Quitting smoking

[ShadowSoldier]

I've been smoke-free since May 2011 after smoking in varying degrees since I was 17 in 2000. at my worst I was smoking a pack a day or more, indoors "with a window open!" and the ultimate effect is that I now have pretty severe COPD from prolonged exposure to my own secondhand smoke. the first time i got an e-cigarette in 2009, it only helped me quit for about 3 months. i went back to the real thing pretty hard when i got so stressed out i "had" to taste real smoke.

but in May 2011 i had been hospitalized twice in 6 months for asthma / bronchitis. that was combined with some advice from my doctor, who refused to prescribe me hormonal birth control until i was clean at least a month. dudes don't have the hassle of worrying about smoking significantly increasing the risk of potentially fatal blood clots with birth control, but i guess condomlessness was half my motivation to stay "clean" aside from my respiratory health.

Since May 2011 I have smoked four cigarettes & I've used my e-cig about 10 times. I did not have my e-cig available to me those four other times I smoked, but I probably would have smoked that Nat Sherman cigarette on New Year's Day regardless.


Keep not buying tobacco. Do not ever buy tobacco. Don't even buy it for someone else. That's the easiest rule you can follow without winding up having sensible excuses to break it.

If you can't get through the day without a cigarette, you have to be the judge.. just keep in mind that you will be able to go longer and longer periods of time without making exceptions to your quittedness altogether.

& Vape. I don't do it much because I don't actually crave it, but sometimes when I am overwhelmed I have my nice little black stick charged and a few primo cartridges that I saved for special occasions when I ordered my regular liquid.

Lastly, if you get munchies that are seriously affecting your diet/wallet, I recommend sugar-free hard candies and not necessarily mints. Sugar free because if you have sugar sitting in your mouth all the time that is bad for your teeth regardless of the caloric impact. Hard candies, and especially individually wrapped ones, because they last longer and crunch when you finally chew them. I went through all different kinds for a month or two. Butterscotch discs and strawberry & cream Sugar-Free Creme Savers really helped me a lot without fattening me up.


edit: For what it's worth, individuals like me who developed COPD will NEVER be able to recover 100% lung function, and seeing factoids about the benefits of quitting is pretty annoying when smoker's real issue is dealing with the cravings. We know we don't want to smoke and that we'll be better off if we don't.. sigh. My pulmonologist told me that in 14-20 years of continuous treatment with current technology I'll be lucky to get to 80% (I'm currently 40%, and 60% with medication.. so if I have an asthma attack I'm in pretty serious danger.)

edit2: i've been lazy about my english today, and i tried to make more sense

Yeah, I've only been smoking for about 2 years, but I was a pretty big smoker. I'd smoke tobacco through a bong and everything. I was stupid. And I know I was. And I just started not liking it, because I always had a pain in my left arm, and pressure on my chest, and I just decided to quit, and I've been feeling healthier. I also didn't like not having a smoke before bed because if I didn't, I'd be up all night, so I don't want to rely on that.

But my mom has had major heart problems and everything, and her mom suffered from it too, and she was a harsh smoker. And when I was a kid, I would always tear up packs of my grandmom's smokes. She'd hide them everywhere, and put them in high places, but I always broke them so they couldn't be smoked. Then I picked it up, and didn't care at first, but lately I've been wanting to quit. And I feel like I have less guilt on me.

 

[exangel]

Yeah, I've only been smoking for about 2 years, but I was a pretty big smoker. I'd smoke tobacco through a bong and everything. I was stupid. And I know I was. And I just started not liking it, because I always had a pain in my left arm, and pressure on my chest, and I just decided to quit, and I've been feeling healthier. I also didn't like not having a smoke before bed because if I didn't, I'd be up all night, so I don't want to rely on that.

But my mom has had major heart problems and everything, and her mom suffered from it too, and she was a harsh smoker. And when I was a kid, I would always tear up packs of my grandmom's smokes. She'd hide them everywhere, and put them in high places, but I always broke them so they couldn't be smoked. Then I picked it up, and didn't care at first, but lately I've been wanting to quit. And I feel like I have less guilt on me.

I only smoked pack-a-day for about 2 years but the fact that I smoked indoors is what caused me permanent and severe damage.

Guilt is a major motivator too though. XD In a way, if you quit, especially after becoming actually addicted, you're proving you learned from your mom/grandmom's mistakes, before making serious issues of your own. I was never around smokers growing up, but I also had an experience of one of my doctors being supportive of my smoking (a psychiatrist though). At first I quit for more selfish and immediate reasons, but after staying off for a while I was really able to see improvements to my health that would make a huge impact on my plans to have a family and such.

Now, I highly recommend some humor:
http://www.cracked.c...itting-smoking/

Edit: Also, I wasn't diagnosed with COPD until March and I wasn't fully tested until I'd quit smoking for a year.

 

[Sterling]

I'd never want to start smoking, but I've been debating on getting a vape kit. Ever since I tried those synthetic canniboids for getting rid of stress, I've been wanting more. Since I had that bad experience, I swore off anything synthetic. Since I can't smoke the natural stuff, I figured a vape kit might have similar effects after reading this topic. Any advice?

 

[ShadowSoldier]

I'd never want to start smoking, but I've been debating on getting a vape kit. Ever since I tried those synthetic canniboids for getting rid of stress, I've been wanting more. Since I had that bad experience, I swore off anything synthetic. Since I can't smoke the natural stuff, I figured a vape kit might have similar effects after reading this topic. Any advice?

Get a vape kit. No questions about it. Especially if you want to just have the pure stuff, and no chemicals or other stupid shit they put in smokes, get a vape. It's a lot safer, and it does the same thing as relieving stress. I'm not saying it's healthy or that you should do it, but if you really want to, get a vape kit. I was going to get one when I first started to quit, but now I don't need to. I want to just flush my body out of chemicals and only pump it with alcohol lol. Vape kits, while expensive at first, like eGo's, really do save you a ton of money in the long run.

 

[Sterling]

I'd never want to start smoking, but I've been debating on getting a vape kit. Ever since I tried those synthetic canniboids for getting rid of stress, I've been wanting more. Since I had that bad experience, I swore off anything synthetic. Since I can't smoke the natural stuff, I figured a vape kit might have similar effects after reading this topic. Any advice?

Get a vape kit. No questions about it. Especially if you want to just have the pure stuff, and no chemicals or other stupid shit they put in smokes, get a vape. It's a lot safer, and it does the same thing as relieving stress. I'm not saying it's healthy or that you should do it, but if you really want to, get a vape kit. I was going to get one when I first started to quit, but now I don't need to. I want to just flush my body out of chemicals and only pump it with alcohol lol. Vape kits, while expensive at first, like eGo's, really do save you a ton of money in the long run.

Okay, cool. I'd rather vape than drink personally. I'm dumb when I get drunk. xD