I quit!!!!

[Limitool]

"If you only hold out for a moment, that sudden strong temptation will die almost as quickly as it arose."

That's so true Dave and it applies to many totally different scenarios also. Way, way back in my H.S. glory days (way back) I was running the 2-mile run in track. My rival and I turned the first mile in 4:48 and started in on our 2nd mile. During the 6th lap of 8 I hit a pain wall real hard and quick and at the same time my rival wanted to break this party up and stepped up the pace for about 100 yds. I wanted to beat this guy so bad the pain just went away. And I mean just left (puffffffff). So the race came down to the last 50 yds. and I lost. But I broke my best 2-mile time by 15 seconds.

Your right... you just have to hold on for a moment and NOT give in. Your doing a great job Muddy. Who's gonna join him in this endeavor? Anyone----Someone?

 

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[Muddyhandz]

"Smoking is a habit and habits are acquired modes of behavior.
All habits, then are acquired and begin with a need. One example with smoking, as we have seen, is the result of a need for calming ourselves down.
Bad habits are seldom bad in themselves; they are simply normal tendencies carried to excess.
It is natural to enjoy lying in bed late occasionally, but do it every day and it becomes laziness.
Take a narcotic prescription to ease pain, but do it every day and you become a drug addict.
A habit is like many forms of animal life; if it is not fed at all, it dies relatively quickly, but it can subsist for a long time on the slightest, least nourishing kinds of food.
One drink is too much for an alcoholic because once he starts, he cannot stop.
The tough moments come only one at a time, and they get easier as you defeat them one at a time.
Defeat one temptation, and the next one won't be as tempting."
DAY TWELVE......it's getting easier! Smoke free!
Have a great day T-net!
Dave.

 

[Limitool]

I'll say it again.... you are an inspiration Muddy. He's to ya staying strong...

 

[texasred777]

Muddy, hang in there guy! I smoked for 40 years, sometime as many as 3 or 4 pack a day, depending on what I was doing and how long before I went to bed. If I sat up late playing poker with friends, doing a movie 'marathon', etc., it wasn't unusual for me to smoke 3 packs. The last 7 or 8 years, I smoked less than a pack and a half most days. As the price increased, I cut back a little more. I began having acute bronchitis occasionally, then more often, until I was having 6 or 7 occurrences a year. I had actually prayed often for God to take the 'habit' away. Well, in His way, he did! In August of 2000 I got an acute case of bronchitis and had to go the ER. Because the doctor didn't know how my body reacted to different antibiotics, he gave me a prescription for a 'weak' medicine. I took it for about a week and wasn't doing much if any better. I went to my regular doctor and told him what had happened. He gave me 'scripts for a couple of more powerful meds. It took several days before they began to have much effect; but eventually, they did cure the problem. Now, during all this time, I couldn't smoke much if any. Addicted as I was after 40 years of smoking, I would light one after another only to put it out again. I was smoking the weakest cigs that my body could find. I had been smoking the Benson and Hedges Ultra Light Menthol cigs for several years. And yes, they were about the most expensive ones on the market. Now, I couldn't even inhale one; but yet kept lighting one to try to kill the craving. It finally got to the point that I could just start to light one and I'd start coughing; then, I'd start coughing when I thought about lighting one! This is not 'stretching' my story. This is literally the truth. Then on Friday, 29th of September, I was working on a job about 30 miles from home. I had a co-worker with me that wasn't a smoker. When we left the job that evening, I immediately pulled out a cig and lit it. I didn't try to inhale for the first couple of puffs. When I did try to inhale a small amount of smoke, I started coughing hard enough that I thought I would have to pull to the side of the road. Finally I got settled down. In my mind, I told myself (again) how stupid I was to continue these 'killers'. I threw it out the window (yes, I know, that was against the law) and never smoked another one. I truly thank God for stopping me from smoking!!!
I had quit countless times, sometime for several weeks; but always started again. As the old saying goes: Quitting is easy, it's the staying quit that's hard.
I didn't tell anyone that I was quitting; not even my wife. I had been going outside to smoke for several years so as to not to inflict my 2nd hand smoke on the family. I had been quit for several weeks before I mentioned it to my wife. Of course, she knew about it; but wasn't saying anything because she thought I'd start back again. Her brother had some trouble with one of his lungs collapsing some years earlier. He quit for over 12 years, then went back to smoking. No, smoking didn't kill him. Liver disease from drinking did that.
Smell and taste magnified? You better believe it! I really had to watch myself for a few months to keep my weight down. After almost 14 years of smoke free living, I weigh about 20 pounds more than when I quit. Most of that has been gained during the last 3 or 4 years because of inactivity.
Muddy, hang in there. I be praying for you! You're through the hardest part already. Yes, there will be times that you will think you're gonna die from craving. But those only last a few minutes. I really believe you've 'got it made'! I wish you all the best! Red

 

[Muddyhandz]

Emile Coue was preaching the doctrine of autosuggestion.....
"Just tell yourself every day in every way I am getting better and better."
Autosuggestion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Start telling yourself you are going to stop smoking. After you have, tell yourself that you are no longer a smoker and don't really want to smoke."

