OK, I'm going to admit I like smoking cigarettes. I've tried to quit in the past, but Nicotine has such a powerful hold on me, that it nearly drove me insane. My temper was absolutely foul and I could fly into a violent rage over nothing very much.

So, as bad as it maybe for cash flow and physical health , I've given up giving up for now. Besides, a cup of coffee ain't a cup of coffee for me unless it comes with a cigarette. Life is a risky buiness anyway, and a daily dodge with the grim reaper is stimulating.

My advice, don't start in the first place.

Ian

It isn't easy to quit and is supposed to be as difficult to give up as heroin. It's supposed to only take 3 days for the nicotine to get out of your system. I spent a long time weaning off cigarettes. I smoked about a half pack for a long time and only allowed myself to smoke in certain places. I had stopped smoking in the car and on the phone. I thinks this method works well, because you are still smoking, but have become adjusted to no smoking at several times. Orange juice is supposed to help with nicotine withdrawal. I don't believe in the patch, because it's the nicotine you have to withdraw from. After I quit, I walked several times a day, spent less time on the phone, went to bed earlier and avoided stressful situations. I think there are some emotions involved and it takes awhile to have a physical and emotional adjustment to your new way of life. The payoff is fantastic, though. The monkey is finally off your back, you smell good, nothing in your car or house turns yellow. You feel great everyday. Your senses are increased. It will be 8 years for me this month and I am so happy I stopped smoking.

That's great, after reading that I might be encouraged to try again, he says as he lights up. I am going to cut down, I have to be careful because as soon as I start to feel stressed and anxious ( frequently), I reach for the ciggies.

Ian

I too admit that I smoke not so much for the pleasure but out of habit. As ianalexblease explained that there is just some things that go great with cigarettes and it is not just food and drink. Activities such as drawing demand the compliment of a cigarette and as far as composing music I am a cigarette fiend.

I have tried to curb the habit. Right now I would smoke half a cigarette and save the other half for the next hour. This sort of keeps you from smoking alot and gives you something to look foward to at the top of the next hour. Internet Forums is also a dangerous place for me to smoke.

Someday I plan to give them up (as my mother did before me) just to have that "mind over matter take back my body" kind of feeling but as mentioned above it is very difficult, especially since my body has exalted the importance of cigarettes and coffee to food.

__________________
"There is one thing that organized religion is not qualified to teach and that is an individual's purpose."-GOD

I think I used to smoke when I could have been eating. One major thing I learned was that cigarettes don't calm you. In fact I have been calmer since I quit. You think they calm you, because they satisfy the urge for nicotine. But, the nicotine is out of your system in three days. I think smokers don't breath deeply, so when you inhale the smoke you are also taking in a large amount of air. You can get the same effect after you quit by taking deep breaths. I think a big part of the urge after you have quit is to take in a deep breath like you did when you smoked. So taking in a deep breath stops the urge. I also listened to a lot of classical music. That reaches to the depth of you and it helped give me power. The main thing is to keep moving and active. You have to make some changes. Before long you have many experiences compiled that have been smoke free.

I quit...and took up Nicorette gum...now I can't quit chewing...BUT...I don't smoke!

The hardest part of quitting for me was the dreams...I would dream I had a cigarette and feel so guilty when I woke because I had enjoyed it so much. They say you get these dreams with every drug...

So anyway...now I have to quit chewing the gum...and I won't even tell you how long I've been trying...it's soooo sad!!!

I still have cigarette dreams. I am always so disappointed in the dream that I am doing that. It's so great to wake up and realize it was just a dream and I don't smoke anymore.

I wonder if they ever go away... :confused:

I made a few honest tries to quit. But it took a stroke, resulting in a brain infarction, to go through with it.

I survived, thanks to a rather enviable basic fitness, resulting from years of college basketball and walking (walking? no, running) an Irish setter dog for a year or two, but please, all of you,

exterminate the stress factors in your lives and
don't smoke.

Good advice, Luguber. Happy to hear you are healthy now. It's difficult to think that anything happened to your brain with all of the languages you speak and all of the knowledge you have on many topics.