Better Habits

[AndyLane]

After Twenty Years of Wasting my Lungs and my Money I have laid the Cigarettes down. Its only been 13 days without One but Going completely Cold Turkey I'm kinda proud of myself. I mean other than discovering a new eye Twitch and yelling at a Squirrel for no apparent reason the other morning It hasn't been to bad so far. :icon14: Anyway I'm posting this because i feel that the More people I tell I'm going to do something the more people there are to disappoint if I Don't. I don't like to disappoint. Aaaannnywhooo me giving up this Bad habit will help fund my better more productive habits/addictions (Jigaholic) and give me more time with my Family. Any words of wisdom on the subject are welcome.

 

[AtticaFish]

Very proud of you!! Keep it up. First few times out fishing will feel weird - trust me. Then again, i was nearly a chain smoker when out fishind and always had one hanging from my lip.

Has been 3 years now since i quit and so glad i did. I can smell a smoke from across a large room now. Still get the thought that a cigarette sound good every once in a while.

Between me and my wife both quitting at the same time, we were able to save enough cash to afford to buy a camper last year........... and only have 2 payments left.

:icon14:

 

[Pop]

I quit about 25 years ago and was smoking at least 2 packs per day. Couldn't afford that these days. What caused me to quit is a friend of mine past away at about age 38 and he smoked less than me. The day after the viewing, I kept visualizing him in the coffin and riding down the road I thru my current pack out the window and said that's it. I had been smoking a pack a day since I was 14 years old. and I was about 45 when I quit. Quitting is one of the best decisions you will ever make in and for your life and family. Stick with it and I wish you well. Pop

 

[papaperch]

Has been 6 years for me after smoking for about 43 years. Was tough at first but as AF saaid the " urge " gradually drifted away. What made me quit was the way they kept raising the taxes on them. Now when I am in a store and someone buys a pack of cigs for 4-5 dollars a pack. I thank God my temper at least worked for something good one time.


Another thing that kind of helped. My cousin said when he quit. He made himself think that smoking was just something he USED to do. He reminded me that I played football a lot but not much if at all after I turned 40. Somehow , someway that helped a little also.

Money saved was a huge bonus but that somehow never factored into my quitting. It does now as I like not HAVING to run to store for no other reason than to buy smokes.

Another hint , although I think " cold turkey " is best way which is the way I went. A lot of people on other sites have raved about the E cigarettes helping them quit the real thing. I wished they were available when I quit.

Before I finally quit I must have failed at it 20 times. Don't let a setback derail you. Don't look for an excuse to smoke just one. It is never just one believe me I know. Good Luck.

 

[Jay Wirth]

Keep it up Andy. With the money you save you can treat yourself to some new fishing gear.

 

[LedHed]

Cold turkey in 04 - 2nd time. The first time had stopped for a year. The money savings was a huge incentive, smoked 2 packs a day (Camels - no more camel bucks).

Food tastes better, clothes don't stink, and don't have a dingy film over everything (especially in the vehicles). The habit doesn't control me or my time anymore.

We are hear for you - actually we are jig dealers and we want you "hooked" on jigs. Get you "strung" out on tying and take all your money..........

 

[Jig Man]

Its a big waste of money... And you can/ will do it. Hang in there it gets better every day...

 

[Ron Don]

Good for you Andy!

Wow its been 3 years since you quit AF??? I remember when you posted about it... Time flies!!!

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

Keep it up, you and your health won't regret it. I quit recently myself.

 

[Pepop]

I quit about 25 years ago and was smoking at least 2 packs per day. Couldn't afford that these days. What caused me to quit is a friend of mine past away at about age 38 and he smoked less than me. The day after the viewing, I kept visualizing him in the coffin and riding down the road I thru my current pack out the window and said that's it. I had been smoking a pack a day since I was 14 years old. and I was about 45 when I quit. Quitting is one of the best decisions you will ever make in and for your life and family. Stick with it and I wish you well. Pop

Funny how Pop's story is almost identical to mine! I was 34 years old & had smoked 1-3 packs a day since I was 14. I too crushed a half pack & threw it out the window driving down the road. Haven't had a smoke since. Andy, It's good you have incentive's other than financial, the greater the incentive, the more likely the success. Being an example to you're kids is a BIG one! Hang in there bud! With your family's support, you'll do just fine.

 

[PanfishHunter]

My grandmother quit when she found out she had lung cancer. She had smoked since she was 13 years old, and is now in her late 60s. (she found out december 2012) She went on to smoke the harmless E-cigs for a while, and then finally quit those as well. I know that those e-cigarettes helped her quit, so you may consider those to help on your journey. I will never pick up a cigarette. i hate the smell.

