[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

I have decided it's time to quit. Not a pretend quit, where I say I'm going to and then grasp to flimsiest excuse to not quit. I'm serious. I'm smoking until I go to bed tonight, then waking up Monday morning a non-smoker.

I've been smoking since I was 16. I quit once for about 3 years, then foolishly decided to have one for old time's sake. Stupid. So, I know I can do it. Once I get a few weeks into it, it'll be easy for the most part. The desire never leaves though, and the activities I have associated with smoking will always seem a little empty. Oh well, it's worth it.

My theory on quitting is that you have to adopt a zero cheating policy. If you never cheat, you can never gradually start smoking again. It's a matter of not so much quitting as becoming a non-smoker. A person who quits might have a smoke now and then (inevitably leading to starting again.) A non-smoker will not cheat, as non-smokers do not smoke.

I've got the gum. If that isn't cutting it I'll get some patches, which is how I quit the first time.

So, wish me luck. Encourage me. Check up on me to make sure I'm sticking with it, and ridicule me if I have slipped.

Now all that's left is to smoke a pack before I go to bed in four hours. Can't have those laying around tomorrow.

[dktorode]

Good luck with that...
Been trying to get my flatmate to stop for years, can hear the guy coughing from when he gets out of his car in the parking lot.
Insane what people do to themselves.

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

Addiction is a hell of a thing.

[Tapper]

Raymond Luxury Yacht, on Jul 13 2009, 10:37 AM, said:

Addiction is a hell of a thing.

It is. Quit five years ago, and yet I still yearn for the heavenly combination of ciggie + beer when near drunk.
Good luck with the cold turkey, RLY.

[Ain't_It_Just_]

Good on you! It'd be harder to debate Malaz with a lung cancer patient.

Make sure you buy those Nicorette patches.

[Binder of Demons]

Since you've already managed a long time stoppage you should be good.

From what I've seen you just have to really really want to do it. I know several people who tried and failed to quit several times, and yet when the doctor finally gave them the ultimate warning, they just stopped (the ultimate warning being, keep smoking and you'll have a heart attack inside a year). Never went back either.

But you are definitely right, in that it's best to adopt the zero tolerance approach. The "I'll just have one" method is particularly hard to repeatedly enforce in the presence of alcohol and old ingrained habits.

Good luck with it. I'm perfectly willing to give you sh!t about any lapses if you want.

(I used to work in a cancer research centre and it ain't pretty to see/hear about the effects of lung cancer)

[Lisheo]

Damn, RLY, good luck. I couldn't give em up to save my life, tbh

[Wry]

Good luck man, You're stronger than me if you can make it.

[Terez]

Good luck RLY! The gum is really nasty - I don't see how it works for anyone. In my experience, the patches help, but my experience isn't the best to go on since the longest I've ever managed to quit was 4 days (and I'm still amazed I made it that long).

I'm out of smokes right now, but I knew I would be out so I have a nice storage of nasty butts for those moments of intense need.

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

The nice thing about the gum is that when you have an urge, you actually actively do domething about it. The patch is good because of the steady flow of nicotine, but it's passive. When the urge hits there's nothing to do about it, you've already got the patch on.

I need to be going to bed, but don't want to because then I can't smoke anymore. As long as I stay awake it's still technically today, and I'm not quitting until tomorrow.

Anyone want to quit with me? Feel the inspiration!

[Lisheo]

I'm kinda tempted to see how long I can go without, RLY... Hmmm

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

Well, I'm quitting as of whenever I wake up tomorrow. You're welcome to join if you want. It's like the contest thread, only this makes sense to abstain from.

I need someone to make a wager with. THat helped the first time.

[Terez]

I am quitting with you - but only because I'm down to butts! I won't have any money for a couple of weeks, either...

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

Terez, on Jul 13 2009, 04:45 AM, said:

I am quitting with you - but only because I'm down to butts! I won't have any money for a couple of weeks, either...

Smoking butts is nasty. I've been there myself, which is one of the things that I'm looking forward to about quitting, that i won't be compelled to debase myself by smoking literal garbage. You should quit for real instead of smoking butts.

[chill]

Raymond Luxury Yacht, on Jul 13 2009, 02:26 PM, said:

I need someone to make a wager with. THat helped the first time.

Or a motivating picture of smokers' lungs.

[Stiehl9s]

i got really sick a year and a half ago and on teh second day of said illness i went to light up and my cig tasted nasty so i put it right out and did the same thing every day for the week i was sick. i ran out and havent picked them back up since. ive been exrta lucky that i havent had any urges to smoke since either.
good luck!

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

So tired. Can't sleep, must smoke.

[Terez]

Yes, butts are definitely nasty. But I will smoke them, cause I'm a sad fuck like that.

[Hetan]

Good luck to you RLY.

Mal and I both stopped smoking three months ago. We used the patches for a while and now are down to occasional use of the nicotine inhalers which are our safety blanket really. They certainly are a god-send for that after-dinner or glass of wine moment.

To be honest, it has been far easier than I thought it would be although I think having someone else to share it with has helped as we tend to keep each other on the straight and narrow. Now if only someone could make nicotine inhalers look sexy rather than looking as if you're sucking on a tampon, that would be neat.

So if you need some moral support, I'll be happy to help you stay on the straight and narrow if I can... I feel so much better about myself too and no longer cough, so I am very encouraged.

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

So those inhalers actually work? I'm curious about them.