lot of them and quite frequently. So my mental breaks are very short. In fact I find that even say turning my head or rolling over in bed can have the desired effect of breaking whatever mental trance I'm in so I think it's just about switching off from what you're currently thinking about, however briefly. So yeah, using an app on my phone sounds like a good idea. That would make a good app idea actually - a virtual smoke (hey Tiberius you wanna make that? )... a way of having a fag just by looking at your phone. I could try it myself cos I also do app programming, albeit not as an expert, and not very well. Anyway meditation looks good as well (or mindfulness) but generally I think something simple like playing a game on my phone would probably be best.

---

...
You sound a lot like my dad ...

Now you are making me feel old.  (I am old enough to be your father, but I was not thinking about that before your post comparing me with your father.)  But, and this is very much to the point, I don't have a problem with having sex.  I commonly go on hikes of 10 miles or so, which involve more than just walking on level ground.  So, one can be "old" but not be in bad shape.  But you don't get this way from leading a very unhealthy life.

As for advice on how to quit, you will want to look to others, as I was never a smoker (I have smoked a total of maybe 3 packs in my life, and maybe two or three cigars).  My grandfather smoked, and when his doctor told him he needed to quit if he did not want to die shortly, he quit cold turkey.  He was a strong man.  He ended up dying in his 80s, and was pretty healthy after he quit smoking.  He got exercise and ate good food, which helped him last as well as he did.  He also drank moderately.  And that is something I also do.  It is something that is good for the heart, but only in moderation.

Sorry   But seriously, my dad really does sound a lot like you and he also looks very young for his age so I think there is a lot to be said for the advice you and he are giving. I don't know about my dad's sex life and I don't wanna know, but I do know he is very healthy for a man in his sixties.

[Aroura]

@emjay, yes, feel free to PM me. I'll send you my email, as I check that more often than I check my PM's here. I will happily be your "sponsor", lol.

Good for you for deciding to quit! You will feel so much better, it's really worth it.

@Pyrrho, my dad sounds like you too, not to keep making you feel old. He will be 70 this year, and he still hikes around mountains and lives very healthy. He's a crunchy Portlander.

[emjay]

@emjay, yes, feel free to PM me.  I'll send you my email, as I check that more often than I check my PM's here.  I will happily be your "sponsor", lol.  

Good for you for deciding to quit!  You will feel so much better, it's really worth it.

@Pyrrho, my dad sounds like you too, not to keep making you feel old.  He will be 70 this year, and he still hikes around mountains and lives very healthy.  He's a crunchy Portlander.

Cool   I don't suppose you're on Facebook? cos that's a very easy form of communication and I've already made friends with two other people from this site on there... it would be nice to build up a facebook crew from here 

I think it will actually be very beneficial that I've publicly declared I'm quitting on here - somehow I think that'll make it harder to back out, part of the reason having quitting buddies and groups works in the first place: a healthy dose of responsibility and possible shame 

[Longhorn]

Well this thread escalated quickly

Good on you, emjay! You can do it! Drop me a PM if you want....not a smoker, but I have other habits

[Dystopia]

In that case, the worst of it will come much later for you.  But before you have a long, drawn-out death from heart disease or cancer, you can look forward to a greatly increased chance of impotence.  (You can do an online search for "smoking impotence" without the quotation marks and see for yourself.)

Is the taste of cigarettes better than having good sex?

End of sermon.

It's your life, live it how you want.  But make sure it is what you want. 

I'm very well aware of the bad effects of smoking - Probably more aware than some non-smoker anti-smoking activists. I don't take it personally - In fact I appreciate the advise and wise observations - I think good sex is better than cigarettes, but the first morning cigarette is better than a bad fuck

I don't smoke a lot of cigars but from time to time I smoke a cigarillo (popular in Portugal and Spain, basically a small cigar) and it feels good - I wonder if it would be better to replace my 20 cigarettes per day by one cigarillo per month?

I know nothing real about how addictive or pleasurable smoking might be.  I grew up in a smoke free household.  The only relative I had who smoked was my grandfather and he spent more time packing and unpacking his pipe and chewing on the handle than he ever did smoking it.


I hate the smell of tobacco smoke especially stale tobacco smoke. But I love the sweet smell of it before it is smoked.  I have fond memories of Eads Smoke and News a funky little Boulder store devoted to fine tobacco, news and special interest magazines, sci fi, true crime, horror fic, mystery novels, and newspapers world wide.  The smell of good pipe tobacco will take me right there.

I do enjoy the smell of cigars before they are smoked, it's very sweet.

I find your questions interesting and will answer them all

Do you think tobacco would create the same kind of crime as other illegal drugs if it were either outlawed altogether or taxed to the point that ordinary people couldn't smoke it?

