dont smoke.

[boost]

talking about cigarettes. If you havent started, dont start. Shits bad for you. I quit in july. I feel so much more healthy. I can actually breeth when I sleep. I can run and not keel over huffing and puffing. I dont smell like a bar. I dont have to spend nearly 9 dollars (chicago tobacco taxes are nutso) on something thats killing me. I dont feel a desire ( and then if I ignore it a need and desperation) for something when Im having a rough time or am nervous.

If you just smoke occassionally in social situations, stop now. I dont mean to preach but this is how it always starts. Its how it started with me. I thought I had control of it, this was all through highschool. Then this summer when I quit I realized some how at some point, BAM, addiction. I was buying them all the time, I smoked alone, I smoked when I woke up, I took smoke breaks when playing poker. Even if you dont care about your long term health, it sucks to constantly be uncomfortable because you are short of breath or itching for a fix.

Smoking sucks, dont ever start. If you have started and want to quit Id be happy to talk with you on aim how I quit, and how I actively keep from getting back into the habbit of smoking.

p.s. sorry if Im preaching.

[Irisheyes]

I agree to the letter. Trying to quit has been one of the hardest things I've ever tried to do. It's stressed me out, it made me pissed/disappointed at myself all the times I tried to quit and failed. It made me put on weight.

Don't start, and if it's too late for that then QUIT NOW. The longer you leave it the harder it gets. It was so hard for me and I only smoked for like 6 years.

[thenonsequitur]

If you just smoke occassionally in social situations, stop now. I dont mean to preach but this is how it always starts.

I just want to emphasize this point, because it is so true.

I was a full-time smoker between the ages of 17 and 20. It was only 3 years, and at my peak I only smoked a couple packs a week, a lot less than some of my friends (I have a few friends that are at 1 or 2 packs a day). Then, I managed to quit. I was fortunate to have quit when I did well before that habit escalated to this 1/2 pack a day level (it was definitely heading in that direction.

This quitting lasted 9 month.

Then one night I was drunk, a bunch of my friends were smoking, and I thought "hey, I'm not a smoker any more, I can have a cigarette". So I had one. No problem, right?

Well this became a weekly pattern, because, "hey, one cigarette a week isn't a problem". And it's not. Except that it turned into two cigarettes a week. Which turned into three a week. And before I knew it I was up to a pack a week again (still not terrible, but not good either).

This lasted a few months before some light went on inside my head and I said to myself, "holy shit, I'm a smoker again, and I didn't even realize the habit creeping back". So I quit again.

This pattern of quitting for several months then slowly developing a habit again repeated itself several times. I'm 23 now and I still haven't managed to quit-for-good. I'm currently on my one-a-week part of the cycle right now, and if I were smart I'd go back to zero-a-week ASAP, but I'm not smart enough to.

I'll end this anecdote with a Mark Twain quote:

Quitting smoking is easy. I've done it a thousand times.

[Pelion]

I love that quote.

[gabe]

congrats if you really did quit bu

[arkana]

I quit after 6-7 years of smoking, at the time I was smoking about a pack a day and 2 if I was drinking. It was not easy, but I haven't smoked a cigarette in more than 18 months and I definitely feel much better. Sometimes I miss the habit, but its just not worth it. Now if i can only stop drinking...

[boost]

I think one of the most important things that helped me quit was to really honestly admit to myself that I smoked to be 'cool.' Yes I know what youre thinking, oh what a tool, why would you smoke to be cool, youre such a loser. Yes I know its a dumb reason to smoke. But I believe its the reason everyone does it. Its not as simple as just trying to look cool, but also trying to fit in too. Its such an easy crutch in social situations. You could be at a party with just one or two people you know. You obviously arent going to go around with your finger hooked on thier belt loops, youre going to end up alone sometimes. It can be awkward just sitting there. You can only go fill up your cup so many times. Heres where the crutch comes in, just find a circle of smokers and bum a cigarette, or just ask for a lite if you have your own. You cant just go up to some guy at a party and start making small talk out on the back porch, youd look like a fag. But if its under the pretence of smoking, its ok. Same goes for talking to a girl except it can just be really awkward, as opposed to making you look like a fag. But if you ask her for a light, you have an easy in.