 

[Kdog]

I am 42 days and counting so am following this thread closely. In the last 2 years I have smoked less than 100 days and my longest smoke free days has been 65. I have tried the patch (big mistake) Chantix bigger mistake, lozenges seem to help E cigarrete useless, When I do break a string it is for 4-5 days and I smoke heavily during that time. I feel bad about it but I get o a point where I think I could kill for a smoke. The craving lasts a day or 2 or 3 and often will wake me in the middle of the night. Last time I broke I just did and a smoker friend was nearby... Long Story short grin and bear it, sometime I can push it away and will be good for a couple weeks other times, the aggravation from the cravings drives me over the edge.

Keep posting your progress! maybe it will help.

 

[Bucho]

Tried cigarettes for 15 years and hated it every day. Bloody addiction. My father´s employee, his wife, and my best friends father are just a few people in my background who got lethal lung cancer in their late 60ties, after decades of diligent tobacco tax paying.

What helped me was a mind set of
-When I smoke, I will crave a fag, say, 30 times a day (you can´t always smoke, can you?), but when I quit I`ll bring that number down day by day. This is actually true. Today, 5 years later, I´m down to, say, once in two months. Every dose of nicotine, no matter which form (e-chip, chew, plaster etc. ) will loose you this investment.
- Positive thinking in a way of picturing myself the details of a smoke-free life. Enjoing the freedom, the odorless car, clean fingers, clean breath etc. and not focussing on the lack of something. I´m somewhat familiar wiht the power of words, formulations such as "giving up" smoking don´t get people very far whereas "gaining smoke-freedom" helps a lot.

Hang in there, it gets better every day! :icon14: And remember you´re doing this for yourself, not for others! Sadly, you will have to deal with people who envy you and turn you down with phrases like " I manged X-times longer and then started smoking again, more than ever ..."

Truth to be told, kwowing that my former boss is still fully addicted helped me a good deal, too

 

[toadfrog]

I got to be honest I'd walk a mile for a camel . But I won't . I live every day afraid i'm gonna pick them up again . Worst time is that first cup of coffee in the morning . ARRRRG! Best of luck to ya sounds like you are strong willed and that is where the success comes from .

 

[StumpHunter]

Proud of you Andy for laying them down. It's been 4 years for me since I quit, 35 years and a two pack a day-er for maybe the last 10 years. When the docs had to put a few pieces of hardware in my heart I decided I was going to do everything I could to make sure it did happen again. My wife quit 2 days after me, been a lot of money saved between the two of us and we take that money and buy things that we would have never been able to buy if still smokers.
Never knew what smoking was doing to us or our home, wow we have cleaned places and things you would never think the smoke would get on or into. Hang with it Andy, we all know what you are going through and all know that you can do it.

 

[Cane Pole]

I know this sounds dumb, but cigars helped me. If I get the urge I can smoke a cigar witch you don't inhale and I'm fine, and if I don't smoke another one for a day or a week it doesn't bother me, but if I smoke one cigarette I will go buy a pack within a hour.

 

[Bucho]

I´d be careful with that. A friend of mine tried with nicotine gum for a year or so and he just didn´t get of the hook. Some people can handle an occasional smoke just like most people can handle a few cold ones on a night out without becomig alcoholics, but most smokers can´t. I wouldn´t take the risk.

 

[bombora]

I'm with ya too Andy.
Smoked between a pack and pack and a half a day last 25 years. Freakishly low healthy resting heart rate and blood pressure thanks to Dad's genes meant I felt I could get away with it even when regularly surfing solid waves. My dad was a very heavy smoker and quit at 80, five years ago and is quite a healthy old fella. That also gave me false sense of security.
Cut my self down to three or four gaspers a day at end of last year and was planning to finish the habit on NYE, before events sped up the quitting (wasn't cuased by smoking). Am on a mega low dose patch but haven't noticed when they have fallen off twice for a day at a time, so gonna drop them at the end of the week.
I do think I'd like one, but only maybe once a day, and the thought goes away really quickly. Already loving improved sense of smell (except when I'm on the dunny after a spicy curry the night before!!!!!).
A pack of 25 here is $20, so I am gonna safe a fortune. Figure I can put half of that saving to some fine tackle and jig making supplies at least over first six months. Good incentive!!
The fellow jigcrafter stories I've just discovered on this thread have also been a big help.

 

[AndyLane]

A Big Thanks to those of you who have shared your stories and sent some words of advice and support my way. I haven't gave in and smoked. I don't think I even want to. Although the other day after having an Awful day at work I stood at the counter at the gas station Staring at my Brand of Smokes on the shelf for what seemed like 5 minutes. After the the guy behind me in line gave me the "Hey Buddy Lets Move Along" Cough I bought a pack of gum and left.