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I used to be a 20-30 a day Marlboro Red smoker for about 20 years until I gave up 4 years ago and then return to my sporting ventures and never looked back since….well almost.

I am watching the Blues Brother and Dan Aykroyd’s character Elwood Blue has just lit up a cigarette, taken a deep drag and exhaled, after all these years and I still get cravings…..even though I will never smoke again.

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Giving up is hard. Giving in is easy. I’m a smoker who stopped 8 years ago. I know that if I give in just once I’ll be back to my three pack-a-day habit in no time flat. Hang in there, Jezza, you doing good!

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Just received a piece of spam with the subject line: A healthier alternative to smoking

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Hey Jezza,

I quit my 2-pack-a-day habit on June 7, 1987 after 31 years. Cold Turkey, I might add. Being around those that still smoke is irritating at best. They reek with that odor. I keep thinking that that was me and how disgusting I was to others. Keeps me going. Keep up the good work.

Bill K.

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The silliest thing was earlier in the year when I turned up for a 30 mile cross country run and we had to meet at a Cricket Club, we arrived early just as the caretaker was unlocking the doors. He was outside having a cigarette and we had to walk through hissmoke, even in my sports kit I had a craving!!!!!!! All I was saying to buddy throughout the run was “I could murder a Marlboro about now” it set him off too.

It is totally irrational

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The silliest thing was earlier in the year when I turned up for a 30 mile cross country run and we had to meet at a Cricket Club, we arrived early just as the caretaker was unlocking the doors. He was outside having a cigarette and we had to walk through hissmoke, even in my sports kit I had a craving!!!!!!! All I was saying to buddy throughout the run was “I could murder a Marlboro about now” it set him off too.

It is totally irrational

What, pray tell, is “rational” about an addiction ???

The very act of engaging in addictive behavior is irrational, since we know the result of the behavior, if we continue, will be addiction. But, we all know the human animal is nothing but irrational.

Just so you don’t think I’m preaching here… I smoked for 30 years, quit several times, and finally stopped 13 years ago. What I found is that if you are not quitting because YOU want to for yourself, you probably will not be successful in the long term.

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Hi Jerry

After many unsuccessful attempts to quit, in 1976 I gave up a 30 year addiction to tobacco. The one thought that sustained my determination and allowed this endeavour to succeed where many prior attempts had failed was the knowledge that although cravings would re-occur each one would last for a shorter time and with less intensity than the previous craving.

I was astounded ten years later at my reaction to seeing a package of cigarettes on the corner of a colleague’s desk; It only lasted for a moment, but Boy did I ever have the urge.

Hang in there Mate.

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It must be like an alcohol addiction – it never goes away! In 2008, I quit smoking (pack a day) after about 50 years of it. I quit in May and went cold turkey also, but… now the BAD news!

In October I started having some health issues with atrial fibrillation giving me several scares and trips to the emergency room by ambulance. Before the year was out, I gave in to the (self imposed) “pressure” and reached for the weed. Been back smoking again ever since.

I did so well for those several months that I AM GONNA do it again, hopefully by the end of THIS year. It’s a really rough addiction to whip…

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I did so well for those several months that I AM GONNA do it again, hopefully by the end of THIS year. It’s a really rough addiction to whip…

Big Al, You did well to stop the first time and you will do even better the next (and final) time around. It is amazing how an occassion of stress can trigger the urge to pick it back up again. I have seen this happen to so many of my friends. The good news Big Al is they all ended up kicking the habit! My money is riding on you as well.

My hat is off to all of you. I never got into smoking ( a funny story I will relate later) but I saw what my Mom went through after being a 30 year, 3 and 1/2 pack a day smoker. She also went cold turkey. Amazingly enough she became the most ardent anti-smoker I ever saw!

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I did so well for those several months that I AM GONNA do it again, hopefully by the end of THIS year. It’s a really rough addiction to whip…

Hang in there. I quit smoking in February 1999 when my son came back here to live and work in the same office. A couple of times in the early years when under significant stress here at the office I’d go out to the “smoker lounge” (caged in area outside breakroom) and linger a minute or two amongst the smokers for some second hand smoke. Once back at my desk the reek of smoke in my clothes and on my hands cured any craving I had going out there. Not the best solution I suppose. Then a few years back they passed a law in Washington where you had to be 25 feet from an entrance so the smokers now go out to the alley. I don’t miss seeing them out there on break, like monkeys at the zoo.

It’s an awful addiction and, for me at least, the withdraw symptoms were worse then when I quit drinking in 1990. Took a few tries myself, but finally got it right. One attempt the patch worked pretty good until I coudn’t afford them anymore. Another attempt meds helped with homicidal anger flair ups from the withdrawals. Do what you can. It’s worth it, though in many more ways than one.

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My side affect of quit smoking is that I have more money for my computer toys. Ever once in awhile I will have remind the wife, I could still be smoking, and she that I could NOT afford it and smiles . They are now nearly $6.00 a pack of 20.

DaveA I am so far behind, I think I am First
Genealogy....confusing the dead and annoying the living

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Jezza, on 2009-12-01 20:11, said:

I used to watch TV until I gave up about 8 years ago to return to reading books, and have never looked at one since … well almost.
They have “yard sales” here where you can buy a VCR tape of Caine/Connery “The Man Who Would Be King” for $1. I pop one in, rewind, press PLAY and after all these years I still end up watching “just one more scene”, even ‘though I have no idea where the rabbit ears are.
Funnily enough the cable guy knocked on my door this afternoon asking about a digital box, or something. I have never subscribed to cable TV, so I don’t know whether he has some sort of craving, a “fix” he needs to put in, or get in. “For a few dollars more”. That’s another story ….

