Karaoke Forums

Ok it's time for today's check-in. Chuck's doing pretty well. The Chantix seems to be giving him the focus to analyze his habit and cut back already, and he doesn't officially quit until Monday. I am really proud of him.

Sharon, Rich, how y'all doin'? We are thinking about you. I'll try to call tomorrow. We are getting ready to take CDGs that we ripped back to the club and grab some food. Yay for cheap enchiladas!

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[glow=darkorchid]Musica delenit bestiam feram[/glow]

Glad to here Chuck is doing good so far...

Rich and I are doing well.. We have had a few moments but.. Just imagine two hard core smokers quitting at the same time....... We are lucky there hasn't been a murder in our house yet.......

But over all it is going good... Day eight and not one puff.. We are both very commited, I think it is helping that we both are going through the same thing at the same time... I think it may be providing more motivation.....

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Will sing or fish for food!!I'm not quite right!!

I am just reading this now!:)


My hubby and I are quitting together too:) We went a week... and holy heck we fought like crazy... then he went and bought a pack and hid them from me... (but of course, you can SMELL it! Smokers just don't NOTICE!:)

Mind you, I quit years ago, when i found out I was pregnant. I just quit. Stopped. NO problems, really. (I think morning sickness made me not notice:). Then, I started smoking  when my hubby went away on training, in 2005, and was gone for 5 months. He took up smoking TOO, as there was nothing to do on breaks:) Noooow, i want to quit all over again. I am tired of "going for a private talk"  (which is what we tell our kiddo, so she doesn't know we smoke......And, yes, honestly, she has never seen us. I have NEVER smoked in the house either.. and let me tell you, it is COLD outside!)

Either way... It isn't going well....  Lol, hell, RIGHT after I post this, I am going out for a smoke... well, sharing one with the hubby. We suck

All of you have motivated me to quit smoking myself.  No more spending money on a worthless smelly tooth staining habit. Then again, I don't smoke so first I will have to start smoking....

When I was about 6 or 7 my Dad gave my sister and I a lit cigarette to "see if we would want to smoke when we grew up". My sister took a drag and then handed it to me (My Dad didn't smoke by the way but my Mom did).l I took a drag and breathed it right into my lungs and immediately started choking. While I wouldn't say that stopped me from smoking in and of itself I would say it was a step in the direction to make sure I didn't. (Not to mention that my Mom and her sisters and her Mom all smoked and they used to choke the crap out of me on trips in the car where it was too cold in Duluth to have the windows down.) -They used to laugh it up about my choking in the backseat while all three chain smoked. It's a shame my grandmother wound up dying of emphasema as a direct result.  :(

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Who loves ya baby?

Jeff, congrats on quitting at such a young age...... Glad to see you haven't picked iy up again.....

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Will sing or fish for food!!I'm not quite right!!

I've discussed this before.  GOOD LUCK to those wishing to quit.  It's a BRUTAL habit to give up.  I suspect years from now the tobacco industry will really get nailed for how they knowingly addict the user, of course our government should be held accountable too.. THEY DO love tax dollars they get off've a dangerous and exceptionally addicting  behaviour they are condoning.  I was able to quit "for the final time" in 1986, but those ciggies SURE smell good even today !   I just don't succumb to temptation.  Oh yeah, and the reason I was able to quit is because I was really sick with bronchial pneumonia,  I decided breathing was a preference. I was also on a few medications that gave me a dangerous reaction to the nicotene rush..  Arrythmia's,  etc.

So today when I think of smoking,  I remember how sick I was at the end,  you'd be surprised how association helps .  I started smoking when I was 11.

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Steve. The way you quit smoking must have been absolutely miserable. I can't even imagine. My dad quit unde the same circumstances but he had been working his way down prior to Pnuemonia.

Hey Sharon, how much money have you saved at this point, excluding how much you spent on Chantix?

Lol, sadly, the times I have quit lately, were when I was sick. (I have had a stubborn stupid lung infection)... so, maybe it doesn't COUNT;) The minute I started feeling better, I wanted a smoke... *cough cough*. Either way, I am down to like, 4  a day, so THAT is good:)

I started when i was 11 or 12, too. Both of my parents also smoke.... They used to smoke in the car with us (I have 2 other sisters, who have NEVER smoked), with the windows up... and we would all complain and gag. Their house is nicotine stained and gross. I NEVER wanted to be like that... and still don't.... so, hopefully I do better. It would be a LOT easier to quit, if JUSTIN would stick to it...... but, whenever he gets cranky, he goes out and buys a pack...

