Quitting Smoking

[reset]

It's an accepted "truth" that women don't like guys who smoke. Being a smoker, this hits home. It's an expensive habit, it's a dirty habit, it's a stupid habit. Almost $5 a pack in Cali.

Recently I went to a Laker's game, during half-time we were out on the patio and I saw a TON of good looking guys who probably have game, puffing away, and the girls with them puffing away too. So clearly smoking does not necessarily mean girls will be turned off, and it doesn't mean guys who smoke can't get chicks. A little confusing. And my buddies were smoking with me, and they are not smokers. They only smoke when they are out socially.

So.... who here has gone from a regular smoker to a social smoker? Or have you quit completely? I find myself throwing them in the trash, throwing my lighters away. I've changed brands, I switched to Camel Wides because I thought it would give me a bigger hit but would need less frequency. I am wondering if there is success in tapering off, or if you have to go cold turkey.

I've stopped smoking in my car, and during the day. I haven't smoked in front of co-workers for almost two years. Most people at work think I have probably quit. But that just means I'll smoke twice as much in the evenings.

I have been smoking half my life. I am so used to it. But it's a stupid thing to do, and it's tough to kick.

 

[ExcelNPrevail]

I dont smoke.

But its funny, that now a days I see more gorgeous women smoking.

To me thats a huge :nono: for anyone really.

 

[Desdinova]

I quit almost three years ago, but I had a bit of help. I read the book "Allen Carr's Easy Way To Stop Smoking." I highly suggest picking it up.

 

[Darles Chickens]

Hey reset.

I smoked heavily for 6-7 years from when i was 16 or so. On the 16th of Dec this year it will be 5 years since i last smoked.

I quit because i also wanted to give up smoking weed also as it started to screw me up a bit, loosing motivation to do stuff etc. I had intended to quit maybe 3 times before i actually did, or was successful in quitting so i know it can be difficult it can be.

I can tell you the best way to do it is JUST DO IT!! No gimmicks, no bull****, just motivation!

I kind of quit by accident though. I had been out on a heavy night before and i had to go to work the next day and had smoked all my tobacco (i used to smoke using tobacco and papers - no filters either) and hadn't picked up any on the way to work so i ended up going the whole day without a cig. It began that way and it just kept going as i had decided to give it one more go. I almost caved in on the third day but carried on going and i almost caved in a year later at a drunken new years party until my mates told me not to bother. I remember i was well pissed with them at the time but ended up thanking them later.

The key here is it's just you against the habit. And that's all it is - a habit. I wanted one when i was walking to the pub, in the pub, at my mates house, at parties etc, etc, you end up wanting one where ever and whenever you used to smoke and it makes you want to light up. The smell of someone smoking near you will make you want one but you just have to fight it. It does get alot better and one day maybe 5 days down the line you will be free of it like me and see how really ****ing stupid it is.

People will tell you they enjoy smoking or only do it socially but i think it's just bull****. They've just failed to quit or havn't even thought about quitting. At the end of the day you won't be smoking and they'll end up still inhaling smoke into their lungs. It's just dumb. No smoker enjoys all their cigarettes no matter what they say.

My advice to you is just set a day to quit and stick to it. What has helped me continue to stop has been knowing what it took to stop in the first place and how tough it can be for some people heavily addicted. This for me is enough to know i'll never start again.

Good luck reset. Stay strong and you'll kick this afc habit to the kerb!

 

[reset]

Thanks man. Maybe a year or so ago I wen three days, I was on holiday with family and didn't want to do it in front of my sister's kids. When I had my first one, it tasted weird, I wasn't even sure if I wanted one, but I did it anyway. So at least I know I can go three days.

You're right, I can't keep tricking myself into tapering off. I can't fool myself. I have to stop.

And it is sort of an AFC habit. Whenever I see some guy smoking the first thing I think is that guy doesn't have his life under control. Lol.

 

[CardFan]

I was in a rhythm where I would chew tobacco during weekdays, even at work, and smoked on weekends. Finally I was out of tobacco four weeks ago and quit cold turkey. The third day without is supposedly the hardest but the fourth killed me. It was an especially annoying day at work and I almost killed the obnoxious p*rick over the cube wall who rambles on about nothing in a lispy voice all day. I made it through with the help of many hard candies and a ton of willpower. I've lapsed a couple times after spending time with family, but fortunately kept it to one smoke each time. I can't do even that again.

When I think about buying a pack of smokes or tin of chew I think about how hard that fourth day after quitting was, and how I don't want to go back there again. A chew or smoke still sounds great but the urge is slowly dying.

Don't do the nicotine patches or gum. My mom quit smoking 10 years ago and she furiously chomps that damned nicotine gum every waking moment. She replaced one addiction with another.

 

[jdon23]

Well the fact is MOST women aren't attracted to smoking. The one's that DONT care are smokers themselves. I have smoked on/off the past 2 years. Kissing a woman who smokes is very unnatractive. It tastes like sh!t.