Speaking which, I did something that really felt good the other day.....
Walking downtown, I was harassed (Like usual) for a cigarette by the mobs of panhandlers and I replied for the first time.......
"I don't smoke." Man, did that feel good to say that! This reminds me of something to add to my list on the first post......
All those years I made up excuses or "white lies" when people wanted to bum a smoke. At $15 for a 25 pack, who could afford to give away cigarettes?
I used to give a lot away when they were cheaper but as of the last few years, it became a nuisance to be pestered all the time for a smoke.
Even though I'm Canadian, you won't hear me say "Sorry" that I don't smoke because I'm not! Not sorry at all.
Today is lucky number THIRTEEN and I do not not smoke!

 

[Muddyhandz]

Muddy, hang in there guy! I smoked for 40 years, sometime as many as 3 or 4 pack a day, depending on what I was doing and how long before I went to bed. If I sat up late playing poker with friends, doing a movie 'marathon', etc., it wasn't unusual for me to smoke 3 packs. The last 7 or 8 years, I smoked less than a pack and a half most days. As the price increased, I cut back a little more. I began having acute bronchitis occasionally, then more often, until I was having 6 or 7 occurrences a year. I had actually prayed often for God to take the 'habit' away. Well, in His way, he did! In August of 2000 I got an acute case of bronchitis and had to go the ER. Because the doctor didn't know how my body reacted to different antibiotics, he gave me a prescription for a 'weak' medicine. I took it for about a week and wasn't doing much if any better. I went to my regular doctor and told him what had happened. He gave me 'scripts for a couple of more powerful meds. It took several days before they began to have much effect; but eventually, they did cure the problem. Now, during all this time, I couldn't smoke much if any. Addicted as I was after 40 years of smoking, I would light one after another only to put it out again. I was smoking the weakest cigs that my body could find. I had been smoking the Benson and Hedges Ultra Light Menthol cigs for several years. And yes, they were about the most expensive ones on the market. Now, I couldn't even inhale one; but yet kept lighting one to try to kill the craving. It finally got to the point that I could just start to light one and I'd start coughing; then, I'd start coughing when I thought about lighting one! This is not 'stretching' my story. This is literally the truth. Then on Friday, 29th of September, I was working on a job about 30 miles from home. I had a co-worker with me that wasn't a smoker. When we left the job that evening, I immediately pulled out a cig and lit it. I didn't try to inhale for the first couple of puffs. When I did try to inhale a small amount of smoke, I started coughing hard enough that I thought I would have to pull to the side of the road. Finally I got settled down. In my mind, I told myself (again) how stupid I was to continue these 'killers'. I threw it out the window (yes, I know, that was against the law) and never smoked another one. I truly thank God for stopping me from smoking!!!
I had quit countless times, sometime for several weeks; but always started again. As the old saying goes: Quitting is easy, it's the staying quit that's hard.
I didn't tell anyone that I was quitting; not even my wife. I had been going outside to smoke for several years so as to not to inflict my 2nd hand smoke on the family. I had been quit for several weeks before I mentioned it to my wife. Of course, she knew about it; but wasn't saying anything because she thought I'd start back again. Her brother had some trouble with one of his lungs collapsing some years earlier. He quit for over 12 years, then went back to smoking. No, smoking didn't kill him. Liver disease from drinking did that.
Smell and taste magnified? You better believe it! I really had to watch myself for a few months to keep my weight down. After almost 14 years of smoke free living, I weigh about 20 pounds more than when I quit. Most of that has been gained during the last 3 or 4 years because of inactivity.
Muddy, hang in there. I be praying for you! You're through the hardest part already. Yes, there will be times that you will think you're gonna die from craving. But those only last a few minutes. I really believe you've 'got it made'! I wish you all the best! Red

Thanks for this my friend!
I'm glad you were able to quit before it was too late.
When the body ends up rejecting every last puff then there's no choice but to pack it in!
Like you said, the toughest is staying quit and I realize this thanks to the experience of others.
I've had my fill and do not even want one drag!
Best to you as well.
Cheers,
Dave.

 

[Limitool]

Yea go add that to your original list... That list might help someone else someday. I can't wait to see you posting about a month of being smoke free. One day at a time. Hang tough.