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When Christmas morning at 3AM eastern USA time gets here this year, it will have been 10 years since my last Vantage 100. I am so glad that I no longer smoke. Had it not been for the patch, I would probably still be puffing my way to poverty, considering their price these days.

My suggestion? Go get the patch…or whatever works for you. Don’t quit quitting. It’s worth it. Good luck.

Tad

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‘s funny – I kicked the habit about 10 years ago and now very rarely have the urge to light up. The odd thing is, however, a recurring dream I have in which I am offered a cigarette and always accept – I’m really enjoying it but then I wake up and I’m left with such a feeling of guilt. Funny how the mind works innit?
Fortunately I haven’t given up beer…

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… but then I wake up and I’m left with such a feeling of guilt.

I know how you feel.
I gave up replying to messages in Scuttlebutt years ago, but I too have a recurring nightmare …..

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I know how you feel.
I gave up replying to messages in Scuttlebutt years ago, but I too have a recurring nightmare …..

….. and we’re all livin the dream!

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…
Fortunately I haven’t given up beer…

Thank God for that Steve, you wouldn’t be allowed in Scuttlebutt if you didn’t stand your round:cheers:

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’s funny – I kicked the habit about 10 years ago and now very rarely have the urge to light up. The odd thing is, however, a recurring dream I have in which I am offered a cigarette and always accept – I’m really enjoying it but then I wake up and I’m left with such a feeling of guilt. Funny how the mind works innit?
Fortunately I haven’t given up beer…

Sorry to have come into this thread so late.

It took me at least 10 years before I stopped having those dreams.

It’s now about 21 years since I stopped.

And when I did, I just decided that I wasn’t going to have that first one in the morning. And I didn’t ever have one again.

Not that it was easy. It was extremely difficult.

But the trigger was there.

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Well, I hate to ruin everyone’s day but I stopped smoking 25 years ago and if someone handed me a cigarette, I don’t know…..

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Well, I hate to ruin everyone’s day but I stopped smoking 25 years ago and if someone handed me a cigarette, I don’t know…..

Same here. I don’t know either.

The urge to start over could be lurking around in my very near future.

I quit nineteen years ago using the ten week, three step patch system, before they became non-prescription.

I smoked two and a half to three packs of non-filtered Camel’s a day.

Started when I was twelve in 1954.

When I questioned the doctor as to how I was able to quit when others I knew that used the same patch system did not quit, he stated to truly quit, we not only have to get over the physical addition but conquer the minds addiction to smoking.

I say to any one who is smoking and trying to quit, “Do not give up on trying to quit. You just might try to quit at the exactly right time”.

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I had a triple bypass in February of this year, and quit for a while. But went right back to it. Tell ya what Al lets do this together. January 01,2010 lets quit and help each other

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I stopped smoking about 6 or 7 years ago. I had previously given up for a period of nearly 2 years and started again, so I do know how hard it is.

The thing that really helped me was thinking really hard about all the reasons why I wanted to stop smoking and then every time I thought about having a cigarette I would say to myself “I’m glad I don’t do that any more” and remind myself of all the positive reasons for not smoking.

I think there is some really good psychology behind this, the idea being that you don’t wind yourself up by thinking how much you want a cigarette, but you keep reinforcing the new behariour by reminding yourself of why you are pleased with yourself.

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I used to be a 20-30 a day Marlboro Red smoker for about 20 years until I gave up 4 years ago and then return to my sporting ventures and never looked back since….well almost.

I am watching the Blues Brother and Dan Aykroyd’s character Elwood Blue has just lit up a cigarette, taken a deep drag and exhaled, after all these years and I still get cravings…..even though I will never smoke again.

Since we look like we are telling “war stories” about quitting smoking, here’s mine.
I had smoked for years and years starting in high school. I smoked cigarettes, cigars, pipes, rolled up newspapers, anything that burned. I set off the smoke alarm in my office THREE times and had the fire engines roll up to the door embarrassingly.
Finally, on November 17, 1987 at 10:00AM, I finished my smoke, snubbed it out in the ashtray and said to myself…..I QUIT! Freezing cold turkey!
Haven’t had even one since then and don’t even have the slightest craving for any smokes. This was even shortly before my mother passed away, and you would think the stress of that event would have nudged me back. Proudly, it didn’t. Today, I can go into a smoke filled room and the only reaction is “that stuff really smells!”
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

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Now they tell me! Quitting can be dangerous to your health.

Notwithstanding the consequences, I’m still glad I quit.

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Just to contribute my penn’orth.

I’m in the process of quitting at present.

A few years back I gave up, cold turkey, at the horrendous expense and shifted my ‘reward system’ to prolonged exercise and spicy (very spicy) food.
The adrenalin and capsaicin adequately (for me) replaced the nicotine until a moment of weakness six months later when offered a smoke.

Since then I’ve tried patches, gum, inhalator and lozenges.
None of the nicotine replacement therapies worked for me but then a pill became available.

The drug is varenicline, branded in the UK as Champix and I think it’s magic.
It works by quelling the craving and also preventing nicotine from satisfying your craving.
All that was left for me to deal with was the routine habit of reaching for a cigarette after meals, when drinking or just bored.

I’m about ten weeks into a twelve week course and haven’t smoked for nine consecutive weeks.
I ran for a bus last week and, instead of feeling my legs fold under me half way there, I caught the bus, still had my breath and felt great.

For me this is the way forward and I recommend it to any who are considering quitting.

I’m not deluding myself though.
I know that when the course of pills is over I’ll be just as vulnerable to a relapse as I was before but the ‘buzz’ of having more energy and better ‘personal hygiene’ is something I wouldn’t willingly sacrifice.

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