Gilly,  as you and Chuck mentioned there's likely more to this.  I have a VERY strong will, and I suppose should give myself some credit for being able to quit the toughest of cross-drug and alcohol addictions on my own.  BUT,  I think many who have claimed hypnosis has helped them quit DO use a negative association or "post hypnotic" suggestion such as "Everytime you inhale a cigarette you will associate the sensation to inhaling burning rubber".   It helps some.  Self hypnosis can work to for some !  All depends I suppose.. WHATEVER helps !

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Gilly, that's much better than I've been able to do on my own. If I only smoked 4 cigarettes today I would be very proud. TOmorrow I get to throw out all of my cigarettes. It's gonna hurt and the hardest part for me right now is the subtleness of the urges. I can handle the strong urges as a challenge. The subtle ones are very sneaky.

People should realize something that they often overlook but it's VERY important in consideration.  The person who has an "addiction" is self-medicating.  They GAIN something out've the experience (whether positive or negative down the road is moot,  modern medicine is relatively young,  four or five decades tops,  and as with MOST meds we take, we don't know HOW bad the longterm affects will be).  A person smokes because the act does something positive for them.  It's more than "just a bad habit"..  There's positive gain based on the act "making a person feel better temporarily".. OTHERWISE a person wouldn't hang onto a behaviour; EVEN IF it's an addiction. Physiologically, a person STILL is self-medicating an underlying symptom, or gaining something from the experience.  This shouldn't be forgotten.  The intent of the smoker IOW isn't  "I do this because I like hurting myself".

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

I get a feeling of accomplishment every time I light a cigarette. I feel like I did something to deserve it. I also did in part do it to hurt myself. I am very afraid of outliving Gayle.

If she felt the same way Chuck,  what would the solution be ?   I mean besides matching his and her coffins which has actually been considered by some.  Although couples sky-diving without parachutes is frowned upon in certain states

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

I hope the answer isn't


:Find a state where it's currently legal:    LOL

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

This has actually been my FIRST issue with quitting something. I struggled with addiction in the past, but was always able to... hm. just stop. heck, I haven't even had a drink in... 6 years. And, I am only 24  I always associated it with my lack of attention span;) The minute I busied myself, i was able to somehow convince myself the problem didn't exist.  I understand using the negative response thing. Lol, when i was 9-14 I had an eating problem, I saw my food MOLD in front of me, and was unable to eat, because it was rotting.... I ended up losing a lot of weight, and was hospitalized, etc..... mind you, if I could use THAT again, I might not be chubby right now....

But, like I said.. it would be MUCH easier to completely quit, if it wasn't for Justin.... Or, if I had something ELSE to do.... I don't even thing it is purely nicotine that is driving me, yet... the habit of routine, and the addiction of the oral fixation.... I am down to so few a day, I can't possibly be THAT addicted tot he DRUG anymore.... Hm.... ok, I am completely rambling here... Justin leaves again for  another 5-6 months soon. When he is gone, I will be able to quit again, without him around lighting up:) Plus, since I moved, I don't have any neighbors coming over for a coffee and smoke, etc.

The program I'm going with has me writing a goodbye letter to smoking tonight in addition to clearing my house of smoking and the paraphernalia. THe letter to my habit isa way of saying goodbye to a very long and abusive realationship that I have with smoking.

I am also planning on giving in to certain compulsions. I have loaded up on all sorts of snacks including but not limited to candy. All holds barred. This is a battle I am prepared to win at all costs.

Chuck,  You wanna know what I find helps? Sunflower seeds, in the shell:) (Perferably "Spitz" brand (they make yummy flavored ones... their chili lime is awesome)...) But then... a huge part of it for me, is the compulsive hand to mouth thing:) Mind you... it isn't very attactive to spit shells all the time.... (but then, i suppose SMOKING isn't very attractive either, eh?) I also chew pencils and pens like a crazy person, and I have no nails left!:)

Good idea GIlly. I love peanuts and sunflower seeds need to get some. Haven't had them since I was a kid in Virginia.

I had trouble with passing my compulsive behaviour to "healthy" things such as Celery, Carrots, etc..   They did nothing for me..   I prefer JUNK FOOD.  It's a great drug !

IOW,  Sunflower seeds, and similar things didn't work for me PEANUTS would've as long as they were honey-coated,  salted, etc..   WHich also would only be healthy in moderation, and as we all  know,  moderation can suck !   Cold turkey was actually easier for me.. (regarding ciggies and other substances).  Food is a toughy,  I love to gorge myself (although I'm not over-weight..  I walk, and exercize)  BUT, I am a compulsive over-eater...  There will likely always be aspects of all/none behaviour

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

I actually prefer healthier foods but for this I am stocking up on everything I can think of. It's still cheaper than buying my next carton. I also have some of my favorite foods on hand.