Yes I do - Nicotine is very addictive - If you google it you'll figure out that it is more addictive than marijuana and it is close to alcohol and heroin (for some people it may be more addicting than heavy drugs) - People would not stop smoking. In Portugal counterfeit cigarettes are a good business because at the same time our economy gets worse the price has been increasing - Natural leaf tobacco planted by farmers is also popular because it is very cheap. Many people don't smoke packs anymore - I don't, only rolled ones, I roll by hand, and I plan to start smoking natural leaf (I have a farmer friend who will sell it, someone I can trust).

Do you find it odd that we are legalizing marijuana in the U.S. at the same time we are putting ever tighter controls on tobacco?

Yes and it's not a US exclusive phenomenon - The main argument for drug legalization is that people should be free to consume what they please and as long as the effects aren't overwhelmingly terrible (like Heroin) it's ok. The other argument is that it's a public health concern and shouldn't send you to jail. I think making cigarettes illegal while you make marijuana legal is idiotic specially if you consider that the majority of Europeans mix tobacco with weed because smoking a "pure" (we call them "purex") joint is too much and will "kill you" (not literally). Also, I notice a trend among the young of smoking cigarettes if you also smoke weed.

I believe there are economic interests involved as well - My government raises the prices of tobacco, but medicine and pharmaceutical products to stop smoking are much more expensive - There's a lot of profit involved. Believe it or not, the majority (and the worst) price raises in tobacco are not done by my government but by the producer for profit. Many people in Portugal switched to rolling cigs and the sales of regular cigs dropped - Now the only company that holds a monopoly is increasing prices of rolling cigs to make people go back to packs. I remember that 50grams of amber leaf costed 6.10€ - That's maybe 6 or 7 packs of cigarettes (A single pack of the cheapest cigarettes is 4.10 or 4.00€) - now there are not 50grams packs but it has gotten maybe 3€ more expensive. That's a lot.  I find the medical costs argument stupid - Our former health minister said that smoking should be promoted because smokers cost less. Why? Because even if we account for medical costs, the average years a smoker lives are less and thus it's (on average) less 11 years of retirement pension, 11 less years of medical costs (the elderly have more diseases and healthcare is public/free so it is paid with taxes), less 11 years of social security and burdening. Obviously there's an increased cost because smokers are more likely to have medical problems like lung cancer, but that's not an argument for banning smoking. I believe there are some mentalities and ideas about smokers involved - Society needs to pick on people and for some folks smoking is low class and dumb - I noticed this is more common in the US, while in Europe there are more smokers and it's considered fashionable by some to smoke... In fact, brands like Marlboro are so expensive that smoking them makes you look rich and wealthy.

What do you like best about smoking the taste and experience of smoking or the effects of nicotine?

The relaxation it provides - It helps me cope with my depressive tendencies and lack of self-esteem. I do love the taste - It's probably what I enjoy the most, and the overall feeling of smoking a cigarette.

Do you think that being 21 gives you a sense of immortality and therefore carelessness with your future health?

Yes I do, but I know people with 60+ years who behave similarly. I think more than being young my lack of hope for a better future for Humans and our planet makes me feel bad and I feel the need to smoke. I admit I make lots of excuses.


I liked all the answers so far, thanks guys

[emjay]

Well this thread escalated quickly

Good on you, emjay! You can do it! Drop me a PM if you want....not a smoker, but I have other habits

Thanks Neimenovic I might take you up on that, but you don't know what you're letting yourself in for (me going apeshit in PMs at 3am)  Yeah, I have lots of other bad habits as well but this is definitely the most important to get rid of. Thanks though - it means a lot   Love you guys.

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@Dystopia. Sorry about that, I seem to have hijacked your thread a little bit there, you can have it back now

[Longhorn]

@Dys I have loads of health anxiety so maybe my view is biased, but aren't you terrified of lung cancer?

Also what do you think of cigarette packs with graphic pictures of people with cancer and the warnings on them? Effective? Pointless?

Thanks Neimenovic I might take you up on that, but you don't know what you're letting yourself in for (me going apeshit in PMs at 3am)  Yeah, I have lots of other bad habits as well but this is definitely the most important to get rid of. Thanks though - it means a lot   Love you guys.

Huh....I've been putting some effort to be asleep by 3AM most nights.... but anyway, you ever want to chat, I'm here, and I can handle apeshit hugs to you!

[Simon Moon]

Anything you want to know about destroying lungs and shortening your lifespan

How old were you when you started?

What was the reason?

Even though e-cigs don't save you any $$, or don't taste quite as good (to you) as tobacco, don't you think that fairly minor trade off is worth it? You're still getting your nicotine fix.