Man... D.O., that's a lot of cash, man. Congratulations, again.

Cartstera, I think I'm going to end up with a cortisone shot. It seems to be healing, but ever so slowly. I probably will hit the treadmill. I'm breathing a LOT better, now. I walk the dog for a couple of miles each day, but that's not enough.

Congratulations Frank!
Today is my 19th day! (exept for that one screwup a week or so ago) but i'm doing great myself and still taking it day by day, but like you said the craves get shorter and not as intense. It seems to be more of a mental thing. I will just think about how good that Marboro Light used to be and my mouth with water a bit, but then I think about what all I have worked toward and the disapointment that I would have in myself, not counting the disappointment my family and friends would be........Ain't no way in hell that i'm going back! Seems like I have more energy when I get home from work to do things around the house and playing in my shop with "Project Ratbike"! I havn't figured the money saved but i've been spending it I'm just like the guys with the $500 car with the $2,500 wheels I just purchased a set of mag wheels for $160 that will go on a bike I only paid $100 for ! The kicker is, I don't know if it will run yet! I have gotten it to fire and run with the choke on, so I know I can get her to run!
I can't wait till Helen Georgia get together, and for those of you that will be comming along, the last thing you will see in my mouth is a cancer stick!

Outstanding! You're doing great!

I was thinking about things, over the past week... I don't try to avoid thinking about smoking. After all, it's something that was a part of my life for 22 years. There's no sense in trying NOT to think about it. It's like, if I tell you not to think about an elephant standing in your room, that's exactly what you're going to think about, right?

Anyway... The conclusion I've come to is: I think that the craves for cigarettes are purely emotional.

We have associated them with friendship, parties, a pick-me-up, food, escape from uncomfortable social situations, a calmative influence when we are angry, with pleasure, relaxation, and for those who are post-coital smokers, yes, even sex.

The craves are not JUST emotional. There is no just or only to it! Those are some pretty powerful emotions and associations, when you think about it.

The reason I say that they are purely emotional, is this:

1. Remember your first cigarette? Your physical body didn't want that cigarette. It didn't want that poison. It coughed, gagged, and did everything it possibly could to avoid it and tell us, "Hey, Stupid!! This HURTS!! This isn't good for you!!" Of course we didn't listen. So anyway... It's not physical. Not really.. There is a dopamine-release, an adrenalin-release, and there is a "high" that comes with the influx of nicotine, but the physical addiction to, and craving for the actual pesticide, nicotine, is pretty small and quickly and easily surmounted within one week. It's not physical. Not the way, say, heroin is. When people withdraw from heroin, they get SICK. It's pretty scary to watch...

2. Every smoker knows, probably better than anyone else, just how bad cigarettes are for them. They know all the warnings. They've seen the commercials. They know about lung cancer, emphysema, throat cancer, mouth cancer, COPD, etc. etc. blah blah blah. Mentally, they KNOW that smoking is KILLING THEM. Unless someone has slipped a gear, normal people don't go around playing Russian Roulette several times a day, every single day. It's not mental.

That leaves only one possible way that people can possibly become addicted to smoking cigarettes: They become emotionally hooked, and it's through the associations that they make with the drug, and with the ritual of unwrapping the pack, the ritual of lighting up, the feeling of the smoke as it bangs against the backs of their throats, and the various good times that they've had, where smoking has been a part of their lives.

This is what leads people to say, "I like to smoke. I enjoy it. I have no desire to quit."

And on the other hand, it's estimated that well over 70% of smokers truly DO want to quit, and probably upwards of 99% of smokers, if they would wake up tomorrow completely free of addiction and never think about cigarettes again, never crave, never go through withdrawal, would do it in a heartbeat.

That tells you something, doesn't it?

So now... The trick is to "unplug" those emotional triggers. And that's a business that is painstaking and ticklishly difficult, but it must be done if we are to become non-smokers, rather than cigarette-addicts who are still jonesin for a fix, ten years after stopping smoking.

I used the patches to stop smoking when they first came out.

It cost $4oo+ it's been a little over 10 yr's and strange as it may be I sometimes crave one for no apparent reason ? but it wast the single best thing that I ever done for myself NO REGRETS!! but I miss smoking anyone that has ever stoped after smoking for 21 yr's like I did knows what I mean.

When I get mad or worried about something now I don't have anything to calm my nerves anymore. I rarely take a drink I mostly gave that up 18.yr's ago to but life is good!

Hang in there of you want it ? it will happen.

Thanks, DColey! Good job on quitting, too!! That's AWESOME!

Just wanted to update this thread,,,Smoke free since March 19 2009! Been off the Chantix about 2 weeks now. Just had an appointment with an orthodontist to get braces "chrome for the mouth" Atleast that is how i'm looking at it!

congrats.


(winners never quit and quitters never win)

I need to quit too.

Congrats, RoadstarB!

Curt...Do it, Man. You already look bad ass, quitting would prove it!

After smoking for 30 years I went cold turkey a little over 5 years ago & haven't looked back once. The best thing I've ever done for myself.