Stories
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[edit] Taking the Bioresonance route
At the behest of my lovely wife I joined her in taking the Bioresonance route. While my scientific background has me convinced that the whole thing is nothing more than a smoke and mirrors placebo, neither of us has smoked in the two weeks since. This after 32 and 20-something years. While the lovely wife remains convinced that the "treatment" worked, I'm equally certain that we're doing it cold turkey. But I'm mean enough after having shelled out a fairly substantial sum of money that I want to get it back in unsmoked cigarettes. Should take about 5 weeks - and by that time we should be over the worst of it!
[edit] Decide if you are a smoker or a non-smoker, and simply be that person
My story, for what it's worth: I quit smoking just before Christmas 1992. The memory of the experience has faded slightly, but I still vividly recall the psychological unraveling it caused me. I found that smoking was one of the few ways I had of dealing with stress, depression, and anxiety. It depressed me to think that the thing I was trying so hard to accomplish would rob me of this method of coping. Over time I realized that this actually was one of the greatest benefits of quitting smoking - it taught me how to find and cultivate strength within myself. If you have just quit or are thinking about quitting, just one last bit of sappiness that helped me get through the worst of the experience: quitting smoking is very simple - decide if you are a smoker or a non-smoker, and simply BE THAT PERSON.
[edit] I carry a patch with me at all times
Here is a trick I used during my stop smoking campaign. My HMO (Kaiser) provides nicotine patches for a six month period at the rate of $10 per 2 week prescription. I started at 21 mg of nicotine then 14 mg and finally 7. After 5 months I was off the patch entirely. However, before my prescription coverage expired I purchased one more fourteen day supply and carry a patch with me at all times. About 10 months ago I had a terrible cold and as any smoker will tell you a smoke looks mighty good when you are feeling bad. Instead of cheating I slapped on a patch and the craving slowly went away. The manufacturer does not recommend this but it worked for me. It has now been 25 months since I quit after having smoked and quit numerous times over a 35 year period. Good luck!
[edit] my 10-month anniversary of citizenship in Nonsmokerdom
As a "newbie non-smoker," I found the story in this article pretty close to home. It's now March 2007 and I started on the patch back in May of '06 in the midst of a chest cold that was so bad that it hurt to breathe, and needless to say, a cigarette made it worse.
At first the patches were a temporary response to the pain, but I decided to make it permanent after I started to notice an increase in my general stamina and well-being. I followed the program to the end: 21 mg for 2 weeks, 14 mg for two weeks, 7 mg for two weeks, the last day was sometime in July.
The story featured in the article mentions the empowering nature of finding more constructive ways of dealing with our problems than smoking. That is something that hit home to me early on. I went back to college, and now I'm about a month away from graduation. A good way to deal with a sudden craving, I've found, is to ride my bike really fast up a really steep hill. The natural endorphins kick in and along with being too winded to possibly consider a smoke, I'm so deranged that I don't want one anyway.
Then there was another thing. Back in September one hot afternoon, I smoked a cigarette, mainly out of curiosity. "This is it?" I thought. I felt foolish for having been enslaved for so many years to such a cheap and unsophisticated high. I had derived more enjoyment from huffing whipped cream cans as a teenager or from spinning around as a child on the lawn until I got so dizzy that I could no longer stand.
Well, that last cigarette I had back in September pretty much locked me into the visage of a nonsmoker. My former addiction seemed like I had tried to make that hooker from a Tijuana binge my lifelong bride--cheap, tacky, superficial, unfulfilling, and disease-ridden.
Today is March 16, my 10-month anniversary of citizenship in Nonsmokerdom, but it might as well have been a few decades. I can hang around outside with a friend who's smoking, and it doesn't bother me, nor does it tempt me. The scent of a fresh smoke sparked up-once comely-is now nasty.
The funniest thing about my conquest is that it happend right around the time that the statewide ban on smoking in bars took effect. I've been too busy to patronize one of those fine establishments since I quit, but now that I'm about to become less busy, I've got a pool game to get back in practice for!!!!!
Hey you prospective quitters! Do it! It may seem impossible now, but you'll be amazed at just how much you can accomplish by just doing THAT!
Well, I wish you all the best of luck, as dropping the habit of fellating paper tubes full of tobacco is a hard one to break, but WHEN you're successful (not if-- if you're reading this you want to quit--illusions be damned!!!!!!!), you'll like yourself so much more.
Well, that's all...
[edit] I have just stopped for the third time in two years
I have just stopped for the third time in two years, here are my tips. I am a fifteen year smoker. Nicotine replacement, try different types and see which ones work best. I stopped for 6 months using an inhaler. I am now using patches and the odd bit of gum. Change your routine. If you have a smoke after work then leave at a different time and go somewhere else straight away. If you buy a packet on the way to work then don't go near that shop! If you smoke when out with friends then stay away for a few weeks. Keep busy, play games, surf websites[1], clean house, paint walls, anything to take your mind oof it. The cravings come in waves so try desperately to ride the peak as it will get less after a few minutes. This is my fourth real attempt and it is the hardest yet. The one thing that is keeping me going is the knowledge that it will be even harder next time and all this pain will have been for nothing. Think about sitting around with your loved ones in ten years talking about what cancer treatment you are getting and how scared you are of dying. Think of how your parents/friends/partner/childr... will feel. This stuff kills fact. Good luck and don't give up giving up!
[edit] Stopped after 25 years
I had been a smoker ever since I was 12. I found a great way to stop and that is to slug myself in the genetalia. It hurts, but you think about the pain instead of the cravings for nicotine. Another effective way is to smash your head into the wall until you go through it. The one that got me to quit was to hang onto a wreaking ball while it crashed through a glass building. These methods are nuts but beleive me they work!
[edit] Chantix will help
I quit along with several friends who are longterm smokers (over 20 years smoking for me) with the assistance of Chantix. It costs about the same as smoking and nobody's insurance seems to pay for it yet. I've tried to quit in the past, but it's never been this easy before. For me Chantix decreased my desire to smoke almost completely. It will cause crazy dreams, but other than that no side effects for me. I stopped the Chantix about a month ago and have managed to stay smoke free so far. I wouldn't call it a cure for smoking, but it got me through that scary initial quit period. Chantix requires a prescription from your doctor in the U.S..