I just quit about 3 months ago. One morning I woke up and hacked up a loogey that had black/red in it. I was so disgusted with myself that I just quit cold turkey and I don't think Ill ever pick it up again. It's such an unhealthy thing to do. I can SMELL better, taste better, and I am not as nervous/anxious anymore.

One thing I noticed however, is that when drinking, I crave ciggs A LOT more than when i'm sober. Does anyone know why this is? My will power is the weakest when i'm drinking.

 

[thefonz]

I quit smoking completely in the begining of last september.

What did it for me was an attempt to make health my #1 priority in life after watching several jack lalanne videos on youtube. He is 93 years old and has more energy than most 20 year olds I know. And smoking as been called the number 1 health descion a person will ever make in their life.

Trust me, you won't miss it once it's gone. Those things made me feel like crap.

It's just like anything else in life you want to accomplish, hang out with people who support this move not people who encourage it. Motivate yourself everyday (although you should stop getting cravings completely after 2 months, after a month they get very few and far between). And focus on how good you feel when you only put good nutritious things in your body...this will require memory and learning. if you can't remember how bad you feel 2 minutes after a cig then your not paying attention to the whole process. BE AWARE

 

[War Against Betaism]

I'm exclusively a social smoker but haven't been smoking during most social settings though I've been trying to make an effort to quit smoking all together. What I find that helps is just not being around an area where people will be tempted to smoke, like staying indoors where most of the time it is prohibited to smoke or just being around friends that don't smoke.

 

[Mr.Positive]

Reset, replace smoking with something healthy. Whenever you feel the urge to smoke, drop and do 10 pushups.

I used the patch years ago, and it worked well. The first couple of days are rough, but then, it gets easier.

After a week or so, you will feel healthier, and food will taste better too. Another reason, to focus, on hitting the gym.

The funny thing is, when you smoke, it's hard to imagine a life without smoking, like giving up a pleasure in life.

Once you quit, it's hard to image a life smoking! You realize how stupid you were, how smoking actually took your freedom away. How you were a slave to the addiction.

How many times a day do you 'plan' a smoke break? Do you think ahead, plan your day around when you can sneak out for a smoke?

Man, it's great lifting that need. Being free from it.

Reset, you can do anything you put your mind to. Try quitting. You might surprise yourself.

 

[st_99]

I quit smoking over a year ago and its been the best thing I've ever done. Been smoking since I was 15.

Its not about girls, or money, or any of that bull****.

Its just about your health. Bottom line, smoking destroys your body.

Smoking is THE dumbest thing you could do.

Quit, and don't look back.

 

[Maeisgood]

This is highly unethical and I will probably get sued one day, but I have seen that smoking has a good side to it. Its social networking. Smokers are usually made to go to special areas in colleges, restaurants, and work places where they can smoke away from non-smokers. This forces people to interact. If you smoke, there are girls who smoke too. You already have something in common to talk about- cigarettes and how its okay to discriminate against smokers.

I don't even smoke, but every single one of my friends do. I met a few and through them I met the rest of their friends. Its like a fraternity I didn't have to pay for.

 

[Bible_Belt]

This is highly unethical and I will probably get sued one day, but I have seen that smoking has a good side to it. Its social networking. Smokers are usually made to go to special areas in colleges, restaurants, and work places where they can smoke away from non-smokers. This forces people to interact. If you smoke, there are girls who smoke too. You already have something in common to talk about- cigarettes and how its okay to discriminate against smokers.

I don't even smoke, but every single one of my friends do. I met a few and through them I met the rest of their friends. Its like a fraternity I didn't have to pay for.

That is one of the tips on this thread:
http://www.sosuave.net/forum/showthread.php?t=16822

Smoking will turn off a lot of women and allow you to meet others at the same time. It's a give and take. Expect to date a smoker if you smoke.

My own tip for quitting is to buy the most disgusting nicotine product that you can find, whatever you hate the most. I bought one pack of menthol mini-cigars, and never got through it all before my mind had been conditioned to associate smoking with unpleasantness instead of enjoyment.

 

[GamePlan]

I was a smoker from 11 to 17, and quit (25 now). So, I guess it can be done, and I'd never go back. It's similar to "ONEitis" (or any other addiction). You can't let it go, and actually making that break is very hard to. But once you've done it and look back at it you wonder "why the **** did I do this (smoke / have feelings for a "oneitis")? How out of my mind was that? It was clearly not me doing that)"

 

[reset]

Thought I'd bump this thread. It took me awhile, but it's been about four weeks since I quit smoking. No relapses. I read the book Desdinova recommended, and it worked for me.

I feel great, like a different person.

More energy, more stamina, less anxiety or depression. I'm pretty close to being one of those self-righteous ex-smokers because being a non-smoker feels so good.