 

[SADS 669]

Keep at it Muddy we're all proud of your success.........

 

[SADS 669]

Gone quiet Muddy, all ok?

 

[diggummup]

I did it, so can you. http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/e...treasure-net-smoke-out-november-1-2007-a.html

 

[Limitool]

Muddy... get to posting. Were not tired of it (you) yet and your not done. And besides that you are a great poster!!!! Let us know buddy either good or bad. I'm betting your doing great still. Later, Brad

 

[Muddyhandz]

I'm still going strong....15 days smoke free!

Things got real busy yesterday and I couldn't make it to this thread.

Thanks for the support!

Talking to a few smokers over the last couple of days and it appears that many have quit for a few years and then started back up again.

I don't foresee myself starting up again down the road but it's interesting how many do start again.

Just something I need to stay mindful of. I expect many variations of temptations for days, weeks, and months to come.

The beauty of my situation is that I already know how terrible that smoke will taste and how crappy I'll feel physically.

This is what people forget after a year or two and once they have that one smoke, chances are they will have another; and another!

Don't know if this thread has inspired anyone else to try quitting. If so, please come on here!

As you can see, there's many here that will support your decision and they are a great help!

Thanks again my friends!

 

[Limitool]

"Don't know if this thread has inspired anyone else to try quitting. If so, please come on here!"

I was kind of hoping somebody else would also... but it is a major step to take especially publicly. Especially with some of us acting like "baby sitters". But it's all meant for the good. Great job Muddy. See SADS... just kinda gotta snap that whip now and then.

 

[SADS 669]

"Don't know if this thread has inspired anyone else to try quitting. If so, please come on here!" I was kind of hoping somebody else would also... but it is a major step to take especially publicly. Especially with some of us acting like "baby sitters". But it's all meant for the good. Great job Muddy. See SADS... just kinda gotta snap that whip now and then.

I am not giving up Single Malt for you or anyone, crack the whip all you like "tool boy "

 

[Meadow]

I was kind of hoping somebody else would also... but it is a major step to take especially publicly. Especially with some of us acting like "baby sitters". But it's all meant for the good.

Yes, this. I don't think we want to make anyone feel like a failure if they try to quit and, um, fail, or that there's a bunch of mean posters waiting to mock them mercilessly. It's just that some of us have had experience with this. Strangely, I never turned into a rabid anti-smoker when I quit so I'm not judgmental about smokers, but if someone wants to quit, it's nice to see them succeed. The practice at quitting is to be applauded, at least. Of course, Muddyhandz! - I do expect you to keep on excelling! (Just think of the $$$! if nothing else.) One day at a time is the way to go.

Refrain tonight,
And that shall lend a kind of easiness
To the next abstinence, the next more easy.

- Hamlet. (Granted he wasn't talking about smoking, but still...)

 

[cowboy7450]

You can do it!!!!!! i quit dipping 5 years ago after dipping for more than 30 years. it was hard but well worth it. dont give up

 

[Fletch88]

You can do it!!!!!! i quit dipping 5 years ago after dipping for more than 30 years. it was hard but well worth it. dont give up

On my 4th or 6th relapse with smokeless tobacco (lost count) after making it more than 3 months on 3 of those attempts. Harder than cigarettes to quit for sure.

Were rooting for ya muddy!

 

[Limitool]

Yes, this. I don't think we want to make anyone feel like a failure if they try to quit and, um, fail, or that there's a bunch of mean posters waiting to mock them mercilessly. It's just that some of us have had experience with this. Strangely, I never turned into a rabid anti-smoker when I quit so I'm not judgmental about smokers, but if someone wants to quit, it's nice to see them succeed. The practice at quitting is to be applauded, at least. Of course, Muddyhandz! - I do expect you to keep on excelling! (Just think of the $$$! if nothing else.) One day at a time is the way to go.

Refrain tonight,
And that shall lend a kind of easiness
To the next abstinence, the next more easy.

- Hamlet. (Granted he wasn't talking about smoking, but still...)

I totally understand Meadow... And I on a personal level would NEVER belittle Muddy, you or anyone if they took a step back and had to start over again. To fail is human nature... but there's nothing like having support upfront and being held accountable upon a setback and then getting the further support to continue. I've failed many times in many endeavor's myself. But I totally understand your point.

 

[texasred777]

Still 'got you on my mind'. But instead of 'feelin' kinda sad and blue'; I'm 'high as a kite' rootin' for you Muddy!

 

[SADS 669]

Hey Muddy,

Put the money you would have spent on cigarettes in a jar and see how cool it is after a few more weeks to be able to afford any metal detector you want, or even a holiday or something equally good.