[Adjutant Stormy~]

This sounds like you're quitting pornography, not smoking...

[Jusentantaka]

Aren't they basically the same thing?

[Gothos]

nah they're not. pornography gives you something good in the tradeoff.

[Tapper]

Gothos, on 17 February 2010 - 10:29 PM, said:

nah they're not. pornography gives you something good in the tradeoff.

mwah. It won't give you cancer, I'll grant you that, but sex is a lot better than a quick do-it-yourself-handshake while staring at a screen by your lonesome self... Unless of course a group-masturbathon is your thing, in which case, the question why the fuck aren't you having real sex? prompts itself.

[Gothos]

I'm not saying it's better than the obvious alternative. But while masturbation can still stimulate your brain to produce copious amounts of endorphins, smoking gives you absolutely nothing. It's a large difference.

[Tapper]

Gothos, on 17 February 2010 - 11:02 PM, said:

I'm not saying it's better than the obvious alternative. But while masturbation can still stimulate your brain to produce copious amounts of endorphins, smoking gives you absolutely nothing. It's a large difference.

It gives you something to do - a smoke occupies a hand, and is a ritual. I think that is the main thing - it's a routine. Besides that, it mixes insanely well with other things - alcohol included.
My pack of Gauloises Bleu (first in three years) is prompting me to write this message, by the way, at gun point.

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

Stay strong. The first few days are brutal, after that it's all mental. I won't go into my philosophy on quitting, it's all in this thread if you want to have a look. It's effective. Good luck, use this thread for encouragement. You don't want to admit to us that you started again.

[Tapper]

Raymond Luxury Yacht, on 18 February 2010 - 07:06 AM, said:

Stay strong. The first few days are brutal, after that it's all mental. I won't go into my philosophy on quitting, it's all in this thread if you want to have a look. It's effective. Good luck, use this thread for encouragement. You don't want to admit to us that you started again.

Well, I went completely cold turkey before from one day to the next - am and always have been a party smoker only, so while I appreciate the concern, I'll be fine .

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

I was talking to Jusentantakentantakakaka. I should have quoted. Sorry. Ypu stay strong too though. A party smoker is still a smoker.

[Morgoth]

Tapper, on 17 February 2010 - 11:05 PM, said:

Gothos, on 17 February 2010 - 11:02 PM, said:

I'm not saying it's better than the obvious alternative. But while masturbation can still stimulate your brain to produce copious amounts of endorphins, smoking gives you absolutely nothing. It's a large difference.

It gives you something to do - a smoke occupies a hand, and is a ritual. I think that is the main thing - it's a routine.

Well, technically so to does masturbation

[Gothos]

haha indeed Morgy! well noted.

Anyway, the ritual part is the strongest addiction. While coping with the sudden rush of energy isn't to be dismissed, it's the thing-to-do part that really does it for me. As the day goes on, times come when I just think "damn, it's about time for another smoke". It's kept me at a stable half a pack a day rate for several years, as I limit myself to not smoke more often than every 1,5 hours (when alcohol is involved, it all goes to hell though), but it makes me think of it like a duty.
Also, boredom. When you've got nothing to do at all, you'll think of smoking more often. I caught this - when I was watching The Wire seasons, or played a fresh new awesome game, I could go one without a smoke for 5-6 hours without noticing.


Somehow I'm seeing the pattern connecting wanting to smoke with being horny. Wow. Just different time frames.

[Tapper]

Morgoth, on 18 February 2010 - 10:14 AM, said:

Tapper, on 17 February 2010 - 11:05 PM, said:

Gothos, on 17 February 2010 - 11:02 PM, said:

I'm not saying it's better than the obvious alternative. But while masturbation can still stimulate your brain to produce copious amounts of endorphins, smoking gives you absolutely nothing. It's a large difference.

It gives you something to do - a smoke occupies a hand, and is a ritual. I think that is the main thing - it's a routine.

Well, technically so to does masturbation

but masturbating in public gets you arrested.