I was never really timid or shy amongst my freinds or people I knew, but around people I didnt know well, I could be. Ive grown a lot since early highschool, and now social situations dont seem as challenging to me anymore. Its actually fun in a sick twisted way to make awkward social situations. I almost have a ' I dont give a fuck what they think' crede when it comes to social shit. Leading up to quitting I would feel more and more unlike myself when I smoked. I wasnt that little freshman that wanted to be excepted, I really didnt give a fuck. Why was I doing something so stupid to fit in now? Once I let myself really have an inner dialogue and didnt brush it aside. Once I really put some thought into it, it all clicked and it was pretty easy to quit.

[Galapogos]

Bunch of quitters.

[thenonsequitur]

Yes I know its a dumb reason to smoke. But I believe its the reason everyone does it...trying to fit in...Its such an easy crutch in social situations.

I know exactly what you mean.

This is a huge part of the reason why everyone smokes. And if you really think about it, it's not a dumb reason to smoke. In fact, it's the only reason to smoke that isn't dumb.

It's not just the physical addiction. Physical addicition can be used to explain why it's so difficult to quit, but that doesn't explain why it's so difficult to not start again. It's the social side of the addicition that explains that.

Just to give another example, when you're at a bar with friends, if you say "hey let's go outside for a little fresh air and a break from this dark and noisy environment" they just look at you funny. But if you say "hey let's go outside for a cigarette" they say ok and go outside for a cigarette.

[bigred]

Bunch of quitters.

[boost]

This is a huge part of the reason why everyone smokes. And if you really think about it, it's not a dumb reason to smoke. In fact, it's the only reason to smoke that isn't dumb.

true true

Just to give another example, when you're at a bar with friends, if you say "hey let's go outside for a little fresh air and a break from this dark and noisy environment" they just look at you funny. But if you say "hey let's go outside for a cigarette" they say ok and go outside for a cigarette.

yup yup

[jukejointroach]

i haven't smoked in 6 1/2 months. cold turkey. i smoked for 7 years (i'm almost 25) topping out at 2 packs a day easy. that's 7 bucks a day (NC tobacco taxes).

[Trikflow77]

good job on quitting smoking. I am lucky that growing up my dad chain smoked in the car with the windows rolled up......so I HATE the smeel of cog smoke. I do smoke cloves from time to time (about a pack a month) and now i have a hookah......but i hardly ever smoke for the most part. I am actually the only one in my entire family that doesnt smoke......weird

[bigred]

Looking socially cool because you smoke > Living longer

[DaNutsInYoEye]

I feel so much more healthy. I can actually breeth when I sleep.

Now he sleeps too much... People if you sleep too much QUIT NOW! Add a little physical activity to your life and say hi to the sun every once and awhile. He's nice and has a really warm personality.

[mrhappy333]

good job on quitting smoking. I am lucky that growing up my dad chain smoked in the car with the windows rolled up......so I HATE the smeel of cog smoke. I do smoke cloves from time to time (about a pack a month) and now i have a hookah

......but i hardly ever smoke for the most part.

I am actually the only one in my entire family that doesnt smoke......weird

weird^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^
Military Intelligence comes to mind?

[boost]

cloves are gross... a freind of mine smoked them over the summer, I wanted to punch him everytime I smelled that shit.

And yes I do sleep too much, daily exercise is the next hurdle I need to get over. When I go paintballing, I feel sore as fuck for the next couple of days from all that sprinting and stuff, but I also feel really good.

[Lukie]

cloves are gross... a freind of mine smoked them over the summer, I wanted to punch him everytime I smelled that shit.

And yes I do sleep too much, daily exercise is the next hurdle I need to get over. When I run from the cops, I feel sore as fuck for the next couple of days from all that sprinting and stuff, but I also feel really good.

fyp