[noopster]

@ad3952n, some advice for you. If you are a smoker the act of smoking should at the very least be pleasureable to you. Let me be absolutely frank. I love smoking. The smell and taste of a cigarette is highly appealing to my senses. It is linked strongly to good memories in my life. It has been an enabler of social bonding. It has helped me concentrate better, focus harder, stay awake, feel good. When a light rain falls lightly on a tin roof all I can think about is a hot cup of tea with a Gold Flake Kings at my fingertips. There are few things more pleasureable than an after-dinner smoke. Or lighting up with a colleague after hours of frenetic work. Or indeed sharing one with your partner after a passionate romp.

I quit-and bblost, Thad and others here too I presume- not because we did not enjoy it but because we came to accept that the harm smoking was doing us far outweighed the good. It ruins your health, endangers those around you, kills your stamina, makes you a social outcast and shortens your lifespan. In hindsight I realize there was a time I got something out of the habit but as I grow older that pales in the face of these other factors.

But if as you claim you have never enjoyed smoking you are completely missing out and are better off quitting. Our rationale for smoking when we did is that we at least enjoyed it. You have made it into some expression of self loathing that is harming you not only physically but also probably psychologically.

Just quit man. Throw away those unsmoked cigarettes and never light another. The physical craving will pass eventually. You will breathe better and your mind will be more at ease without the excess baggage.

[anandjha]

Yes, indeed smoking was a pleasure. No, I wasn't a chain smoker but needed one at least every hour. I remember the feeling of relaxation it enveloped me with when I was studying or reading a novel. It came to such a situation that when I started weight training with my friends I would light one in between the sets. Everyone would laugh but it was easy to shrug them off.

But deep within I always realised that I wasn't doing right. The coughing most of the night when I was at parents' place during college vacations were warning signs. Tried quitting it a couple of times but came back within 2/3 days.

After about 7/8 years I made effort once again. This time I decided not to take it headlong. I first made a mental list of times when I simply could not do without a fag. The one on waking up, with tea and along with morning chore. I decided that yes I would light up a cigarette but it would either be before of after it and never along with it.

When I succeeded in disconnecting the associations I took it up to the next level. It was the time when I decided that I would take tea instead of a Navy Cut during study/novel breaks leaving smoking for some other time. I don't know how but I managed. Perhaps I was weight training aided me.

Then one day it happened. I clearly remember I was sitting on the steps when I looked at the cigarette that I was smoking and a distaste for it developed within me. What happened afterwards is hilarious and it perplexes me to this day.

I decided to come out of the shackles of smoking. But you see habit fights back. My mind said that I cannot do it. The other part countered that I can quit it gradually. That day I ended up lighting 7 Navy Cuts. Next day it was 6, then 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. The day I had smoked 1 I had said to myself that I would end my habit with grand 1/2. The day arrived and my mind said to hell with it. I did not take in even one drag.

PS. - It continued for some years when I picked up smoking two more times. The first one was heavy and the second mild. Fortunately left it before it could take heavy toll. Yes I do smoke once a while, once every 1/2/3 months just to understand what was in it that had shackled me for more than a decade. Just 2/3 drags in, my head starts reeling depositing a very foul taste on my tongue. Once it came to such a thing, it was as if I had fallen prey to 'smoke poisoning'.

[Thad E Ginathom]

For me, smoking had mostly long-since ceased to be a pleasure, and become just a combination of addiction and habit.

It is one of the dangers, when giving up, that smoking just one a day, or having a smoke after a couple of days, brings back all the pleasure of a really powerful nicotine rush. I think that had a lot to do with my several failures at giving up.

Yes I do smoke once a while, once every 1/2/3 months just to understand what was in it that had shackled me for more than a decade.

I absolutely dare not! The effect on my lungs of that that first cigarette would be agony, but I really fear that the second would soon follow, the third soon after that, and twenty the next day.

[ad3952n]

Originally Posted by noopster

You have made it into some expression of self loathing that is harming you not only physically but also probably psychologically.