[AlanH]

Tapper, on 18 February 2010 - 11:14 AM, said:

Morgoth, on 18 February 2010 - 10:14 AM, said:

Tapper, on 17 February 2010 - 11:05 PM, said:

Gothos, on 17 February 2010 - 11:02 PM, said:

I'm not saying it's better than the obvious alternative. But while masturbation can still stimulate your brain to produce copious amounts of endorphins, smoking gives you absolutely nothing. It's a large difference.

It gives you something to do - a smoke occupies a hand, and is a ritual. I think that is the main thing - it's a routine.

Well, technically so to does masturbation

but masturbating in public gets you arrested.

So does smoking if you're not careful.

[Tapper]

AlanH, on 18 February 2010 - 11:50 AM, said:

Tapper, on 18 February 2010 - 11:14 AM, said:

Morgoth, on 18 February 2010 - 10:14 AM, said:

Tapper, on 17 February 2010 - 11:05 PM, said:

Gothos, on 17 February 2010 - 11:02 PM, said:

I'm not saying it's better than the obvious alternative. But while masturbation can still stimulate your brain to produce copious amounts of endorphins, smoking gives you absolutely nothing. It's a large difference.

It gives you something to do - a smoke occupies a hand, and is a ritual. I think that is the main thing - it's a routine.

Well, technically so to does masturbation

but masturbating in public gets you arrested.

So does smoking if you're not careful.

Not here.

[cerveza_fiesta]

Raymond Luxury Yacht, on 18 February 2010 - 08:34 AM, said:

I was talking to Jusentantakentantakakaka. I should have quoted. Sorry. Ypu stay strong too though. A party smoker is still a smoker.

This is the part of the RLY quitting philosophy that helped me the most. Recognizing that any smoking at all makes me a smoker and that prefacing my smoker type with "party-" or "occasional-" or "infrequent-" really didn't matter. Its all the same thing.

When the party smoke urges took me I just thought "do I really want to be that?", followed by a "no" answer, since I really don't want to be a smoker.

Its just another habit, with an addictive quality.

Even quitting occasional smoking drives you nuts but its pretty worth it.

Especially on those really drunk nights where you wake up the next day and realize you smoked a whole pack (or whatever) without knowing it.

It actually changed my outlook on health quite a bit. Just knowing that at least I wasn't adding smoking to the list of bad things I do to myself made me more motivated to stay active. Not sure how that worked...but it definitely helped.

[Jusentantaka]

Ok. Its game day people. The clock is started, and I have a six pack of AA batteries, a couple rubber bands wrapped around each wrist, the first three Dresden books and a .308 that needs cleaning and to have the trigger lightened.


I give it five hours before I give up on all that and start clawing my eyes out.

[cerveza_fiesta]

keep in mind 2 weeks (ish) is the window of terrible-ness you need to get through.

After that it gets a LOT easier.

[Jusentantaka]

cerveza_fiesta, on 18 February 2010 - 03:03 PM, said:

keep in mind 2 weeks (ish) is the window of terrible-ness you need to get through.

After that it gets a LOT easier.

two... weeks?? I heard it was only three days. FUCK.

[Obdigore]

Instead of double-a's, you should get a couple D's, and then just suck on them when you need your fix. Shocking!

Batteries I mean.

[Abyss]

Jusentantaka, on 18 February 2010 - 02:53 PM, said:

Ok. Its game day people. The clock is started, and I have a six pack of AA batteries, a couple rubber bands wrapped around each wrist, the first three Dresden books and a .308 that needs cleaning and to have the trigger lightened.

I give it five hours before I give up on all that and start clawing my eyes out.

While i heartily approve of the dresdendrack as a viable addictive alternative, maybeeeeeee working with firearms isn't the best choice activity just then...

Jusentantaka, on 18 February 2010 - 03:05 PM, said:

cerveza_fiesta, on 18 February 2010 - 03:03 PM, said:

keep in mind 2 weeks (ish) is the window of terrible-ness you need to get through.

After that it gets a LOT easier.

two... weeks?? I heard it was only three days. FUCK.

And you will miss it.

FOREVER.

- Abyss, has this gummi bear problem...