Just quit man. Throw away those unsmoked cigarettes and never light another. The physical craving will pass eventually. You will breathe better and your mind will be more at ease without the excess baggage.

Anoop, A really honest reply from you. Today, I have not smoked since I woke up. I am feeling the urge but I rather divert my mind to the forum itself. You will agree with the fact that to give up this habit all of a sudden one needs to divert the mind to a constructive thing. Hence, Till now it has worked but it is to be seen for how long it can work. I gave a pack of 8 to my driver today and he was actually stunned. But, I did not tell him the reason.

I thought about all the views shared here regarding my issue and decided to move ahead and take a step forward.

Thanks Anoop, Imran Bhai, Thad, Fine69, Saket.

AD

[Thad E Ginathom]

it is to be seen for how long it can work.

the answer is with you.

I won't blame you for failing. Most of us did that a few times.

The standard joke...

Giving up smoking is easy: I've done it lots of times!

All the best

[noopster]

Wow good job AD. PM me if you feel your willpower slipping. There is nothing I like doing more than guiding a guy through a quit.

You will have to confront the obvious triggers. Boredom is a big one so keep your mind occupied. Physical exertion is also a good way to keep the demon at bay. I surprisingly had no problem hanging out with other smokers even after quitting but a lot of people say it helps.

Good luck.

[fine69]

5 days of having kicked the habit. You can do it too AD, while I'm trying to beat Thad's record you try and beat mine! ;-)

Oh and if you are using an android phone, install QuitNow! app, I'd highly recommend if you are looking for some motivation.

It gives you health stats as you get better and even the money that you save with every cigarette you don't smoke.

[Thad E Ginathom]

You can do it too AD, while I'm trying to beat Thad's record you try and beat mine!

You can think, If they can do it, so can I! The example of my oldest friend, who I never expected to give up, but who did, and still has, was a help to me in that way. Of course, he's a few months ahead of me, so I can't catch his record.

Another very long-standing friend of mine, the one who talks the most about giving up, and grumbles the most about other people's smoke, has not given up. It may be only 1 or 2 a day, but, somehow she can't quite make the leap to nil a day. I have to credit her as the source of many of the why I can't stop this week remarks I may have quoted. Yes, there's always a "good" reason why not, until the day we decide, what the hell, going to give up anyway.

Actually, there's never a good reason to smoke. But sure, it can take some time to realise that.

All the best to those currently struggling with the nicotine demon. Don't let him win!


~

[naveenroy]

Mine is a peculiar situation. Or maybe it isn't so after all.

I taught my friends to smoke in school. You know the usual. Roll up paper and burn (wow, we must have been stupid) and taught em how to inhale. They carried on to cigarettes soon after and I stopped. These same friends moved to Bangalore after their college studies and I came to stay with them. 2 of my closest friends smoked quite heavily. I never could even stand the smell of cigarettes. I never smoked, even when we friends used to share a drink together. This was for 3 years at least.

We all moved on to our separate lives, got married. I separated. Then somewhere along the line, the smoking started. It curiously didn't start off with normal cigarettes. It started off with the Gudam Garams and then moved to "Black". Maybe something played in my mind that these weren't "so harmful" as normal cigarettes. Na, I knew it but I went on smoking them. It started off with 1 a day to 5 or 6 on weekends when drinking with friends.

This continued for a year at least and I even moved to Milds. 5 a day. Tea time, with friends. I then somehow moved back to Blacks.

The pleasure in a cigarette was in watching the smoke flow out. That lovely smoke throwing shadows against the streetlight. Call me some sort of weirdo!

I'd stop for some 3 months and start back again. At these "restarts", the cigarette was never pleasurable. I'd feel that bad taste in my mouth after getting back into office. But after that, I would continue smoking.

This last weekend, I have smoked a total of 28 cigarettes - what with the World Cup and all. But I resolved to stop this time. Once and for all. Haven't smoked after Sunday night. I don't have any cravings as such but a small voice says just one more. Cause my colleague in office keeps smoking. And it would be nice to join him for a smoke.

But I have also found out that going walking in the morning helps. When I do that, I get back into some healthy eating and keeping cigarettes away was easier.

But I have resolved never to go back again. I have a hookah at home that sometimes I light up with friends. Resolving to throw that away too. Though the number of cigs that I have smoked pales in comparison to what some of you have been smoking, I know it is not an accomplishment. Nothing to be compared against.

Been 2 good days

[shashi63]

Originally Posted by naveenroy

This last weekend, I have smoked a total of 28 cigarettes - what with the World Cup and all. But I resolved to stop this time. Once and for all. Haven't smoked after Sunday night. I don't have any cravings as such but a small voice says just one more. Cause my colleague in office keeps smoking. And it would be nice to join him for a smoke.

But I have also found out that going walking in the morning helps. When I do that, I get back into some healthy eating and keeping cigarettes away was easier.
Been 2 good days

That's great Naveen, One of the first things one needs to do is admit one is hooked to then figure a way out. I smoked for 30 years from 16 to 46 and quit one fine day. What made me stay away is purely the fact that I told myself I am never ever going back to Nicotine again. To make my pledge successful i stayed away from friends who smoke during the first 3 weeks and then i got over all the cravings. Earlier in life i too as all smokers do have this phase of quitting and it became a joke when i would say in between smokes that I had quit. Today its 5 years and i havent smoked a cigarette and that's purely because a promise i made myself that i would never go back. Take a resolution, maybe if it helps pledge to a family member who is dear and I am sure you will succeed. you have already taken the step forward.. don't look back..move forward with a positive spring to your step.. feel all that energy which will come to you now and channel it towards work or exercise.. Good Luck! God Bless!

[naveenroy]

Originally Posted by shashi63

Take a resolution, maybe if it helps pledge to a family member who is dear and I am sure you will succeed. you have already taken the step forward.. don't look back..move forward with a positive spring to your step.. feel all that energy which will come to you now and channel it towards work or exercise.. Good Luck! God Bless!

Thanks a lot Shashi! It is great to know that a person who was smoking for 30 years can quit and stay away after that.

I will keep counting though. Not for statistics. But to feel good. Not even one more is my resolve this time

[arnabchak]

College taught many vices. Smoking and alcohol were two of the best friends.

About 2 packs of Classic Regular a day= 40 cigs
A Half bottle of rum to lull me to sleep.

Took marriage and a very strong will power to let go of both.

Believe me, its difficult, very very difficult.But NOT IMPOSSIBLE.

No liquor since the last 8 years or so inspite of me being in Sales where in client "entertainment" is required!!
Marriage and a will power probably sobered me.

Have a couple of puffs but that too of the mildly flavoured Gudang Garam(clove cigs).

The cigarettes from 40 a day stands at maybe 3-4 per week!!

[itwasntme]

Well, Arun Jaitely has just contributed his personal effort to this initiative by dramatically hiking customs duties on cigarettes etc. by a range of 11% to 72%. This will have a very real crippling financial effect on many low income people who are medium to heavy smokers.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Well, Arun Jaitely has just contributed his personal effort to this initiative by dramatically hiking customs duties on cigarettes etc. by a range of 11% to 72%. This will have a very real crippling financial effect on many low income people who are medium to heavy smokers.

Forget the fate of smokers.

It is going to have crippling effect on the country economy. My city has at least 50,000 Pan shops which primarily sell cigarettes. And there might be ~2-3 additional thousand people working for these shops to supply stuff. If there is any decrease in the volume, the number of people impacted will be significant. This act has a crippling effect on economy. Bad move in my opinion.

A successful government is one, which ensures the money flows through all available channels. And ensures everyone makes some out of it. This act seems like all channels have only one end, The mighty government. Now it seems more like a poker game. the house never looses.

[dass]

If the intent of the government is to STOP people from smoking, then why not close down the tobacco factories itself? Why this fiasco of icreasing the taxes in the guise of helping peoples health? Come on, how many people who smoked a cigarette when it was around Rs2 have stopped smoking just because it has crossed Rs.10 per stick?

These things, I maintain are ONLY done to increase revenues.